Minneapolis Star Tribune
April 15, 2009
Excerpt, read the full story here.

"U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann argued on these pages April 8 against a cap-and-trade policy. But her argument ignored both the real cause of energy price hikes and job loss in America today, while missing the incredible opportunity that exists in passing comprehensive climate-change legislation to create millions of jobs building the clean-energy economy.

"We all clearly remember last summer's skyrocketing energy prices, which were caused by our failure to develop renewable sources of energy as the absolute supply of oil declined. That experience should provide even more incentive to change the way we produce and consume energy in the United States. Since then, our economy has suffered enormous setbacks in the form of financial collapse, increasing unemployment, and bailouts for reckless banks and shortsighted automotive companies.

"What we do know for sure is that the status quo is not working, and that passing comprehensive clean-energy and climate-change legislation is a necessary step, and the most effective way, to rapidly put Americans back to work and reduce global-warming emissions while we're at it."