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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
1:52 PM EDT
Sandra Fabry

Speed Reading the Waxman-Markey Cap-and-Trade Multi-Billion Dollar Tax-Increase?

Remember how the trillion dollar spending and debt package promoted under the guise of "economic stimulus" was passed without a member of Congress actually having read the bill? 

If the Tea Party movement is any indication, taxpayers were really upset about that - and rightfully so.

Now, as we're staring down the barrel of another horrible bill consisting of hundreds of pages - the Waxman-Markey Cap-and-Trade tax hike bill - Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee prepared themselves for a possible GOP attempt to slow down the process by - rightfully - requesting a reading of the 946-page bill including major amendments.

How did they prepare themselves, you ask?  Well, by hiring a speed reader. I am not kidding. As the Wall Street Journal reports on its blog:

A committee spokeswoman said the speed reader -- a young man who was on door duty at the hearing as he awaited a call to the microphone -- was hired to help staffers. After years of practice, the panel's clerks can read at a good clip. But the speed reader is a lot faster, she said.
 
"Judging by the size of the amendments, I can read a page about every 34 seconds," said the newly hired staff assistant, who declined to give his name. Based on that estimate, it would take him about nine hours.
Of course Mr. Waxman and his friends are desperate to ram this monstrosity of a bill through as quickly as possible, because the more Americans learn about this tax hike scheme, the less they like it, as indicated here. 
 
Let's hope pro-taxpayer members of Congress take every opportunity they have to take this bill off the fast track. Republicans had several hundreds of amendments lined up for the bill. 
 
But the most important thing - Congress needs to hear from you. Tell them that you will not stand for a bill that will increase taxes, limit American energy production, decrease American jobs, and increase the cost that you and your family pay every time you fill up your vehicle.  Click here to send a note to your members of Congress!
 
Photo credit: Sara Berger
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