The White House and the Environmental Protection Agency teamed up today to target the coal industry, announcing new regulations meant to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent in the next 16 years.
These regulations could force plants across the country to close, resulting in the loss of 250,000 jobs, according to Fox News. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell predicted higher power costs and less reliable energy as a result of the EPA's plan, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimated the new regulations will cost the economy $50 billion a year.
Despite these alarming consequences, the President and the EPA have decided to move forward, and states have until Jun 30, 2016, to submit their proposals to comply with the new regulations.
But there is more than jobs and money at stake in the president's announcement.
As CNN reports, "By acting through a regulation rather than proposing a law, the president skirts Congress."
Instead of moving through the proper channels (i.e., Congress, the constitutionally-sanctioned lawmaking body), President Obama, once again, has enacted a law without the consent of the American people.
What you believe about the environment or coal or global warming isn't the real issue here. In this situation, who decides is much more important than what is decided. Should the president and bureaucrats in Washington have the power to make laws that affect millions of people--should they have the ultimate power to decide?
