The right-leaning American for Prosperity group is bringing its Hot Air Tour to Phoenix on Saturday, offering tethered hot air balloon rides and speeches on the huge costs of trying to solve global warming.
Tom Jenney, director of the AFP's Arizona chapter, says the tour doesn't directly address the science behind climate change theories. Rather, it focuses on the pricetag of the large-scale solutions being bandied about by "alarmists."
"It may be we need to do some of this stuff," Jenny says of global warming fixes. "We're looking at the costs. People just need to think about that."
The tour kicked off in Washington D.C. on April 10, one day before Earth Day, to make the point that "radical" global warming solutions are nothing but hot air. Talking points on the group's Web site include statistics that would be troubling to anyone: For instance, it quotes a Congressional Budget Office figure that a cap on greenhouse gas emissions would require a $1.19 trillion tax hike over the next 10 years.
Of course, some folks say expensive solutions are the only way to stave off calamity in the future from rising seas and drought. Whoever's right about the ultimate consequences of climate change, a couple of things about the costs of a solution are obvious:
*With this economy, the country might not be able to afford expensive proposed solutions even if those solutions would save money in the long-term.
*Some so-called solutions are monetary black holes, creating the potential for extreme waste of public funds.
In other words, spend too little or spend too much -- it could be a catastrophe either way. -- Ray Stern
AFP's news release follows:
Nationwide Hot Air Balloon Tour Highlighting Dangers of Global Warming Alarmism to Stop in Phoenix, Dec. 6
Event aims to educate citizens on economic costs of global warming policies
PHOENIX - The free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) will bring its nationwide hot air balloon tour to Phoenix this Saturday, Dec. 6, for a grassroots event at the El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium. The Cost of Hot Air Tour will highlight economy-destroying stealth energy tax hikes contained in legislation being pushed by global warming alarmists, along with the dangerous regulatory power grab proposed by the unelected bureaucrats at the EPA, who want to regulate greenhouse gases as hazardous pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
The balloon launch is free and open to media and the public.
A crowd of citizens will hear from AFP policy director Phil Kerpen and Wall Street Journal columnist Steve Moore about the economic one-two punch that global warming legislation would deliver to Arizona and the nation. The event will have a strong visual component, most notably AFP's huge 70-foot-tall hot air balloon, emblazoned with the message, "Global Warming Alarmism: Lost Jobs, Higher Taxes, Less Freedom."
WHO: Americans for Prosperity
WHAT: Grassroots rally with a 70-foot-tall hot air balloon. Doughnuts and coffee will be served and tethered hot air balloon rides will be provided, weather permitting. There is no cost to attend the balloon launch and news conference, but citizens are encouraged to reply to [email protected] or by phone to (602) 478-0146. To register for the AFP Foundation policy summit taking place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., visit www.aztaxpayers.org.
WHEN: 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., Saturday, December 6. News conference at 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium, 552 N 40th St in Phoenix (just south of 202 on 40th)
