Blowin’ in the Wind at the AFP Hot Air Balloon Tour, Oklahoma City

 

The Americans for Prosperity Hot Air Balloon Tour made a stop in Oklahoma City yesterday evening, to rally Oklahomans to oppose climate change policies that that are destroying the ecomonmy (and actually harming the environment).

The rally was held in the historic Bricktown area, and more than 250 people were there. The BBQ was great. Although there was too much wind (by the time we were all headed home, there were tornado sirens going off in some parts of town), for a balloon ride, we still had a great time.

From the AFP:

A brand new Kaiser Family Foundation survey on how changes in the economy have affected people’s lives found that paying for gasoline tops the list of financial worries facing American families. And a recent Gallup poll indicated that the country’s economic situation is by far the greatest concern among likely voters. Yet elected officials continue to push for climate change proposals that would lead to drastic hikes in energy costs, for almost no environmental gain.

A proposed regulatory scheme known as “cap-and-trade” could double energy costs, according to an analysis by the American Council on Capital Formation (ACCF) and the National Association of Manufacturers. The Congressional Budget Office scored the Lieberman-Warner cap-and-trade bill as a $1.2 trillion tax hike. The ACCF study projected Oklahoma gas prices would increase by as much as 71% within 12 years, or in real terms to $6 per gallon. Meanwhile, the state could lose up to 21,551 jobs in that period, while disposable household income would be reduced by up to $2,600 annually.

Legislators and business owners in the area talked about the unintended consequences and negative impact of so-called “global-warming” policies that in some cases are actually harming the environment.

We even had counter protesters (three of them).

We’ll have more details and links to video of the event here as they become available.