man crossing fingers behind backPants on fire …I get the Energy
IssueWatch Newsletter from Congress rag The Hill. In last
Friday’s edition, reporter Ben Geman wrote, “Advocates of
limiting emissions say it’s inaccurate to compare EPA rules to
cap-and-trade proposals that collapsed on Capitol Hill last
year.” This is, I suppose, progress. It’s a “she said” to the
“he said,” better than simply passing on the Republican lie
unopposed. But it still manages to avoid judging the veracity of
the claim.  About the veracity there is little question. Cap-
and-trade consists of two things: a cap on emissions and
tradable permits. EPA is contemplating neither. It is therefore
false, if the word “false” has any meaning, that EPA is
implementing cap-and-trade. Yes, “advocates” say that. Because
it’s true!  The fact that it’s true conveys something
interesting and instructive to the reading public; the fact that
advocates say it’s true conveys almost nothing. So why does
Geman choose to report the latter rather than the form