Michelle Malkin » Meet the retrofit police

Meet the retrofit police

By Michelle Malkin • July 8, 2009 01:19 PM

I noted last week on Twitter that if Cap and Tax becomes law, Americans will need to prepare for the Retrofit Police, the Lightbulb Brigade & Obam-odometers.

Jimmie Bise takes an in-depth look at the retrofitting provisions of the House cap-and-trade bill — Section 304.

Read the whole deal here.

Excerpt:

Here’s what the Democrats have planned for you. The program requires that states label their buildings so that we can all know how efficient every building (that includes residential and non-residential buildings) is and it requires that the information be made public. To that end, the bill suggests a number of circumstances under which the states could inspect a building, including:

(A) preparation, and public disclosure of the label through filing with tax and title records at the time of–

(i) a building audit conducted with support from Federal or State funds;

(ii) a building energy-efficiency retrofit conducted in response to such an audit;

(iii) a final inspection of major renovations or additions made to a building in accordance with a building permit issued by a local government entity;

(iv) a sale that is recorded for title and tax purposes consistent with paragraph (8);

(v) a new lien recorded on the property for more than a set percentage of the assessed value of the property, if that lien reflects public financial assistance for energy-related improvements to that building; or

(vi) a change in ownership or operation of the building for purposes of utility billing; or

(B) other appropriate means.

Pay close attention to (iii), (iv), and (vi) because those hit you right where you live. What that’s saying is the state will be empowered to inspect your home if you want to 1) renovate your house in any way that requires a building permit, 2) sell your house, or 3) change the name of the person responsible for any utility bill.

By now, if you haven’t swallowed your tongue and are in need of medical attention, you’re probably wondering if there’s a penalty for not being in compliance with the new efficiency ratings. The answer is no, and yes. Here’s where the bill gets really sneaky. So far as I can tell, there is no direct penalty if your house does not meet the bill’s target. However, it does require that the number of buildings inspected by the state meet certain percentage targets and if they do not, the state loses out on a significant portion of the money it could get from Washington. In other words, the bill demands certain things from the states, but ties funding for those demands to compliance with the demands.

Melissa Clouthier probes further. And she’s right:

Your house is not your own.

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Posted in: cap and trade

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#201

On July 9th, 2009 at 8:00 am, PKAmmoTroop said:

On July 8th, 2009 at 3:06 pm, Red State Spastic said:

So Reagan wasn’t Conservative after all? For all these years I’ve been lied to by people who love Reagan and people who hate him?

No I disapproved of him absolutely, regardless of his ideological stripes.

I knew there was a good reason to idolize the man. Your endorsement clinches it.

And when you get off your ideological rocking horse and try to expand your knowledge of things that really happened (instead of party jingoism that can be printed on a bumper sticker) here’s a few facts you should know so you can look back on 2009 and realize how much of a fool you made yourself look:

weapons were sold to people in Iran who were fighting the Ayatolla (not to the Ayatolla as your party political officers would have you believe) and profits were used to fight against torturous regiems… you know, like the ones your president is currently backing
#202

On July 9th, 2009 at 8:13 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

I do believe Obama, Axelrod, Rahm Emmanuel and friends have US exactly where they want us. We skirt from issue to issue arguing the individual merits of Cap and Trade, National Healthcare, spending bills and such and all the while ignoring the two big issues–Constitutionality of the whole package and the power grab.

A few Democrats back off on some minor issue and we think we won a victory and Fascism moves on while Obama grabs power. Wilson had his War Socialism, Stalin his Five Year Plans, Mao his Great Leap Forward.

Yes I do believe Obama, Axelrod, Rahm Emmanuel and friends have US exactly where they want us.

Keep your power dry and wait for the knock on the door.
#203

On July 9th, 2009 at 8:40 am, dan708 said:

This is how a republic dies, death by a thousand bureaucratic cuts. I weep for my country’s lost promise.
#204

On July 9th, 2009 at 9:25 am, Misscheryl said:

8:13 am, ArizonaNeanderthal

Ditto that! Obama will throw out an idea to test the waters. If he gets too much of an outcry – he’ll tone it down, or put it on the back burner – for now. He’s all about manipulation. He’s a con man!
#205

On July 9th, 2009 at 9:30 am, Last Massachusetts Conservative said:

#177 Could MM consider using board software that allows users to block comments from users they consider idiots?

Problem is lgm, rss, chap and the other trolls consider most of us conservative posters idiots — and vice versa. Thus we would all end up blocking each other. That approach would be as disaterous as Cap and Trade.

I prefer freedom of speech no matter how messy it is.
#206

On July 9th, 2009 at 9:38 am, Misscheryl said:

#177 Could MM consider using board software that allows users to block comments from users they consider idiots?

You know..this is the internet, these are people using the internet and when the two come together this is what happens.

Get over it, or get off!
#207

On July 9th, 2009 at 10:34 am, battleaxe said:

IOTW, the feds withhold the money it overtaxed from the people of each state in order to bribe the states to do something. It worked only too well for the ridiculous drinking age laws.

“Land of the free” was apparently just a political promise.
#208

On July 9th, 2009 at 10:37 am, Misscheryl said:

“Land of the free” was apparently just a political promise.

We havent been free since FDR.
#209

On July 9th, 2009 at 10:38 am, Misscheryl said:

Let me clairify: Since before FDR
#210

On July 9th, 2009 at 10:38 am, GladzKravtz said:

Double ditto!

ArizonaNeanderthal:
We skirt from issue to issue…

They are ALL smart – cunning – even Pelosi. We have underestimated our opponents. Those here who believe/ have commented in the past about the Dems being stupid should step back and think about it.

Misscheryl:
Obama will throw out an idea to test the waters.

Lots of Red Herrings.

So glad to finally start seeing comments like these. Only when we start seeing our political opponents as being strong adversaries will we start fighting in a manner to win.
#211

On July 10th, 2009 at 4:36 pm, LOBOMAN said:

The Admin can kiss my roof top………
I’ll fix them, I wont sell my house, ever, or forever!