Last month the EPA expanded its business killing regulation by mandating that for the first time, industrial facilities must account for greenhouse emissions by purchasing permits from the government.  While it isn’t explicitly called “cap and trade,” it’s about as close as the Obama Administration can come to killing America’s capacity to create efficient energy.

But today, members of the House GOP are taking action against one of the most devestating big government programs in Washington, the EPA:

Acting on a vow to fight the Obama administration on climate issues, Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, unveiled draft legislation Wednesday to try to strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its power to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

Sen. James M. Inhofe (Okla.), ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), chairman of the subcommittee on energy and power, joined Upton in issuing what they called the Energy Tax Prevention Act.

In a statement, the congressmen said the legislation’s intent is to show that the Clean Air Act was not meant to address climate change, stop the EPA “from imposing a backdoor cap-and-trade tax” on industries identified as polluters, and protect American jobs.

“We firmly believe federal bureaucrats should not be unilaterally setting national climate change policy,” the statement said.

Backdoor cap-and-trade tax.  Classic.  It’s unfortunately also somewhat accurate, and it is entirely reminiscent of the Administration’s decision to include death panel incentives in the newest installment of our Medicare regulations.  If Obama can’t pass a law through the democratic system, he’ll just govern by regulation.  They ended up crossing that line out of the plan.  Hopefully, they’ll do the same with the newest EPA regulations.

Of course, not everyone is happy with the fact that Republicans want to help grow the American economy.  The Left seems content to let the economy grow at a snails pace:

But Democrats such as Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon strongly disagreed. “I am outragedthat House Republicans are launching this attack on the most basic law that keeps our air safe to breathe,” Blumenauer said Wednesday.

“House Republicans . . . have chosen to stand with the polluters. I will oppose this legislation at every turn,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.).

“These efforts would halt EPA’s common-sense steps under the Clean Air Act to protect Americans from harmful air pollution that, until now, has not been subject to any pollution standards,” said Brendan Gilfillan, an agency spokesman.

Americans actually want jobs more than they want “clean air.”  They want jobs more than they want a government takeover of health care.  And they want jobs more than they want more spending.  Yeah, the Democrats really do have a message problem.