In recent reports, I’ve focused on the economic realities of cap and trade. But today I want to zero in on the radical ideology behind it. I’ve mentioned it before, but it is worth repeating as it underscores the tremendous consequences of elections and informed voting.

Writing at Forbes.com, Joel Kotkin discusses the disturbing “de-development” agenda behind cap and trade. Cloaked in noble notions of saving the planet from global warming, cap and trade is economic suicide, which is why China and India won’t agree to it. (So why should we?) The goal is to destroy capitalism and bring America to its knees. Here’s an excerpt from Kotkin’s column:

“To deal with this looming crisis, Holdren in the 1977 book Ecoscience (co-authored with Anne and Paul Ehrlich) developed the notion of ‘de-development.’ …The only way to close ‘the prosperity gap’ was to lower the living standards of what he labeled ‘over-developed’ nations. [That’s us!] …

“So who benefits…? Hegemony-seeking communist capitalists in China might fancy seeing America and the West decline to the point that they can no longer compete or fund their militaries. A weakened European Union or U.S. also won’t be able provide a model of a more democratic version of capitalism to counter China’s ultra-authoritarian version. …De-industrialization means the West falls back while emerging economies grow…”

In case you don’t know, the “Holdren” Kotkin refers to above is Dr. John P. Holdren, President Obama’s science czar. Let me connect the dots again: We have a president who has vowed to bankrupt the coal industry, an energy secretary who wants $8.00 a gallon gas and a science czar who wants to “de-develop” the United States (and who has also advocated forced abortions and sterilizations).

Energy is the lifeblood of America’s economy, our national security and your standard of living. Few issues could so negatively effect our country’s future and our children’s futures as cap and trade, and that’s why it matters.