Just a week into the 2009 congressional session, Rep. John Shimkus is wasting no time drawing a line in the sand on energy policy. Too bad that line is far to the right of most sensible lawmakers.

During the first House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on climate change yesterday, the Collinsville Republican had this to say about the potential of a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions:

“Be prepared for a battle,” Illinois Republican John Shimkus told Democrats on the panel. Shimkus called the plan “a shell game to hide the cost from the ultimate person who is going to pay.”

“Let’s develop a trading floor for U.S. emissions, and let’s let the big-money folks at Goldman Sachs control it,” Shimkus said. “Is that a good idea?

A shell game, eh? It’s true that initially, low-income households will probably face higher costs (PDF) for a variety of products and services that rely on carbon inputs. But a well-designed cap-and-trade program that requires all credits to be purchased at auction—a stipulation Barack Obama supports—would generate more than enough sustainable revenue to lessen the blow.

The Center for American Progress argues that 40 percent of the estimated $50 billion to $350 billion funds annually generated should help low- and middle-income Americans pay for any energy price increases. An additional 10 percent should be allocated to help offset costs to businesses and shareholders of affected industries. The rest could be invested in renewable energy, efficiency, and low-carbon transportation technologies.

Of course, failing to deal with the ecological damage being wrought by global warming will ultimately devastate the American economy. But Shimkus doesn’t appear too worried. After all, this is the same legislator who:

- bemoaned Al Gore and “enviro extremists” for “playing on people’s emotions” by discussing the dangers of climate change;

- twice tried to adjourn the House before a vote could be held on a comprehensive energy bill;

- fudged the numbers on his own “alternative energy” proposal;

- and delivered this illogical paean: “If drilling is good, drilling and mining is better.”

Shimkus has no interest in reducing the nation’s carbon footprint to 80 percent below 1990 levels within 40 years if it means that polluting businesses will be forced to deal with even limited environmental regulations. And he’s cloaking his disregard for the Earth with psuedo-populist rhetoric that’s not supported by facts. Don’t buy the hype.