Remember how Bush gave that landmark speech on climate change and was all serious about reducing emissions? In his extraordinarily lame economic speech today, Bush mused on the proper approach to the issue:

“Many of the people in Congress who complain about high energy costs support legislation that would make energy even more expensive,” he said. These members of Congress, he said, want to impose “new and costly mandates on producers, and demand dramatic emissions restrictions that would shut down coal plants.”

So, you know, that’s just how serious he is.

Still, this only heightens the need to come up with a compelling counter-argument that will resonate with voters. The economic efficiency and effectiveness benefits of carbon pricing are reason enough for me, but Republicans will continue to make the case Bush makes here–that Democrats hate freedom and economic growth and the poor. It isn’t true, but since when has truth mattered in politics?