Ah, the beauty of government working with large corporations and trade groups to favor certain corporations and industries through legislation. Add regulatory burden on small businesses, monopolize competition (or “protect profits”) of corporations, and do it all through laws passed by individuals who have no understanding of the economy or business. Corporatism at its finest.

With legislation pending in Congress that could put a price on greenhouse-gas emissions, the energy-gulping chemical industry is trying to position itself to emerge as an unlikely winner.

Chemical makers are one of the biggest energy users among manufacturers, expelling about 5% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, according to government data. They face heavy costs under a proposed system to cap emissions that would require the industry to purchase permits to pollute.

But a so-called cap-and-trade system would also boost demand for some chemical companies’ products, from insulation to solar-panel components, because those products would help others cut back on the energy use.

“This is really our sweet spot,” said Calvin Dooley, chief executive of the American Chemistry Council, an industry trade group.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124416259816487393.html

This is part of the ongoing Recommended Video archive.