As with many pieces of legislation that comes out of Congress, the bills are written such that the negative effects gradually increase over time. This is usually done to allow the law to “settle in” on the public which sees little effect until it becomes politically impossible to reverse course. It’s a question of “how do you boil a live frog in a pot of water?” You put it in when it is cold and then slowly turn up the heat.

An interactive chart by The Heritage Foundation illustrates this effect on gasoline prices (state by state) over time if Waxman-Markey’s Cap-and-Trade provisions become law.

You’ll also want to look at the following articles:

Impact of the Waxman–Markey Climate Change Legislation on the States

Five Things Congress and the President Are Doing to Bring Back Sky-High Gas Prices