If he’s in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after
Nov 4, Barack Obama said he would classify carbon dioxide as a dangerous pollutant,
and use the Clean Air Act to curb emissions by power plants and manufacturers.
Such a move could halt construction on as many as half of the 130 proposed new
coal-fired power plants.
‘The U.S. has to move quickly domestically so we can get back in the game
internationally’ said Jason Grumet, Obama’s energy advisor. ‘We
cannot have a meaningful impact in the international discussion until we develop
a meaningful domestic consensus. So he’ll move quickly’ (Jim Ofstathiou
Jr., Yahoo! News 10/16/08).
Meanwhile, many Europeans, seeing the punishing financial costs of emissions
reductions while already in a fiscal crisis, are saying ‘Not me!’
In 2006, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised to eliminate coal and nuclear power
in Germany. Now she is calling for new coal-fired plants and for protecting
chemical, steel, manufacturing, cement, and automotive industries from ruinous
emissions caps (Paul Driessen, FreeRepublic.com 10/13/08).
‘It cannot be us, who have the biggest manufacturing economy in Europe
along with Germany, to take on the costs that would depress our economy, our
automotive sector, compared with other economies, in a moment of crisis’
said Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Eight other countries (Poland,
Hungary, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia) also asked
the EU to recognize their economic difficulties and block the EU climate plan
(Francesca Piscioneri and Pete Harrison, Reuters 10/21/08).
The British government has “spent more than three years paving the way
for the next [U.S.] president by chipping away at the road block the US has
long represented on getting a binding agreement—designed to ‘penetrate
every layer of American society’.” The Prince of Wales, religious
leaders, and dozens of members of Parliament have been involved (Times 10/20/08).
British politicians, however, are being pummeled by a voter backlash, as cash-strapped
families struggle with the £1,000/yr cost of climate policy (Daily Mail
10/17/08).
Half of America’s electricity is generated using coal. Demand is growing
twice as fast as supply, and brownouts could occur as early as 2009 (Doctors
for Disaster Preparedness Newsletter, September 2008).
EPA-proposed rules would require permits to emit carbon dioxide from the majority
of American small businesses, farms with more than 25 cows, and even large single-family
homes, as well as schools, hospitals, and public buildings. ‘It is difficult
to overemphasize how potentially disruptive and burdensome such a…regulatory
regime would be’ commented the Small Business Administration Office of
Advocacy (Physicians for Civil Defense, July 2008).
Sen. McCain has not said how he would approach CO2 regulation under the Clean
Air Act (Estathiou, op. cit.).
Additional information:
Sample comments on EPA-proposed rule. Also search http://www.regulation.gov
for EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0318.
Ideas Have Health Consequences, AAPS News, November 2008.
Supreme Court Rules that Building Block for All Life Is a Pollutant,
AAPS News of the Day 4/9/07.
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One Response:
Lee Welter Says:
Tyrants seem to use any weapon, regardless of its impact on humanity, which
satisfies their lust for power.
Having these thoughtless souls spend an adequate interval in a “Biosphere”
devoid of carbon dioxide would be suitable enlightenment for all concerned.
In a recent Letter to the Editor of the Sacramento Bee I made some comparisons of the US Presidential candidates. The letter was published on Tuesday, September 09, 2008 on page 16A. Here is a link to it: http://www.sacbee.com/326/story/1220396-p2.html
Nearly everyone I speak with has expressed a concern about the price of gasoline.
As winter approaches, I'm sure that keeping warm without busting the budget
will be a big issue as well. In the race for president, I decided to compare
the proposals and records of Senators Barack Obama and John McCain on energy
issues.
Obama makes it clear that he is fine with high prices and he wants to add taxes.
Both McCain and Obama advocate feel-good solutions like wind and solar power
and conservation. But McCain has been in Congress for more than two decades,
and he's had plenty of opportunities to improve the situation. But to date he's
done nothing. The selection of Sarah Palin may bring energy production front
and center, but California needs refineries to bring down energy costs.
Former Republican Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia is running for president as
a Libertarian with a plan to increase domestic energy production. He supports
building new refineries and expansion of the use of clean coal and nuclear resources.
McCain and Obama offer no real solutions. It is time for real change.
– Gale Morgan
As of October 20, 2008, one half of one percent (2,076) of all (412,101) CD03
voters were registered Libertarian. http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/15day_presgen_08/congressional.pdf
Probably not all 2,076 registered Libertarian voters voted. Maybe some did but
didn’t vote for me. If so, then more than 3,721 voters not registered
Libertarian voted for me. Maybe they were mostly American Independents, of which
there are 10,865 registered in CD03. Probably not many were Democrats, Greens
or Peace & Freedoms. Evidently, 38 percent (255,448) of CD03 voters decided
to not vote for a U.S. Representative. Maybe some of them can be persuaded to
vote Libertarian next time. I appreciate your effort to influence others to
vote Libertarian.
Thank you for your support. — Art
The CD03 results as posted at http://vote.sos.ca.gov/Returns/usrep/0359.htm
on 11/12/08:
Candidate Votes %
Douglas Arthur Tuma (Lib) 5,797 2.2%
Dina J. Padilla (P&F) 10,630 4.1%
William E. Durston (Dem) 112,692 44.2%
Dan Lungren (Rep) 126,329 49.5%
The Sacramento Libertarian Party Meetup Group is spreading the Libertarian
message and getting people to vote libertarian, whether they join the party
or not. 'Just vote libertarian' is the message displayed on the Meetup
site.
Once each month people gather around a table to discuss libertarian ideals and
the politics of the day. Currently we meet at the Woody's Grill and Bar at 2316
Watt Avenue (Country Club Plaza). If you need directions you can reach them
at (916) 485-4886 or on the web at http://www.woodysgrill.com.
Gale Morgan is the organizer and Art Tuma is the Assistant Organizer. One or
both attend each Meetup event.
Wayne Williams, frequent LPS Meetup participant, suggested we devote a half
hour during our Meetup to discuss the first three topics of a 1961 speech by
Robert Welch, "Republics and Democracies" http://www.serendipity.li/jsmill/welch.html.
We can discuss the remaining topics in future Meetups.
I think this is a good idea! I'll be ready to discuss the first three topics
on Nov. 26 said Art Tuma when he heard the proposal.
We meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Come and join the fun! The Meetup
web address is http://www.meetup.com/Libertarian-Party-Sac/