The Future's So Dark, You Don't Need Shades
Sometimes we have an opportunity to see if something works because someone else has already tried it. For instance, we know that socialism doesn't work because we can look at the former Soviet Union as proof, capitalism in China, and Cuba's need for foreign aid to operate. Likewise, we can look to our good neighbors to the north in Canada and our good friends across the pond in England to see that socialized health care doesn't work the way it is intended. But what about environmental policy?
The UK Telegraph just came out with an article that shows England will experience rolling blackouts in less than a decade because of their environmental regulations and politicians not paying attention to alternative energy outside fossil fuels. So now, England's in a bit of a spot because they have nuclear reactors that are set to be retired, wind farms that haven't been built, and energy consumption is on the rise.
Now, let's multiply England's problems by our population and energy needs. I think we would be in serious trouble should England's policies be carried out here. But that's not stopping them from trying. It's called Cap and Trade, EPA carbon dioxide regulations, listening to the environmental lobby. Fortunately, Cap and Trade in the Senate is being delayed until late September, and hopefully, it will never pass the Senate. It would never have reached the Senate if some people, like 8 Republicans which includes Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), hadn't voted for it in the House.
Like England's politicians, our politicians never consider the law of unintended consequences. They say, "look, we saved the world", but in reality, they've just created new problems. Let's take a look at some of those unintended consequences:
Curly Q light bulbs: save on energy, but are filled with mercury. If you break one of these things, it's a toxic mess to clean up. Just check out what the EPA says if you break one of those pigtail light bulbs.
Cash For Clunkers: Cash in your clunker for a fuel efficient new car. Two of the many problems with this program was that the MPG rating on the new cars really didn't skyrocket, and all those crushed cars' fluids and plastic components will be sitting in the landfill long after you or I are still on this Earth. Besides, higher CAFE standards require smaller, lighter cars resulting in numerous deaths of motorists in accidents that could have been prevented if there was still steel and footage between the driver and the other car.
Energy policies: We can't drill here, so we still rely on other people's oil. But we'll subsidize Brazil to drill though. Our nuclear power plants are aging and need to be recommissioned, or new ones built, but the red tape, lawsuits, EPA regulations and costs prohibit anything being done. Wind farms are nice, but loud, expensive, and the whole NIMBY thing comes into play also.
Sovereignty rights: We tell Brazil they can't cut down their forests. We tell developing nations they can't pollute as they increase their industrial output. Sen. John Kerry and others want the US to pass the Law of the Sea Treaty which would in essence place any tributary to the oceans under United Nations jurisdiction and also UN environmental regulations.
Coal: We can't use it because it's dirty. There is technology to make it clean, but the environmental lobby will hear nothing of it. Illinois sits on a massive coal reserve, but if you travel down toward Pinckneyville, you'll see what environmental regulations have done to a once bustling industrial area. Coal mines are closed, and those that are open employ very few compared to 30 years ago.
CFCs: We get rid of CFCs but now the replacement for CFCs called HFCs are supposed to be 10 times worse than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.
Our policy makers do one thing to fix a problem, but cause another. That's ok though because they can go to their lobbyist friends and tell them they did something and get more money. Meanwhile, we'll sit in the dark someday in the future as rolling blackouts happen while we try to look for jobs under candlelight and eat our Soylent Green. That is if we still have candles because they are producers of carbon dioxide as they burn....
The UK Telegraph just came out with an article that shows England will experience rolling blackouts in less than a decade because of their environmental regulations and politicians not paying attention to alternative energy outside fossil fuels. So now, England's in a bit of a spot because they have nuclear reactors that are set to be retired, wind farms that haven't been built, and energy consumption is on the rise.
Now, let's multiply England's problems by our population and energy needs. I think we would be in serious trouble should England's policies be carried out here. But that's not stopping them from trying. It's called Cap and Trade, EPA carbon dioxide regulations, listening to the environmental lobby. Fortunately, Cap and Trade in the Senate is being delayed until late September, and hopefully, it will never pass the Senate. It would never have reached the Senate if some people, like 8 Republicans which includes Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), hadn't voted for it in the House.
Like England's politicians, our politicians never consider the law of unintended consequences. They say, "look, we saved the world", but in reality, they've just created new problems. Let's take a look at some of those unintended consequences:
Curly Q light bulbs: save on energy, but are filled with mercury. If you break one of these things, it's a toxic mess to clean up. Just check out what the EPA says if you break one of those pigtail light bulbs.
Cash For Clunkers: Cash in your clunker for a fuel efficient new car. Two of the many problems with this program was that the MPG rating on the new cars really didn't skyrocket, and all those crushed cars' fluids and plastic components will be sitting in the landfill long after you or I are still on this Earth. Besides, higher CAFE standards require smaller, lighter cars resulting in numerous deaths of motorists in accidents that could have been prevented if there was still steel and footage between the driver and the other car.
Energy policies: We can't drill here, so we still rely on other people's oil. But we'll subsidize Brazil to drill though. Our nuclear power plants are aging and need to be recommissioned, or new ones built, but the red tape, lawsuits, EPA regulations and costs prohibit anything being done. Wind farms are nice, but loud, expensive, and the whole NIMBY thing comes into play also.
Sovereignty rights: We tell Brazil they can't cut down their forests. We tell developing nations they can't pollute as they increase their industrial output. Sen. John Kerry and others want the US to pass the Law of the Sea Treaty which would in essence place any tributary to the oceans under United Nations jurisdiction and also UN environmental regulations.
Coal: We can't use it because it's dirty. There is technology to make it clean, but the environmental lobby will hear nothing of it. Illinois sits on a massive coal reserve, but if you travel down toward Pinckneyville, you'll see what environmental regulations have done to a once bustling industrial area. Coal mines are closed, and those that are open employ very few compared to 30 years ago.
CFCs: We get rid of CFCs but now the replacement for CFCs called HFCs are supposed to be 10 times worse than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.
Our policy makers do one thing to fix a problem, but cause another. That's ok though because they can go to their lobbyist friends and tell them they did something and get more money. Meanwhile, we'll sit in the dark someday in the future as rolling blackouts happen while we try to look for jobs under candlelight and eat our Soylent Green. That is if we still have candles because they are producers of carbon dioxide as they burn....
Comments