So much for State Sen. Robert Hurt (R) being a "moderate" of any kind. A question [at last night's Lynchburg Tea Party debate] about “Climategate” produced agreement among the three candidates who answered it.Of course, I'm sure Hurt's views have nothing to do with the fact that he receives large amounts of money from electric utilities like Dominion "Global Warming Starts Here" Power. And I'm sure Hurt's views have nothing to do with the fact that he's being challenged for the nomination from even further to the far right than he is, such as one candidate's cuckoo comment that cap and trade "is all about promoting the socialist agenda of this adminstration." Uh huh, which is why cap and trade is a Republican idea that sprung out of the Reagan Administration as a "marketplace approach" to controlling pollution. And that's why Republican George HW Bush attended the 1992 "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro, stating that "environmental problems are global, and every nation must help in solving them."
Hurt said Climategate is “scientists who have given us something that is not true. It is faulty information and it has real consequences in the 5th District, in the loss of jobs and in power bills from Appalachian Power Co.”
Wow, who knew that Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush were closet "socialists," or that Barack Obama's "agenda" actually started more than two decades ago, when he was just in his 20s. Yes, people who believe this stuff are completely, batshit, Cuccinelli-level crazy. Yet these are the same people who Robert Hurt found himself debating - and agreeing with, at least on climate change - last night. That pretty much tells you all you need to know about Robert Hurt, and none of it is good.
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whether you believe in Global Warming or not, does it not seem obvious to everyone that Cap and Trade would cause more pollution by exporting manufacturing from cleaner more efficient factories in the US to dirtier ones in China and India?
ReplyDeleteCalifornia has wanted higher emission standards for years but the Federal govt has not allowed them to enforce it.
in Gore's NYTimes op-ed today he complains that market forces have not produced lower emissions but he "conveniently" leaves out that subsidies for ethanol and oil prevent cleaner forms of energy to compete.
I've long favored a carbon tax over "cap and trade." Chalk up the latter to another bad conservative Republican idea?
ReplyDeletewhere Cap and Trade fails internationally is in the enforcement. during the Reagan years, we did not consider that pollution from the US would harm far away countries. Within the US, we could probably enforce a Cap and Trade system successfully but globally we cannot and that's precisely the problem. we may have better success enforcing a carbon tax through tariffs, etc but that's not what is being proposed.
ReplyDeleteThere are various proposals out there, including cap and trade, cap and dividend and a carbon tax. Perhaps some combination of these three, plus other elements, will be what ultimately passes. Or not. I'm not terribly optimistic about Congress' ability to solve big problems.
ReplyDeleteDon't count on that lunatic asylum known as the Republican Party for a solution!
ReplyDeleteAKS ME, did you just imply that Al Gore supports oil subsidies??? The crazies get up early on Sundays.
ReplyDelete@Miles, what are you talking about? did I say Gore supports oil subsidies or did I say that Gore didn't even mention it as a problem when criticizing the Free Market solutions? apparently the crazies get up at 11:30 from partying all night long.
ReplyDelete@Lowell, I completely agree with you with the inability of Congress to solve any much less big problems
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what the argument is about, as I think it's obvious that corn-based ethanol subsidies are counterproductive, corporate welfare at its worst.
ReplyDeleteHa! Keep it down you crazy kids, what with your partying and your clean energy! Love it.
ReplyDeleteMiles: I think it's spelled "Krazy Kidz." :)
ReplyDeleteobama said during the campaign that any cap 'n trade type legislation would cause electric rates to skyrocket.
ReplyDeleteputting aside any discussion of science, why would anyone vote to further burden families that are struggling?
but I agree with Robert Hurt.
And for proof global warming deniers can't make their case without lying, here's Kelley! Obama said the cost of carbon-intensive electricity would skyrocket -- which is the ENTIRE POINT of putting a price on carbon. Of course, electricity prices in Virginia have already been skyrocketing. How is that helping anyone except Robert Hurt's friends at Appalachian Power?
ReplyDelete"And for proof global warming deniers can't make their case without lying, here's Kelley!"
ReplyDeleteNuff said!