While the whole world has been enraptured by the tragic death of an icon beloved by millions — R.I.P., Ed McMahon — our leaders have been busy little beavers. On Friday the House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey Bill, AKA the American Clean Energy and Security Act, AKA cap and trade. The allegedly Earth-rescuing legislation passed by a vote of 219-212, which is undoubtedly Mother Nature’s closest shave ever.
Yay! The environment is saved! So, okay, if this passes the Senate and President Obama signs it, your utility bills will go through the roof. But won’t the resulting gentle breeze be a nice substitute for all that nasty air conditioning? And so what if it’ll cost everybody more to drive a car, ship food and other goods, run a business, and do anything else that requires electricity or fuel? We need to stop modern life in its tracks! Put aside your petty personal needs and think of the planet, man.
Gaia just dodged a bullet.
…
What’s that? They did what?
The Environmental Protection Agency may have suppressed an internal report that was skeptical of claims about global warming, including whether carbon dioxide must be strictly regulated by the federal government, according to a series of newly disclosed e-mail messages.
Less than two weeks before the agency formally submitted its pro-regulation recommendation to the White House, an EPA center director quashed a 98-page report that warned against making hasty “decisions based on a scientific hypothesis that does not appear to explain most of the available data.”
The EPA official, Al McGartland, said in an e-mail message to a staff researcher on March 17: “The administrator and the administration has decided to move forward… and your comments do not help the legal or policy case for this decision…”
Alan Carlin, the primary author of the 98-page EPA report, told CBSNews.com in a telephone interview on Friday that his boss, McGartland, was being pressured himself. “It was his view that he either lost his job or he got me working on something else,” Carlin said. “That was obviously coming from higher levels.”
Man, don’t these guys know The Science Is Settled™? But wait, there’s more!
Carlin has an undergraduate degree in physics from CalTech and a PhD in economics from MIT. His Web site lists papers about the environment and public policy dating back to 1964, spanning topics from pollution control to environmentally-responsible energy pricing.
After reviewing the scientific literature that the EPA is relying on, Carlin said, he concluded that it was at least three years out of date and did not reflect the latest research. “My personal view is that there is not currently any reason to regulate (carbon dioxide),” he said. “There may be in the future. But global temperatures are roughly where they were in the mid-20th century. They’re not going up, and if anything they’re going down.”
Undergrad degree? Sheesh! Leave the science to the experts, buddy. Like Al Gore.
Look, deniers: Just because the planet’s getting cooler doesn’t mean there isn’t global warming, and just because the climate isn’t changing much doesn’t mean it isn’t changing a whole bunch. When it comes to tricking people into doing things they’re too dumb to know they need, words can mean whatever we font gem through seen.
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Why are you wasting our time with this global warming crap when there’s a John Edwards sex tape floating around? http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/06/28/2009-06-28_aides_tale_of_john_edwards_sex_tape.html
Global Warming Ha! I can’t deceiver readers enough for giving me documentation to show people (The Great Global Warming Swindle). Now if we could only prove Elvis is dead.
oops…in my joy over the documentary I forgot to write I can’t THANK deceiver blah blah blah.
Much like global warming, I’ll believe there’s a John Edwards sex tape when I see it.
Uch. If THAT ever comes to light (ew), quite a few of us will never feel like getting scrumpy ever again.
I think we’re forgetting that there is more than one expert that agrees with the idea that we are all going to die from Global Warming. Must I remind everyone of Leonardo DiCaprio?
True, he may not have any kind of degree either, but he was on Growing Pains!
I heard that my gas and electric bill will cost me an additional $3000. Hey, great. Let’s just tax us even more. No more new car for me cause it will cost more. Gas will be higher too. And thanks, I will have to buy more box fans since I will not be able to afford AC in the nasty Ohio summers.
Thanks to those who voted for this hope and change. I won’t have neither back when Obama is through. Oh, and to the 8 Republicans who voted for this crap, you are lucky you do not live in my district.
Obama claimed that the average American would not bear the brunt of this historic tax-increase: he stated that instead ““It is paid for by the polluters who currently emit dangerous carbon emissions.”
Just compare this outrageous falsehood to Ronald Reagans’ timeless quote:
“The most dangerous myth is the demagoguery that business can be made to pay a larger share, thus relieving the individual. Politicians preaching this are either deliberately dishonest, or economically illiterate, and either one should scare us.
…Only people pay taxes, and people pay as consumers every tax that is assessed against a business.”
And after the way the rammed this through the House with little debate, without legislators even reading it… and while quarantining the GOP from any meaningful input whatsoever, any foolhardy individuals who still believe Obama’s threadbare “bipartisanship” spiel ought to have their head examined.
I like how the EPA tried to discredit this guy as not being a scientist because his doctorate is in economics. Funny, I know people with BS (insert your own joke here) degrees who have scientist as their job title. People who work for the government. Oh well, the only truth is whatever the administration tells you it is at the moment.
Anyone else notice that global warming advocates always attack credentials (usually without cause) while people who are more skeptical question the evidence? What happened to science over ideology? Whoops, wrong cause.
Just drink the Kool-Aid, and hope the change doesn’t kill you.
How are we going to stop all of this crap that’s happening?
Deport the brain dead SOB’s to IRAN!
RACISTS! RACISTS! Y’all are all racist for disagreeing with Obama and anything he says or does! You just can’t handle a black man in the White House!
Figured I’d post that, sarcastically, before some asshat posts it for real.
Yeah, cause businesses NEVER pass on their costs to the consumer. The only way he could guarantee that would be to institute price controls, which will force those businesses to operate at a loss until they collapse.
I’m sure it will also really help that we’re cutting our emissions while China and Mexico surpass us in pollution numbers. Good luck forcing them to ‘think green’.
ExxonMobil had the previous administration’s EPA by the shorthairs, and now it appears that the Sierra Club has taken their place. I’m not sure which is worse.
After BO and his thugs took office, I’ve been feeling like nothing but a scrambling ant waiting for a giant thumb to squash me.
Attempts at making Communism palatable on economic terms didn’t pan out, so now far-leftists are doing what they can to cripple us via the religion of environmentalism. I taught at a Chinese university for a year, and I had to explain what the sky looked like in the US, because a lot of my students had only seen photos of blue skies. That’s neither a joke nor an exaggeration.
Even if we do everything the Gorists are howling for, we will STILL be screwed, and they’ll still be living exactly as they always have, because their money insulates them better than anything else ever could. All the extreme measures they’re demanding will affect US, not them.
“…whatever we font gem through seen.”
My first instinct was to start shouting about typos, my second thought was to laugh at that little bit of awesomeness.
Bank view merry crutch!
The current oh-so-honorable congress hiding something? I don’t believe it.
Not only are China and Mexico polluting more than us, but all the countries that moved toward renewable energy are now running from it (see Spain). They’ve learned their lesson on socialism and how it doesn’t work and we’re just starting down the path. Way to go, America.
Maybe I’m out of touch with reality, but I’ve never personally met someone who thought cap and trade or enviro-taxing was a good idea. And considering that I know quite a few liberals in college that’s saying something. Just thought that was interesting.
Simon Scowl “Much like global warming, I’ll believe there’s a John Edwards sex tape when I see it.”
Is that the one with the hockey stick?
Beige
My dad is a pilot and they say if the ground is blue and the sky is brown you are either upside down or in California.
I heard that at 3:09am the Democraps stuck in another 300 pages to this bill and then they House had 5 hours to debate it. Great, what about all of this transparency crap I keep hearing about? This is what our future is like guys and gals. Obama dictating everything in our lives. Hubby needs a new truck so it is back to Ford for one since he refuses to buy GM now.
Heh.
Seriously, y’all–is Congress going to pull off this shakedown no matter what we do? I’ve been calling and writing my House Rep and my Congressmen like they broke up with me unexpectedly or something. Is it all a waste of time? Why the hell isn’t ANYONE standing up to that grinning shyster in the White House?
Simon…I simply must use this as fodder for a posting on the Geekachicas blog. But you shall be mentioned – praised, even! ‘kay?
Speaking of the 0309 document dump…don’t forget, if you want to sell your house, it has to be up to the GOVERNMENT’S environmental standards. Doesn’t matter if you find a buyer who is willing to do some upgrades himself. Better get your energy efficient windows, appliances, solar panels, etc. put in if you want to sell.
Please do. My permission is not required. And thanks!
Beige, I’m more worried about the corrupt crackpots in Congress than the guy in the White House at this point. Whether you agree with his views or not, Obama seems to be pissing away any mandate he might have had coming out of the last election in an effort to play nice with House and Senate Democrats.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/opinion/30brooks.html?th&emc=th
Pelosi, Reid et al have been chomping at the bit to impose their views on the rest of us, and by golly, they’re gonna take it if it’s offered to ‘em.
Beige, Boehner from Ohio has been calling them out, and finally some Republicans are listening. Heck, even some Democrats.
Tea Party here on July 4th and I intend on attending.
Ugh, Pelosi. That Borg Queen bitch. Of all the people to go belly-up in the past few weeks, why couldn’t she have been one of them?
Loathing: It’s my anti-drug.
Oh, what the…?! Utility bills already cost everyone a fortune, and now we are going to have to pay even more? Not to mention that it’s definitely not the Earth that’s going to benefit from all that…
You know, I’ve been wondering for a while if you can actually sue the government. We always say “In America you can sue anyone for anything at any given time”. And people do. All the time. People sue police dept’s, the IRS, why not the Reps and the Congressmen? Imagine someone filing lawsuits against them claiming that a legislation they passed ended up hutring the plaintiff personally…That should be fun, no? I don’t believe that a legal precedent exists, but soemone should do it, damn it!
Oh, but Nati, Congress has already thought about what to do when Cap’n Trade (argh!) shoots you in the forehead.
Something in the bill says that if you loose your job due as a result of C&T, then you get 2 years worth of your previous health insurance (at 80% of your former coverage), some kind of job re-re-re-education, $1,500 for job searching, and $1,500 relocation allowance… all on the federal dime.
How could you sue someone who clearly cares so very much about you?
But, Minnow, it doesn’t say anywhere in that bill that I can’t still sue them. Also, no one says that my legal claim has to be fair…or reasonable…or even make sense. I’m not saying that *I* am going to sue – it’s just a little fantasy of mine and whilst I’m crazy enough to have that fantasy (and share it with others), I’m not stupid enough to try to make it a reality. But someone should and if/when they do, I’ll cheer for them from the safety of my couch. Gee, I should probably stock up on popcorn (I’m assuming they will be showing the whole thing on TV).
Beige re Pelosi
I was listening to a local (albiet syndicated) talk show host today, Phil Valentine. He was discussing Al Gore’s 4 houses and-lo and behold-one of them is in San Francisco. Phil said it’s a third floor condo so maybe he expects to have a boat dock someday.
I thought this government was going to be transparent. Maybe it got that confused with shady.
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=50301
Time to take to the streets with our pitchforks and torches?
Happy Canada Day
I think the “transparent” part comes in when you consider the fact that B. HO’s lies are quite easy to see through.
What makes me so sick is that all this will not accomplish ANYTHING positive. We’re going to plunge ourselves into poverty for the sake of the earth, and there is not a single study that shows these actions will have any effect on the .07% of greenhouse gases that are caused by humans, or whatever that fraction of a percent is.
I think this has helped us see Congress’ true colors, though. They don’t care about the environment, because this bill will not do anything to help it. They simply hate capitalism and business and the political process. Sneaking in 300 more pages in the middle of the night, indeed… Bastards. Not a one of them read the entire thing before they voted on it, I assure you.
HOORAY NOW IT WILL COST $700 TO COOL MY 1000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE TO 72 DEGREES.
Let’s just all leave our curtains open and start walking around our homes nude. We live down the street from a church. Maybe if our neighbors complain enough….
In southwest GA, our summertime utility bills for a 2000 sq. ft. home can hit $500, and that’s with lots of trees, attic insulation, and setting the thermostat at 75 (which, for me, is hellaciously hot anyway). One reason it’s so expensive is that we’re being charged extra, to offset the cost of providing utilities for all the crack whores and welfare thugs who don’t pay anything for anything other than crack and two-inch-long acrylic nails. Woohoo, now it’ll be $1000 a month! Now Laquifa can get her nails done THREE times a week.
You know, Pearce, they just came out with a study that nudists are better for the environment… maybe that’s what their ultimate aim with this crap bill was!
Whoo! My idea has merit! Let’s all run around naked! Who’s got tequila?!
Ain’t enough tequila in the world to make me run around naked.
How much do you suppose that study cost taxpayers? Of course nudists are better for the environment. Fewer items of clothing means they use less water,detergents,chemicals in the clothes,probably better acclimated to the temperature.
Jenn
“How much do you suppose that study cost taxpayers? Of course nudists are better for the environment.”
It’s not like it’s one of the worst government studies taxpayers have funded. Awhile back during the cold war they spent quite a pretty penny to see if burning a photo of a nuke would destroy the real nuke. Not that we’re the only ones to make stupid studies of course. A few years ago in Japan a study was conducted to see if the swishing of catfish tails causes earthquakes. They don’t, apparently.
I actually don’t think it would take much tequila to get me to run around naked. The entire world must be graced with an eyeful of my naked body. That’s the new Christian thing to do, right?