| Author | Message | ||
     Ashear |
WASHINGTON (AP) - Under pressure from GOP conservatives, President Bush is backing off from a campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide from power plants as part of a broad strategy to address climate change and other air pollution. * * * ``The president has walked away from his most explicit environmental promise in the campaign,'' Phil Clapp, executive director of the National Environmental Trust, said Tuesday. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010314/ts/bush_energy_7.html | ||
| Nohero |
Brace yourself, Ashear, INCOMING!  | ||
| John |
Yet another example of "say what you need to get elected". Is the TAX CUT NEXT? | ||
| Njjoseph |
It was interesting to read that Bush didn't know that reducing carbon dioxide was not part of the Clean Air Act, yet he made a promise on the assumption it was. Who is doing his research? | ||
| Notehead |
Here's another article on the same thing, I was just going to start a thread about this. What a complete jerk!! This is a guy who just barely managed to scrape and slither his way into office, and now -- as many of us expected -- he is breaking promises and placing the wallets of his big-time buddies above the health and welfare and even the prosperity of the populace. The man has his head deeply in the sand when it comes to environmental issues... he has absolutely no concept of stewardship, no idea of the interrelatedness of environmental and economic planning. He's trying to buy us off with this tax thing, but he's quickly setting himself up to be remembered as one of our very dumbest and most short-sighted presidents ever. http://www.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/03/13/power.plant.emissions/index.html | ||
| Librarylady |
An how will the new head of the EPA react? | ||
| Jfb |
Notehead, There is no proof of global warming.. So the CO2 is not as critical as mercury and sulpher (causes acid rain). This is environmental economics 101. We have huge stores of coal. We have to use it to create electricity. How much pollutants should be removed? The more removed the more expensive power will become. Not to say that it's worth it to have cheap electricity and acid rain. Where's the cost/benefit point? I'll take the tax cut thank you. I'll need it to pay for my huge tax increase here in Mapowood. | ||
| Dave |
(3/14/01) Scientists: Study proves greenhouse effect http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2001/03/14/greenhouse/index.html | ||
| Overtaxdalready |
Just a Clinton apologist trying to stir up trouble. | ||
| Dave |
You win this argument, Overtaxed. Next time, though, facts count. :-) | ||
| Ashear |
JFB- By all means lets wait until we have ironclad proof, which for the mining and oil interests will presumably be in the form of worldwide ecological catastrophe, before we do anything. | ||
| Jfb |
Ashear, What does mining have to do with co2? If you want to get at the crux of it, come out and say it. Say that Al Gore was right, ban the internal combustion engine. While you are at it, ban coal fired electric generation plants etc. Yes we use energy, yes co2 is a byproduct of combustion. Do you want to scale back your lifestyle significantly? Give up your car? You can't even heat your house with wood because that would add to CO2 levels! Forget the TV and Computer. Even the eco-magazines that you read are produced from paper made in, gasp! - paper mills! Another little secret, most CO2 (95%) is produced from natural sources e.g. volcanoes etc. The last thing this country needs is beaurocrats in the UN telling us how much energy we can use (a la Kyoto). I'm not advocating giving corporations carte blanche to pollute like the bad ole days, but there is a balance. Lifestyle(energy usage) to resource management. Certainly technology is key in reducing pollution via credits. So as they say, after you. | ||
| Jur050 |
I work in the Environmental Industry. Regardless of the views of some of my colleagues, I suggest that Bush's decision to reverse his stance on CO2 Emissions may be rooted in the economic impact currently being expressed in obvious sectors of the economy. The dramatic and unsettling declines in stock market indices in just the past week, portray a need for caution, and concern. As our President, it is my belief, that Bush recognizes that implementing further requirements may not be prudent at this juncture. In lieu of additional sanctions, a period of reevaluation and additional discovery may prove valuable amid such uncertain times. The Economy may very well cause to become stimulated, via a reduction of interest rates, decreases in tax rates, and the return of excess tax revenues. However, another less visible method to stimulate the Economy, is through the relaxation of government estrictions. Certainly, imposing additional restrictions on business can have the opposite effect. In other words, would you impose further restrictions on business at this time if you were in Bush's shoes? I know I wouldn't! | ||
| Dave |
Yes, but unlike the environment, markets are cyclical. | ||
| Eliz |
Amen Dave | ||
| Jur050 |
What are you talking about? The Environment offers some of the best pure examples of cycles that there are. They are frequently used to describe what a cycle is. What about the Moon, and it's effect on tides. the seasons, night and day..... If the economy is so predictable, then please, prey tell, share your experience that you so graciously possess. In particular, how long, and deep is this current recession going to last? How low will interest rates go? | ||
| Jur050 |
http://www.co2science.org/center.htm Here's a website you might find interesting. | ||
| Nohero |
Jur050 - Thanks for the link. These guys always crack me up. They're not content to simply argue that global warming is not a threat, but they actually go further, and contend that "CO2 is your friend". As they say in the conclusion of their review, "Why Are We Living Longer?": In other words, the increase in longevity in industrial countries may not be due to better medical care, diet, education, or any social safety net, but instead it may be due to carbon dioxide! So c'mon, fire up the ol' coal burner, and we'll all live longer (even if the oceans rise and we have to go to Norway for the really good tropical beaches in the future). | ||
| Notehead |
Thanks for that link, Dave. There are LOTS of others if anyone is interested. Jfb, you suggest that global warming is unproven. Um... where did you get such a preposterous idea - from a bona fide expert or from an ostrich? Oh, I know, glaciers have NOT been melting at tremendously accelerated rates all over the world, you're just hiding all that ice in your freezer. Seriously, if you bother to take FIFTEEN minutes to educate yourself online, you'd realize how silly your statement sounds. Anyway, how long are you willing to wait for a problem to become incredibly severe before you admit that it exists and take action? Incidentally, the eco-magazines I read are produced on nearly 100% post-consumer recycled paper which is bleached without the use of any chlorine. In fact, if you started subscribing to a decent publication such as World Watch it would probably do you quite a bit of good. Bush has in just one day managed to disgust and anger other world leaders all over the globe. His decision to break his campaign promise is indefensible. If, when you say "after you" you actually mean it, then try this on: Thanks to energy deregulation, I buy my electricity from Green Mountain Energy, (greenmountain.com) on a plan where at least 50% of my power is generated from renewable sources such as hydro, wind, and solar power. Their profits are going to the construction of more renewable energy facilities around the country. I encourage everybody to sign up. In addition to that, I frequently walk to work. I bought a house close enough to my job to make this possible. When I have to go farther, I often take mass transit instead of driving. My next car is (almost definitely) going to be a hybrid-electric Toyota Prius, unless my Honda lasts long enough for me to get an early fuel cell or battery-powered vehicle. Most of the lighting in my home is via compact fluorescent bulbs. All the batteries I use are recharged via a small solar charger that just sits in a window. I recycle as much as possible. I recently rebuilt my kitchen - my appliances are some of the most efficient out there, and my walls, floor, and cabinets are made of the "greenest" most recycled materials I could find. And there was really no hassle at all involved with any of this. I'm no saint, but at least I'm trying to do my one-person's worth. Meanwhile folks like Jfb would rather let the world heat up and let millions of people's livelihoods be threatened than make some simple changes or pay a few extra bucks for electricity or a tank of gas. Gimme a break. | ||
| Njjoseph |
Notehead, I'm interested in that battery recharger. Where did you get it, how long do the batteries hold their charge, and how long do they work once charged? |
