But when it’s cold, it’s just weather.
And CO2 does increase temperature. But not much. Certainly nothing to justify all the economically ruinous hysteria.
Category Archives: Economics
Crony Socialism
The White House knew that Fisker was headed for a fall, and gave them our money anyway.
Hey, got to keep those campaign donations coming in.
Obama’s Crony Capitalism
…posts more pitiful results.
Earth Day
German taxpayers have poured $130 billion into subsidizing solar panels, but ultimately by the end of the century, this will postpone global warming by a trivial 37 hours. The electric car is even less efficient. Its production consumes a vast amount of fossil fuels, and mostly it utilizes fossil fuel electricity to be recharged. Even if the U.S. did reach the lofty goal of 1 million electric cars by 2015 — costing taxpayers more than $7.5 billion — global warming would be postponed by only 60 minutes.
These beguiling policies cost a fortune but make little difference to the environment because the technologies are still not ready. That’s why we need to invest more in long-term research and development for green innovation. This would be much cheaper than current environmental policies and would end up doing more good for the climate.
But it wouldn’t pay off political cronies.
As he notes, it’s time to start having sensible, not economically stupid environmental policies.
[Update late morning]
The EU carbon market continues to collapse.
Good.
The FAA ATC Furloughs
It’s another Washington Monument attempt.
I think it’s a great opportunity to renew discussion of privatizing ATC. It works fine in other places, no reason it wouldn’t here.
The Totally Non-Socialist German Socialist Workers’ Party
Larry Correia righteously and brutally smacks down the idiots who continue to believe that the Nazis are “right wing.” OWS is collateral damage. Or maybe it’s not collateral. Anyway, read the whole thing.
“If It Saves Just One Life”
I agree with this take on how the terrorists won in Boston. This sort of irrational risk aversion is the theme of my book. “Safe” is never an option, in any absolute sense. In order to prevent a potential death of a citizen, the authorities shut the whole town down, costing hundreds of millions of dollars to the local (and probably national) economy. The whole town, that is, except for the Duncan Donuts shops. Which, as he says, really tells you everything you need to know. It was security theater, just like TSA.
Private Unions And ObamaCare
Will it put some of them out of business?
If so, it will be poetic justice.
Life Extension And Entitlements
This is a serious issue about which most people, including most policy makers, are in denial:
Ultimately, the question is this: are Americans entitled to unlimited life expectancy? If so, perhaps we need to say goodbye to the notion of limited government as a greater share of wealth is devoted to the health and income needs of a much longer-lived population. From where I sit, unlimited life expectancy sounds appealing. Unlimited government? Not so much. Mr. Kurzweil’s vision greatly amplifies the urgency of our getting on with the task of fundamental entitlement reforms.
The Founders said that we had a right to the pursuit of happiness, which to me would include the pursuit of an indefinite lifespan, if our pursuit is generally successful, and we’re leading happy lives. But they granted no right to live off the labor of others.
The Chutzpah Of Max Baucus
Mike Pompeo calls him on it:
If it’s a train wreck, Pompeo said, Baucus has no one to blame but himself.
“No one in the country bears more responsibility for the complexity of this law than you,” Pompeo wrote in a letter to Baucus on Thursday.
Baucus, as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, was a key architect of the Affordable Care Act. Most of its major provisions were crafted in his committee, and the Finance draft was consistently treated as the primary bill even as other Senate and House committees worked on their own proposals.
“You drafted it, you twisted arms to get it passed, and, until now, you have lauded it as a model for all the world,” Pompeo wrote to Baucus. “Your attempts to pass the buck to President Obama’s team will not work, nor will they absolve you of responsibility for the harm that you have brought via this law.”
Baucus has a competitive reelection fight coming up next year — just months after the biggest pieces of ObamaCare are set to take effect. Republicans have already made clear that they plan to target Baucus over his role in getting the healthcare law passed, and problems with the implementation could make the GOP’s job easier.
My emphasis.
It certainly should make it easier. These people are truly disgusting.