Monday, December 7, 2009
In panic over jobs, Dems detour from health care
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There’s a reason Barack Obama squeezed a hastily-arranged "Jobs Summit" into a White House schedule dominated by national health care and Afghanistan. You can find it on every page of "The Economy and Politics of 2010," a new survey of voter attitudes circulating among Democrats that, despite its dry title, betrays a sense of dread and horror among party strategists hoping to avoid defeat in next year's mid-term elections.
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Reality Check...
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"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said yesterday that the federal government may have to spend even more money to shore up the nation's ailing economy, on top of the more than $1.6 trillion so far approved by Congress."The Washington Post, March 2009.
Source: The Reason Foundation's Annual Privatization Report.
Percentage increases in Federal Budget spending categories, from FY2008 to FY2009:
Social Security: 8.6%.
Medicare: 10.1%.
Medicaid: 24.6%.
Unemployment benefits: 154.8%.
Overall: 18.2% (from $2.978 trillion to $3.522 trillion).
Source: Congressional Budget Office's latest (Nov 2009) Monthly Budget Review.
Small business and big government cannot co-exist
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We don't need new ideas. We built a $14.4 trillion economy based on old ideas - competition, wages reflecting profits, bankruptcies, creative destruction, and hiring employees.
In every one of these areas, the government has thrust its clunky hand and changed the environment as surely as if an oiled rag is dropped into a bowl of pristine water...
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Mr. President, here's how to lift our economy
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The president's economists insist that technically, the recession is over. But double-digit unemployment was neither prevented nor has it ended. To get people back to work as rapidly as possible and to restore America's economic vitality, the nation must change course. Here's the advice I would give:
- • Repair the stimulus. Freeze the funds that haven't yet been spent and redirect them to immediate, private sector job-creation priorities.
- • Create tax incentives that promote business expansion and hiring. For example, install a robust investment tax credit, permit businesses to expense capital purchases made in 2010, and reduce payroll taxes. These will reignite construction, technology and a wide array of capital goods industries, and lead to expanded employment.
- • Prove to the global investors that finance America's debt that we are serious about reining in spending and becoming fiscally prudent by adopting limits on non-military discretionary spending and reforming our unsustainable, unfunded entitlements. These are key to strengthening the dollar, reducing the threat of rampant inflation and holding down interest rates.
- • Close down any talk of carbon cap-and-trade. It will burden consumers and employers with billions in new costs. Instead, greatly expand our commitment to natural gas and nuclear, boosting jobs now and reducing the export of energy jobs and dollars later.
- • Tell the unions that job-stifling "card check" legislation is off the table. Laying new burdens on small business will kill entrepreneurship and job creation.
- • Don't allow a massive tax increase to go into effect in 2011 with the expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. The specter of more tax-fueled government spending and the reduction of capital available for small business will hinder investment and business expansion.
- • New spending should be strictly limited to items that are critically needed and that we would have acquired in the future, such as new military equipment to support our troops abroad and essential infrastructure at home.
- • Install dynamic regulations for the financial sector — rules that are up to date, efficient and not excessively burdensome. But do not so tie up the financial sector with red tape that we lose a vital component of our economic system.
- • Open the doors to trade. Give important friends like Colombia favored trade status rather than bow to protectionist demands. Now is the time for aggressive pursuit of opportunities for new markets for American goods, not insular retrenchment.
- • Stop frightening the private sector by continuing to hold GM stock, by imposing tighter and tighter controls on compensation, and by pursuing a public insurance plan to compete with private insurers. Government encroachment on free enterprise is depressing investment and job creation.
Eventually, as with every recession and recovery, the economy will improve and jobs will be created, but those who were unnecessarily unemployed due to the president's faulty economic program will not forget.In order to most rapidly re-employ all Americans and to speed a strong recovery, the president must change course.
Mitt Romney
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Standing with Obama
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Why, if he was willing to commit 30,000 troops, would he not go all the way and commit the 40,000 troops that General McChrystal was asking for? Why would the president give a deadline to remove the troops in a speech that needed to show resolve about defeating al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan?
[A: His plans have nothing to do with winning the war.]
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WSJ's Taranto Slams AP's 'Magnificent Bit of Puffery' for Obama on Afghanistan
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This is a magnificent bit of puffery.
When the AP refers to "an unpopular and faltering war," it means two different wars: Iraq in Bush's case and Afghanistan in Obama's. Afghanistan became "an unpopular and faltering war" only after Obama took office -- which is to say that whereas Bush maintained popular and bipartisan support for the Afghan effort throughout his term, Obama managed to lose much of it in less than a year.
Thus the AP describes Obama has having succeeded where Bush failed, when in fact it is Obama who has so far failed where Bush succeeded.
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NATO allies pledge 7000 more troops for Afghanistan mission
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BRUSSELS -- NATO allies reacted to President Obama's new Afghanistan strategy Friday, as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton received pledges of 7000 extra troops to back up the US escalation.
[25 countries. 7k troops. 280 per country, although still no commitment that they'll be fighting 'troops'.]
Again, when next some air head points to Europe as any kind of societal model, remind them that their 'democratic' {laughable} socialism has sold off their defense capabilities, for which they now must rely on the US.]
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Sudan despot embraces 'climate justice' in Copenhagen
Villains are flocking to climb on the fraudulent global warming bandwagon
Sudan's Ambassador at the United Nations and is also chairman of the G77 and China bloc of developing countries. The topic was the UN climate conference scheduled to start December 7 in Copenhagen. The Group of 77 and China bloc has been playing a lead role in shaping the framework for future treaty negotiations that is to be adopted at the UN conference... [snip]
In exchange for oil, China has supplied Sudan with tanks, artillery, helicopters, and fighter aircraft. China has flooded Darfur with antipersonnel mines. It is estimated that as much as 80 percent of Sudan's oil revenue goes to the purchase of arms, while the general population remains one of the poorest in the world. A UN Panel of Experts report released October 27 found that munitions imported into Sudan in violation of the UN embargo were "largely Chinese in origin." [snip]
It is now Sudan's turn to provide diplomatic support to China at the UN climate talks. The UN is pushing the concept of "climate justice" and a "climate debt" owed by the developing world to the developing countries. The notion is that since the developed countries 'caused' the present climate crisis, they should correct it by cutting back their green house gas emissions dramatically, while the developing countries remain free to grow as fast as possible without any mandated limits on their emissions or on anything else that could slow them down.
Furthermore, the developed countries must transfer technology and money (Amb. Mohamad suggested $500 billion) to the developing nations so they can adapt to climate change and build cleaner, more efficient industries. UN-speak for this concept is "common but differentiated responsibilities" and it is enshrined in every document related to the climate negotiations... [snip]
Any change in the global balance of wealth and power will not end up in the hands of shaggy idealists marching around with placards. The new sources of strength will go to ambitious regimes in the developing world like China and its brutal allies like Sudan.
Only at the UN could such an outcome be called justice or embraced by self-styled progressives.
[Again, the AGW scam is nothing more {or less} than a mechanism to enact all things social-progressive.]
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Best Buy Ditches ‘Christmas’ But Celebrates Muslim Holiday in Fliers
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Christmas. Who needs it? Not Best Buy, that’s for sure. After all, Best Buy is loathe to use that hateful word in its advertising. It’s so “religious” and tinged with racism, America, and tradition. It makes Best Buy shudder to think of using that foul word, Christmas. But, advertising for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha? Heck, why not? What could be more welcoming and tolerant?
And so, Best Buy has issued a Thanksgiving sales flyer wishing all good multi-cultural, Muslim loving Americans a happy Eid al-Adha this year.
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Wishful thinking, biased reporting endanger Rifqa Bary
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A new government case plan directs Rifqa Bary, the girl who fled from her family in fear for her life after converting to Christianity from Islam, to talk about religion with her Muslim parents, and work toward Rifqa returning home.
This is classic wishful thinking. Why won't the court listen to expert testimony on Islamic law? There is no discussion with apostates in Islamic law. The apostate is asked to return to Islam and, if he or she refuses, is to be killed. Mediation between Islam and Christianity?Tell it to Mecca.
And if these meetings do take place, the parents will say anything to get Rifqa back home. But in reality, the idea that a Christian apostate can practice her religion freely in a devout Muslim household is insane.
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[Remember these American girls?]
ClimateGate: UK Weather Service to Re-examine 160 Years of Data
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America's media might not think the growing ClimateGate scandal is important, but Britain's Met Office believes it's serious enough to re-examine 160 years of temperature data:
The new analysis of the data will take three years, meaning that the Met Office will not be able to state with absolute confidence the extent of the warming trend until the end of 2012.
For those unfamiliar, the Met Office is England's national weather service.
Maybe this revelation will convince the global warming deceivers in our press that information in the e-mail messages obtained from the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit is actually newsworthy.
As reported by the London Times Saturday:
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Stone deaf
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The House approved Thursday a measure making the current estate tax rate permanent, overcoming the objections of an unusual coalition of liberal and conservative critics.
The bill passed, 225 to 200, with 26 Democrats joining all Republicans present to vote no.
It makes permanent the current estate tax rate of 45 percent...
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American Physical Society takes a stand against scientific fraud
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Horrified by the climategate revelations, some members of the American Physical Society take a stand against scientific fraud by penning a letter to members:
Dear fellow member of the American Physical Society:
This is a matter of great importance to the integrity of the Society. It is being sent to a random fraction of the membership, so we hope you will pass it on.
By now everyone has heard of what has come to be known as ClimateGate, which was and is an international scientific fraud, the worst any of us have seen in our cumulative 223 years of APS membership. For those who have missed the news we recommend the excellent summary article by Richard Lindzen in the November 30 edition of the Wall Street journal, entitled "The Climate Science isn't Settled," for a balanced account of the situation. It was written by a scientist of unquestioned authority and integrity. A copy can be found among the items at http://tinyurl.com/lg266u, and a visit to http://www.ClimateDepot.com can fill in the details of the scandal, while adding spice.
None of us would use corrupted science in our own work, nor would we sign off on a thesis by a student who did so. This is not only a matter of science, it is a matter of integrity, and the integrity of the APS is now at stake. That is why we are taking the unusual step of communicating directly with at least a fraction of the membership.Bob Austin, Professor of Physics, Princeton
Hal Lewis, University of California, Santa Barbara
Will Happer, Professor of Physics, Princeton
Larry Gould, Professor of Physics, Hartford
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Understanding Climategate's Hidden Decline
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Close followers of the Climategate controversy know that much of the mêlée surrounds an email in which Climate Research Unit (CRU) chief Phil Jones wrote about using “Mike’s Nature Trick” (MNT) to “hide the decline.”
And yet, 17 days and thousands of almost exclusively on-line op-eds into this scandal, it still seems very few understand exactly which “decline” was being hidden, what “trick” was used to do so, and why Jones’s words have become the slogan for the greatest scientific fraud in history.
As the mainstream media move from abject denial to dismissive whitewashing, CRU co-conspirators move to Copenhagen for tomorrow’s UN climate meeting, intent on changing the world as we know it based primarily on their now exposed trickery. Add yesterday’s announcement of a UN investigation into the matter, which will no doubt be no less corrupt than those being investigated, and public awareness of how and why that trick was performed is now more vital than ever.
So please allow me to explain in what I hope are easily digestible terms... [snip]
Originally, the IPCC accepted that pre-20th century analysis. In fact, the 1990 First Assessment Report used this schematic IPCC 1990 Figure 7c to represent last millennium’s dramatic temperature swings.
But this image of a fluid climate system subject to abrupt and natural up-and-downturns made unprecedented 20th century warming about as marketable as Florida swampland. And opportunists who depended on the aberrance of post-industrial revolution warming in order to condemn and control mankind’s CO2 emissions soon recognized that perhaps the LIA but most certainly the MWP simply had to go.
And as many of these hucksters were closely connected to the IPCC – both sender and recipient names on those illuminating CRU emails include many of its editors, lead authors and contributors -- that task was far less daunting than one might imagine.
Proxies, Tricks and Hockey Sticks...[MUST READ > ]
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POLL: 71% Say Creating Jobs More Important Than Stopping Global Warming
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[Yet our 'representatives' are moving toward the latter regardless that it kills for former.]
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Reality Check...
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"But to truly transform our economy, to protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America. That's what we need. (Applause.)"
Source: The Congressional Budget Office.
[Reminder: a flat line would be catastrophic give the increases needed to sustain an ever growing population.]
Size of various federal government expenses as percent of GDP, in 2007:
Defense: 4.0%.
Grants to state and local governments for payments to individuals: 2.1%.
All other grants: 1.1%.
Net interest on debt: 1.7%.
Source: US Statistical Abstract, Table 453.
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Dancing around "the Russian problem" in Copenhagen
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Recall that the Russian economy imploded in the 1990's, thus reducing the emissions they were spewing into the atmosphere. Now recovered, Valdimir Putin's Russia has amassed a ton of carbon credits and thinks that Russia should still be able to sell them even after Kyoto expires in 2012:
"If other nations don't let Russia keep its emission permits, it could reject any deal. Despite its emissions decline, Russia is still the world's No. 3 emitter and uses a lot of energy for its economic output.
Russia's credits have inhibited the creation of a global carbon cap-and-trade market. People fear Russia could suddenly flood the market with its permits.
A deal with Russia would further expose the enormous hypocrisy at work in Copenhagen. As painful as the emissions targets will be for the west, they will not lead to the reduction of a single, solitary molecule of CO2 in the atmosphere as long as Russia, China, and India refuse to go along and destroy their economies too.
Since those three nations would probably be virtually exempt in any deal on Climate (China has agreed to look at token cuts in emissions), the rationale for any kind of treaty rests on the unbelievable notion that we can ignore the fact that some of the biggest CO2 emitters will not be bound by the same rules as their economic competitors in the west.
This will lead to even bigger balance of trade issues with China as their factories will be able to burn as much coal as they wish with no consequences to their bottom lines. The flood of goods from China will, if anything, become larger.
The delegates who are in Copenhagen to achieve success will do pretty much whatever it takes to realize that goal. Hence, expect this Russian problem to be resolved in Putin's favor...
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Iowa Parents Lose to Sex Ed Lobby
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When your rights and responsibilities as a parent come in conflict with the liberal education establishment, who wins? Parents in Ames, Iowa just found out, and it’s not them...
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SCHOOL CHOICE WILL SAVE VERMONT MILLIONS
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Vermont could save $80 million by offering school choice and other measures, according to a report from the Ethan Allen Institute.
For example:
- Vermont is spending $250 to $300 million more than it should on education, with only average results to show for it.
- The number of teachers, administrators and staff has gone up while the number of students has gone down.
The report says virtual learning, charter schools and public school choice are needed to cut costs.
"We believe the best way to do this is to go for choice, a free market where schools would have to compete for tax dollars. We believe of course that public education should be free, but to be provided by schools where students and their parents want them to go,"
The group's report will be one of several presented to lawmakers who are reviewing the financing and effectiveness of Vermont's education system...
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BBC Exposes 'Fudge Factor' in ClimateGate Global Warming Computer Programming Code
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A segment on the Dec. 3 broadcast of BBC's "Newsnight," showed the implications of the story behind the so-called "ClimateGate" scandal are more than just e-mails concealing data, but an incompetence analyzing the data by way of faulty computer code.
John Graham-Cumming, a British programmer known for the open source "POPFile email filtering program" explained how the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit (CRU) had wholesale problems with its computer programming analyzing climate change data, with trillions of dollars, on the line...
Even the BBC can't ignore the magnitude of this scandal...
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NBC Nightly News Finally Takes Up ClimateGate - To Fret It Could 'Delay Taking Action'
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Two weeks after the scandal broke, NBC Nightly News on Friday night became the first broadcast network morning or evening news program to inform viewers about “ClimateGate,” but only in the most cursory manner as it despaired the e-mails may end up
“giving politicians from coal and oil-producing states [?] another reason to delay taking action to reduce emissions. The government's leading scientist told Congress there is no time to lose.”
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