Gov. Ritter want to raise taxes in 2008 for Health Care, Education and Transportation. Anyone want to tell me where did the monies for Referendum C go to. This is for all the suckers that voted all the recent tax increases. If you have a choice, keep your own money.
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Gov. Ritter and unions
I wondered how he developed this brilliant idea.
Well maybe he saw how the unions almost put the entire US automobile industry under. Or could it be the way the unions put some airlines in bankruptcy. At United, they even bought, ran the company and hand- picked a lackey CEO. They proceeded to then put this company out of business. That’s a good model.
Well how about the teacher’s union and the disaster that is our public schools? Another good model. In spite of the fact that our children can’t get a decent education, they fight progressive ideas such as vouchers and charter schools. And what a management model to follow- we can’t have math teachers, in short supply, paid more than other disciplines in excess supply; and we must pay teachers according to schooling and years teaching not according to test results or the ability to teach and to inspire our kids. Want to fire an incompetent teacher. It’s almost impossible. One more good union template for effective management of the state of Colorado, Governor.
Maybe the Governor is finding a good model for union-government cooperation from old Europe. That’s worked so well that Germany and France elected conservatives to help turnaround double-digit unemployment and years of stagnant economies. A union-government cooperative spirit resulted in two pieces of the new A380 not fitting together properly. And in France it’s been the strike of the week, doctors this week, transit workers next and then the nurses and museum workers follow. That’s something to look forward to in Colorado.
Governor Ritter seems like a bright man who surely knows these facts. I have to assume then that this is nothing but a payback for big labor’s campaign contributions and an apology for vetoing a terrible pro labor bill earlier in the year.
One term governor? That may be too long.
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Former Gov. Owens on Gov. Ritter’s unions
“Owens assails Ritter’s order on unions” (RMN 11-7-07) struck a nerve. According to the article, Former Gov. Owens states, “the computers are a straw man he’s (Gov. Ritter) hiding behind. He needs to step up and explain why collective bargaining is the way to go...” First of all, using the term “collective bargaining” without adding the qualifier “partnership” is misleading, because it’s never been just about “bargaining". If the quote is accurate and not taken out of context, somebody’s not getting the point about the computer. It’s not a straw man for the Governor to hide behind, it’s “the tip of the iceberg". Even if the two-thirds of the iceberg that lies below water were more realistically a huge pile of melded blocks of ice, the analogy would hold true. Each one of those ice blocks would represent a governmental project, program or issue poorly handled, poorly planned and/or poorly executed. If employees were allowed “their two-cents worth", each block could provide an opportunity for a “partnership” of ideas, viewpoints, and experiences to generally improve the efficiency, productivity, economy and social climate of State work environments. The concept that any employee, whether in the private or public sector, is not worth listening to because of his/her position on the corporate ladder (and Yes, Virginia, the government has one of those, too) should have been eradicated eons ago.
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Roan plateau is a treasure
The Roan Plateau, A Colorado treasure is among the four most biologically diverse areas in Colorado and is the only one of these four areas that is not protected. NOt only is the Roan Plateau home to native plant species and wildlife but also provides open spaces for a wide variety of outdoor activities. These activities are not only what colorado is known for but also a large driving force behind our local economy. The Bureau of Land Management leases 70% of land to the Oil and Gas industries and the Roan Plateau shouls not be added to theis statistic. All 70% of lesed land has yet to be drilled so what is the rush to add the Roan to the List?! As Colorado citizens we should wnat to protect the remaining undeveloped public lands. The BLM’s own environmental impact state says that “Areas of high quality wildlife habitat would be lost or permanently altered.” Opening the Roan Plateau would bring drilling rigs, well pads compressor stations, pipe lines, roads, hevy ruck traffic, and so much more. All of the aspects of drilling are not compatable with the outdoor environment and activities. Where has our local pride gone? Has it too been bought by the Oil and Gas Industry? We as Coloradans can stop this and should before it is too late. Keep the Roan Plateau untouched, support life and this public space to the list of protected Wilderness!
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Homelessness and mental illness
Thank you for drawing attention to the problem of homelessness and mental illness among U.S. veterans in your article Thursday, “25% of Homeless Are Veterans, Report Says.”
Homelessness is just one of the many negative impacts as policy and funding priorities overlook the mental health needs of our heroes. The problems are sobering: • One in every eight U.S. veterans (1.8 million) under the age of 65 does not have any health coverage.
• Each year, about 1,000 U.S. veterans commit suicide.
• More veterans from the Vietnam war have committed suicide than were killed in the war – more than 58,000.
• A Pentagon study in 2006 found that 35 percent of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq have sought help for a mental health disorder. Many who experience symptoms of a mental health disorder do not seek help.
• About 50 percent of returning Reservists and National Guard members have reported symptoms of a mental disorder.
• Soldiers must wait 2 1?2 months for a mental health appointment at VA facilities.
• About 15 percent of all heart attack victims are people with post-traumatic stress syndrome.
• About 700,000 U.S. children have one or more parent who is deployed and must cope with the stress of that deployment. These children also are at risk and many need community-based services.
As the experts in your column indicated, there could be a surge of demand for mental health services building on the battlefield and at home. The mental health toll from this war is enormous and we are feeling it in Colorado. We should make every day Veterans Day and reach out to our friends and neighbors who have served valiantly. It’s time to help our heroes and support them when they return home.
We need to fund mental health treatment adequately, cut the red tape, and integrate these services with general health services to provide these heroes with the care that they deserve. The VA system can’t do it alone. We need localized and community-based services in every corner of Colorado and in every state. We should urge our U.S. Senators to support Senate Bill 31, which will help the community mental health system provide adequate care to these soldiers in their hometowns. We should urge state and local leaders to support similar initiatives across Colorado. This mission will not be accomplished until these soldiers and their families receive proper assistance.
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Paper ballots are the answer
Re: Machine madness As I read the story on the voting machine conundrum and gazed at the associated picture of a huge warehouse of voting machines, I just shook by head.
The story goes on to describe the dilemma the various counties have with voting machines that are probably not going to be certified and ready to go by the 2008 election.
Every time I read these stories, I wonder why we don’t just do away with individual electronic machines.
Wouldn’t it be easier to just have all paper ballots that are read by a scanning machine and not deal with hundreds and thousands of individual voting machines?
This would also address the issue of a “paper trail”
that many voters are concerned about. Using only a paper ballot, whether by mail ballot or voting in person would simplify the entire process.
My observation of the recently completed all mail balloting in Arapahoe and Jefferson county is that they appeared to have been handled very efficiently.
The majority of the voting results were already posted on their web sites by 7pm, election night.
As for the city and county of Denver voting problems, they will apparently occur regardless of the voting system. Denver can’t seem to get its act together, whatever they try.
If the legislation does address this issue, to allow an all mail ballot in the presidential election, they should also give the counties the option of conducting an all mail ballot every year, if they so chose.
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Greenhouse gases
Watching Football Night in America last week it was obvious in one segment that something had gone wrong with NBC’s picture because there wasn’t one even though I could hear Bob Costas talking. There wasn’t anything wrong at all, however; only the latest attempt to convince people to reduce their greenhouse gases, or as I like to call it, devolve back to the Stone Age.
If you will hear me out, though, I believe I have a simple an elegant solution to the greenhouse gas problem. If everyone who really believes humankind is in imminent grave danger from man-made global warming would immediately commit suicide; then except for a little energy expended putting them into the ground their carbon footprint would immediately go to zero, and I could go back to watching football without being subjected to ridiculous and bogus political screeds masquerading as science.
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Voting machine controversy
In your article on the voting machine controversy, you quote Dan Wallach, associate professor of computer science at Rice University, as saying, “You shouldn’t need to trust your people....One poll worker could effectively compromise every single voting machine in the county.” Not only is that not true in Morgan County, it is an insult to hard-working poll workers, who put in long hours out of a sense of duty. I am prepared to listen to an apology whenever Dr.
Wallach wants to give one. I cannot, of course, speak for any other poll workers. I will not hold my breath waiting for an apology.
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Gov. Ritter betrayed tax payers
Maybe Governor Ritter should be renamed King
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Gov. Ritter’s executive order
However, Gov. Bill Ritter chose to circumvent this system and govern via executive order (“Guv backs state unions,” Nov. 3).
We elect our state legislators and governor with the expectation they adhere to this brilliant system. Yes, the governor has the authority to issue such a document, nevertheless it should be used in very rare circumstances, such as emergencies, not to pander to the union bosses.
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No, it affects all of us Colorado taxpayers. It is a little known and less publicized fact that the only growth in unions in the U.S. today is in federal and state governments - all funded by us taxpayers.
We need to put a stop to this right now!
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When will people be held accountable?
Obviously it seems that nobody in Congress has the political courage to to move forward with prosecution of those who are guilty. The Bush Administration is probably the worst ever in the history of the USA. It’s time to get those who lack political courage out of office.
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Noisy neighbors are inconsiderate
Times and boundaries change, and people must be considerate of their neighbors. If I had such noise emanating from a neighbor, you can be assured I would contact the proper authorities in lieu of strangulation. Mrs. Priest’s
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Passage of A through I good for children
The passage of 1B means our kids will play on safer playgrounds, learn in more comfortable classrooms and have continued funding because our facilities won’t impede quality scores. Our teachers and cooks are grateful as well. Clean, cheerful, functional classrooms and kitchens boost their morale.
All this adds up to school readiness for children that could start off on the short end of an achievement gap that never closes, but the children we serve leave us on a level playing field with their more privileged peers.
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Congrats to Michael Mukasey
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Modifications to Title VII
Existing laws need to be enforced and new provisions need to be added to protect our nation’s health, especially in the areas of oil and gas drilling and refining. Also, our water supplies, both surface and sub-surface, need to be protected. We would also add that all vehicle mile-per-gallon standards need to be increased sooner than later.
Finally, we believe that renewable energy from geothermal, biomass, wind and solar means need to increase. We have a choice, either we make positive changes now and prolong our world or do nothing and let our world be destroyed as we know it.
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Election counting problems
This is because they are having trouble getting their machines. How long will this madness go on.
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Homeless veterans
I spent almost fifty years as a sociologist studying and working with the homeless. Each time I got to know someone living on the streets, I found a tragic story -too often related to war. I challenge the reader to talk to a homeless person sometime. Ask whether the person is a veteran and “what it like to be on the streets?” If the person is not intoxicated or disturbed, you may learn something worthwhile learning about his or her life. (Be very careful to pick a safe, public situation, though, frankly, life is far more dangerous for the homeless person on the streets than it will be for you in your short visit there.) When I was a boy, my family went with my father who was an Army chaplain to camps in the South. I remember some good soldiers and I was taken to a few Army funerals. Thus, I hate to hear people say, “If you’re not for the Iraqi war, you’re against the soldiers.” Baloney!!! And as for certain talk jocks who utter such insults, on what I call “hate radio,”
It is time for Americans to frankly recognize what war does to people.
Even more important, we need leaders who know how to pursue peace through discussion and honesty, not those who believe that we can win through confrontation and power. This will become increasingly clear as more nations, friends and foes of today, come to have atomic power.
Until we and our leaders learn to talk and deal honestly, our whole nation, not just the homeless and other disenfranchised people, will become more uprooted and divided.
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Pakistan the most dangerous
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Fair elections need to be implemented
It is time to entice citizens with the country
Where Fair Elections has been implemented, it has been successful. More people from diverse backgrounds are running
Once in office, Fair Elections candidates are free to legislate without regard to who helped pay for their campaign. They work for their constituents, not big money campaign contributors
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Abortion should never be acceptable
I hope that men and women of good character and morals who are saddened, heartbroken and outraged at the slaughter of innocent human lives will always far outnumber those who think that the murder of innocent human lives is nothing more than a “personal choice” that should be “understood” and “condoned.”
Certainly there are times when the murder, the killing
But abortion — the murder of an innocent unborn human life
The abortion of an innocent human life — a little unborn baby — is mankind at its lowest. And any defense of abortion
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Bronco “fans” go too far
I bet the Broncos organization would be embarrassed to have these two goons on their side. I also think Larry Priest’s actions are an embarrassment to the Marine Corps. What do these two “fans” plan to do once the neighbor’s baby is born? Continue to stress both mother and child with this unnecessary noise? What jerks.
I usually don’t feel sorry for attorneys, but I hope this one sues the pants off Mr. and Mrs. Priest.
By the way, is there no Law Enforcement in their section of Adams County? How about a ticket to Larry and Jeri Priest for causing a public nuisance, Sheriff Darr?
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Electoral college comments
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Ft. Collins A.K.A. Grinchville
BREAKING NEWS: Fort Collins (a.k.a. Grinchville) declares “CHRISTMAS TOO CONTROVERSIAL". Elected officials state, “We must protect our citizens from Constitutional freedoms: ie. “...life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness". Personal interpretation, celebration, and enjoyment of this holiday is strictly prohibited! Never fear! The Coloradoan will publish an officially approved list of “shopping sites and public displays". Citizens are encouraged to call city hall and report any “banned activity”
relating to this state censored event.
ADDENDUM: It is reported that all Fort Collins’ Christians are protesting the loss of Constitutional freedoms by boycotting all sanctioned shops, restaurants, and public events in Fort Collins, Colorado. Stay tuned for more breaking news...
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Paul Campos & the Constitution
But like professors Campos and Levinson, I too have fallen out of love with the Constitution. A document can never limit the power of a government, because it is “interpreted” by that same government itself. It is inevitable that, over time, the Supreme Court will, by and large, “discover”
that the Constitution authorizes ever greater power to its host. What we really need are highly decentralized governments, even down to individual communities. Democracy can work only on a very small scale. Mass democracy invariably becomes an engine to allow favored interests (large corporations, government bureaucracies, defense contractors, big banks, etc.) to loot the mass of productive citizens who are just trying to live their lives in peace.
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U.S. now tortures
Now, apparently, so do we.
God bless America.
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Chandler Grafner’s parents want to sue
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Denver Election Commission
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Makes me want to vote Republican
This sure makes me want to vote republican.
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Uneven justice
What has happened to our country when a woman gets 50 hours of community service for the murder of her newborn child (“Woman must get mental health help,” Oct. 27) while several people are facing the possibility of six years in prison for jumping on a police car? (“Five people charged for damage to cruiser,” Oct. 25.)
Pete Hankey, Erie
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Response to Mike Rosen
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Funding bill for Iraq
First of all, Mr. Bush needs to understand that an efficient Democracy is based upon a well informed public with OPEN debate. In such a system, no one, not even God himself, dictates what is of more importance.
It’s all important, it’s all free speech! Let us do our job; let us (WE THE PEOPLE) decide! Which, by the way, I think we have, just not loudly and persistently enough.
I do agree that we need to listen to the military; but not his hand picked Generals sitting in air conditioning in the fortified green zone. We need to hear from the boots on the ground, the soldiers who are doing the dirty work, many of whom, pay the ultimate price. At ivaw.org is account after account of soldiers who feel betrayed. Not only mislead initially (i.e. WMD, Saddam ties to Al Qaida, etc.) but also little or no care upon their return. Over 100 Iraq vets killed themselves last year, one out of every four homeless people are vets.
Support the troops? Are you listening Mr. Udall!!
We need to support these brave souls at ivaw in whatever way possible! Call Congress and Demand no more funding for the Iraq war!
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Counting Denver ballots
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Mayor stole A thru I
This massive campaign, an “investment” of those who would split up the take, used telemarketing to contact every one of the 470,000 voters in Denver, and this telephone sales campaign identified the gullible and feeble minded, and then stayed in touch with those 50,000 or so suckers until they returned their mail-in ballots, going to their door to pick up the ballot when necessary!
420,000 voted no or were so discouraged they didn’t vote at all. 420,000 out of 470,000! The Mayor has perfected this technique, and now it is glorified in your very biased coverage of the campaign.
In the past one of our daily newspapers would have spoken out about this obvious manipulation. But now that there is no real competition between the papers, the people have lost their watchdog. I think that is the reason for the declining circulation of both papers.
Denver citizens need to organize now to prevent the next assault. We need an early warning system, a citizens grassroots network that can spot these efforts as they begin and mount an organized campaign to see that the election truly reflect the will of the majority of Denver citizens.
Those who are concerned are invited to join
Beltway proposal
Writer Dan Green says “the facts are,” but he is obviously unaware of many facts.
2) Only a small fraction of the southbound I-25 traffic is headed for the mountains via I-70, and that traffic is mostly on weekends, when commuter traffic is low. The “congested central core of Denver” is easily avoided by drivers using I-76 from I-25; drivers coming from Boulder and Longmont face little congestion on week ends by using SH-93 and US-6 to get to I-70 West.
3) The facts from the EIS are that building the western toll highway would reduce future traffic on Wadsworth from 65,000 vehicles per day only to 60,000.
The reason that Wadsworth traffic is heavy, and three times as much as projected for the toll highway, is that commercial development is so dense, especially just north of I-70. Why would Broomfield or north Arvada drivers opt to pay a toll going west to Golden and then back-track to the east on SH-58 and I-70 to get to their Wadsworth destinations?
4) The idea of completing the beltway down the Indiana-McIntyre corridor was addressed in the NW Quadrant Feasibility Study. Although the beltway route east of North Table Mountain would give greater relief to Wadsworth traffic than the route through Golden, neither beltway alignment would reduce future congestion in north Jeffco as well as improving the arterials. Even though they want the beltway, Arvada ruled out the eastern alignment absolutely.
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Gov. Ritter’s executive order
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New energy bill
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FutureGen Project mischaracterized
FutureGen is not just a government program; it is a public-private partnership with 12 companies contributing nearly $400 million to build this first-of-its-kind coal-fueled power plant with near-zero emissions that will produce hydrogen and capture and permanently store carbon dioxide deep underground. The cancellation of Xcel’s IGCC plant, along with other IGCC plants recently, demonstrates that private/public partnerships such as FutureGen are critical to proving IGCC with CCS can work.The project is being designed so that it will have global transferability to help accelerate its adoption.
The FutureGen Alliance agrees that coal is a critical component of our energy future and FutureGen will ensure that coal can be used while addressing climate change concerns. Four sites in Texas and Illinois are being considered for siting FutureGen, and the Alliance is on track to announce the finalist site by the end of this year. Whether the plant winds up in Texas or Illinois, the real beneficiaries of the project will be future generations who will have cleaner and affordable electricity from coal.
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Torture should not be allowed
First, torture is ineffective as a tool for getting accurate information.
Torture victims (and they ARE VICTIMS) tell their interrogators whatever they think those interrogators want to hear.
Second, many of those the US has tortured or has sent to other countries to be tortured are COMPLETELY INNOCENT. Many — if not most, if not almost all — of those tortured by the United States have indeed turned out to not be terrorists or to have any knowlege of terrorist operations.
And, oh yeah, those that are innocent are likely to be tortured MORE, since they do not have the right answers to satisfy their interrogators.
Third, America’s use of torture gives a huge propaganda victory to America’s enemies.
Fourth, allowing the use of torture sets a precedent which will likely lead to US soldiers being tortured by the enemy.
And fifth, most importantly, torture is WRONG and torture is EVIL, even when it is carried out against people who are truly guilty, let alone when it is used against possibly innocent people, many of which have never had a proper trial and often have not even had charges filed against them.
It is safe to say that those who torture are monsters, plain and simple.
And those that even support torture politically are guilty of inhumanity at best.
America USED to be dedicated, as it should have been, to outlawing torture around the world. I cannot believe we have sunk so low as to allow one of the most vile of human acts that can be carried out against another person to be done in our names.
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Governor Ritter’s campaign promises quite obviously changed dependant on his audience, I recall Ritter speaking fiscally moderate and pro business to voters while apparently negotiating behind closed doors with union leaders while he accepted their campaign donations. His decision and the manner with which it was executed were clearly designed to fulfill his union promises and circumvent the legislature from debating it. In doing so, he has completely ignored the voters who depend on the legislature to be their voice.
In a time of precarious economic standing, mortgage woes, rising gas prices and shaky consumer confidence, his act has guaranteed taxes will go up and the business climate and the citizens of Colorado will suffer. Short sighted and self serving politics at its worst!
The Governor’s executive order will certainly be at the forefront of my decision making when voting on all matters that are remotely aligned with his office and his party’s agenda in the future. I encourage all voters to do the same.
In nearly every political campaign I can recall, a common card foes play is their opponent bowing to special interest groups, should Governor Ritter choose to run for re-election, in his case it will clearly be true.
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Climate change
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Paul Campos
The fact that both houses of Congress have to agree in order for a bill to become law again removes the possibility that three or four very large population states could rule the country - a wisely chosen safeguard.
He complains that Constitution gives one person, the president, the power to veto legislation for any reason he likes, but neglects to mention that congress can overide that veto with a 66% vote, another safeguard our founding fathers were wise enough to include.
He says we have no way to get rid of an incompetent president - did he forget the procedure to impeach a president? Its not that long ago that it was tried.
I believe most thinking people will treat this type of political garbage for what it is and let it end up in the proper container.
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Global warming
Man’s impact on our planet goes well beyond the problem of global warming.
Forests and open space are disappearing at an alarming rate. The abundance of fish that our oceans once contained has been dangerously diminished.
Natural resources are being consumed wantonly. Clean water supplies around the world are inadequate. Species of flora and fauna are disappearing every year.
No matter how noble the intent, worrying about each person’s carbon footprint without also focusing on the increasing numbers of people leaving those footprints is insane. Opening discussions on how to “manage” population is extremely unpopular in this age of sensitivity and political correctness. However, sticking our heads in the sand and hoping that the problem goes away is absurd. Nature and the laws of human behavior will eventually resolve the problem of over-population as need outstrips available resources. But, waiting for this natural solution will doom the world to a future of increasing human suffering, conflict, and war.
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Glad marijuana question passed
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Another botched election
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Global climate change & red meat
Mr. Holden also makes reference to red meat and the idea that if “science demands that Americans reduce their hefty consumption of red meat a little, so be it” Well, Mr Holden, it is NOT just “so be it". If I want to eat red meat for every meal of every day of MY life and can afford to buy it, that should be MY choice! I don’t need some nannyist government agency, or special interest group telling me what I can and cannot eat. I think the various bans on transfat have already gone too far.
What about foreign countries? Is red meat to be rationed there, too? Don’t force your agenda on the rest of us.
Now, if Mr. Holden’s concern over red meat is the supposed greenhouse gas emissions of cows, this is the height of hypocrisy. What about all the human greenhouse gas emissions? While cows are bigger, there are a lot more people.
If climate change, despite lack of any real evidence, is actually man-made then it seems to me the real solution is to reduce the earth’s human population, not force inconvenience, restrictions, and expense on the people of the one nation in the world which is supposed to stand for liberty and freedom of choice. But I haven’t heard any of the global warming alarmists suggesting a plan to control population growth, or volunteering to not have kids themselves. Don’t expect to either.
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Gov. Ritter’s climate action plan
As Americans, we have considerable experience with both. For example, the space program and our continuing defense needs. Both involve massive subsidies and a host of “incentives” to do what the nation has decided needs to be done. Arguably, we didn’t have to go to the moon, or anywhere else in space for that matter. But, as a nation, we chose to. Many of us, most importantly a large majority of climate scientists, are convinced that we have no choice but to address climate degradation. Recently, a dozen or so senior military flag officers reported that climate change was now a national security threat. For my money, that takes it out of the category of “let’s continue to sweep it under the rug” as the Carrolls of the world seem to propose.
Pursuing Mr. Carroll’s dubious logic, why not turn over national security to the market place. Thus, our defense would “unfold without prodding,” etc. No, there are certain things, things vital to the Commonwealth of America, that markets do not naturally produce.
National security is one. A clean and healthy environment is another.
And energy security, independence from unstable Persian Gulf oil supplies, is yet another.
Mr. Carroll fails to admit that our current energy, and therefore climate, policy is heavily subsidized, and I thought by now all thoughtful Americans had accepted that. Oil is subsidized. Coal is subsidized. Our air and our water are not free goods. Yet we are treating them as if they were. So much for “markets.” Nuclear is heavily subsidized. The greatest subsidy for oil is our military presence in the Persian Gulf. Include that cost into the cost of imported oil and we would all be paying about $7 a gallon for gasoline.
And that, of course, does not include the incalculable cost of human lives. Our casualties in Gulf War II now well exceed 30,000.
Markets are wonderful for regulating all human activities that generate a profit. But the profit generated by climate change will emerge when Florida is under water. The preamble to our Constituti