Global & national problems
An ultimate solution Recent media reports indicate a multitude of global and national problems plaguing humanity: climate change and the environment, energy resources, military recruitment, and of course, Bush’s war on Iraq. Is there a common solution?
US failure to lead on climate change is entrenched in failed domestic energy and foreign policy - the old way of thinking. Protecting the profits of fossil energy companies with our military is external to energy prices, so we don’t conserve. The lack of energy innovation fails to provide progress against climate change while unfathomable impacts loom, perhaps in our lifetimes. And, the absence of sacrifice has put the cost of Bush’s war squarely on future generations.
Innovation in the transportation energy sector is a good place to start. Perhaps the only thing that would make gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs more popular would be to make them more efficient, but Detroit doesn’t get it. So, Congress should, as an alternative to significantly improved CAFÉ standards without loopholes, enact legislation that would provide for mandatory military service as an external cost of buying any gas-guzzler.
The military would have a substantial new recruiting tool, demand for gas-guzzlers would decline, decreasing demand on energy sources we really don’t control, thereby reducing demands on military resources and our “carbon footprint.” It would be the next best thing to fuel rationing, a carbon tax, or a mandatory “cap and trade” program for greenhouse gas emissions. If Congress can’t pass realistic solutions, perhaps they should propose alternates.
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B-U-L-L-S-H-I- T....sociialism blows and this assclown is a nut!.
Posted by Hank on October 19, 2007 05:45 PMI see Hank - let's give handouts to businesses (you did realize that many businesses - including the oil industry - get government handouts at both the state & federal levels, right?) , which invest in offshoring jobs & hiring illegals, then whine about "socalism".
Posted by Mary on October 20, 2007 09:08 AMHank knows nothing but what Rush Limbaugh tells him is right, then gets even more zealous than Rush ever did. Zealots are cursed by their tunnel vision attitudes of their personal preferences into not being able to see to the end of the road they set out on. When the results of their efforts come to fruition and they realize the restrictions they placed on others have fliped floped and came back to bite them on the ass, they are the first ones to scream, unfair, unconstitutional and unwarranted interference in their lives. Hypocrites, all of them.
Posted by Allen Campbell on October 20, 2007 11:03 AMPerhaps we could distinguish between types of service and equate it to what a citizen is allowed by the government to purchase? For example, military service may allow for a gas-guzzling SUV, while picking up trash along the highway may entitle one to purchase an economy car. Simply voting would be good for at least a 10-speed.
Still, something about this plan makes me think it's a bad idea. Maybe it's that whole "pursuit of happiness" thing.
Posted by Neal5x5 on October 22, 2007 12:06 AM