Another Way to Kill the Economy

[HankB]

Was just watching a news report on TV, saying that the EPA is in the process of determining that CO2 and several other common gasses are pollution, and have to be regulated.

The reporter mentioned that this would mean things like:

* Federal regulation of CO2 emissions from cars, trucks, power plants, lawn mowers, cows & other livestock - anything that emits CO2.

* Federal building permits on construction - starting first with large commercial buildings, but eventually to be applied to ALL buildings - that would evaluate the CO2 burden of the building.

* This would include religious institutions - church A/C units, for example, require power . . . and if that power comes from a gas or coal plant, it needs to be regulated.

* Typically, the permitting for a large building project could take 2-3 more years.

* Greenies could file lawsuits for ANYTHING, and could cite Fed regulations to back them up.

So . . . if there's ANY truth to this, is there any doubt that it would positively KILL the economy?

Idiots.

Stark, raving, idiots. 

 

[MicroBalrog]

* Typically, the permitting for a large building project could take 2-3 more years.

This sounds a whole damn lot like my country and not at all like yours.

[Standing Wolf]

1,001 ways to turn America into a new, larger East Germany.

[drewtam]

This is very scary to me. This issue isn't just engines and powerplant efficiency. Its everything. This gives the epa the right to regulate anything and everything. The production of anything now depends on their whim of what is "needed" or reasonable 'pollution'.

This issue isn't just engines and powerplant efficiency. Its everything.

Fertilizers for farming requires large CO2 emissions.
The equipment that harvests the food emits CO2.
The trucks that carry the food....
Concrete requires huge energy inputs = CO2
All metal ores are mined with diesel heavy equipment = CO2
That includes the metals in everything we make (including the silicon used in computers and solar panels)
It includes the precious metals in advanced technology.
All construction is done with diesel heavy equipment.
The glass in your windows, the trees cut to make lumber, its all done by diesel equipment.
NG heat is CO2
All plastic production emits CO2
All cheap electricity (except hydro and nuke) emit CO2
There are emissions regulations for lawnmowers, why can't they create bans on camp fires. Or a ban on candles.

Everything that is measurable human progress is now under their power. It is under the power of a centralised, national, unelected bureaucracy.

There can be no measurable affect on GW, for reasons none will admit to. So how will we know when we cut enough? Its at the agencies whim.
And, if we cut to 0, what does that get us? Nothing, because no other nation on earth would be that stupid. Even if the US cuts to 0, the world would not go back to pre-industrial revolution CO2 emissions, or atmospheric concentrations.

This scares me, bad.

[41magsnub]

I was just watching "Now" which is the MT PBS channel and they discussed Cap and Trade as well as a CO2 tax.  This guy, whom I forget who he was but he was a senior adviser of some kind, was adamant that a CO2 tax would solve lots of problems.  Less pollution AND more taxes to cover all the new spending!  Win Win!  We all of course know what would really happen...

[RoadKingLarry]

How far down that road will they go?  They do realize that PEOPLE emit CO2 don't they? WIll they next tax people for the CO2 we emit?
Every day, and some times more than once, I see another parallel.

Who is John Galt?

[Boomhauer]

I'm getting tired of this *expletive deleted*it. 4 months and it looks like they've figured out one of the quickest ways to administer the kill shot to the economy. And they won't encounter resistance, either.

Yep, it will kill the economy...

[MicroBalrog]

How far down that road will they go?  They do realize that PEOPLE emit CO2 don't they? WIll they next tax people for the CO2 we emit?

Ssh. You're giving them ideas.

[Ryan in Maine]

Would this be the related article?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090418/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/epa_climate

WASHINGTON – Cars, power plants and factories could all soon face much tougher pollution limits after a government declaration Friday setting the stage for the first federal regulation of gases blamed for global warming.

The Environmental Protection Agency took a big step in that direction, concluding that carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases are a major hazard to Americans' health. That was a reversal from the Bush administration, which resisted such a conclusion and said it would be costly for companies to meet new emission limits and therefore could harm the national economy.

[Myself]

How far down that road will they go?  They do realize that PEOPLE emit CO2 don't they? WIll they next tax people for the CO2 we emit?

No problem.  The solution is simple.  Inhale only, as long as you don't exhale they can't get you.

[mfree]

They'll need to be careful with this one. Bureaucrats emit CO2, probably a lot more than the average citizen...

[never_retreat]

cows & other livestock - anything that emits CO2.

This statement alone shows there level of stupidity.

[Ben]

Was just watching a news report on TV, saying that the EPA is in the process of determining that CO2

The one I saw focused on CO2 being a hazard to human health, and being put into the same warning category as the carcinogen warnings on gas pumps. This kind of "political" science is beginning to scare me a bit.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

It's a brilliant political strategy.  Assert that air is a hazard that can and should be regulated.  Then use that to control anything that makes use of, or affects, or exists in the air.  Voila!  Since there isn't anything on earth that isn't somehow tied to the air, you now have the power to control everything

[Gewehr98]

This statement alone shows there level of stupidity.

It shows their level of stupidity, too.

[seeker_two]

Hmmm....wonder how much CO2 is generated from firing a gun?....



 

[doczinn]

Ouch.

[Scout26]

How far down that road will they go?  They do realize that PEOPLE emit CO2 don't they? WIll they next tax people for the CO2 we emit?

Congrats, you just broke their code....