Leftist LUNC of the Week

Monday, June 3, 2013

Equality and Civil Rights--Zimmerman/Martin case

To me, what is most disturbing about the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin issue is the Leftist LUNC in seeing the once noble and compassionate civil rights movement ultimately morph into the now spiteful and self-serving uncivil wrong movement.

Where once the Left courageously marched against racial injustice and gallantly advocated for basic rights for all mankind and healthy racial sensitivity, in recent times they have mobilized the media, celebrates, and even governmental entities into fomenting racial strife, vigilante-like injustice, bullying, and racial hyper-sensitivity.

It is expected that the usual suspects (Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the NAACP--see HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE) would feature prominently in the virtual manufactured racially-charged fray of the Zimmerman/Martin case (there is no legitimate or significant racial component--see HERE and HERE), and exploit it to mobilize support and funding for their lucrative and powerful race-baiting businesses, and that their divisive rhetoric and propaganda would be trumpeted by the sympathetic leftist media. (ibid.).

However, things reached a new low when the President of the U.S. discriminatingly joined in the mob mentality (see HERE and HERE and HERE) and, through Eric Holder (see HERE and HERE), in a non-federal case, turned the justice department into a community organizing and protest unit (see HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE), biased against a citizen who is supposed to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise. The department whose constitutional duty it was to protect and defend rights and insure justice, became the instrument of quite the opposite, and this presumably as a part of its extra-constitutional anti-gun agenda (see HERE).

The hypocrisy here is that President Obama promised to "rid the [Justice] department of ideologues and political cronies…the Civil Rights Division will actually be staffed with civil rights lawyers who prosecute civil rights violations, and employment discrimination, and hate crimes."—09/28/07, Washington, D.C.(See HERE)

With the Left having weaved this strand of the hell-destined hand basket, it comes as no surprise that homegrown terrorists would be embolden to pay violence on innocent people, at times under the guise of "this is for Trayvon Martin "(see HERE and HERE and HERE), and call for the beheading of Zimmerman (see HERE).

And, of course, no leftist agenda would be complete without the self-serving mangling of the English language. During the trial, and as a part of public discourse surrounding the Zimmerman/Martin case, specific racial categorizations typically favored by the Left (that is, when its suites their purposes--as with diversity issues) like Jew, Hispanic, etc., were soon abandoned.for the general label of "white" (or the intentionally discrediting "self-proclaimed Hispanic") because its better fit the more inflammatory "white vs black" narrative. And, terms typically considered as racist or bigoted, were conveniently, if not hypocritically, deemed otherwise. (See HERE)

Ironically, the Left, who is renown for inclusion and peace and unity amidst diversity, and is supposed to be, to a fault, deferential to minority needs and issues, has through the course of this controversy corroded race relations, passionately engaged in discriminatory and divisive rhetoric and actions, and scathingly decried the ruling of an all female jury (see HERE and HERE and HERE), in the trial of a Jewish Peruvian (see HERE and HERE), who fatally defended himself from being beaten for allegedly being gay and a predatory pedaphilic rapist. (See HERE .and HERE and HEFE).

How did the civil rights movement eventually go so wrong? I explain it, in part here: The Politics of Race, and The Politics of Compassion

Subject Index

For an explanation as to why these Leftist energy LUNCs occur, please see: The Politics of Race, Compassion, Emotions, Ignorance, Denial, Blame-Shifting, and Victimization

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Government Welfare

One of the most noble facets of liberalism is their compassion for the poor and their vocal advocacy on behalf of those who are struggling and in need of assistance.

People on the Left are renown for their big hearts and helping hands.

And, given their love of and respect for secular governments, it is not surprising that the government would be the preferred medium through which their compassion would be predominately expressed.

However, without questioning their admittedly worthy motives, it is fair to ask whether liberal government welfare has accomplished what it was ultimately intended do, or whether the law of unintended negative consequences (LUNC) has once again raised its ugly head, making matters worse.

One may reasonably expect that were government welfare to have actually worked, then on average, and at best, there would have been a steady decline in entitlement spending from year to year (adjusted for inflation), or at worse it would have remained relatively constant or increased slightly in proportion to population growth and/or bad economic times. This, of course, presumes that recipients of government welfare would use the programs as intended--i.e. as temporary assistance until they get back on their feet and are able to support themselves and contribute once again to society.

According to the Heritage Foundation, in the U.S., "Entitlement spending more than doubled over the past 20 years, growing by 110 percent (after adjusting for inflation).". "Three major programs—Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security—dominate in size and growth, soaking up about 44 percent of the budget...and—when joined with $1.7 trillion in new Obamacare spending—will drain about 18.5 percent of the nation’s total economic output by mid-century....Other entitlements continue growing as well. Anti-poverty programs have surged by 49 percent in just the past decade, even after adjusting for inflation. Spending for food stamps alone has more than tripled since 2002. Health programs, including Medicaid, have increased by 38 percent, and housing assistance by 48 percent." (ibid.)

This isn't just a recent phenomena fueled by current economic woes. Researchers indicate that "Entitlement Spending — considered as government pensions, healthcare and welfare — started out at the beginning of the 20th century at 0.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)....entitlement spending was negligible until the Great Depression of the 1930s. In response to the Great Depression President Roosevelt and the New Deal cranked up welfare spending to 1.5 percent of GDP by the mid 1930s and over 2.0 percent on the eve of World War II in 1940. In 1950, entitlement spending had reached 3.3 percent of GDP, mostly welfare, but by 1960 entitlement spending had reached 5.1 percent of GDP as Social Security spending started to ramp up. In 1965 Congress passed Medicare, Medicaid and the Great Society programs, and entitlement spending exploded reaching 11 percent of GDP in 1975. By the early 1980s, entitlement spending reached 13 percent of GDP and pensions spending stabilized at a little over five percent of GDP, with welfare spending stabilized at three to four percent of GDP. But healthcare spending sustained a steady rise, from three percent of GDP in 1980 to five percent of GDP in 2000. Since 2000, entitlement spending has increased, reaching 19 percent of GDP in 2010. Pension spending has increased to six percent of GDP, and welfare spending has exploded to over five percent of GDP in the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2007-09. Healthcare spending has continued steady growth, reaching over seven percent of GDP in 2009.".

In 1940, the U.S. population was 132.2 million, and total governmental welfare payouts (federal, state, local) was about $2.1 billion. or approximately $15.00 per person. In 2010, the population was 308.7 million and total government welfare was $786.7 billion, or $2,548.00 per person. (see HERE) Even adjusting for inflation, the per person amount in 2010 was more than ten times as much as it was towards the end of the Great Depression. This is staggering considering that people were far worse off financially in 1940 than in 2010.

According to Wikipedia, "In November 2012 the U.S. Census Bureau said more than 16% of the population lived in poverty in the United States, including almost 20% of American children,^[7] up from 14.3% (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and to its highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2% (39.8 million) Americans lived in poverty .^[8] In 2011 extreme poverty in the United States, meaning households living on less than $2 per day before government benefits, was double 1996 levels at 1.5 million households, including 2.8 million children.^[9] This would be roughly 1.2% of the US population in 2011, presuming a mean household size of 2.55 people. In 2013, child poverty reached record high levels, with 16.7 million children living in food insecure households, about 35% more than 2007 levels.^[10] In 2009 the number of people who were in poverty was approaching 1960s levels that led to the national War on Poverty.^[11]"

Over the last decade welfare dependency has increased. (See HERE) And, the number of people receiving welfare benefits has also escalated to the highest levels in U.S. history, with nearly a third of the population, or 107 million, getting government assistance.(See HERE), Nearly 50% of households in the U.S. receive some type of government help. (See HERE)

Clearly, government welfare and entitlement programs haven't worked to diminish poverty and/or encourage self-reliance. Quite the contrary.

During the 1990s, this became self-evident to most Americans and prompted a popular movement towards welfare reform, which was realized in the bipartisan passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, signed into law by President Clinton in August of 1996. "Welfare and poverty rates both declined during the late-1990s, leading many commentators to declare that the legislation was a success. An editorial in The New Republic opined, "A broad consensus now holds that welfare reform was certainly not a disaster--and that it may, in fact, have worked much as its designers had hoped." (See HERE)

Granted, there was a slight rise in poverty from 2000 to 2002, and a slight decline from 2002 to 2007, and then a sharp increase from 2007 to 2010, when, with the resurgence of liberal welfare and entitlement legislation and economic policies, poverty levels hit a 50 year high. (See HERE)

[update 09/07/2015: By way of contrast, the governor of Maine required some form of work, including volunteer, for 6 hours a week, to be eligible for food stamps, and thereby reduced the roles by 80%--see HERE]

For an explanation as to why these Leftist welfare LUNCs occur, please see: Gov: Wrong Tool for the Right Job - Strength in Number, Elitism and Specialization, and Cold Nanny as well as The Politics of Compassion, Emotions, Ignorance, Denial, Blame-Shifting, and Victimization

Documentation:

Costly, deleterious, and unsustainable expansion of government:
See links above. See also:
http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/09/where-is-the-u-s-headed-if-more-than-100-million-people-get-welfare-2/
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/23/a-return-to-welfare-dependency/
http://www.roanen.com/1/post/2012/03/an-expansion-of-the-welfare-state.html
http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/us_welfare_spending_40.html
http://data.nationalpriorities.org/mashups/vv1n87jqixw8stsz/?gclid=CMK1htnl7LcCFcqDQgodwGQAqA
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/research/detail/welfare-fraud-and-abuse
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/18/welfare-spending-jumps-32-percent-four-years/?page=all

Fraud and waste of taxes:
http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1500&context=plr
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/jclc/backissues/v99/n3/9903_643.Gustafson.pdf
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/research/detail/getting-rich-off-the-poor-examining-welfare-abuse
http://thecollegeconservative.com/2011/12/13/my-time-at-walmart-why-we-need-serious-welfare-reform/
http://www.roanen.com/1/post/2012/04/how-much-is-welfare-fraud-costing-us.html
http://getoutofdebt.org/47479/welfare-and-benefit-fraud-statistics-show-a-disturbing-pattern
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/research/detail/welfare-fraud-and-abuse

May rob recipients of dignity, self-reliance, and survival skills
http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/06/from_welfare_to_the_dignity_of.html
http://www.heritage.org/research/commentary/2012/07/welfare-reform-worked-for-human-dignity
http://www.ijreview.com/2012/12/24677-welfare-spending-equates-to-168-per-day-for-every-household-in-poverty/
http://www.dailygamecock.com/article/2011/10/welfare-programs-rob-poor-of-dignity
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/03/18/welfare-reform-self-reliance-not-government-handouts/
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/07/24/why-welfare-should-respect-the-dignity-of-work/
http://rokita.house.gov/press-release/rokita-waiver-welfare-work-requirements-goes-%E2%80%9Cagainst-entire-idea-human-dignity-earned

Fosters a culture or cycle of poverty and dependency:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welfare_dependency
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_poverty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycle_of_poverty
http://www.cato.org/blog/how-welfare-state-traps-poor-dependency-british-version
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/18/us/18poverty.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2012/12/09/NYT-Conservatives-May-Have-A-Point-About-Welfare-Dependency
http://saif113sb.hubpages.com/hub/-VICIOUS-CIRCLE-OF-POVERTY
http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/77002/scrapping-the-culture-of-dependency
http://www.nber.org/papers/w6175
http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/media/2012/a-culture-of-dependency/
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2109491?uid=3739928&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21102338348441
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/opinion/entitlements-and-the-culture-of-dependency-292030.html
http://www.amazon.com/From-Culture-Dependency-Success-Focusing/dp/1465393323
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/21/opinion/spalding-welfare-state-dependency
http://lenguaix.pbworks.com/f/Culture+of+Poverty.pdf
http://www2.census.gov/prod2/sipp/wp/SIPP_WP_085.pdf
http://home.mira.net/~andy/works/dependency.htm
http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1082&context=econ_honproj
http://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/focus/pdfs/foc72b.pdf
http://www.urban.org/publications/900288.html

Proliferation of those in need and looking for a handout:
See links above. See also:
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/10/31/welfare-dependence-keeps-growing/
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/08/08/this-chart-showing-welfare-dependency-will-ruin-your-day/

Monday, April 1, 2013

Environmentalism

I think it is fair to say that most people value clean water and air, open spaces, thriving flora and fauna, and rational use of natural resources. Millions of us regardless of political persuasion enjoy visiting national and state and local parks each year and sporting about in the great outdoors. In fact, within the Judeo-Christian tradition that is fundamental to the founding and development of the U.S. there is the biblical edict for man to subdue and have dominion over the earth and to dress it and keep it. (Gen 1:28; 2::15)

Many of us take this responsibility serious.

And, since liberals have been most passionate in advocating for these things, we owe them a debt of gratitude.

However, governmental environmentalism is one of those areas where the principle of "too much of a good thing is not good," and the law of unintended negative consequence (LUNC) raises its ugly head. What started out as a pragmatic approach for humans to live sustainably in a healthy and beautiful world, and where mankind and the earth were viewed as friends, has since, in the main, run a-muck towards eco-extremism, where even the very existence of man is viewed as a curse and enemy of the planet, if not also the universe. As John Hayward explains: "Another component of that shift in attitudes is the way humanity changes from wise steward of natural resources to planet-wrecking menace in the eyes of the environmental community.....environmentalism became anti-human. They came to view humanity as a plague. Its industries were regarded as toxic, unclean, almost Satanic."

I also like how Jerry Taylor sardonically puts it: "The political terrain on which the environmental debate is conducted today is defined almost entirely by the premises of the orthodox environmental community. They maintain that ecological resources are by definition public commons that must be centrally planned and stewarded by bureaucratic agents lest they be recklessly despoiled by industry. Moreover, central planners must have not only nearly complete veto power over private actions that might affect the environment; they also must be empowered to stipulate how much pollution is acceptable and exactly how each business is to go about controlling emissions and even, in some circumstances, how products are manufactured. The inescapable differences between millions of pollution sinks, environmental carrying capacities, and manufacturing processes are inevitably blurred and “averaged” in one-size-fits-all regulations that — while not always efficient or environmentally optimal — at least have the virtue of requiring fewer than a million regulators."

Ironically, in their zeal to save the environment, "green" advocates have often made the environment worse. According the knowyouknow.net here are some specific examples: government-mandated recycling "produces more pollution than making new paper, glass, and plastic! 13 of the top Superfund hazardous waste sites were once recycling center." Biofuels "actually have a bigger carbon footprint than simply using fossil fuel, because they require the clearing of land for agriculture, AND the farmers use fossil fuels to run their farm equipment." Hybrid car "batteries are so bad for the environment that you probably can’t drive one long enough to make up for the damage, before the battery goes bad and you need a new one, causing the problem all over again." Forest Fires:"Laws preventing the clearing of wood from “wild” areas, combined with efforts to prevent small forest fires, set up “tinderbox” situations, and are the reason the gigantic wildfires end up engulfing large areas." Styrofoam: "It requires more energy to make food wrappers out of recycled paper than it does to make them out of Styrofoam…so people who have pushed companies into doing so are creating a LARGER carbon footprint, and wasting more energy
What’s more, it requires more paper than Styrofoam, to do the same job, so that recycled paper/cups/whatever produce more trash. They also do not biodegrade, even though made of paper." And the list goes on (see linked web page above for additional examples and documentation).

[Update: 5/7/2017: Climate of Unintended Consequences: Biofuels]
[Update 8/19/2015: Clean Energy Job Act did Little but Enrich Consultants]

In the weeks to come, I will examine specific environmental causes like global warming, recycling, Agenda 21, green initiatives, population control, DDT, liberal energy policies, etc., but here I wish to list the LUNCs of environmentalism in general:

For an explanation as to why these Leftist energy LUNCs occur, please see: Gov: Wrong Tool for the Right Job - Strength in Number, Elitism and Specialization, and Cold Nanny as well as The Politics of Compassion, Emotions, Ignorance, Denial, Blame-Shifting, and Victimization

Documentation:

Federal Budget FY 2013, environmental expenditures:
To see just how bloated government environmentalism has become, here are the 2013 budget expenditures for several key environment-related federal departments or agencies: EPA $8.13 Billion; Dept of Energy $28.4 billion; Dept. of Interior $$11.7 billion. In addition:

Costly and deleterious expansion of government (power and land grabs):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_movement_in_the_United_States#Federal_legislation_in_the_1970s
http://stockman.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/environementalisms-seven-deadliest-most-destructive-power-grabs
http://perc.org/articles/environmental-federalism-2
http://capitalresearch.org/pubs/pdf/v1296610422.pdf
http://www.dailyiowan.com/2009/04/24/Opinions/11194.html
http://perc.org/blog/where-environmentalism-went-wrong
http://www.washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/DRALOV.html
http://www.thenewamerican.com/reviews/books/item/6445-newts-contract-with-the-earth-pseudo-science-big-government
http://junksciencesidebar.com/2011/10/10/shocking-costs-of-environmentalism/

Abuse of power and potential totalitarianism:
http://epaabuse.com/
http://epaabuse.com/403/videos/the-anti-human-mindset-of-environmentalists/
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/epas-abuse-power_590334.html
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/041213-651763-irs-reads-emails-while-epa-shares-farmer-data.htm
http://sigmundcarlandalfred.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/scorning-the-propaganda-of-fear-are-the-politics-of-environmentalism-totalitarian/
http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2013/04/19/keystone-xl-opponents-hypocritically-talk-property-rights
http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/lt1800/the-regulatory-landscape-in-america-a-morass-of-re
http://epaabuse.com/3735/book-reviews/new-book-surveys-radical-environmentalists-anti-human-movement/
http://netrightdaily.com/2012/09/government-of-by-and-for-the-epa/
http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/584658/Prevent-EPA-s-Abuse-of-Power.html?nav=511
http://www.freedomforallseasons.org/FishMythsRonEwart/Another%20victim%20falls%20to%20government%20abuse.htm
http://drtimball.com/2012/un-abuse-of-precautionary-principle-lets-them-ignore-corrupt-climate-science/

Fraud, Hoax, Scam, and waste of tax dollars:
http://www.middlebury.net/op-ed/global-warming-01.html
http://www.akdart.com/warming9.html
http://washingtonexaminer.com/national-editorial-obama-keeps-rolling-the-dice-on-green-energy/article/2524497
http://libertywatch.info/localgovernment/city-of-loveland/renewable-energy-fraud-waste-and-environmental-degradation/
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/02/24/Auto-Battery-Company-Repays-824K-in-Wasted-Stimulus-Funds
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Scientists-side-with-Drakes-Bay-oyster-farmer-3242873.php
http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/benefit_vs_cost.htm
http://www.globalclimatescam.com/category/real-science/
http://www.energytribune.com/71647/obamas-bonfire-of-green-energy-inanities#sthash.0ZTAPB5R.dpbs
http://capoliticalnews.com/2013/04/17/democrats-waste-to-harm-environmentwaste-money-with-paper-bags/
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/shovel-ready-san-fran-205075-translocate-one-shrub-path-stimulus-project
http://scottrhymer.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/academic-fraud-government-complicity-and-environmental-stupidity-in-california/
http://www.fightingmalaria.org/article.aspx?id=1946
http://web.williams.edu/HistSci/curriculum/101/garbage.html
http://bigthink.com/dangerous-ideas/14-recycling-is-a-waste

Doesn't work, and is harmful to the environment and humans:
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/fischer/070921
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/08/a-carbon-tax-would-harm-us-competitiveness-and-low-income-americans-without-helping-the-environment
http://environmentblog.ncpa.org/how-the-rise-of-trendy-environmentalism-is-harming-the-environment/
http://www.rightwingnews.com/column-2/environmentalism-and-human-sacrifice/
http://butnowyouknow.net/truth-vs-myth/going-green-is-bad-for-the-environment/
http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/government-versus-the-environment#axzz2VqcPE2ZY
http://www.amazon.com/Eco-Fads-Trendy-Environmentalism-Harming-Environment/dp/0615486142
http://bennett.com/blog/2005/08/environmentalist-junk-science-kills/
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2011/07/21/environmentalists-bad-for-the-environment-former-leader-says/
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/_commentary-saving_the_environ.htm
http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/10/06/electric-cars-hurt-environment/
http://www.amazon.com/Green-Delusions-Environmentalist-Critique-Environmentalism/dp/0822314746
http://fosterfriess.com/campfire-blog/2012/06/27/environmentalists-hurting-the-environment-and-actual-humans/
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/erikajohnsen/2012/05/13/federal_forest_fire_policy_powerful_environmentalists_hurting_the_environment
http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article3340.htmlhttp://www.intellectualconservative.com/article3340.html
http://antigreen.blogspot.com/2012/01/environmentalists-are-bad-for.html
http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/how-environmentalism-harms-the-poor
http://pushback.com/issues/environment/environmental-fraud/
http://bigthink.com/dangerous-ideas/14-recycling-is-a-waste
http://www.thelandofthefree.net/conservativeopinion/2010/06/14/environmentalism-hurts-the-environment/

Self-admitted failure:
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/science-matters/2012/05/the-fundamental-failure-of-environmentalism/
http://www.thebreakthrough.org/images/Death_of_Environmentalism.pdf
http://www.corporateknights.com/article/are-environmentalists-hurting-their-own-cause
http://e360.yale.edu/feature/environmental_failure_a_case_for_a_new_green_politics/2075/
http://worldcrunch.com/world-affairs/the-failures-of-environmentalism-20-years-after-the-promises-of-rio-summit/c1s5629/
http://socialistworker.org/blog/critical-reading/2010/12/01/failure-mainstream-environment
http://itstheecologystupid.com/2012/09/09/failure-of-environmentalism/
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/politics/news-redeeming-our-metaphors-why-environmentalism-failing
http://www.heartsandminds.org/articles/envir.htm
http://www.wpi.edu/News/TechNews/010214/radicalism.shtml

At odds with the economy, bad for the poor, infringe on civil rights:
http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA357.html
http://web.mit.edu/polisci/mpepp/environment_&_economy.htm
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/kevin-mooney/2009/10/19/anti-human-environmentalism-jeopardizes-civil-rights-american-freedom-
http://www.crpe-ej.org/crpe/images/stories/media/4-1-11_Cap-n-Trade_OpED_FINAL.pdf
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/08/a-carbon-tax-would-harm-us-competitiveness-and-low-income-americans-without-helping-the-environment
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/may/11/greg-johnson-environmentalists-agriculture-poor/
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/05/13/environmentalists-are-hurting-the-us-economy/
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/fischer/070921
http://www.good.is/posts/how-carbon-trading-hurts-the-poor
http://www.herinst.org/sbeder/envpolitics/pacific2.html#.UbYx_NiABEI
http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/maritanoon/2013/05/05/environmentalists-killing-us-economy-n1587340/page/full
http://www.newgeography.com/content/00671-how-elite-environmentalists-impoverish-blue-collar-americans
http://news.heartland.org/editorial/2004/04/01/environmentalists-unrealistic-demands-hurt-poor-and-minorities
http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/ead/pub/032/032_c2.pdf
http://winteryknight.wordpress.com/2009/07/21/how-environmentalist-extremism-hurts-the-poorest-developing-countries/
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/021313-644355-obama-unveils-job-killing-cap-and-tax-plan.htm
http://www.governing.com/columns/eco-engines/Do-Environmental-Regulations-Hurt.html
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1847409,00.html
http://www.gallup.com/poll/161594/americans-prioritize-economy-environment.aspx
http://www.netbalance.com/blog/b/environment-vs-economy
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/goldsmi.htm
http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/05/environmentalists-are-hurting-the-us-economy-2647658.html
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/environment/environ/bp4.htm

Corruption and junking up of science:
There is a simple formula to explain how environmentalism has corrupted and junked-up science: 1) liberal philosophies, like environmentalism, governs the mainstream media, 2) the mainstream media helps set public opinion, 3) public opinion sets politics, 4) politics sets governmental funding, 5) government funding helps set scientific agendas, 6) scientific agendas set which scientific theories get monitized, published, and credibalized, and 8) Scientists conform to the agenda, or perish. In short, in order to keep from perishing, many scientists have paid their meal-tickets by echoing back to liberals and the public what they want to hear, regardless whether it defies good science or not. Call it: systemic confirmation bias. Here's the evidence:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5438844/Scientists-faking-results-and-omitting-unwanted-findings-in-research.html
http://scottrhymer.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/academic-fraud-government-complicity-and-environmental-stupidity-in-california/
http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Global-Warming-Blunder/dp/1594033730
http://www.sweetliberty.org/issues/environment/ozonefreon_fraud.htm
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/12/27/climate-change-and-the-corruption-of-science-where-did-it-all-go-wrong/
http://www.pocatelloshops.com/new_blogs/politics/?p=5513
http://www.greenworldtrust.org.uk/Science/Debate.htm
http://ricochet.com/main-feed/Ike-s-Warning-Beware-the-Corruption-of-Science
http://junkscience.com/
http://drtimball.com/2012/un-abuse-of-precautionary-principle-lets-them-ignore-corrupt-climate-science/
http://shoutfirst.blogspot.com/2009/12/junk-scienceenvironmentalism-corruption_09.html
http://www.galileomovement.com.au/scientific_untruths.php
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrybell/2013/02/05/in-their-own-words-climate-alarmists-debunk-their-science/
http://www.thebatt.com/2.8482/environmentalists-and-junk-science-fuel-kyoto-protocol-1.1212781#.UbektdiABEI
http://www.sciencecorruption.com/ATN183/00358.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/03/15/how-junk-science-distorts-what-we-read-and-the-way-were-governed/
http://www.amazon.com/Science-Public-Policy-Corruption-Environmental/dp/1847204708
http://drtimball.com/2011/corruption-of-climate-science-has-created-30-lost-years/
http://www.middlebury.net/op-ed/global-warming-01.html
http://www.c3headlines.com/2010/03/did-ipcc-learn-its-corrupt-science-methods-fearmongering-from-californias-carb-or-was-it-viceversa.html

Well-funded propaganda, obfuscation, and mis-information:
http://oilprice.com/The-Environment/Global-Warming/The-Danger-of-Misinformation-about-Climate-Change.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Consumer-Energy-Report/2012/0728/The-big-money-of-environmentalism
http://rogueoperator.wordpress.com/2011/10/08/big-green-money-machine-environmentalist-propaganda-dwarfs-paid-climate-skepticism/
http://www.akdart.com/enviro4.html
http://akinokure.blogspot.com/2009/04/faggy-nineties-environmentalist.html
http://www.cornwallalliance.org/blog/item/fact-checking-green-propagandain-the-world-and-in-the-church
http://www.desmogblog.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Skeptical_Environmentalist
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/04/fact-checkers-rip-obama-group-claim-on-climate-change-hoax-vote/
http://www.redstate.com/2013/04/30/dishonest-environmental-scientists-have-pretty-much-killed-earth-day/
http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/lt1800/environmental-extremists-use-hysteria-and-misinfo

Hypocritical:
http://feelfriendly.com/criticism-of-environmentalism-briefly-discussed-and.html
http://www.tjsl.edu/the-jeffersonian/news/2012/10/environmental-hypocrisy
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315721,00.html
http://grist.org/article/klingle/
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/07/08/environmentalist-hypocrisy
http://www.greenmuze.com/climate/heat/861-are-you-an-eco-hypocrite.html
http://freebeacon.com/green-energy-black-water/
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/12/5048191/dan-walters-san-franciscos-environmental.html
http://politicaloutcast.com/2012/08/environmentalist-hypocrisy-and-excessive-carbon-footprints/
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/03/08/environmental-hypocrisy.html
http://perc.org/blog/where-environmentalism-went-wrong
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_movement_in_the_United_States#Elitist
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/taylor-hughes/2012/06/25/environmental-hypocrisy-rio-20
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2011/02/16/environmentalist_hypocrisy_exposed_yet_again
https://theheartlander.wordpress.com/tag/environmentalist-hypocrisy/
http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/22/the-plight-of-hypocritical-celebrity-environmentalists-slideshow/
http://www.saywhatistruth.com/science.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/elah-feder/environmentalists-hypocrites_b_970386.html
http://www.grinningplanet.com/2007/03-13/environmental-hypocrites.htm
http://justjohnwright.com/general/environmentalist-hypocrisy/

Unethical, Anti-human, Elitist, quasi-religious:
http://www.climate-resistance.org/2009/11/why-environmentalism-is-unethical-anti-human-and-elitist.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe4A-TvtR4g
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304510004575186343555831322.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/13/biofuels-targets-unethical
http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/2818/Crichton-Environmentalism-is-a-religion.aspx
http://www.reformed.org/webfiles/antithesis/index.html?mainframe=/webfiles/antithesis/v1n2/ant_v1n2_environ.html
http://www.globalwarminghysteria.com/environmentalism-as-religion-/
http://uddebatt.wordpress.com/2008/04/25/the-environmentalist-creed-anti-human-anti-scientific-anti-technology/
http://www.aei-ideas.org/2013/02/why-naive-enviornmentalism-is-like-religous-fundamentalism/
http://objectivistindividualist.blogspot.com/2009/12/unbearable-smugness-of-elitist.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/opinion/new-religion-of-environmentalism/nQfRD/
http://www.cfact.org/2013/01/22/environmentalist-says-humans-are-plague-on-earth/
http://projectquinn.com/the-unethical-practice-of-greenwashing/
http://www.amazon.com/Greener-Faith-Religious-Environmentalism-Planets/dp/0195396200
http://www.nationofchange.org/obama-s-unethical-end-run-1364478244
http://archive.org/details/WhoseLandIsItTheGreatElitistLandGrabAndEnvironmentalistLaws
http://www.theinterim.com/issues/population/anti-human-life-environmentalism/
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF01866762
http://blogs.investors.com/capitalhill/index.php/home/35-politicsinvesting/910-does-being-green-make-you-unethical
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/publications/WorkingPapers/Papers/40-49/WP49_carbon-trading-caney-hepburn.pdf
http://leadingcompany.smartcompany.com.au/strategy/whitehaven-hoax-a-harmful-unethical-act/201301133423

Friday, March 1, 2013

Obamacare

Like most everyone, liberals care about the sick and afflicted, particularly people who may have been or may still be unable to get much-needed medical treatment, and/or who have lost homes and life-savings because they couldn't afford adequate health insurance. For this they shouldn't be criticized, but honored and applauded.

However, their solution is socialized medicine, or here in the U.S.: Obamacare (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act)--which was designed to decrease medical costs and make certain that more people will have health insurance without raising the deficit even a dime during these times of economic crisis.

Unfortunately, though not unexpectedly, the resulting Leftist LUNCs of Obamacare have already been and portend to be just the opposite. The Obama "cure" is worse than the "disease," and the people most likely to be negatively impacted by the Obamacare LUNCs are those who can least afford it--i.e. the elderly, sickly, and poor.

Seniors, like my mother, who have been insured through Medicare Advantage plans, will likely see those plans phased out soon or by the end of the decade, exposing them to increased insurance premiums and less coverage because funding for those plans have been raided to pay for Obamacare. (See HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE)

The sickly may be ill-effected because of Medicare re-admission penalties (which may force non-profit hospitals to drop Medicare patients) as well as rising medical costs due to a number of economic factors. (See HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE)

People in the low and lower-middle income brackets, particularly young men, will be worse off because they will be disproportionately impacted by the increased taxes, medical and insurance costs, and they are the ones most vulnerable to being laid off, have their work hours cut, or not employed because of employment freezes due to Obamacare regulations, and who will most probably lose corporate insurance and be forced into state-run insurance exchanges (assuming they are available in every state), or they may fall above the exemption levels for uninsured penalties. (See HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE)

And, it isn't just the most vulnerable who will be hurt by Obamacare. Contrary to what was intended, the cost of insurance for most people will go up rather than down. (See HERE) Because of Obamacare, and contrary to its intent, people are now losing insurance coverage, potentially to the point that there may be less people insured than before Obamacare was instituted. (See HERE)

The best indicator of the undesirability of Obamacare is, the very people who voted for the bill (without reading it), along with their staff, have now been exempted from the plan. (See HERE) Even some of Obama's staunchest supporters are calling for the repeal of Obamacare: "President of LIUNA Union: If Obamacare Cant be Fixed, it needs to be Repealed." Even an editorial in the liberal Chicago Trubune indicates that Obamacare is a Mess.

And, it turns out that "municipalities are going to push their employees into the exchanges as a means of eliminating the health care benefits promised to their employees. Anyone remember how in 2009 the Republicans warned that this would happen?" (Rick Ockerman, facebook 8/7/13--see HERE)

Not only has and will Obamacare do just the opposite from what was intended, and create more problems than is solves, but it has and will harm our struggling economy and, contrary to what was promised, be paid for by borrowing against our children's future to the tune of trillions of dollars. (See HERE and HERE and HERE)

The negative effects of Obamacare on the economy are already being realized in the disturbing shift from full-time to part-time jobs across America (see HERE), presumably in reaction to the employer mandates. (See HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE)

Unfortunately, though, as Senator Mike Lee has noted (see his facebook page for 8/7/13), small businesses may discover too late that the strategy of shifting workers to part time may backfire. (See HERE))See also HERE)

Worse yet, it greatly expands federal and state governments, increases taxes (contrary to what was promised), and it puts life-and-death healthcare decisions in the hands of the entity that can't rightly fix potholes or deliver the mail on time (there is already increasing indications that Obamacare has been and will be a failure and poorly administered--see HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE, and HERE, though of course the failures will be blamed on Republicans--see HERE and HERE). And, with the recent scandals, it is unsettling to know that the IRS will be the go-to collection agency.

Then there is the matter of forcing insurance companies to take patients with 'preexisting conditions.' For patients, this creates an incentive to drop insurance and wait until we have serious medical problems before signing up, and then drop the coverage again after being treated. In other words, ironically the very government program intended to expand insurance coverage contains a provision encouraging dropping coverage until it is needed. Consequently, this spells an economic disaster for private insurance companies, forcing them to fold, only to be replaced by a mandatory, single-payer system that we were also promised wouldn't happen. (See HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE)

Dr. Bellar sums it up this way: "We are going to be gifted with a health care plan that we are forced to purchase, and fined if we don’t, signed by a president who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, by a government which has already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that’s broke.” (see HERE)

Steven Horwitz says: "Obamacare’s approach to fixing the very real problems of U.S. medical care is exactly backward. It undermines the market-driven parts that are working, and expands government control that is not." (See HERE)

The Purpose of This Bl;og