THE GOP'S USEFUL IDIOTS WON'T GO NEAR GAY KIDS
For those who think that the free markets apportion wealth to ... productive causes just swimmingly, there is the strange case of the $100 Million in 100 days for George Bush.
I have to say that made me stagger back (Pentagon to Release 2,000 Photos In Time For Bush Library Opening).
And, it's not just because of the GOP's useful idiots, who are just recently telling their gay children, indirectly but plain as day, that they 'wouldn't go near them', seem oblivious.
Have a look at how the Bush Administration set our national energy priorities:
the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced President Bush’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 for DOE’s advanced coal technology research, development, and deployment program is $648 million, a 25% or $129 million increase above the $519 million budget request in FY08. This $648 million request is the largest amount requested for DOE’s coal program in more than 25 years.
That's right. Our "free market economy" just apportioned nearly 25% of the average annual spending on "clean coal" to a library for the guy who passed out over $2.1 billion to research the issue, with no demonstrable results (at least Germany has a plant, even if the energy from it costs so much more...).
CAP-AND-TRADE WILL END UP MORE LIKE WAIT-TO-SEE
Cap-and-trade could, of course, force providers over to "clean coal". But, would you want your old, cash-dow, coal plant to be 'stranded' by Washington? Not a chance, right?
Look for the GOP to extract LONG lead times as concessions for any cap-and-trade legislation. Long is ten to fifteen years, with generous extensions given by the Congress critters - you know, like our auto non-standard standards.
It's one back-door way to weasel out, while appearing to 'do something'.
Still, it's better than a gas-tax, so ...
Meanwhile, not a dollar in the stimulus bill (that I saw, I could be wrong) for environmental clean-up or to ease transitions for old, dirty plants. It's possible that the stimulus bill could end up most as tax-cuts, as the spending in the out years gets cut.
