Greens Reinstate Ban on DDT

On May 23, 2009, in Communism, Environment, Fascism, Marxism, Socialism, by Trenton Hansen

The Wall Street Journal published this story today:

In 2006, after 25 years and 50 million preventable deaths, the World Health Organization reversed course and endorsed widespread use of the insecticide DDT to combat malaria. So much for that. Earlier this month, the U.N. agency quietly reverted to promoting less effective methods for attacking the disease. The result is a victory for politics over public health, and millions of the world’s poor will suffer as a result.

The U.N. now plans to advocate for drastic reductions in the use of DDT, which kills or repels the mosquitoes that spread malaria. The aim “is to achieve a 30% cut in the application of DDT worldwide by 2014 and its total phase-out by the early 2020s, if not sooner,” said WHO and the U.N. Environment Program in a statement on May 6.

The impact of the ban on DDT on the world’s poorest people will be terrible. The Leftist environmental movement, which sees humans as a disease to be eradicated, has pressured the World Health Organization to reconsider its use of DDT to combat Malaria.

The ultimate purpose of the Left is not so much to limit the use of DDT in the world, as it is to reduce the human population around the world, mostly in underdeveloped nations. Their genocidal agenda is evident in several statements from prominent Leftists:

Should we eliminate suffering, diseases? The idea is beautiful, but perhaps not a benefit for long term. We should not allow our dread of diseases to endanger the future of our species… In order to stabilize world population, we need to eliminate 350,000 people a day. It is a horrible thing to say, but it’s just as bad not to say it.

Guess who? Jacques Cousteau, in an interview in the UNESCO Courier, November 1991. There’s more.

When questioned on the propriety of banning DDT, with a view to the possible unintended consequences, Dr. Charles Wurster replied,

So what? People are the cause of all the problems. We have too many of them. We need to get rid of some of them and this is as good a way as any.

There are many other quotes from people like Ted Turner, who once said in an interview with Audubon Magazine,

A total world population of 250-300 million people, a 95% decline from present levels, would be ideal.

Why are we not running these people off the edge of the Continent? It’s time power for these anti-human elitists was brought to an abrupt and complete end.

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Obama’s New Socialist Auto Policies

On May 19, 2009, in Communism, Fascism, Socialism, by Trenton Hansen

The headline reads, Obama’s new rules will transform US auto fleet. One question–what US auto fleet? There is no US auto fleet, unless all vehicles in the US are owned by the government. With these new developments, that may not be far off.

The Obama Administration imposed new rules for the automotive industry today, set to go into effect by 2016. The rules are designed to increase mileage in all vehicles sold in the US.

Of course, there is a price tag associated with imposing these new regulations. The Obama team is estimating an additional cost of $1300 per vehicle. The actual cost will be closer to $7000. The additional costs will be the result of car makers needing to retool their factories to comply with the new laws.

Critics might argue that CAFE laws were in place years before Obama showed up. Yes, and they were wrong then, too. Obama is taking them to the next level.

Here is a rule of thumb I wish every politician would be required to honor, and every American would memorize. Any law that requires you to pay money to be in compliance is bad law. Good, positive law shouldn’t cost you a dime.

Obama is dictating changes in how the automotive industry will operate for the next decade or more, without any Constitutional authority. He controls how companies can operate, what kind of car you can buy, and how you can spend your money. Property rights just went out the door.

Obama is working toward an increase in gas prices, as well. He wants to see more hybrids on the road, but “automakers have said they need stable, relatively high gasoline prices to create a market for electric vehicles.”

Sales of hybrid cars have fallen drastically along with the drop in gas prices. If Obama is to get his wish, he will have to put restrictions on gas supplies in the US to keep prices artificially high, which means he will effectively control the production of gasoline.

The new standards will also mean smaller, lighter cars, which in turn will mean more traffic fatalities and higher costs of repair.

Every step Obama takes brings his Socialist Utopia a little closer to reality. Conservatives should be fighting him tooth and nail every step of the way.

By 2010, we will need to have people ready to take elected office who are not afraid to roll back everything he has done, who value Liberty and Freedom more than Popularity. It will not be enough to do half the job. Remember that Ronald Reagan fell short on his promise to eliminate the Department of Education. We cannot fall short now. The stakes are much too high.

Remember cartoons? Please watch this one, America.

Those were the days…

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Fact-Checking Obama

On April 29, 2009, in Economy & Finance, Fascism, Health Care, by Trenton Hansen

Tonight’s Presidential Press Conference has been followed by some pretty good fact checking of his claims by writers from the AP (color me surprised).

A few things stand out, though.

Obama still insists on pushing the blame for the recession back onto the Bush Administration. Never does he acknowledge that his policies have had a big hand in making this collapse possible. Like every other stereotypical liberal, he is never to be blamed; he is only a victim.

In all honesty, it isn’t just Obama’s problem, or just Bush’s problem, or even just Congress’ problem alone. They all contributed to it. The problem is big government. The idea that government can do all the things that people in government think it can do is demonstrably wrong. The hard part is getting these “useful idiots” to admit it. This is Obama’s administration now. He holds the reins, and no longer has the luxury of playing Bart Simpson, trying to get a laugh by repeating “I didn’t do it.”

Another hard-to-avoid fact is that the problem he supposedly inherited was initially created by the Democratic Congress. Bush signed the bills into law, probably because he felt the Democrats had enough votes to override any veto. Frankly, I have a hard time understanding why he wouldn’t veto them out of principle. Bush’s signature added to the problem.

There is also his assertion that he has helped to save 150,000 jobs. The fact that the US economy has lost 1.2 million jobs since he took office apparently isn’t an obstacle to taking credit for any positive economic news. One very astute observation by the AP is that Obama’s claim to save jobs requires “calculating a hypothetical: how many people would have lost their jobs without the stimulus.” I can imagine lots of things, but I can’t take credit for any of it unless it is actually measurable.

Obama says we are “laying a foundation of growth.” Growth seems to be a common theme for this administration. But the only measurable growth we’ve seen so far is the growth in the deficit, growth in the amount of taxes Americans will be required to pay to overcome the deficit, and growth in the level of distrust in the people toward the government. How can we be laying a foundation for growth, when we refuse to stop spending? Even if we were capable of finding a way to cover these enormous expenses, if we don’t stop spending we will never catch up. That isn’t growth.

Some things Obama said make me plain nervous. For example, he said “My hope is that working in a bipartisan fashion we are going to be able to get a health care reform bill on my desk before the end of the year that we’ll start seeing in the kinds of investments that will make everybody healthier.” What kind of  “investments” make people healthier? My thoughts are that he is talking about future legislation that would compel people into certain “healthier” lifestyles, as decided by government. The reasoning behind such legislation would be, of course, that it keeps health care costs down; a form of health care rationing–you qualify for health benefits from the government only if you meet certain government-set specifications. If that turns out to be the case, Obama will have found a way to include all races into his vision for the perfection of Humanity. That’s an aspect of socialized medicine not many have considered, and the implications are chilling.

A pattern has emerged from the first 100 days of the Obama Administration, one of high-minded, lofty goals, accompanied by a profound lack of responsibility. We can always hope the next 100 days bring real change.

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Things Have Come Full-Circle

On April 22, 2009, in Economy & Finance, by Trenton Hansen

This is a political cartoon from the Chicago Tribune, April 21, 1934.

Planned Economy or Planned Destruction?

Planned Economy or Planned Destruction?

We are apparently pursuing the same, stupid policies that the Progressives did during the Great Depression. Is there anyone out there who believes it will end up differently?

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More Eco-stupidity

On March 27, 2009, in Communism, Environment, Fascism, Global Warming, by Trenton Hansen

We could have told them so—that is, if they would ever listen.

I’m talking about the Leftists (Environmentalists and Socialists) who insist on changing aspects of society without having anything acceptable with which to replace them. That goes for products as well. Spokane County, WA is learning this the hard way. The Greens up North thought they could just pass a mandate forcing everyone to use low-phosphate dish detergents, and that would save the environment, they would feel good about protecting the planet, and everyone would be happy.

Not so fast there, pal.

It turns out the green detergents don’t work. Phosphate is what makes detergents work. If you remove the active ingredient, what do you get? Just a bunch of white powder that won’t even get you high. Useless garbage.

So the people in Spokane are doing what people naturally do when they can’t get what they want in their own neighborhoods; they go to the next state over–Idaho. So now there is a booming black market for effective dish soap purchased in Idaho, where there are no silly phosphate restrictions, and people can actually have clean dishes.

The funny thing is that the law doesn’t prohibit ownership or use of high-phosphate detergents, only the sale of those products. The end results is that people will naturally purchase the products where it is legal to sell them and bring them back into the state, completely negating the intent of the law in the first place. That’s just stupid.

The Communists figured out how to keep people from leaving. I’m afraid that’s what these morons might try next.

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Obama’s Green Jobs Are Myth

On March 26, 2009, in Economy & Finance, Environment, Fascism, Socialism, by Trenton Hansen

Steven Milloy’s GreenHellBlog today has a study posted by the University of Illinois College of Law and Economics regarding Obama’s new “Green Jobs.”

It demonstrates something we already know–that Obama hasn’t got a clue about running an economy and should simply let the market work. Of course we also already know he can’t do that, for two main reasons: 1) he’s a socialist and, therefore, 2) he is far too committed to his position, and his arrogance will not permit him to admit he’s wrong.

My wife picked up on that attitude in his press conference the other day. Did you notice how he said they were going to try new things, and if they don’t work, they’ll just keep trying? Rather than just leaving things alone to be worked out by the people.

Socialism and Environmentalism are a dangerous mix. Socialists think they can plan the economy, which is bad enough. But when you add overzealous obsession with the environment to the planning, you get all kinds of mischief, poor planning, and failed policies.

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The House today overwhelmingly passed a bill that establishes a new commission to study the feasibility of a “mandatory service requirement for all able young people.” This is seen by some, including myself, as part of Obama’s campaign pledge to create a “civilian national security force” that would rival the military. Watch this video.

The bill also creates a “Youth Engagement Zone Program” and declares that “service learning” will be a “mandatory part of the curriculum in all of the secondary schools served by the local educational agency.” Simply put, this legislation creates an organization which bears some resemblance to the Hitler Youth programs of the 1930′s. According to a comment on Gateway Pundit blog, “[t]here is even a provision in the bill for uniforms.” If this doesn’t frighten America out of her slumber, what ever will?

Leaving aside the fears of creating a new Hitler Youth, the very idea that government can mandate a term of service for all able young people is unconstitutional on it’s face, and disturbing in its implications. The 13th Amendment declares that involuntary servitude is prohibited in America. But Obama has shown on several occasions now that he believes his administration is above the law, and can ignore the limitations of the Constitution at will. And let’s not forget that the Democrats control both houses of Congress, and they are more than eager to impose their leftist will upon America. They have waited a long time for this moment.

It was reported early on that Obama reminded several republican leaders that he had won the election, and that things were going to be done the way he wanted them to be done. Mr. Obama seems to have forgotten that he won the elections because We the People voted him into office. He is not there to represent himself and his interests; he is there to represent the interest of America generally, which includes that of those who did not vote for him. His arrogance is astounding. I heard a commentator on the radio yesterday opine that Obama seems to hold himself in high regard, and looks down with contempt at everyone else. I agree, and we are seeing it writ large. I only hope our country can survive four years of this assault.

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Steve Milloy’s Green Hell Blog reports today that John Kerry is not satisfied with draconian measures that aim to reduce CO2 emissions to 450 PPM. Kerry suggests that we need to return to an emissions ceiling of 350 PPM to have any appreciable effect on the climate.

Kerry understands that current regulations that require reductions in CO2 emissions in an effort to limit atmospheric CO2 to 450 PPM will do little to head-off  “catastrophic and irreversible climate change.” The point where Mr. Kerry’s understanding fails, is where he points of the finger of blame at man-made CO2 emissions as the cause of climate change.

Perhaps Mr. Kerry hasn’t been outside much this past winter. Perhaps he simply has not seen the most recent data showing the north polar ice caps growing at faster-than-normal rates. Perhaps he is just not familiar with the data that shows no global warming trend since 1998. He certainly isn’t in line with those climate scientists that warn that global warming may be on hiatus, but could return with a vengeance any moment; maybe he just hasn’t read the news lately.

Yeah, right.

The one question I have is how does Mr. Kerry stand to benefit from the economic collapse of America, which will certainly happen if regulations are passed which require an atmosphereic CO2 ceiling of 350 PPM. Of course, by the time we get back down to 350 PPM, our economy may have already collpsed under Obamas destructive policies. We might just reach 350 PPM just by virtue of the fact that economic activity in the US has fallen to pre-1960′s levels. No more worries, right?

I’m an asthma sufferer. I’ve had it since birth. It flares up when I get around specific allergens, like dander from horses, cats, and certain breeds of dogs. It also flares up in the cold, or when I run. My case isn’t life-threatening, but it isn’t fun either.

For example, I cannot go visit my in-laws, my sister, or some of my friends unless I am willing to deal with asthma for a week afterward; they all have dogs or cats. I can’t run any appreciable distance. If I go camping, I have to take an inhaler, just in case.

The inhalant I have found to be very effective is the tried-and-true albuterol inhaler. It typically cost me about $25.00 and would sometimes last more than a year. But beginning Jan. 1, 2009, that inhaler will no longer be legal to sell in the US. You see, the CFCs used as a propellant are allegedly destroying the ozone layer.

Never mind the fact that the hole we have supposedly created in the ozone layer comes and goes on its own from year to year, and appears to repair itself. Never mind that the hole in the ozone layer only appears above the only unpopulated continent on the face of the planet. Never mind that the amount of CFCs used to propel albuterol is environmentally insignificant now that CFCs have been banned in everything else. The pretend hole in the ozone layer is more important than the health and well-being of the people on this planet.

The new inhaler is not even half the size of the old one. Why? Because they don’t want the public to spend more money than they did before. That might arouse suspicion. So now you are paying about twice as much as you were before for medication that, for some people, is necessary to preserve life.

Who is hurt the most by this change in price? The poor people. Asthma does not distinguish between rich or poor. And in fact, if you are in a lower income tax bracket, you will likely receive less treatment for asthma than someone in a higher bracket. Poor people tend to not have insurance, and so have to pay on their own. They will be even less able to pay for the inhalant now than they used to be.

Did you ever wonder why the Left in America is so adamant that we must provide free health care to everyone? There are a couple of reasons. First is to assuage their guilt. They know perfectly well that their policies affect people financially, and they know that people of lesser income are most deeply affected by those policies. Therefore, they devise programs to make up for the harm they would otherwise be causing people, which is the second reason: to provide cover for their bad policies. Once their guilt has been satisfied, they can proceed to subject everyone else to the tyranny that results from their oppressive and draconian regulations. There is no good liberal policy. All policies emanating from the Left are designed to hurt people in at least one way. The frightening part is that the Left never seems to be able to see the consequences of their policies before they are put into action.

So, with this new inhaler will come new efforts to bring health care under the umbrella of government “services.” There are already reports of people being sensitive to the new medication, and thus unable to take it. The inhaler must be meticulously cleaned after each use to prevent a build-up of medication in the nozzle, which would then prevent the medication from being dispensed. That was not a problem with the old inhaler. Furthermore, the drug companies were forced into investing their money in these new products against their will by the government. So much for free enterprise.

Unless I miss my guess, the old inhaler will still be available outside the US. If I want what works, I will just have to go to Mexico to get it. Unfortunately, most of the people who need this medication the most won’t be able to afford the trip to get it. I predict a rise in asthma-related deaths in the next two years. Who will be to blame? The American Left, specifically the enviro-fascist wing.

What I am left wondering is, when all the CFCs have been banned, and the hole in the ozone continues to behave as it now does, can we then finally put them all on trial for crimes against humanity?