That’s the title of an opinion piece in today’s conservative Washington Times by Townhall.com chairman Doug Wilson.
He offers the following words of wisdom to conservatives:
“To avoid being trampled by history – and environmentally conscious swing voters – conservatives need to identify their own approach to containing climate change, one that aims for maximum flexibility and minimum cost along with the least possible government interference in the economy.”
What should we conservatives do?
“Rely on the wisdom of markets. … A market-based ‘cap-and-trade’ program, setting an overall limit on carbon emissions and letting businesses choose to cut emissions on their own or buy rights to emit from others, would double or triple the bang for a buck invested in conserving energy or switching to more benign fuels. That’s not a matter of faith: Cap-and-trade programs have reduced sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions by power plants at a tiny fraction of the cost of direct smokestack controls.”
Mr. Wilson offers us more advice on how to address climate change the “right” way, which is definitely worth a read.
This entry was posted on Monday, May 14th, 2007 at 5:06 pm and is filed under Cap and Trade, Climate Change . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
May 16th, 2007 at 3:45 am
Check out NewsMax.com. It seems that Neptune is experienceing global warming. Guess what. The cause appears to be the sun.
May 16th, 2007 at 9:48 am
I’m shocked….you mean the sun has something to do with global warming ?
Could that be why I get sunburned ? Could that be why day is normally warmer than night ? Could that be why the regions close to the equator are hot ?
What a concept.
May 17th, 2007 at 6:33 am
We have had good space based measurements of solar radiation since 1960. Other than the normal 11 year solar cycle (we have had several of those cycles now), there has been no change.
There are several simple common sense tests as to whether increased solar activity is heating the earth or it is greenhouse gases (GHG).
If increased solar activity, then days should heat up more than nights. Vica versa for GHG.
Observation: Nights are heating up more.
If increased solar activity, then the tropics should heat up more the artic. Vica versa for GHG.
Observation: The Artic is heating up more.
If increased solar activity, then summers should heat up more than winters. Vica versa for GHG.
Observation: Both are heating up, but winters are heating up more degree-days.
*IF* we want to live in anything live in anything like our current world, AND solar activity is increasing, then we need to quintruple (not just double) our efforts to minimize human caused global warming.
A political party that denies reality is eventually doomed. That is one reason why I was a Republican from age 19 to age 52 but no more !
I am reminded of the Tobacco Institute, which for decades, up till the 1990s, claimed that there was no direct scientific link between cigarettes and lung cancer.
May 17th, 2007 at 9:38 am
So Alan:
I liked your points about solar activity. While I am not converted on whether global warming is necessarily the biggest pending disaster of all time, I do agree that we shouldn’t shirk our environmental responsibilities and use the ’sun’ as our excuse.
I am pretty sure that both Jim and Amador would agree that humans are having an impact on this planet. We waste energy, we pollute, and we aren’t doing enough to reduce our respective footprints.
But I ask you, Alan, with so many republicans now discussing environmental solutions are you going to come back to the republican party, or are you going to follow Al Gore down his ‘environment = chance to implement wierd socialist agenda’ path.
I haven’t heard any debate on the democratic side on this issue - they all seem to be swallowing whatever Al has to say like the mindless automatons they are. Correct me if I am wrong, I would love to hear from a democratic perspective a solution to global warming that doesn’t draw straight from Al’s powerpoint presentation.
May 17th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I doubt that I will ever rejoin the Republican Party. I am what might be called an “Eisenhower Republican” and I have less than nothing in common with the neo-cons. The only Democrat I ever voted for, for national office, was John Breaux when he had trivial opposition (the R Governor endorsed him as well).
[OFF TOPIC @ Terra Rosa] And as a New Orleans resident, I am appalled by the bias, bigotry and incompetence of GWB’s appointees and Administration. I know the details that do not get into the MSM.
My proposals are:
http://www.lightrailnow.org/features/f_lrt_2006-05a.htm
http://www.lightrailnow.org/features/f_lrt_2007-04a.htm
I am working on a policy proposal (allowed under WTO rules, I emailed staff @ Geneva) for a nondiscriminatory 3% tariff (essential goods can be excepted) to be spent on correcting “structural imbalances” in our balance of trade. This money could be used to reduce our oil consumption, which rivals China as a source of trade deficits.
I have always had low expectations of the Democratic Party, but I once expected more of the Republicans.
I was invited to join the Energize America (spin off of Daily Kos) to create energy platforms from the liberal D side of the D party. I accepted and have removed some nonsense from their platform and had some success in promoting more market orientated approaches.
I think former Republicans will have a very positive impact on the Democratic Party. I also work closely with an independent West Texas geologist,(he was well logging last night when I talked to him), another former R, we are talking of writing a book together. He is most interested in my experiences in the foreign world of liberal Ds.
May 17th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Alan, you are young. I know that because you seem smart, yet as any republican will tell you, democrats are blindly led by utopian slogans and rarely accomplish anything themselves. The real smarts are republican because Communism and corruption do not work as a form of government. Capitalism and the rule of law are much better platforms for a higher standard of living and justice.
Typically, democrats want the government to provide cradle to grave conerage for their every need. Since we can plainly see that government control is inefficient, and supports graft and corruption, then the democrat solution is admittedly a poor choice. But, I understand that if you NEED to put an end to our standard of living to support your leftist agenda, then you need to support the criminal elements of the democrat party.
Alan, above you gave a list of how ‘obvious’ it is that the sun has nothing to do with global warming, but why are the other planets also warming up ? Are you bullshitting us with your ‘facts’ ?
Finally, Alan, the Earth is not warming, rather it is in to the warming part of it’s cycle. There is nothing to fear from Earth. There is a lot to fear from Islam, however, so ah, why don’t you take up the crusade against organized beheadings and such ?
May 19th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
There is no logical reason (other than no space based instrument readings since 1960 recording it) that both man-made warming and increased solar heating could not both be happening at the same time. It can be “AND” rather than “Either Or”.
Now clearly man-made warming is the larger effect (see common sense tests above).
And, if you believe this increased solar warming (I do not, I prefer instrument readings), then we need to increase our efforts to reduce man-made Global Warming !
BTW, only GW deniers point out planet warming, not scientists. I checked and Neptune has a 164.8 year long year and it was closest to the sun in 1989 (furtherest in 2112). And just like our Northern Hemisphere gets maximum solar radiation on June 21st, but that is not the hottest time of the year, Neptune is still increasing temperature when it is close but not at it’s closest to the Sun. Think of 2007 as mid-July on Neptune. It will start cooling by 2070 or so.
As for Earth being benign and any climate changes being “OK”, read “The Grapes of Wrath” or at least see the classic movie. And read a bit about the Dust Bowl.
I do not need any patronizing from you about youth or what you think the D’s are (I could care less). One party seems to see reality, the other is the home of those that deny reality (although the R Party is split ATM).
Also, just see how we humans are altering our atmosphere (direct readings since 1959 at the “cleanest spot” they could find).
http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/co2/sio-mlo.htm
Click “Graphics” for a pdf file. (Before the Bush Administration, one could see the graph directly on the internet without having to download it).
I registered as a Republican at age 19 (just 4% of registered voters in Alabama were R then) and voted consistently R for decades (and even worked for a few candidates).
I will not engage in the insults that you are throwing about, other than your remarks confirm why I am glad to NOT be a Republican anymore. I am still in the middle, but your remarks are helping me decide.
Best Hopes,
Alan
May 20th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Alan, even if what you preach is true, how can we possibly stop the Chinese and Indians, two very big growing nations, from creating all the CO2 ?
The leftist agenda is to stop the American economy, Alan. We are dealing with Commies here, not patriotic Americans. They want nothing less than an economic collapse in the USA. They think they can take over then. They think the US is Venezuela, but we are smart and well informed, that is those of us not in college, and those of us who realize that the leftist college professors are feeding a constant stream of Communist dogma. How about you Alan ? Does the money you earn belong to you or are you willing to give it to Hillary Clinton so she can buy votes with it ?
Semper fi, Alan
May 23rd, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Repeat of a post that failed to post.
Several points, one per post.
From a national strategic point of view, would it not be a MAJOR asset to have a national non-oil transportation system ? One that could trade, say, 20 BTUs of diesel for one BTU of electricity ?
So, if our “friends” in Saudi# have a revolution, or someone bombs Iran, or …. we can transport essential goods and large #s of people without oil ?
Today, one can travel (or ship goods) from Scotland to the Pacific Ocean (or Arctic if you prefer) with a few drops of lubricating oil. The Russians finished electrifying the Trans-Siberian Railroad in 2002 and to Murmansk in 2005. The UK has electrified their main lines, the French and Germans ALL of theirs, etc.
The Washington DC Metro was built after the 1973 oil embargo and over 40% of DC commuters use it today to get to work. It saves about 85,000 barrels/day and that “oil field” grows every year.
In an emergency, over half could use Metro IF extra railcars were available. The Pentagon could get a skeleton staff to work without any oil at all.
The French have built an alternative non-oil transportation system since 1973. Paris already had a pretty good Metro. They expanded it. The are almost finished with high speed electric trains to EVERY corner of their nation and crossing borders. And every town of 100,000 is getting an electric tram line and those of 250,000+ get two or more.
As one example, Mulhouse France (pop 112,000) got it’s first tram line in 2006 with two more planned by 2012. And a connector to the under construction TGV line to the East. This is repeated all over France (admittedly those towns that vote correctly get more).
If oil problems develop, many (perhaps most) French can park their cars, walk or bicycle to get food & essentials and take non-oil transportation to work. A MAJOR strategic asset for France !
A decision in the 1920s saved Switzerland during a six year 100% oil embargo. They decided to electrify their railroads and expand (rather than shrink) their tram system. By 1945, the average Swiss used less oil that year than the average American uses in a day today. Yet, a Western industrialized democracy functioned with a decent quality of life WITHOUT OIL.
More details on my link attached to my ID.
And trading 20 BTUs of diesel or gasoline for 1 BTU of electricity (Calgary runs off of wind generated electricity) certainly helps with Global Warming !
Best Hopes,
Alan
#The Saudis fund more IEDs in Iraq than the Iranians. The USMC is tied down fighting the Saudi backed and financed Sunni insurgents.