Red Clay Citizen

Bali: Behind all the Hissing and Booing

Apparently there was tumultuous end to the Bali meeting, which resulted in the US being booed and hissed. The US - rationally - wanted developing nations to be bound to any climate agreement. So, if you believe that climate change is anthropogenic and that carbon reduction targets will help mitigate it (all of which is beyond belief -- particularly the latter premise), then you still have the problem of defection.

See, if China, India and other developing nations get to opt out of any agreement, the rest of the world suffers economically while these countries reap all the gains as legacy energy migrates to their shores. Since they're not bound, why would they comply? They're getting richer as we speak and they know they won't get rich if they artificially drive up the price of the master resource. Now, all the booing and hissing is coming from countries that stand to benefit from carbon sink schemes. It's an end-run around traditional foreign aid channels. And who pays (again)? That's right: we do.

So as you listen to all the environmental posturing and moralizing, remember that behind any boo or hiss are a bunch of greedy b*#@rds ("bootleggers") trying to benefit from green regulation that will do nothing to abate climate change (that is, if it's, indeed, human-caused).
-Max Borders

Climate Change Prisoner's Dilemma

Ben Lieberman explains one of the problems of trying to control carbon from the top-down, revealing an international prisoner's dilemma for the ages:

It is important to note that China isn't slowly edging past America; it is roaring ahead. Emissions of carbon dioxide, the byproduct of fossil-fuel combustion and the greenhouse gas of greatest concern, are exploding along with China's economy. New coal-fired power plants are reportedly being added in China at the rate of about one per week, and these facilities are less efficient and higher-emitting than their western counterparts. According to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, which believes China has already surpassed America, emissions in China rose 9-percent in 2006, on top of a 12-percent increase in 2005. Meanwhile, America's emissions have been growing much more slowly, averaging little more than 1-percent per year. They actually declined by 1.3-percent in 2006, according to the Department of Energy.

The U.S. was easily the biggest emitter during the 20th century, but future carbon-dioxide emissions will come less from American sources, and more from Chinese ones. Even if the U.S. saddled itself with economy-damaging energy constraints, it would barely begin to offset China's projected increases. But so far, China has adamantly refused to agree to any controls, arguing that economic growth is their top priority. Other fast-growing developing nations have said the same thing.

Thus, notwithstanding questions about the seriousness of the global-warming problem, any bills that single out U.S. emissions will be a fast-shrinking part of the solution. As China's emissions race ahead of ours, Americans will begin to realize that unilateral action is not the way to go.
-Max Borders

What We Don't Know

With Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, wrapping up his “Terror 2007” tour of countries (Russia, Belarus and Iran) interested in joining his “global anti-American alliance,” it is worth remembering that Venezuela has already been working with Iran for some time now to smuggle terrorists into the United States. According to a 2006 report by the House Committee on Homeland Security: "U.S. military and intelligence officials believe that Venezuela is emerging as a potential hub of terrorism in the Western Hemisphere."

"The Venezuelan government is issuing identity documents that could subsequently be used to obtain a U.S. visa and enter the country. Continues the report: There is an ever-present threat of terrorist infiltration over the Southwest border. Data indicates that there are hundreds of illegal aliens apprehended entering the United States each year who are from countries known to support and sponsor terrorism. … According to senior U.S. military and intelligence officials, Venezuela is emerging as a potential hub of terrorism in the Western Hemisphere, providing assistance to Islamic radicals from the Middle East and other terrorists.

"General James Hill, commander of U.S. Southern Command, has warned the United States faces a growing risk from both Middle Eastern terrorists relocating to Latin America and terror groups originating in the region. General Hill said groups such as Hezbollah had established bases in Latin America. These groups are taking advantage of smuggling hotspots, such as the tri-border area of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, and Venezuela’s Margarita Island, to channel funds to terrorist groups around the world. Venezuela is providing support—including identity documents—that could prove useful to radical Islamic groups, say some U.S. officials.

"The Venezuelan government has issued thousands of cedulas, the equivalent of Social Security cards, to people from places such as Cuba, Columbia, and Middle Eastern nations that host foreign terrorist organizations. The U.S. officials believe that the Venezuelan government is issuing the documents to people who should not be getting them and that some of these cedulas could be subsequently used to obtain Venezuelan passports and even American visas, which could allow the holder to elude immigration checks and enter the United States. Recently, several Pakistanis were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexican border with fraudulent Venezuelan documents. “Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, has been clearly talking to Iran about uranium,” said a senior administration official quoted by the Washington Times. Chavez has made several trips to Iran and voiced solidarity with the country's hard-line mullahs. He has hosted Iranian officials in Caracas, endorsed Tehran's nuclear ambitions and expressed support for the insurgency in Iraq.

"The Times reports Venezuela is also talking with Hamas about sending representatives to Venezuela to raise money for the militant group's newly elected Palestinian government as Chavez seeks to build an anti-U.S. axis that also includes Fidel Castro's Cuba. “I am on the offensive,” Chavez said on the al Jazeera television network, “because attack is the best form of defense. We are waging an offensive battle….” Given all that is happening in Chavez’s Venezuela, some American officials regret that terrorism is seen chiefly as a Middle East problem and that the United States needs to be looking to protect its southern flank. A U.S. intelligence official expressed concern that “counterterrorism issues are not being aggressively pursued in this hemisphere.” Another intelligence official stated terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay are not being interrogated about connections to Latin America. The bottom line, when it comes to terrorism so close to U.S. shores, says the official, 'We don’t even know what we don’t know.'" -Jameson Taylor

Smoked Out

The Charlotte Observer says Phillip Morris's departure from the Charlotte area is a "downside of globalization." Perhaps. But its also an indication that the government's witchhunt against Big Tobacco is taking its toll--not to mention NC's declining business environment and corporate taxation, currently among the worst in the Southeast (nay, the nation). This move also suggests that so-called "economic incentives" don't work. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. -Max Borders

Conscious Capitalism, Peace and Education Reform

Here's a great Podcast by a radio station in Texas of FLOW's Michael Strong.  Michael gets it in so many ways. I would strongly encourage leftish types to listen to this.

Fishy Fears and 'Buy Local' Fetishism

Andrea Verykoukis over at the Progressive Pulse urges us to "buy local" in light of the feed scare created by a Chinese company having adding chemicals to animal fodder.

First, there is no reason to think that local farmers might not have bought the feed, themselves. To think otherwise would suggest a deep faith in local farmers' also buying local -- particularly when they can buy more cheaply abroad (and - gasp - profit).

Second, the "buy local" fetish is based on a very narrow understanding of how wealth is created and concentrated as these bright economists discuss (posted here before). Obviously Verykoukis should be free to shop where she likes -- and I certainly love my local farmer's market -- but encouraging people only to "buy local" as a matter of principle misses out on the gains from buying abroad (notwithstanding the miniscule risks associated with tainted feed from China). [Oh, and poor people in other countries live better lives when we trade with them.]

Finally, the "dose makes the poison." Irrational fears of chemical toxicity underlie almost all liberal warnings for people to buy local and organic.  But even water can be toxic if consumed at a certain level. Most pesticides and other agents are not toxic at the concentrations found in foods. Such is not to apologize for this Chinese food fraud, but for heaven's sake -- go, eat, and buy what you like. You have a better chance of having your health adversely affected by your drive to the farmer's market.

(Note: We should probably be more concerned about germs like e Coli found in organic food.)