Posted on 06/01/2007 10:39:21 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
GOV. Arnold Schwarzenegger has staked his administration upon two signature issues: his international leadership to reduce greenhouse gases and his promise to construct new highways, dams, levees, aqueducts and other public works.
In April "the green governor" toured the globe to tout his greenhouse-gas bill (AB 32) that requires a 25 percent reduction in carbon dioxide by 2020, making it the most restrictive emissions law in the country. More recently, the governor toured California to tout his public-works renaissance that requires $40 billion in taxpayer-financed bonds, making it the biggest borrowing binge in the country.
Individually, these two media events, have played to rave reviews. But combined, they form a picture of breathtaking mendacity.
Schwarzenegger's crusade against greenhouse gases is the single greatest impediment to the era of public works that he has promised. And the crusade for public-works construction is the biggest impediment to reducing greenhouse gases.
To understand the dilemma requires a recap of the chemistry lecture that Schwarzenegger apparently missed.
Highways, dams, levees and aqueducts require prodigious amounts of concrete, whose central ingredient is cement. Cement is manufactured by superheating limestone to produce "clinker," which is about two-thirds of the rock's original weight. The missing third is carbon dioxide.
Lots of carbon dioxide. In fact, cement production is the third-biggest contributor of greenhouse gases in all human activity, ranking only behind internal combustion and deforestation.
And now the farce begins. Schwarzenegger's AB 32 declares carbon dioxide to be the premier environmental hazard of our era. California's Environmental Quality Act requires that any project that degrades the environment must include plans to mitigate that damage.
Last month, Attorney General Jerry Brown used AB 32 to sue San Bernardino County and threaten San Joaquin County on the grounds that their transportation plans fail to explain how they intend to construct or operate highways without increasing carbon-dioxide emissions. In short, the counties cannot proceed with construction until they can demonstrate that highways can be built without earthmovers or concrete and that, once completed, no one will use them.
Brown has suggested that the counties rethink their plans for highway construction and shift the money into mass transit, bus, bicycle and pedestrian projects instead. It's a good bet that's where most of the highway bonds will end up.
The remaining funds for dams, levees, aqueducts, schools and housing will no doubt be sidetracked into similar new-age boondoggles. Legislative plans are already afoot to divert money from Proposition 84 (the water and flood-control bond measure).
This is Jerry Brown's dream come true. As governor in the 1970s, Brown canceled aggressive public-works plans, condemning our generation to shortages of highway capacity, water, electricity and housing.
But he's legally correct. By signing AB 32, Schwarzenegger has turned his promise of a public-works renaissance into a very expensive hoax.
Tom McClintock represents California's 19th state Senate District. Contact him through his Web site, www.sen.ca.gov/mcclintock.
Concretely stated, in no uncertain terms.
LOL! You’re so clever. :-)
People have been saying things like that since the seventies when Moonbeam was governor, but the economy just gets stronger and stronger. I think that this time may be the charm though. Limiting carbon dioxide is the stupidest idea that anyone has had since Satan revolted against God.
Plus, McClintock cements his claims in cold, hard TRUTH, with no (ob)noxious gas emissions. “;^)
>Without growth, there is no creation of new jobs. Add another 60 million Mexicans in the next 3 years and you are looking at a depression since taxes will need to skyrocket to take care of the Government mandated poor.<
How many Baby Boomers are going to retire each year in the next decade?
A loud amen to that precisely correct observation!!!
Oh... as Carry_Okie pointed out in the Recall campaign... It started right on Arnold's campaign website but no one would read for comprehension!!!
I would agree, but McClintock apparently lacks sufficient mass appeal. Truth is like that.
FloriDUH did the same dirty deed when it passed the state wide land use planning garbage back in the 1970’s.
That put FloriDUH on the home grown, small ‘c’ communist path which it is still following. FloriDUH already has allowed 15,000 square miles out of it’s 60,000 square miles of land to become government land.
When citizens are forced into apartments, only land owners can build equity with land/home ownership - and only the wealthy can own those apartments.
What we are observing is the deliberate conversion of America from a nation of private ownership of land to a nasty combination of government and corporate/wealthy family ownership of land.
I live in California and I love my state. I hope no such thing happens. For this to become a lesson in government stupidity it will only take the initial painful pinch on the dumb ass "business community" and "Chamber" types that put Arnold in office in the first place.
Has anyone noticed how Tom McClintock keeps up the fight and doesn't flee to other states? WE all can dig in alongside him too. We can and will win back our state.
They go to the lockstep rule of San Fransisco and L.A.
Translation, this state is run by the Gay and Mexican lobby.
Take away L.A. and San Fransisco and you have a nice moderate to conservative state. I sometimes wonder why I even bother to go to the polls in a National or State election. My vote only seems to matter when its for our Representatives or maybe a local measure.
Heck, even Mt. Soledad was a near loosing battle. That one took an Presidential “act of God” so to speak.
So, when it comes to this state learning from its political missteps, I don't think a little economic slap on the wrist will fix it. That would just lead to more taxes and more subsidizing as the general populous suffers. Basically push the state closer and closer to being a full blown communist state. Funny, thats exactly that the L.A. and San Fransisco types seem to want the most.
This is why I an so jaded to say, let the whole thing collapse. Its only so we can have a full blown revolution and bring the state back to its senses.
My other idea, divide it up. Split off L.A and San Fransisco into its own little Facist State.
I think we can do just fine without them.
Yep. Very true. I read Carry_Okie's masterpiece, An Analysis of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Environmental Policy, but must admit that I did not fully comprehend the implications of what we were in store for. I have learned so much from freepers over the past several years (Had I remained in a state of ignorance this wouldn't be so painful! lol).
From the analysis:
Arnie's Policy: I will direct the California Energy Commission and California Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that California's fuel marketplace offers producers and consumers a real choice of fuels that are more plentiful, cost-effective and at the same time reduce harmful pollutants and greenhouse gasses.Carry_Okie comment: "I will direct..." to control the fuel market. This man believes in free enterprise? No way, and bless my buttons (speaking of flaky science) there it is, global warming, and in the same breath where he's guaranteeing plentiful fuels. Of course, anthropogenic global warming is totally bogus, but heck, if it's popular, why not? Well I'll tell you why not: Basing public policy on junk science is misappropriation of funds. It's a crime.
Truth.
Can you imagine the grinding poverty and reconstruction efforts that would take decades to even begin?
I like your second idea better, but you'd have to split off ALL the coastal counties as their constituents are all liberal in the vast majority.
Idealy, even those counties touching salt water and seafaring ports such as the entire Bay Area, San Jaquin and Sacramento counties should all go with "Coastal California" and the rest to the new and improved "Sierra Republic!"
Poor calcowgirl doesn't like this idea cause it would split her off from the new and improved 51st state, but I guess she'll just have to move and crash the border like so many are doing to the present CA part of the USSA!!!
Lets make Fred Thompson the V.P. for a REAL CA favorite son... DUNCAN HUNTER!!!
Watch it, SW!
I’m in one of those salt water places! Don’t you go abandoning me!
(I have no problem if you want to jettison Malibu and Santa Monica, though!)
Poor calcowgirl doesn't like this idea cause it would split her off from the new and improved 51st state, but I guess she'll just have to move and crash the border like so many are doing to the present CA part of the USSA!!!The only problem with moving is I can't bring the great Pacific Ocean with me! I've been staring at it since the day my mom brought me home from the hospital and put me in a crib next to the window with a full view of its beauty. With everything that is happening to this country, just staring at the ocean is the one thing that brings me great peace of mind. If we're going to stay and fight for our country and California, why won't we fight for this beautiful part of it, too? I mean, it's not all about the Sierra!
Yes it is!!!
You'll just hafta git ona bus, or bedder yet, drive yer danged gas-hog over to visit "Coastal California" whenever you need a refresher fix!!!
It's your own danged fault that you haven't been pushin the miserable mediocre moderates and mealymouthed liberals back away from your county so's it could remain amongst the "very elect" counties of "Sierra Republic!" (the real, true, conservative "Golden State!")(smug smirk)
Yes it is!!!
ROFL. I knew that one would git ya! Three exclamation points!!! ;-)
It's your own danged fault that you haven't been pushin the miserable mediocre moderates and mealymouthed liberals back away from your county so's it could remain amongst the "very elect" counties of "Sierra Republic!" (the real, true, conservative "Golden State!")(smug smirk)
Ah... but I have!!! Think how bad it would be if I hadn't been doin' what I've been doin'!!! So there!!! ((big ol' grin))
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