Friedman: Gov’t Should Attach ‘Green’ Strings to $700 Billion Bailout

NewsBusters ^ | September 24, 2008 | Jeff Poor

[Rufus2007]

Nationalization has its consequences. Just note the rhetoric coming from some prominent voices on the left.

The government's foray into offering services normally provided by the private sector by bailing out aging mortgage giants gives it the power to implement "green" building requirements, according to New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman.

He suggested Sept. 23 that any construction financed by government-funded mortgages should be certified "green" according to the standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.

"If we're going to be in the mortgage business as a government, then every government-funded mortgage - at least for a new building - means that building has to be at least Silver LEED certified, okay?" Friedman said at the Sixth & I Synagogue in Washington, D.C. He appeared to promote his new book, "Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America."

...more (w/audio)..

[Rufus2007]

I guess soon we'll have a U.S. Bureau of Economic Central Planning

[Clock King]

Fricking vultures.

[Slapshot68]

How many nails go into this coffin anyway?

[jsh3180]

I am beginning to feel ill. Lord help us all.

[facedown]

Thomas Friedman

*snort*

[goodnesswins]

Yeah....let’s just strap on more regulation.....that’ll REALLY work....isn’t Friedman supposed to be an economist????

[VeniVidiVici]

More proof that the Left does not put country first.

How much more BS can the Friedmans of the Democrat Party stuff into there?

[Knitebane]

Some bright boy on the Pubbie side of the isle needs to tack on the following amendment to the bailout bill:

"The Gun Control Act of 1968 is hereby repealed."

[unixfox]

"The Gun Control Act of 1968 is hereby repealed."

Better yet:

The IRS and the 16th Amendment has now been suspended.

[Stayfree]

If you want to do the green thing...ban all newspapers for tearing down trees for newsprint or else charge them an exorbitant amount for each ton of newsprint used.

[Navy Patriot]

The government's foray into offering services normally provided by the private sector by bailing out aging mortgage giants gives it the power to implement "green" building requirements, according to New York Times columnist Communist Thomas Friedman.

There, fixed the misprint.

[weegee]

Newspapers make their money on daily advertising. It is a woefully inefficient delivery model. HOME delivery daily of news that is 8-72 hours out of date by the time it hits your doorstep.

Imagine going to the movies every night to see a newsreel of highlights of last week’s events. Struck on film.

In the era of radio news, 24 hour and headline cable news networks, nightly news broadcasts, internet, and weekly news magazines, about the only thing local newspapers have to offer is local news coverage and in a one paper town that means a monopoly on the local news (local network coverage doesn’t get into much about city hall, the focus seems to be sports, weather, and overnight warehouse fires).

[ClearCase_guy]

Yeah....let’s just strap on more regulation.....

Grab your ankles, grit your teeth, they ain't using any lube.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

"If we're going to be in the mortgage business as a government, then every government-funded mortgage - at least for a new building - means that building has to be at least Silver LEED certified, okay?"

Yes sir, Tom. Hey, let's make sure that my tax money comes with Tom Friedman's strings attached, since his little personal neuroses about the environment must be dealt with during this financial crisis.

[NeoCaveman]

Green fascism.

[antonia]

Yeah....let's just strap on more regulation.....that'll REALLY work....isn't Friedman supposed to be an economist????

It's nooo problem to just print up more money to cover the extra costs which this heavy regulation would require to satisfy. There's no problem here.

[familyop]

The “green” construction materials requirement is one way to prevent smaller developers from doing work. False environmentalist front women (and politicians) are also used in other ways by big developers to keep the competition down. Big developers’ offices are staffed only by the most politically correct and sensitive.

Ignore the propaganda distractions, and watch the constituents behind the politicians.

[Kozak]

Maybe the “Green” certification and building can be done by Maxine Waters “Women and Minorities” type businesses so they can grab a tit on the Sow too....

[Minn]

Friedman used to seem to be a semi-rational person. Lately he has exposed himself as a full blown Luddite enviro-lunatic.

[tanuki]

Too bad Milton’s not around anymore.