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 Gutless In Seattle

 Author:  Topic:  Posted:
Aug 01, 2001
 Comments:
Last week, official representatives of the city of Seattle announced that they plan to defy the Bush administration's position on the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Seattle mayor Paul Schell vowed that the city will not only meet the treaty's goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by seven percent .. they will cut back three times as much as the protocol requires.

So exactly whose side is Seattle on?

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A couple of weeks ago, Democratic Majority Leader Tom Daschle caused unprecedented furor on both sides of the political aisle by daring to criticize President Bush while he was on a trip to Europe. This is something that just is not done in a civilized democracy. When the leader of the free world is travelling abroad, the country should unite behind him. When our leaders criticize the President while he is meeting with other heads of state, it makes both him and the country look bad. For Daschle, a Socialist, the normal rules of Right and Wrong do not necessarily apply .. but you would think that this man would have a shred of common decency. Apparently not.

Seattle has now made itself guilty of the same crime. When the President makes a global policy decision, the country should unite behind him. With its insolent rhetoric, Seattle has turned itself into the Tom Daschle of American cities. Mayor Schell has vowed to defy the Bush administration by using energy conservation, windmills, and recycling programs to reduce pollution. He has even threatened to plant trees!

All of this comes despite the fact that President Bush has very clearly explained that implementation of this flawed treaty will devastate the United States' economy, and will likely throw the nation into a decades-long depression. It comes despite the fact that Third World nations should not have the authority to dictate public policy to the United States of America. And it comes despite the fact that the type of socialist regulations that this treaty requires will not be tolerated in this country.

It takes a special kind of courage to stand up to "eco-friendly" politics, the One World Government propaganda of global warming extremists. President George W. Bush has repeatedly demonstrated that he has this courage; with its actions of this week, the city of Seattle demonstrates that it has none to be found. The policies of the Greenie Left would be disastrous for this nation's prosperity. For proof of this, all you have to do is look at the burning trash barrels and block-long bread lines that are a common sight in many mid-sized European cities.

So how long will it take Seattle and the Pacific Northwest to "conserve" itself into economic ruin? Your guess is as good as mine. Experts at the Cato Institute estimate that if the aggressive policies announced this week are implemented, the region's economy will be in shambles within two years. Now, you might be thinking to yourself: "If these people want to bring this destruction down upon themselves, why not let them so that they can see how wrong they are?"

I am sympathetic to this point of view from a philosophical standpoint, but there are several practical problems with it. Most notable is the fact that localized economic devastation does not stay localized for very long. If Seattle greens itself into oblivion, the effects will be felt in every last nook and cranny of this great nation; from the fruited plain to the purple mountains' majesty, from sea to shining sea. The economy is a complex and byzantine creature; the economic well-being of the Northwest is but a cog in the complex machinery that keeps all of our families fed and sheltered. We cannot allow this delicate balance to be upset by irresponsible leftivistism.

If Seattle makes good on its threat to go ahead with this plan, I believe that the Bush administration should act. In particular, I believe that the National Guard and Army Reserve could be activated to accomplish the following goals:

  • Servicemen should be equipped with axes and chainsaws that could be used to deal with suspicious trees that serve no apparent purpose. These would likely be leftist trees that are intended to implement the Kyoto Protocol.

  • If citizens are using draconian environmentalist procedures to "conserve" energy, put a stop to it. Seattle citizens, though "mandatory usage guidelines", could be encouraged to turn on every light in their house, and run their air conditioners to maintain a constant indoor temperature of 65 degrees. Force people to crank their refrigerators to the absolute coldest setting. If you think this sounds ridiculous, consider this: how many jobs in the energy industry will be lost because of the proposed conservation? And if people are forced to consume large amounts of energy, won't those jobs be preserved? Energy workers are people just like you and me. They have families. They need to eat. They go to church. In short, they deserve to be treated like human beings.

  • Coffee houses, such as "Starbucks", could be forced to run their latte machines at full speed. Most of these machines are (routinely) run at 40% of their rated speed; they would consume far more energy if they were pushed to their full potential and redlined. This would be a significant amount of energy; if you've ever been to Seattle, you know that you're never a stone's throw away from a Starbucks.

  • The government could offer energy-intensive light therapy to all Seattle citizens. This would serve a dual purpose; not only would it consume large amounts of energy, it would also placate legions of frappucino-guzzling Seattle residents, the vast majority of which are borderline suicidal. In fact, it is common in the winter months to long lines of Seattle residents waiting to jump off of bridges. From a taxpayer perspective, suicide is expensive; the investigative costs place a burden on police department budgets and raise property taxes on non-suicidal citizens. So this is really a win-win-win scenario.
The point is that there are plenty of ways that the federal government could block Seattle's implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. If you think that the Feds would be overstepping their bounds to do this, think again; the United States Constitution clearly states that only the Senate has the power to ratify treaties. Seattle is trying to ratify a treaty based on its own authority, which is arguably an act of treason against the Union. I remind you:
This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.
One must conclude, then, that if Seattle enters into the Kyoto Protocol in direct violation of President Bush's edict, the federal government will be more than justified to use any means necessary -- including military -- to stop them. If you think that there is no precedent for this, then you aren't thinking very hard; you might recall a little incident in our nation's history in the year 1865. In 1865, we were fighting for our nation's unity. Today, we are fighting for the planet. For if the United States' economy goes in the tank, the entire world that depends on it will go in the tank, and billions of people will die. Clearly, Seattle's blatant disregard for President Bush's decision is the first step down a long road that leads, ultimately, to the annihiliation of all human life on the planet.

President Bush has the courage to stand up to all of the scaremongering and myths that are coming from the environmental left. He has demonstrated his fortitude by telling the truth about the Kyoto Protocol. Seattle, on the other hand, has demonstrated that it is nothing more than a collection of 560,000 cowards, yellow-bellied slaves of the Politically Correct mafia. So be it. If Seattle feels compelled to commit high crimes against the United States of America, then America will be compelled to fight back.


Evil Seattle! (none / 0) (#2)
by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 1st, 2001 at 10:22:45 AM PST
What a horrible idea to give a damn about the rest of the world your pollution affects and clean up after yourself. For shame. All that rain has soaked their brains. Maybe we could get Microsoft (which is relatively nearby) to purchase the city and enact 70%'s ideas.


While I suspect you're being sarcastic .. (none / 0) (#3)
by seventypercent on Wed Aug 1st, 2001 at 10:46:57 AM PST
.. your idea is not completely without merit.

Corporations, and in particular American corporations, have a long history of hard work and innovation, resulting in unprecedented wealth creation. Governments, on the other hand, are historically wasteful and sloppy, and the only way that they can create wealth is to steal it from their citizens. This country would be in much better shape if we were to do away with much of its government and let more efficient corporations run things.

Now, I'm not sure that we want Microsoft running Seattle, but at the same time, government steps way out of line when it puts itself in the business of telling industry how much it is "allowed" to "pollute." If the Earth is "billions" of years old as these evolutionists say, then surely it is hardy enough to withstand a few smokestacks. Remember, these are the geniuses that were telling us that the Earth was in danger of global cooling just a couple of decades ago. But that's how science works .. come up with a theory that is politically correct, and then just go ahead and change your theory whenever you want in order to match any new evidence or fit in with the current political climate (pun intended.)

--
Red-blooded patriots do not use Linux.

Corporations are evil dude! (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 1st, 2001 at 11:00:19 AM PST
Haven't you heard of the DMCA? And what those bastards did to Napster? And what they are doing to the environment?

Corporations are unamerican, because they are undemocratic. And they control the law, not the people. They have us under a cosh.

That someone religious like you could ignore the commandment against coveting thy neighbours ass (read:Property), and support corporations which want to take away YOUR rights as an honest american, is remarkable.

Look at Smith & Wesson. This noble company has long produced handguns for an adoring American public, handguns such as the Mafnum 45, most powerfull handgun in the world, used by Dirty Harry, the epitome of American values.

However, lately it got taken over by a British corporation, and they have decided to make people who want to buy their guns have to register with a local police station, and they are going to make all their future guns have safety mechanisms!!. WTF?? This shows that corporations are totally unamerican man, I can't believe you support that shit.

Even Microsoft is investing in Red China and Cambridge, England (home of secularism & English style love). Whats the world coming to?

I think corporations should be stopped because they pow down to the liberal elite. We honest Americans have to take our country back from their grasp - we can do this by blowing up their headquarters and storming the UN (which corporations support).

Its liberal leftivists like you that are bringing down america with your "tolerance" and Politically Correct thinking.


"And what those bastards did to Napster" (none / 0) (#11)
by Nobody on Tue Aug 28th, 2001 at 06:54:14 AM PST
Er, yes, they tried to reduce the widespread piracy that the service was facilitating. And your point is...?


 
gun crime (none / 0) (#12)
by Nobody on Tue Aug 28th, 2001 at 06:55:42 AM PST
"However, lately it got taken over by a British corporation, and they have decided to make people who want to buy their guns have to register with a local police station...WTF?? This shows that corporations are totally unamerican man, I can't believe you support that shit."

You will note that gun crime is significantly less common in Britain. Point proven.


 
Ok, I'll turn the sarcasm filter off (none / 0) (#5)
by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 1st, 2001 at 11:24:01 AM PST
Frankly no one knows if we're affecting the planet or not. Technically, yes, the planet is currently warming. When I ask the environmentally-correct to divide this temperature increase into contributions from the Earth's natural cycle and man's impact via greenhouse gases, all I get is a look like I'm the Grim Reaper and then told (yelled at) that I'm some evil polluting bastard. As far as I'm concerned, if you have no data to back up your claims, you're just another opinion.

Before I said the planet is warming. That's only if you look at the last 100 years or so. Stretch that out to 10000 years and the planet has actually cooled a few degrees (on average). I can't seem to find a chart to link to, because all I find are "Green" websites that only want to talk about the last 100 years.

What I'd like to know is how much extra money will be siphoned from Seattle's citizens and whose pocket will it go in? This seems to me to be just another money making opportunity for some politician playing on the fears generated by the mass media machine.

If you want to be "green", you'll have to do it yourself. Forget the SUV and get an economy car. Separate and recycle your garbage. Purchase power from "green" utilities (www.greenpower.com). The city of Seattle will not make the environment cleaner. All they can do is make your wallet lighter. And that is something they excel in.


Indeed (none / 0) (#6)
by bc on Wed Aug 1st, 2001 at 11:29:27 AM PST
In Roman times, Britain was far warmer and had a viable wine industry, with vineyards as far north as Newcastle (it was one of our major exports).

By the 1600's, we were in a mini ice age, with temperatures considerably below their present levels until the 1850's. Now we seem to be heating up a little again.

Question is how much of this is natural and how much due to man made influence. Whatever the combination, we do have a duty to decrease pollution in any case, IMHO. Even with no evidence, is it really worth the risk?


♥, bc.

Agreed (none / 0) (#7)
by Anonymous Reader on Wed Aug 1st, 2001 at 11:54:14 AM PST
I mention three things in my last paragraph people can do. The first two I've got. I can't do the third because there is no power deregulation where I live. Since I live in an apartment I can't even put up some solar cells. I'd love to be able to generate some off-grid energy with solar and maybe a wind generator too. A great place to get info on that is www.homepower.com.


 
actually, the mini ice age didn't really exist (2.50 / 2) (#8)
by motherfuckin spork on Wed Aug 1st, 2001 at 12:36:36 PM PST
looking back at temperature trends through ice data, and various written accounts from the time shows that the "mini ice age" never really happened. There was more to the environment changes than just temperature - I believe a blight or two and some other crap... I can't recall all the details (that's what my notes were for).

So anyway, it is true what you said about the earth heating. We do not completely know why. There is contradicting data about the growing/shrinking of polar ice caps. The ozone hole over Antarctica has always existed, always will exist, and will mostly randomly grown and shrink over the passage of time.

We should do everything we can to reduce pollutants, if nothing more than to be able to still see across the Grand Canyon or other such sites of beauty. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about - 10 years ago you could see quite clearly across the Grand Canyon, now its smoggy with sulfur particulates donated by the city of Los Angeles (proven by wind flow analysis).


I am not who you think I am.

 
My concerns (none / 0) (#10)
by shren on Thu Aug 2nd, 2001 at 04:10:10 PM PST
It seems unlikely that the presence of man and his engines will have no long term effects on the earth. Shouldn't we, then, as a matter of caution, try to keep pollution and emissions to a minimum?

Forget measuring the climate and drawing pretty charts. There are way too many factors for that to have any real meaning or predictive power. If we do destroy our ability to live on the planet, it will probably be as a result of some pollution that we don't even currently realize is major.

It seems to me that we should keep our heads down, so to speak. You don't drop the box if you don't know what's in it.


 

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