Brownsville Tea Party Association

Archive for the ‘Environment’ Category

Assessment of the Potential for Cross Contamination of Food Products by Reusable Shopping Bags

Music to my ears. Elections have consequences. Thankfully, we may finally relegate Global Warming Alarmism to the ash heap of history alongside other really stupid ideas, like Phrenology and Communism.

My favorite excerpt:

It has become increasingly clear that any observed warming during the past century is of natural origin and that the human contribution is insignificant. It is doubtful that any significant warming is attributable to greenhouse gases at all.

The Green Bubble is about to Burst

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Originally published at David Horowitz’s NewsRealBlog
By Chris Rowan

Jonah Goldberg defines Fascism as:

. . . a religion of the state. It assumes the organic unity of the body politic and longs for a national leader attuned to the will of the people. It is totalitarian in that it views everything as political and holds that any action by the state is justified to achieve the common good. It takes responsibility for all aspects of life, including our health and well-being, and seeks to impose uniformity of thought and action, whether by force or through regulation and social pressure. Everything, including the economy and religion, must be aligned with its objectives. Any rival identity is part of the ‘problem’ and therefore defined as the enemy.
- Liberal Fascism, p. 23

Eco-fascism is a variant of Fascism that is also totalitarian in the sense that any action by the state to achieve some ecologically-worthy goal is justified. No aspect of human life is off limits. Examples range from bans on smoking in public and the use of cell phones in cars to recent attempts by Congress and the EPA to impose a tax and/or regulatory regimen on our exhalations and emissions made by the burning of fossil fuels. Now it seems we are going to be taxed for the little plastic grocery bags we use to transport our groceries from the supermarket to our cars.

The rationale for the ban is dubious, at best. The cynic in me views the ban as yet one more statist bureaucratic scheme to separate me from my money.

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By Hugh Goldberg

Here is an article on what the Obama administration is doing to the Coal Mining Industry.  This is exactly what they said they would do.  Maybe the Coal Mining industry needs to clean up its act, but this is the heavy hand of government at its best.  This is really scary because if they drive these guys out of business, where are we going to get our energy from and what is going to be the cost? 

We have been mining coal in this country for generations, so I find it hard to believe that it is killing the environment so badly that is must be stopped immediately. 

Hugh

——————–

By Judson Berger

Michael Fox can literally see where his job ends. 

The 14-year veteran of the West Virginia coal mining industry is about a year and a half out from finishing his current project, and he can see the boundaries of the site. He doesn’t know whether there will be any work left for him after that, since a wave of environmental regulation has put his firm’s other permits on hold. 

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(From American Thinker)

The latest Senate energy bill, quietly unveiled last week, looks like sweet compromise on radical measures like cap and trade, but buried within is a bitter poison pill that will could be swallowed in a vote that may come this week.

Unlike the 1,200-page House of Representatives energy bill, which passed last year, this scaled-down proposal does not call for an 83-percent reduction in greenhouse gases (or any reduction in greenhouse gases) and contains no mention of a cap-and-trade scheme. Also contrary to the House bill, this one does not provide a family of four earning up to $55,000 with a monthly stipend — deposited directly into their bank accounts — to offset higher energy costs. It also does not supply three years of unemployment benefits at 70 percent of former wages — plus job retraining and relocation — to those whose jobs are shipped overseas, as prescribed in the House bill.

Instead, at a glance (which is the way most in Congress ever seem to examine legislation), this bill appears rather easy to take. Most of its 357 pages are devoted to sections entitled “Oil Spill Response,” “Reducing Oil Consumption,” “Improving Energy Security,” and “Protecting the Environment.” There’s even a portion devoted to further grill BP via subpoena power. With sugar-coating like this, the sixty votes necessary to pass seem possible.

However, beneath the glaze, there’s a clot of overpowering government spending and social engineering.

For example, electric vehicles are pushed via the bill’s “Promoting Electric Vehicles Act of 2010.” No surprise here, particularly since the government has a 61% stake in General Motors and Chevy’s electro-mobile, the Volt. Besides this Act allowing the feds to spend $25 million on new electric cars for their official fleet, there’s an astounding electric car welfare program. Section 2116 explains that 400,000 such vehicles will be virtually given away at low cost — or perhaps no cost — to people living in “selected communities diverse in population” and “demographics.”

Additionally, pages 264-265 require that any new construction or remodel of an existing structure must include the installation of proper hookups for charging an electric vehicle. So even if you have no intention of owning such a car, adding that extra bedroom will require you to spend additional money to install battery-charging infrastructure in your garage.

The bill also heralds the coming of the “Batteries For Tomorrow Prize.” The first person to build a car battery that runs 500 miles on a single charge will win a taxpayer-funded reward of $10 million.

And there’s bait to entice truck owners to switch from traditional petroleum to natural gas. Section 2002 describes federal rebates, ranging from $8,000 for large pickups to $64,000 for heavy-duty Class 6 trucks weighing 26,000 pounds, available for those who install the equipment to make the fuel swap. And government grants (not loans) of up to $50,000 are available for gas stations to install natural gas refueling pumps.

And then there is the section of the Senate bill dedicated to the new federal building code. Originally rolled out in the House’s energy plan, the code — which supersedes all state and local measures and is thoroughly detailed in my book, Climategate — now has a name: “The Home Star Retrofit Act of 2010.” This Act places a hard squeeze on every property owner to spend thousands of dollars in environmental compliance upgrades in a time of economic stringency and falling home prices.

Federal dollars will be paid to those who decrease their energy usage. With the Smart Meters being installed across the country (mandated in the 2005 energy law and capable of recording your energy usage minute by minute), the government will be able to accurately determine your carbon footprint. To entice you to reduce your footprint, rewards of $3,000 will be given for a 25-percent reduction in energy consumption, and $1,000 more for each 5-percent reduction achieved — up to a maximum of $8,000. A similar plan is proposed for water consumption.

Additionally, federal rebates of up to another $8,000 per home are available for upgrading doors, windows, insulation, roofs, water heaters, air conditioners, etc.

Even with the government kickbacks, if you’re still unable to afford all of the upgrades, Section 3015 declares that Fannie Mae will be the official lender to provide you with a “Home Star Efficiency Loan.” This means taxpayer sponsored Fannie will be taking on even more debt.

As one who has written extensively about the ideological machinations of the environmental movement and its leaders, I can tell you that this Senate bill is everything they wished could have been packed into the original House proposal.

If the Senate bites on this legislation, an airsickness bag will be required. The bill will go to committee, be conjoined with the massive House plan, and be presented to a lame duck Congress who will ram the bad medicine down our throats.

We need to hound the Senate now. Tell them to keep this poison pill away from their lips.

Brian Sussman is a former television meteorologist and the author of Climategate: a veteran meteorologist exposes the global warming scam. He hosts the morning show on KSFO, 560AM, in San Francisco.

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I wrote Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz (D-TX27) some time ago and implored him to oppose any legislation that imposed some sort of “carbon tax” on business and/or individuals. I don’t believe for a moment that my letter had any effect on Ortiz’s decision-making, but it does appear that he is going to at least voice opposition to the EPA ruling which opened the door to carbon taxation and regulation.

I received this form letter from the Congressman’s office yesterday:

Dear Mr. Rowan:

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding the December 15, 2009 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling on the endangerment finding and the ’cause or contribute’ findings for greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. As always, I value the input from my constituents and appreciate this opportunity to respond.

As the Representative for the 27th District of Texas in the U.S. Congress, I am concerned about the negative effect of greenhouse gases on our environment. However, I am acutely aware that some environmental regulations could place an undue burden on our citizens and industries. We must develop regulations based on sound, reliable science that yields results. For this reason, I have co-sponsored H. J. Res. 76, which formally states Congress’ disapproval of a rule submitted by the EPA relating to the endangerment finding and the ’cause or contribute’ findings for greenhouse gases under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act.

While I strongly believe we must continue to develop a comprehensive and sustainable energy and environmental policy, I will not support legislation or regulations that impose undue financial burdens on hardworking South Texas families. President Obama’s Budget Director, Peter Orszag, has estimated that a 15% reduction in carbon emission could cost the average American family $1300 per year more in utility costs. In such difficult economic times, we simply cannot afford to drive up the cost of energy.

You can be certain that I will continue to work to craft sensible and balanced energy and environmental legislation that addresses the needs of our nation while keeping costs manageable for families struggling to make ends meet. Please be assured that I will keep your concerns in mind as I work on this issue with my colleagues. Thank you again for your correspondence. Please visit http://ortiz.house.gov to learn more about my views on other issues and legislation, and do not hesitate to contact me regarding any issue at the federal level. With kindest regards, I am

Sincerely,

Solomon P. Ortiz
Member of Congress

It’s a non-binding resolution, but it’s better than voting for a carbon tax bill. I strongly suspect that we are being told one thing while Congressman Ortiz does another. We’ll just have to wait and see.

-Chris

(By A Concerned Citizen)

Healthy Communities of Brownsville is spearheading the ban on all plastic shopping bags in the City of Brownsville although I don’t know anybody who eats bags.

Rose Timmer [head of] the nonprofit organization Healthy Communities of Brownsville, which promotes the ban, noted that “education is very important, but it’s not being done.”

Then what’s the point of HCB?  In a Brownsville Herald ad appearing on Sunday, HCB claimed part of their goals includes education on the environment,

Speaking to school and community groups on local environmental issues and concerns; Giving presentations and demonstrations on recycling and litter control.

HCB must be wasting their time, since Timmer says education is “not being done.” Or are they misleading the public in their ad? More from the narrative…

In 2001, a group of concerned Brownsville citizens joined together to address community health issues. The more than 100 founding members came from neighborhoods, churches, businesses, educational institutions, health-care entities, government agencies, and other community groups. The concern and dedication of these Brownsville citizens led to the establishment of a broad-based, collaborative organization.

Unlike Morrison Owners, Inc, HCB is a non-profit organization listed on the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website. In the ad and with the State, HCB registered a university campus address as their place of business: Healthy Communities of Brownsville, 80 Fort Brown, SPH Building, Brownsville, Texas 78520. The SPH Building is with the University of Texas School of Public Health.

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(From America Thinker)

By Thomas Lifson

The 62 megabytes of compressed data from one of the world’s premier climate research organizations continue to be mined for further evidence of fraud, and conspiracy to violate freedom of information laws in the UK and USA. A keyword search engine now exists for the emails. James Delingpole reviews the MSM coverage of the biggest scientific scandal in history finds is meager, and focused on skeptics as the only people who really care, more or less.This strategy will not be adequate. The established media no longer have the ability to quarantine embarrassing stories, particularly when they undermine the logic of a trillion dollar green scam. Sooner or later Republicans will find the guts to demand a congressional investigation, as the magnitude of the crimes sinks in. Federal funds were spent by the Hadley Gang.  

Clarice Feldman writes: Doug Ross publishes some incriminating CRU emails neither he nor I have seen published elsewhere.

NOTE:  Go to http://www.climatedepot.com for breaking news on Climategate.

Dear Fellow Tea Party Patriots,

By now most of you know that the House of Representatives passed the Government Takeover of Healthcare Bill late last night. A large group of your fellow Tea Party Patriots from all over the country was there. We were watching the debate and votes from the gallery in the Capitol after a long day of last minute lobbying. Now we’re all heading back to our hometowns for a home-cooked meal and a quick nap.

Despite our temporary loss in this battle, we are not defeated. In fact, it’s likely that this bill’s passage in the house will shock and jolt even more Americans into joining our fight and putting a stop to the Government Takeover of Healthcare before it passes the Senate.

We are ready to put them to work.

Starting this evening Tea Party Patriots are launching three cross-country relay routes to hold Tea Parties in cities from coast to coast. We’re calling it the Farmer Relief & Freedom Relay, and we’re focusing on three major issues that are relevant to our core principles. Those issues are:

1.) Government Takeover of Healthcare – This can still be stopped in the Senate.
2.) Cap and Trade – This can still be stopped in the Senate.
3.) Eco-Tyranny (government taking away freedom under the guise of protecting the environment) – This has come to a head in California’s Central Valley where the farming industry is being crippled by the government cutting off water to save a minnow. We will fight this in both the House and the Senate while also providing aid to our fellow Patriots who are being hurt by this situation.

So rest up today and wake up tomorrow ready to renew the fight! Check our website for daily updates and keep watching for our emails for local and national action alerts. Also, continue to contact your Senators daily and organize Tea Parties in your own city to demonstrate our resolve.

You and the millions of other Tea Party Patriots across the country have held the line on many major issues despite liberal control of the House, the Senate, and the Presidency. They thought they would ram their liberal agenda through quickly with little to no resistance. Together we have shocked and awed them by fighting tooth and nail for fiscal responsibility, free markets, and constitutionally limited government. Our opponents fear us. They fear you, as they should. Because they know you, and I, and all of us will not sit back and let them do away with freedom.

I’m proud to be part of your team and I look forward to continuing the battle with you!

Jenny Beth Martin
Tea Party Patriots, National Coordinator
jennybethm@gmail.com
770-878-1550

On October 14th 2009, Lord Christopher Monckton, a noted climate change expert, gave a presentation at Bethel College in St. Paul, MN in which he issued a dire warning regarding the United Nations Climate Change Treaty, which is scheduled to be signed in Copenhagen in December 2009.

(From wattsupwiththat.com)

by Roy W. Spencer, Ph. D.

About.com describes an “urban legend” as an apocryphal (of questionable authenticity), secondhand story, told as true and just plausible enough to be believed, about some horrific…series of events….it’s likely to be framed as a cautionary tale. Whether factual or not, an urban legend is meant to be believed. In lieu of evidence, however, the teller of an urban legend is apt to rely on skillful storytelling and reference to putatively trustworthy sources.

I contend that the belief in human-caused global warming as a dangerous event, either now or in the future, has most of the characteristics of an urban legend. Like other urban legends, it is based upon an element of truth. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas whose concentration in the atmosphere is increasing, and since greenhouse gases warm the lower atmosphere, more CO2 can be expected, at least theoretically, to result in some level of warming.

But skillful storytelling has elevated the danger from a theoretical one to one of near-certainty. The actual scientific basis for the plausible hypothesis that humans could be responsible for most recent warming is contained in the cautious scientific language of many scientific papers. Unfortunately, most of the uncertainties and caveats are then minimized with artfully designed prose contained in the Summary for Policymakers (SP) portion of the report of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This Summary was clearly meant to instill maximum alarm from a minimum amount of direct evidence.

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Fair warning to all entrenched politicos: Ignore us at your peril.

American Thinker Blog: Summer of Change.