With a slowing economy, escalating food prices and energy prices climbing ever higher, you might think that Republican presidential candidate John McCain would be hesitant to endorse a European Union-style carbon emission trading scheme that seems likely to result in less economic growth, higher energy prices and higher food prices from increased biofuel demand. But that’s because you don’t know him as well as his daughter, Meghan McCain, who says he’s totally freaking out over global warming.
“My dad was tortured in prison; he doesn’t overreact to things. So if he starts freaking out, you know it’s time to freak out,” the blonde, blogging McCain told the editors of GQ in a profile last month. “And I think he’s freaking out about the environment. He’s like, ‘I’m genuinely worried about climate change; it’s happening right now.’ ”
Today in Oregon, McCain—the former POW—announced his support for a “cap-and-trade” program for carbon emissions. Under “cap-and-trade” programs the government rations the right to emit certain pollutants and allows companies to sell unused portions of their ration or buy up excess rights from others.
The endorsement is meant to win over centrist voters who have been convinced that global warming results from man-made pollution. It is likely to be criticized by the right—which views going to Oregon to endorse environmentalist measures like Jane Fonda going to Hanoi to decry the Vietnam War (Oregon John, anyone?)—and the extreme greens, where carbon trading is seen as conceding a right to pollute. Energy traders, who largely see the credits as another commodity to trade, will likely welcome the plan.
McCain also promised to bring pressure on China and India to convince them to reduce their emissions.
China responded this morning by holding an earthquake. ("Pow! Take that, Earth!") India said it would gladly allow US companies to outsource their own carbon reductions in exchange for improving India’s environment. Vietnam responded by offering to sell rice to the Philippines at shockingly high prices.
McCain Woos Democrats on Environment [Wall Street Journal]
Posted by blndebnker , May 12, 2008 4:47PM
"China responded by holding an earthquake."
Ab brill
Posted by guest , May 12, 2008 4:58PM
"centrist voters who have been convinced that global warming results from man-made pollution"
Wow, way to sound like a condescending yet nevertheless ignorant douche, Carney.
Posted by girl , May 12, 2008 5:13PM
Carney,
I'm aware that you guys try to push the envelope on what's appropriate, but I fail to understand how the deaths of 9000 people can be considered remotely amusing.
Posted by guest , May 12, 2008 5:24PM
Its just a bunch of Chinamen, who cares?
Posted by ab , May 12, 2008 5:52PM
carney, you're not really a global warming denier are you? i figured you'd be a supporter of a market-based scheme to deal with a major environmental externality. this is one (of an unfortunately small amount) of mccain's economic proposals that makes a lot of sense.
Posted by guest , May 12, 2008 5:58PM
@ ab
You're not a true believer are you?
Posted by guest , May 12, 2008 6:10PM
Shoulda heard Limbaugh react to this from Walnuts McCranky
just about *lost his mind*
Posted by diablo , May 12, 2008 6:16PM
I believe what's freaking out McCain (thanks Meaghan) is his adoration of Bush coming to bite him hard in November. No way to turn the clock back on that little detail.
Posted by guest , May 12, 2008 6:33PM
Re: it's just a bunch of Chinamen....
My curse...I can see you meet horrible misfortunes in the very near future.It's just you, who cares?
Posted by guest , May 12, 2008 7:45PM
Here's something interesting about that earthquake in China.According to China Daily, a Chinese seismologist predicted this to happen more than 5 years ago based on historical patterns and animal studies.He wrote it in paper published in Dec. 2002 but as an academic paper so it didn't received much attention.Here's another weird story, a day before that earthquake,local media reported thousands of toads appeared on the streets, a pheno menon they have not seen before.Experts have said animals can give notice of quakes, as they sense tremors before they happen.
Posted by guest , May 12, 2008 8:02PM
This is quite interesting @7:45.
Here's the link:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-05/13/content_6679349.htm
Tends of thousands of toads on the streets showed the impending earthquake that was to follow.
Indeed, it is quite a sad event and not a joking matter that 10K or more in China passed away in the last several hours. Sorry, Carney, those sorts of humor attempts are just lame...
dantheman
Posted by guest , May 12, 2008 10:14PM
@6:16 What adoration of Bush. I think he hates the guy, paid only the minimum amount of homage possible. Story last week was that he didnt even vote for him in 2000. Don't think he voted for Gore, but I could see him and Cind voting only for the school board candidates that day. You must be an Obama supporter. The Bush connection is somthing that they invent to rationalize that their candidate is going to win. Hillary would have won. O-man is gonna go down in flames. How could such a mealy guy take on a war hero.
Posted by guest , May 13, 2008 4:43AM
Cap and trade market based my butt.
Heres a good post http://www.solopassion.com/node/3323
that explains this scam to those who are genuinely interested.
Posted by guest , May 13, 2008 7:33AM
1. China is notorious for managing news. You have no idea if its 1 person or 100,000 dead. So, to those who wish me ill will, God will strike you a hundred times more.
2. Its just a bunch of rice eating Chinamen. Oh wait, its a few LESS rice eating China "people".
Posted by ab , May 13, 2008 8:10AM
@4:43
thanks for that link exposing the truth. your extremely credible source really made me think twice about my support for any cap and trade system.
Posted by guest , May 13, 2008 9:11AM
The best scientific discussion on the interwebs regarding global warming:
www.climateaudit.org
Posted by guest , May 13, 2008 9:15AM
agree with 8:10 Where has this insightful web site been all my life? I feel as if I've been reborn. A changed person.
Posted by guest , May 13, 2008 9:33AM
I can only assume that 4:43 is pro-cap-n-trade, because that's the only explanation for linking to such a godawful article.
Cap-n-trade is a stupid idea because it requires a government to implement it, and the government will set the cap at the wrong level, for all the usual reasons (incompetence, lobbying, political pandering). That's it.
Posted by guest , May 13, 2008 10:42AM
@ 4:43, wow I just tried to read that link. It's just terrible.
@ 9:33, I agree in principal that Gov't will a.s. screw up the level, but is the moral hazard so bad?
If they set the caps too high, there is no (or little) economic change. Too low, will create a market based mechanism for 'green tech'
Sounds better than the current tax all and give it to ADM, Cargil, Cat & Deere
Posted by guest , May 13, 2008 5:34PM
@10.42am
Of course the article is just terrible because your beliefs oppose it, and you'd have to admit its a question of belief rather than fact or else you would have acknowledged the fact that this winter has been posted as one of the coldest winters in recent history and that the earth is in fact cooling.
(see http://www.solopassion.com/node/2291 for more evidence )
IMHO, a sad but accurate reflection on your real motivation is to be found here. See if you agree?
http://georgereisman.com/blog/2008/02/word-to-environmentalists.html
Posted by guest , May 14, 2008 9:39AM
Quote "The best scientific discussion on the interwebs regarding global warming:
www.climateaudit.org"
The dorks at that site are nothing but a bunch of idoits and so is the person who posted the above link!
Posted by guest , May 14, 2008 4:03PM
True believers, deniers, McCain = hilarious.
First of all, none of you are scientists, so who cares what you think. You are not equipped with the insight or judgement to form an opinion that anyone cares about. You are all just harbingers of the same mentally void agenda driven bullcrap talking points that you all accuse the other guy of being.
Junkscience.com is offering half a million dollars to anyone that can scientifically prove GW is real or manmade. So far, no winners. So if you are a believer, step up and prove the deniers wrong.
And if you are a "denier" (so far you're winning), then stand up for something and don't vote for Obama or McCain. If you know you're being snowballed why would you vote for either.
The cap and trade system will be nothing but Socialist Imperialism regardless of who implements it. Governments of the poorest nations will have the power to limit the size and profits of our private businesses. Do you see what this does to our tax base? Do you see what this does to employment? And what is the end result? A world of people dependent on government for basic necessities like food, shelter and power. Carbon credits will become the first global currency, and we will be peggd to it without any choice in the matter. And if our currency is pegged to the rest of the world's (which is unavoidable in this scenario), then its not hard to see that we lose bad, bad, bad.
But it's obvious that you are all already losers. That is why you are on here debating someone else's lies, for the prize of nothing. And not surprisingly you'll all take it in the ass and not do a thing to save the world. And when that day does inevitably come, just remember that I told you so today. And also remember the inevitible smartass comments you all made in response...
Posted by guest , May 14, 2008 4:21PM
isn't the point that we don't really know. So why not err on the side of caution? What's the downside. I know, I know: creeping socialism. Save your breath. Doesn't scare me at all. The world's economies will adjust. No one says Americans need to live 70 miles from their jobs, drive SUVs, consume shit like its going out of style. It may be rocky getting us back on track, but we'll be better in the long run.
Posted by guest , May 14, 2008 10:45PM
QUOTE: "isn't the point that we don't really know. So why not err on the side of caution"
What a moron to make a statement like that. We don't know that one day
all glass might just burst into flames,
so by your stupid logic we therefore should "err on the side of caution" and
eliminate all glass from the world.
You will make a nice puppet citizen of the upcoming world Socialist government!
I almost feel sorry for someone like you; how pityfull a human could degrade to such a low level!
Posted by guest , May 15, 2008 9:48AM
Actually I would bet my life that someday all glass won't burst into flames. Global warming is just the opposite: wouldn't bet my life on it happening, but seems likely. Calm down. Not my fault that you, your wife and kids have asses that are too fat to easily lower your carbon footprints. Which is why I feel sorry for you.
Posted by guest , May 15, 2008 9:35PM
"Carbon Footprint" my ass, carbon is a life giving substance you moron; we are made of carbon, the more CO2 we produce the more life we give back to the planet.
I'd out hike your skinny green ass anyday. If anyone wants to use a vehicle that gets only 6 mile per gallon that's their choice, we call that freedom. Freedom is a wonderfull but dissapearing concept thanks to idoits like you.
I do not own a cell phone, do not own or watch TV, I do not have a lawn to water, I do not search after the latest fads to buy; yes I drive my SUV which is a old Toyota PU with a camper shell, I get 20 Mpg and use it to get out and see nature. I hike for miles and miles at a time. I enjoy a simple life but respect
others that require all that clutter in their lives. They earned their money and they have every right to use it to buy what every gives them pleasure without people like you wanting to decide what you are willing to let them have and use.
I think in the new world order people like you would feel at home locked up in
some type of zoo, yes a zoo for people
that are too afraid to live!
Posted by guest , May 15, 2008 10:13PM
A couple more things you "socialist
greenie moron", people like you haven't heard yet what is now going on; "global warming" is over. The earth has been cooling down for the last ten years. "Global Cooling" and "Global Warming" are both normal cycles and
almost entirely independent of man's influence.
We are entering the natural global cooling cycle and that may last until at least the year 2030 or possibly progress into a long overdo full sized Ice Age.
You don't have to believe me, just wait and see what happens next winter, and the next, and the next,,,,,, and yes, then I'll be LMAO!