Government declaring “a climate emergency”: a thought experiment

Today, I received an email from a local climate group urging me to support "Build Back Fossil Free." It included two documents -- links follow. One urged recipients to call President Biden and urge him to (1) Declare a climate emergency, (2) Ban new fossil fuel leasing on public land and waters, (3) Use the Defense Production Act to scale up renewables. This is my response. Attached image:...

Expanding checks and balances

In 1776 the folks who signed the US Declaration of Independence and later formed the Articles of Confederation and the US Constitution were very, very wary of power becoming entrenched. Obviously, their concerns were valid. We could, from the “American Experiment” surmise that representative democracy is a total failure. But, perhaps it is not helpful to “throw the baby out with the bath...

Why I cannot support Joe Biden’s bid for the presidency…

Dear Friends: Too often, when I am among my friends on the political left I feel obligated to nod and agree when they talk about the need to elect Joe Biden.  I feel like I will be misunderstood and ostracized if I speak contrariwise to them.  I have decided that I need to take a moral stand on this issue -- it is important that my friends hear my voice and my view. I cannot vote for...

Democrats and Republicans as “Skins” of the Federal Government App(aratus)

“Covid 19 may win the presidency for Desantis/Paul in 2024“ — Dark Matter Agreed. Been thinking along the same lines. Biggest problem: the dems and repubs are like “skins” for an app— changing the look and feel of the government, but not changing the deeper mechanics. The skins both have their respective problems, but the corruption we have been seeing (botched pandemic response,...

The danger of the administrative state

Feb 28, 2021 I think it is important to understand that “not all regulations are created equal.” Some regulations have come about because selfish and powerful players have abused many people, many banded together to have their voices heard, and a regulation is the result.  I’m not going to pretend that the regulations that have resulted have not also had unintended adverse...