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De Omnibus Dubitandum - Lux Veritas

Thursday, October 27, 2011

What Do They Think? Really!

By Rich Kozlovich

There are two issues that caused the current financial crisis. The collapes of the housing market and ....green! The housing market collapse was as a direct result of Jimmy Carter's Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Greed by bankers and investors played a major role in this financial mess, but none of that could have happened without the CRA and the federal government approving the whole ugly mess. But that is only money. Green is far more than mere money. Green impacts the economy in more ways than investments ever will. Green is an insidious psuedo-pagan religious philosophy that eats away the entrails of the capitalist system. So I marvel at the positions some people take on what I consider to be a base issue of ultimate importance. Environmentalism! There is a difference between concern for the environment and environmentalism. One is normal and the other is insanity.

I have taken the liberty of organizing a few articles that outline their positions now, the position yesterday, their positions in the past, and who knows what their postions may be tomorrow. I just can't believe how people can use so many words to say nothing. Actually there is an informal logical fallacy that expains this. It is called the "if-by-whiskey fallacy". "An if-by-whiskey argument implemented through doublespeak appears to affirm both sides of an issue, and agrees with whichever side the listener supports, in effect, taking a position without taking a position. A similar idiom is "all things to all people", which is often used as a negative term in politics." It goes like this;
My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it might be. You have asked me how I feel about whiskey. All right, here is how I feel about whiskey:

If when you say whiskey you mean the devil's brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, and despair, and shame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it.

But, if when you say whiskey you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman's step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink which enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if only for a little while, life's great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows; if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions of dollars, which are used to provide tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitiful aged and infirm; to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am for it.

This is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise.
At any rate, I thought it might be useful to explore this issue. You will notice that there are many more links on Romney than the others and there is a reason for that. He is like a rubber ball on this issue; he bounces everywhere; therefore there are so many more articles dealing with him. Some of the others postions on environmentalism could be outlined in one article with two paragraphs and that would be all you would need to know their stand. That isn't typical! They are listed alphabetically and I hope chronologically. Also some of the articles linked are from green sites so be prepared.

Michele Bachmann; Herman Cain; Newt Gingrich; Ron Paul; Rick Perry; Rick Santorum.
Republican candidates (most of them anyway) unloaded on the EPA and green policies at an Iowa event over the weekend.

Michele Bachmann's environmental record
The latest Republican to seek the presidency has a clear environmental record.

Herman Cain on Environment and Energy Herman Cain is a conservative Republican candidate running to be president of the United States. AAEA will be covering the environmental and energy positions of all of the presidential candidates. AAEA stands ready to provide information on energy and environmental issues whenever Mr. Cain contacts us. He has established a Presidential Exploratory Committee. On energy, he advocates maximizing use of America's natural resources and pursuing renewable fuel

Herman Cain - Energy and the Environment
Herman Cain is a strong supporter of utilizing all available energy sources. He supports wind, solar, and nuclear energy. Mr. Cain also supports expanded drilling in all areas, including offshore and in ANWR. Mr Cain does not believe in man-made global warming. He has stated that there has been no proven that global warming is a crisis. He opposed the cap-and-trade legislation, calling it nothing more that a tax scheme.

Environment, Energy Policies for Herman Cain Based on Private Sector
Republican candidate Herman Cain's policy on energy and the environment shares a similar theme as his views on other policy issues. Primarily, less government and more private sector is the way to achieve energy independence. In the spirit of smaller government, Cain has not had much of a stance on environmental issues, other than how particular legislation is burdensome on the economy and consumers.

Ron Paul's environmental record
Ron Paul has been a vocal figure in American politics since 1977, and he has developed a lengthy record on energy and environmental policy.

Rick Perry makes a good energy plan sound bad
The biggest problem with the energy plan that Rick Perry released recently is Rick Perry himself. Like a desperate used-car salesman, he is making such outlandish claims for it that his customers might walk out before taking a good look. That, however, would be a pity, because the plan is actually better than any proposed by any president in recent memory.

Perry slashed environmental enforcement in Texas
Gov. Rick Perry likes to say the best way to promote economic growth is to reduce regulation. When it comes to the environment, Perry has made Texas one of the most industry-friendly states in the nation. Perry has cut funding for clean air programs and sued the Environmental Protection Agency to avoid enforcing laws to make the air cleaner. As part of his Republican presidential campaign, he routinely blasts the White House for tightening environmental standards.

Romney hit for hypocrisy on green energy venture capitalism
It took less time than we thought.

Romney: We need an environment for jobs
A good op-ed title that isn’t followed by thoughts worthy of it.

Obama EPA air chief was Romney’s ‘green quarterback’
“Mitt Romney remains silent as Gina McCarthy, his “green quarterback” during his days in the Massachusetts Governor’s Mansion, steers President Barack Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency toward new regulations on energy,” reports Matthew Boyle.

IBD: Romney advised by Obama science czar
“The GOP front-runner for 2012 sought advice on global warming and carbon emissions from the president’s current science czar — an advocate of de-developing America and population control.”

Romney vague, confused on environment, EPA
Why is it that Republicans can’t seem to wrap their brains around their tongues when it comes to the environment?

Romney and Obama: Carbon Copies
Check out the new Rick Perry ad which includes an audio clip and photo of Mitt Romney saying about a Massachusetts coal plant, “I will not create jobs or hold jobs that kill people, and that plant, that plant kills people.”

Romney in 2003: Coal plant ‘kills people’
If you had a problem with RomneyCare, check out Romney’s previous comments on coal.

Gingrich Explains Why He Did Global Warming Ad With Pelosi
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich recently did a global warming ad with Nancy Pelosi that was sponsored by Nobel Laureate Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection (embedded right). Obviously, he has taken a lot of heat -- no pun intended -- from conservatives for not only staking out a seemingly unconservative position on this controversial issue, but doing so in such a high-profile way with the likes of Pelosi and Gore.

Gingrich’s Great Global Warming Flip-Flop: From Cap-And-Trade To Drill-Baby-Drill
Newt Gingrich really doesn’t like it when Barack Obama takes his advice. It’s not just true of intervention with Libya — it’s also the case with fighting global warming pollution. In short, Newt was for carbon cap and trade, until Obama became president:

Gingrich Campaign Spin on Global Warming PSA with Nancy Pelosi: It Wasn’t a Love-Fest, it Was a Debate
This week Newt Gingrich formally announced he’s running for president in 2012. However, when it comes to getting the conservative base on board, the campaign’s spin on his much talked about 2008 PSA with Nancy Pelosi will — not unlike trying to get Al Gore off the ground in an ultralight — never fly.

Newt Gingrich: Abolish the EPA
Appearing in the key presidential campaign state of Iowa, potential Republican candidate Newt Gingrich called for the abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Newt Gingrich's environmental scorecard
Newt Gingrich may be controversial, but he's also outspoken. (So at least you know where he stands.)

Rick Santorum's environmental record
The Pennsylvania Republican is a solid pick for social conservatives, but what are his views when it comes to environmental policy?

And finally……I thought you just may be interested…..

Condoleeza Rice laments Bush rejection of Kyoto
But rejecting Kyoto was one of the few things W. did right.

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