Don't tell anyone, but the California plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is working. So writes business columnist Michael Hiltzik in today's LATimes. He begins by quoting the leading state official on the subject of air pollution. "We think we do have a good story to tell," says Mary D. Nichols, chairwoman of the CaliforniaContinue reading “Global warming gas tax fails to outrage Californians”
Category Archives: politics
USA: #1 in tax whining (Edward Kleinbard)
Perhaps the wittiest of panelists at yesterday's Ojai Chautauqua on income inequality was Edward Kleinbard, a USC professor of business and law, and author of the new book We Are Better Than This. At one point he put up this chart, in defense of his statement that the USA was "#1 in tax whining." AtContinue reading “USA: #1 in tax whining (Edward Kleinbard)”
CA water bureaucrat disses federal weather scientists
How often does one see an outright confrontation between state bureaucrats and federal scientists? In my experience, well — never. But that's what I saw last week at the Chapman Conference on California Drought. Organized by the American Geophysical Union, at a National Academy of Sciences center at UC Irvine, this conference brought together aContinue reading “CA water bureaucrat disses federal weather scientists”
What would Reagan do about climate change?
Ronald Reagan, the most beloved Republican president of our era, would act to avoid the oncoming train wreck that is climate change. Believe it or not. That is the contention of George Shultz, Reagan's long-term Secretary of State, and by God, Shultz has data to back up his viewpoint. He writes (in the Washington Post thisContinue reading “What would Reagan do about climate change?”
Low gas prices: a climate-destroying trap?
A scholar, Ruth Greenspan Bell, and Max Rodenbeck, a former Middle East editor for The Economist, argue in an op-ed in today's Los Angeles Times that the drop in oil prices has as much to do with keeping the U.S. addicted to oil, not to mention defeating climate-saving initiatives, as it does with anything else. Continue reading “Low gas prices: a climate-destroying trap?”
Can GOP Senators be this dumb on climate?
According to Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority leader, the answer is yes: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday he will allow the Senate to vote on an amendment asking if they agree that climate change is impacting the planet. At his weekly press briefing, McConnell said "nobody is blocking any amendments" to legislation thatContinue reading “Can GOP Senators be this dumb on climate?”
Ojai fracking panel agrees: more transparency please!
Over the last four or so months I put together a panel on fracking for the Ojai Chautauqua, a centrist group that holds public forums/discussions on controversial issues at the Ojai Valley Inn. (Think I'm beginning to learn how to do it: This is the third such panel I put together this year, and theContinue reading “Ojai fracking panel agrees: more transparency please!”
Oilco’s spend $9 million to defeat county anti-fracking efforts in CA
According to this excellent story from Reporting on Health fellow Leilani Clark, oil companies such as Aera, Chevron, and Exxon-Mobil have donated more than $1.7 million to efforts to defeat Proposition J in San Benito county, which would ban fracking. Ever heard of San Benito? True confession: I hadn't. Despite spending most of my lifeContinue reading “Oilco’s spend $9 million to defeat county anti-fracking efforts in CA”
Obama mocks GOP climate change deniers
Weird. Read closely, it almost sounds as if the House Speaker, a Republican, is admitting that climate change is happening, and we need to deal with it, but we can’t use pollution control regulations.
Chamber of Commerce: CO2 regs too costly to economy
"Stop the EPA from hijacking the economy!" So says the US Chamber of Commerce, and claims that the Obama administration's rules on power emissions will cost $50 billion. Jim Morin sees it differently. After all, the Sandy clean-up alone cost US taxpayers $100 billion, according to those wild-haired radicals at USA Today.
Kit Stolz 