Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Harper Unplugged

It's the little things, but it speaks to everything, when it comes to this sham of a government on the environment. Every party, EXCEPT the Conservatives, have agreed to carbon offsets, the simplistic of optics, a political no brainer, please find me the downside. And yet, the Conservatives won't join in, which reveals an instinctual resistence, almost a "well, why wouldn't you?" The same sort of narrow, almost juvenile consideration, we saw play itself out on the world stage- others are wasteful, that means we get to do nothing
According to the Conservatives, Mr. Dion's plane is estimated to burn more fuel and generate more smog-causing pollution -- and about 2,500 more tonnes of greenhouse-gas emissions per hour -- than Stephen Harper's plane. As a result, the Conservatives said Mr. Harper would not be taking measures to erase his global-warming footprint from the campaign.

Substitute China and India for Dion, and you see the lame justifications.

It's not Dion, or the Liberals, it's the NDP, it's the Bloc, it's the Greens. It's about demonstrating that you take emissions seriously, that you are aware of your behavior, it's about setting an EXAMPLE Mr. Prime Minister. The Conservatives know everyone is engaging, which makes their choice to play odd man out, all the more confusing, considering they actually argue they are credible.

The Liberals may be hesitant in highlighting this glaring example, because it draws attention to that plane, not exactly a wanted reminder. However, it really is the perfect, practical example of the FRAUD that is being presented. It's a big, naked middle finger to the environment.

5 comments:

Oxford County Liberals said...

Actually, the Liberals ARE buying Carbon offsets to help reduce their plane's footprint.

I see Harper forgot to mention that.

Anonymous said...

The fuel tax cut is horrible. Airplane CO2 emissions have 2-4x the temp forcing effect as ground emissions. That is, Harper is increasing CO2 emissions 3x as much as he would be by cutting taxes somewhere else.
For diesel, he could copy their now halted green car subsidy. They used to give a $1000 rebate for GHG emissions low vehicles. Manufacturers even modeified their designs to qualify for the cancelled year's rebate. Do that for the big trucks. Or for their parts. Or subsidize regular tuneups. Harper is no economist. Stimulating GHG consumption unnecessarily is bad economic policy. What happened to Ontario's big auto sector, welded to an unsustainable USA consumer bubble, will happen to our whole economy under Harponomics.

Anonymous said...

Airplane CO2 emissions have 2-4x the temp forcing effect as ground emissions.
but carbon offsets obviously reduce that effect.
I get it.

Anonymous said...

The Diesel tax cut was brilliant, and will resonate with average working voters across the country.

The eco-hypocrites (who want the average person to suffer but still use jet fuel every time they want to fly to Bali to get a tan) will assist Harper in pushing this platform - "suffering for thee but not for me" won't wash.

The number one hypocrite: Dion.

He's lost all moral authority on his number one issue. Meanwhile, Harper has already decided to favour working Canadians ahead of eco-hypocrites.

RuralSandi said...

Gee Anon, you must be proud...you used the CPC talking points very well....no need to think. Just say and do whatever Harper spews. Your brain will shrivel if you don't start to use it.

Tom Friedman, 3 time pulitzer prize winner and expert on the Middle East and famous book series "World is Flat" has a new book out called "Hot, Flat and Crowded".

I saw him on an interview discussing climate change/global warming and he said that Obama's plan and McCain's plan will not get it done - although Obama's plan is better than McCain's.

The clincher - he said, after all his research, etc., the only way to clean up the environment is the "carbon tax" method.

I somehow would believe this 3 time Pulitzer Prize, well respected and well known journalist over Harper any day.