Somebody in his immediate circle needs to set John McCain straight on the non-existent “problem” of “global warming.” It is pathetic that a so-called “conservative” continues to parrot the left’s shibboleth about the exigent need to “drastically reduce man made carbon emissions.”
Recently I saw McCain on Fox and he was asked what his proposed solution would be to lower the cost of energy and he rambled on for 10 minutes about “alternative energy” and the salubrious effects of the oil embargo on R&D in the 1970s and never once mentioned new refinery construction and domestic drilling in ANWR and the outer-continental shelf. His recent proposal for a “gas tax holiday” is not a viable solution.
Now I am all for development of “alternative energy technologies” that are more economical and environmentally friendly. However many of the most promising technolgies are many years away and we need to come to grips with the fact that the world’s economy depends upon OIL and natural gas. Yes, let’s fund R&D for new sources of energy, but in the meantime let’s bring as much oil on line as possible in the most environmentally friendly way as possible to increase supply and lower cost. Good for American consumers. Good for the global economy. And great for America in that we decrease our dependence on “foreign oil.” It’s what we in sales refer to as a “win-win.”
Kevin and I have had Chris Horner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Professor Dick Lindzen from MIT, and Bjorn Lomborg on our show to discuss this issue in depth and these are the major pts I would emphasize with McCain:
1. There is no scientific “consensus” or proof that anthropogenic carbon emissions affect the earth’s temperature.
2. Full compliance with Kyoto would have a nugatory (negligible) effect on the earth’s temp with major adverse economic consequences especially for developing nations.
3. “Global Warming” is a hoax and a way for the American Left to push America into some type of international government. Nothing more. Nothing less.
4. Spending billions on “climate change” siphons our limited capital resources for other more pressing global problems (e.g. Malaria, HIV/AIDS, clean water, etc…)
McCain should be brought up to speed on the facts surrounding this issue and set straight immediately. The economic costs of “cap and trade” or any involvement in a global energy rationing scheme would be disastrous for our economy and our sovereignty. When asked about what he would do to make energy more abundant and affordable, McCain should respond thusly:
1. Drill here in the U.S. and dare the Democrats to stop you
2. Build more refineries here in the U.S.
3. Abolish or drastically cut the federal gas tax
4. Call for more nuclear power plant construction nationally and offer tax credits
5. End the economically and environmentally deleterious corn-based Ethanol subsidies (you have already taken initial steps in this direction)