BTW: Malaria used to be prevalent throughout the country. It was largely eradicated — albeit through drastic means and is now not an issue at the forefront of the US. It has always been an issue in much of the developing world. A NG article last year notes that perhaps one-half of all deaths throughout human history have been due to malaria or similar insect-borne pathogens.

BTW: Malaria used to be prevalent throughout the country. It was largely eradicated — albeit through drastic means and is now not an issue at the forefront of the US. It has always been an issue in much of the developing world. A NG article last year notes that perhaps one-half of all deaths throughout human history have been due to malaria or similar insect-borne pathogens.

“Wow, this energy thing isn’t just about global warming!”

While China develops all sorts of energy efficiency and clean energy: in the U.S. we go whole-hog on “global warming” and at the same time, subsidize pollution-causing companies like GM.

Our environmental policies have to be a lot more diversified that simply dealing with carbon emissions. Cutting carbon emissions while ignoring other very important environmental issues — and the Chinese will most certainly clean our clock.

Take a look at this column by Thomas Friedman in today's New York Times.

http://mfrtech.com/articles/2293.html

However, due to the various manipulations of local politicians, we basically have a monopoly and are forced to buy electricity from one company. This company has taken advantage of its monopoly and has jacked the rates way, way high.

It's not quite that simple. No one is making completely electric cars right now. So that isn't a choice. Also, coal-firing electric plants have to make the electricity that goes into recharging and running an electric car. And even when electric cars become available, most low/moderate income people won't be able to afford it. Of course low/moderate income people can't afford a car that gets 8 miles per gallon.

As for Humvees and other cars that get 8 miles per gallon — the free market is fixing this problem. Humvees and gas-guzzling cars/trucks have been sitting on dealers' parking lots while people have been choosing to buy more energy-efficient cars. I read somewhere that the Humvee brand has been sold to China because not enough people in the U.S. are interested in a Humvee. Of course if the U.S. government keeps subsidizing these automakers who make these gas-guzzling cars, that may very well ruin the change to allow the market to fix this problem.

As I said (and I think you would agree): What Michael Moore said was to let GM, Chrysler, and the others go bankrupt and stop subsidizing them. And hire the out-of-work autoworkers to build new trains and buses.

We just had a major crash on the Washington Metro system. Nine people died and eighty people were injured because the Metro doesn't get the subsidies that the car and oil companies get. So the Metro wasn't able to do the upkeep that it needed to do.

More Michael Moore. I heard him on an interview. His solution for GM and other auto companies demanding a bail-out: let them go bankrupt and hire the auto workers to build trains and buses for public transit. I agreed with Moore on that plan.

I have visited Japan twice and got completely spoiled by their wonderful train system where a person can travel all over the country without having a car. The trains are all run by private companies and I'm not sure of the arrangement with the government. All I know is that the trains run wonderfully.

Most libertarians have a very important caveat about pollution and liberty. One's “right” to pollute ends where it affects someone else. If someone wants to smoke in their house and destroy their lungs — that's fine with me. However, if they walk on the street and blow their noxious smoke in my direction, that is NOT fine.

Same with companies. They do NOT have the right to pour noxious fumes into the atmosphere or pour noxious sediments into rivers or into ther people's drinking water.

” Nobody – nobody – has a right to own a car that gets 8 miles to the gallon just because they like feeling powerful.”

Hey, if someone want to spend their own money for gas, that's their choice. As long as I don't have to subsidize their spending or the gas (or oil) that they might need. However, if my tax dollars go for subsidizing oil companies so that people can speed away in cars that get 8 miles per gallon; or if my tax dollars go for sending our soldiers overseas in a very expensive and life-taking foreign military operation in order to protect oil interests: Then this is NOT their right; they are encroaching on my rights.

And you remember incorrectly. He was banned because he allegedly misconstrued an argument presented by an original poster. By pure coincidence, he happens to be a Republican. Funny how that works.

Yeah, you did.

“You sincerely believe you were blocked from posting here. “

A belief I base on the fact that, when I try to post as Kevin47, I get a message that says “you have been banned”, and my message does not appear. Which again, I'm happy to demonstrate to you.

I did ask Disqus the reason. They don't know, and they referred me to Sojo, but without providing any contact information.

But again, that all happened under Beliefnet, not here with Disqus. Since nobody to my knowledge has posted here under Disqus as Wolverine, we can't really say he was banned here.

But having said that, did you ask Disqus for the reason(s) why you were blocked? If so, did they answer you? What reason(s) did they give?

Frankly, those who deny global warming are doing great evil. This is a threat that will disproportionately hurt the poor of the world. The evidence is good enough for me to at least invoke the precautionary principle.

Additionally, we have ample time to rearrange our economy such that the effects aren't disproportionate. Without putting an explicit price on carbon, no one will do squat. With an explicit price on carbon, people will act. And the US has the resourcefulness and technical skills needed to make things happen. I'm not saying the new green economy is some sort of panacea that will replace wholesale the old manufacturing economy overnight – but we have the resources to adapt. We do at least need a price signal to start the adaptation process, so I pray the Senate passes the bill.

What virtually all of them have in common is that any effective solution is going to have to be international in scope. Nobody owns the oceans, and nobody owns the sky, so no one country can control the pollution of either. It will take coordinated, top-down efforts by all of the major industrial countries working together, and in turn setting an example for those that are now developing.

For some reason, this prospect scares a lot of people who seem to think that it will mean a loss of personal freedom. It is this position for which I have zero sympathy. The right to pollute is not God-given. Nobody – nobody – has a right to own a car that gets 8 miles to the gallon just because they like feeling powerful. This belief is an idolatry that places personal freedom over respect for God's creation, and there is no credible Christian theology that supports it.