Do you ever hate being popular for all the wrong reasons? Well, I do. A while back I wrote an innocuous post about how John McCain cheated on his wife and now googling that phrase accounts for 50% of this blog's traffic. And no, the curious about presidential candidates committing adultery are not the type to click on adds. :-(
By the way, John McCain violated military law by committing adultery while in the military. I hope that if John McCain does become "Commander in Chief" that he banishes that silly law. It is also quite probable that John McCain violated many state adultery laws way back when. Thankfully, only half a dozen states still have them on the the books.
-100 More Years In Iraq: John McCain, Yes We Can ;
2008-08-30
Alaska may be Next to Russia, but I have been to France
Any of you white men out there jealous that the Governor of Alaska (population 600,000) may become the Vice-President of the United-State? And, let's face it, with a very good chance at becoming the first female President of the United States.
If you haven't click on "play", do so. I'm pretty sure the guy is being non-sarcastic, that he actually thinks that being Governor of Alaska involves relations with Russia.
Well, I've travelled to 30 plus countries. Where is my Vice-Presidential nomination. I was born in Canada, you say. So what? John McCain was born in Panama...
Are You a Closet NDPer?
Originally posted 2008-02-16.
Maybe you are an NDPer and didn't know it?
Here is a questionnaire to help you out:
Taxes
War costs money. Lots and lots of money.
-If you are in favour of higher taxes to pay for foreign wars: vote Conservative.
-If you are in favour of slightly higher taxes to pay for foreign wars: vote Liberal
-If you want to save tax money by not paying for pointless foreign wars: vote NDP.
-If you are in favour of fuel efficient tanks for the war in Afghanistan: vote Green Party.
The Military
-The military should be well equipped but we should send soldiers over-sees so they don't get bored and ask for more money: Vote Conservative.
-Our brave soldiers are willing to get into whatever equipment we give them, with or without bullets, to keep the peace on the four corners of the world, but mostly in Afghanistan: Vote Liberal.
-Canada should have a well equipped, well paid military here in Canada, defending Canada: Vote NDP.
-We should encourage our military in Afghanistan to vacation in nearby Pakistan or Iran: Vote Green Party.
Housing
-Rich people should be financially encouraged to buy big houses as it gives jobs to construction workers: Vote Conservative.
-Every Canadian should aspire to live in a house and the federal government should financially encourage people who can already afford them. Higher housing prices are good for elderly home owners: Vote Liberal.
-The federal government should not financially encourage single detached dwellings, buy one if you want one and can afford it : Vote NDP.
-The federal government should subsidise alternative energy so commuters can put solar panels and wind mills on their country homes: Vote Green Party.
Free trade
-There are winners and losers when it comes to free trade. Try to be a winner. Good luck and vote Conservative.
-Everybody wins with free trade. That is why corporate welfare and trade agreements with rich nations are important. Vote Liberal.
-Free trade should be world wide, without regional distortions. Workers who are affected by free trade should be compensated. Vote NDP.
-Everybody should grow their own food, except in winter. If Pol Pot wasn't a psycho his plan would have worked. Vote Green Party.
The Environment
-The environment is important. The poor will soon be using florescent light bulbs. The rest of us can drive our SUVs guilt free. Vote Conservative.
-Put carbon filters on smoke stacks. Vote Liberal.
-We need a holistic approach to the environment. No point in encouraging wood stoves if asthma goes up. Stop financially encouraging single detached dwellings (urban sprawl). End corporate welfare. Support Via Rail. Vote NDP.
-We need to impose a carbon tax to lower the income taxes of the rich who create jobs for the rest of us.Vote Green Party.
Afghanistan
-They love Tim Hortens over there. Soon we will open a Harvey's and the pacifying will be complete. Vote Conservative.
-We aren't exactly sure why we are there, but we should fight, peacefully, until we figure it out. Vote Liberal.
-Ossama Bin Laden and Al Queda. They attacked the United States. As NATO members, we should defend our partners against both. The war in Afghanistan is no longer doing that. Vote NDP.
-The transport planes we are buying to transport our tanks to the other side of the world should be fuel efficient. We should also plant a bunch of poppy seeds to compensate for the release of carbon. Vote Green Party.
Labels: Canada
Fundamental Flaw in Liberal Carbon Tax Proposal
Climate Change Sucks
Saving the world is hard to argue against, although some do (that would be you Steven Harper). However, pretending to save the world is arguably worse. And that, unfortunately, is what the Liberal carbon tax proposal does.
Solution: use less fossil fuels
The solution to global warming is to use less carbon spewing fossil fuels. A carbon tax on carbon fuels seems like a no brainer. Unfortunately, alternatives to fossil fuel based energy (nuclear, solar, wind, wood), under the Liberal proposal, will generally still be more expensive than fossil fuel based energy (oil and coal).
Energy elasticity
If alternative energy is still more expensive, the only hopeful benefit of a low carbon tax is that people will use less energy, period. Generally, if things cost more, people buy less of it. However, the Liberals are proposing to reduce income taxes as a result of the carbon tax. So things will cost more, but people will have more money. Count the ways you can spend money that don't use energy... You will hire a maid! Genius. But your maid will buy stuff, she might even have to drive to your house. Face it. The more money you have, the larger your global warming foot print.
Non-fossil energy should be cheaper
A carbon tax only makes sense if you tax so high that heating your home with nuclear powered electricity becomes cheaper than using oil. If hydrogen ever becomes feasible for automobile use, we better be sure that the power plants aren't using coal, natural gas or oil!
Liberals to the poor: pay up
The Liberal carbon tax will hurt the poor, who use very little carbon to begin with. They will spend more in taxes and won't be compensated with lower income tax. A higher heating bill when you are on minimum wage doesn't mean switching to solar (unless it is cheaper), it means less fruits and vegetables. And a carbon tax on oil might make the upper middle class think twice about 4 bedroom, two car garage homes. But if they get an income tax break (in part on the backs of the poor) the increase in cost will largely be compensated.
The correct way to do it
Tax carbon and subsidize alternatives to carbon spewing energy (including public transportation and Via Rail). An other way to do it, and perhaps the fairest, is the Ralph bucks way. Tax carbon (a lot) and compensate everybody equally. That way, people who use more than their carbon "quota" would be financially penalised, and people who use less would financially benefit.
Some of my previous musings on the subject of global warming and carbon taxes:
2008-08-28
Is Barak Obama's Brother in-law Chinese-Canadian or Malaysian-Canadian?
Barak Obama's Canadian brother in law's parents are from Malaysia (Borneo). Yet Obama brags about his Chinese-Canadian brother in-law.
According to the CIA world fact book, 23% of Malaysians are ethnic Chinese.
If you quote from this blog, please refer to the author (that would be me) as "Celtic-Canadian". "Viking-Canadian" will also do.
According to the CIA world fact book, 23% of Malaysians are ethnic Chinese.
If you quote from this blog, please refer to the author (that would be me) as "Celtic-Canadian". "Viking-Canadian" will also do.
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