carbon tax

With the upcoming presidential elections, some are worried, while  others think it is about time we should have a carbon tax to fight global warming. But what is a carbon tax other than higher gas prices? And we all know how well that went. Everybody is already rejoicing the fall in gas prices. As soon as gas hit a paltry $4 a gallon, Americans were crying foul.

I have said it many times. If we had just one politician worth his or her salt, they would be calling for $5 a gallon gas minimum. $10 would be much better. That is the best way to discourage wasting oil and gas. It is also the only way that works to reduce greenhouse gases. This past summer, driving was off almost 10%, airlines were cutting back flights, and conservation was on everyone's mind. Our greenhouse gas emissions showed a decline for the first time in 30 years.

Where are our politicians when you need them? At least McCain is open about it and has no trouble admitting he isn't serious. There is something to be said for honesty, even if it is honesty to pander to popular demand.

McCain wants to drill his way out of the "problem." Never mind that it won't work to reduce gas prices or to remove our dependence on foreign oil. What it does, is admit that we do not care more about greenhouse gases and global warming other than saying we do. If we did we would realize that high gas prices are the solution not the problem. If he did, Al Gore would move out of his 35 room mansion and go live in a sensible house.

Obama, the professor and self-proclaimed conservationist, just wants to increase fuel efficiency. We all know -or should know- how that works. It doesn't. Fuel efficiency has made enormous strides over the past 25-30 years, yet we keep on consuming more gas. Fuel efficiency just encourages people to drive bigger cars and drive more. It encourages car makers to load up cars like stuffed McMansions on wheels.

The "other" Obama remedy is technology of course. Green technology. Technology that will help us use more energy and produce less waste and pollution. Never mind the physics, my friends. If you demand it, the great Obama will show his magic and lead the way to greenhouse utopia.

By the way, it is shameful that candidates have now raised almost $1 billion to pay for their election campaign, while decrying the waste and greed on Wall Street. It is more than the bail-out package for big banks.

Yes, Mrs. Obama and McCain, have jointly received about $1 billion in support, about $700 million and $300 million respectively. Wait until all those donors come to the White House to ask for favors. See what will be left then to do the right thing. Why worry about democracy in the Middle East? How about America, folks?

obama's change

I wonder if the democrats realize what kind of change Americans are looking for. After having swept the country with his "change" campaign, Barack Obama is now suddenly finding it hard to believe that McCain and especially Palin have successfully hijacked his campaign slogan. What is even more hard to believe is that he does not seem to understand why that is, and his arguments "I don't understand" and "this is just more of the same" just show how he misses the point. (More cynical persons might say, how his elitist stance is disconnected from the real America)

Americans it appears want not so much change to something new, but a change back to the past. They want to turn the clock back. They want to change things back to where they were. Back to the good old times, when gas was less than a $1 a gallon, when they could fly and drive all over the place and when they did not have to worry about greenhouse gases, endangered species, and all those other "nasty" items that interfere with their daily consumerist happy-go-lucky attitude.

Sarah Palin is the perfect embodiment of the kind of change Americans are looking for. The more we hear about her so-called shortcomings -or what the opponents perceive as shortcomings- the more she becomes the ideal candidate of change. Her small town, no-nonsense, hard core religious, hockey-mom, all-american image is exactly the kind of change Americans are so desperately yearning for. Everything about Sarah Palin, from her hairdo to her glasses cries out change.

Furthermore, the Obama camp now seems puzzled and the very fact that they are illustrates why they are so vulnerable. In essence they are disconnected from the middle America that they need to win the election. 

And yet it is so obvious what their problem is because they faced it before. When Hillary sat down with the blue-collar folk to shoot the breeze, she won and she won with great margins. And even though Hillary is very good at this, she is no match for Sarah here. 

But Hillary's move came too late. By then, the game was already lost. Maybe that is why the Obama folks were able to brush it aside or did not pay attention.

Well, my friends, it is back. But this time bigger and better than ever before. And if Obama could afford to ignore the lessons of Hillary drinking beer and pressing the flesh, he cannot afford to ignore the Palin magic. Better scramble and do something quick.

Let's face it America, what sounds better to you. Going moose hunting with John and Sarah or having lengthy discussions about the finer points of the law with Barack and Joe?

And therein, my friends lies the outcome of this election.