It's Not the Pot
The other day, Paul Rahe asked a California question: Would support for Proposition 19, the ballot initiative to legalize marijuana, drive students to the polls, helping Democratic candidates? Trace Urdan and I both said no. Support for Prop 19 seems tepid, even on campuses.
On the other hand, we added, opposition to Prop 23 will most certainly drive a lot of the liberal gentry to the polls. Prop 23, you'll recall, would delay implementation of California's Global Warming Solutions Act until unemployment in the state, now about 12 percent, drops to 5.5 percent. And the Global Warming Solutions Act, in turn, would mandate that by 2020 California return to the level of emissions it produced in 1990. The most cursory review of the evidence, of course, makes it clear that the Global Warming Solutions Act will be unable even to approach its goals without effectively shutting down large swathes of the California economy.
Anyway, just this morning, more evidence of what Trace and I suggested:
Half an hour ago I walked across White Plaza, the usual scene of political activity here at Stanford. Activity on behalf of Prop 19? Zero. Activity to defeat Prop 23? A determined young man, distributing handbills while asking everyone he could, "Have you heard what Prop 23 will do to our environment?"
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Aug '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Global Warming Solutions Act? Perfect!
Last one out of California turn off the lights...
Jul '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Meg Whitman originally called the Global Warming Solutions Act a "dangerous job-killer". Which it is.
Then, under pressure from the Brown campaign, she reversed herself, declaring that she would not support Prop 23.
If this woman has any core belief other than that her money should suffice to buy her way into public office, I've yet to discover it.
Edited on Nov 1, 2010 at 10:34amSep '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
I would have said to the young man " Yes, it will make the environment better or at least leave it as it is now, which is pretty good." As more people lose their jobs because of laws like the Global Warming Solutions Act the less likely they will do the things that the environmentalists want because those things simply cost more to do. If pressed to heat your home, burn expensive fossil fuels or use fossil fuel based electricity, or invest in a wood furnace, which is "sustainable."
May '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
It's really pretty crazy. The Website is www.stopdirtyenergyprop.com and the television commercials have grown increasingly hysterical. Not only will this proposition kill jobs in California and line the pockets of evil, rich Texas oil companies, but they even have an ad with a pediatrician asserting that voting for this proposition will endanger the health of our children.
Re: It's Not the Pot
Wait, was the reference to "Prop 32" (twice) a joke or a typo or did the kid really call it "Prop 32"? Because in that case he might be working for marijuana legalization after all.
As for the proposition, I think it would have been more favorably looked upon if the unemployment figure had been more realistic...say 8 percent. Maybe then some of the less hardline Global Warming mongers would have said, "Yeah, okay, lets hold off for a little while." Unless the idea was to just shut it down permanently, because we ain't reaching 5.5 percent unemployment again for a very long time.
Jul '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Hah! Here in the SF Bay Area, citizens are forbidden to burn wood on government-designated "Spare the Air Days".
Environmental cops patrol neighborhoods looking for tell-tale smoke plumes and neighbors are encouraged to snitch on each other.
May '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
I'm quite content with the environment. Seems to be humming along nicely. Oh, look, Mr Bluebird's on my shoulder.
Dunno about any of you, but I wrote off California a long while ago. Good news is nice, but to be taken with a lick of salt.
Trace and I? I gotta work harder for that Ricochet hat.
Jul '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Pediatricians should stick to medicine:
"Um, does your Daddy have any guns at home?"
"Does Daddy smoke cigarettes in the house? In the car?"
Jul '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Get out of here! Really? How many days are like that? So if you're on vacation and camping, that would be disallowed? Holy cow you all live in a different worl!
Jul '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Shhhhh!!! It only applies to wood-burning fireplaces in the home.
Don't give them any ideas...
Jul '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
As a Libertarian, I've always advocated letting the people of each state vote on the question of drug legalization.
As a conservative Libertarian, I'll be voting against it.
Re: It's Not the Pot
Kenneth
Pediatricians should stick to medicine:
"Um, does your Daddy have any guns at home?"
"Does Daddy smoke cigarettes in the house? In the car?" · Nov 1 at 10:43am
Those two questions were asked of my daughter at a recent check up. But my doctor is a conservative. So I think it's routine to want to know if your child has asthma, why? And if your child is a teen, is there a chance for suicide? (Which is the leading killer of teenagers.) So it's not always about fibbing on the parents. But about that smoke in your chimney? Ummm, I'm telling...
May '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Campfires are safe for now; grilling is next in line. During summer STA days the use of charcoal grills is "strongly discouraged," If you must grill, they say, use gas. But not in your car.
for your entertainment:
http://www.sparetheair.org/Stay-Informed/Particulate-Matter/Wood-Smoke/Compliance.aspx
May '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
The fact that 23 is likely to fail just contributes to my despair over California. There is no common sense here. With some of the highest unemployment in the country and businesses fleeing the state like Okies from the Dust Bowl, citizens can't even bestir themselves to kill that job-killer of a bill.
Even the Lung Association has weighed in with an anti-23 ad. The Lung Association! Is there any proven link between carbon dioxide and emphysema, fibrosis, and lung cancer? If there is, I've never heard of it. But the Left has so thoroughly penetrated all of these charities and foundations that they can be mobilized to waste contributors' money to irrelevant political ends.
California readers, if you are ever asked to give money to the Lung Association, just tell them that you'd be happy to if you could, but you no longer have a job because they helped defeat Prop 23. And by the way, the Lung Association gives virtually no money to fund lung cancer research. Guess they need the bucks for their junk science radio ads.
Jul '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Denise Moss
Kenneth
Pediatricians should stick to medicine:
"Um, does your Daddy have any guns at home?"
"Does Daddy smoke cigarettes in the house? In the car?" · Nov 1 at 10:43am
Those two questions were asked of my daughter at a recent check up. But my doctor is a conservative. So I think it's routine to want to know if your child has asthma, why? And if your child is a teen, is there a chance for suicide? (Which is the leading killer of teenagers.) So it's not always about fibbing on the parents. But about that smoke in your chimney? Ummm, I'm telling... · Nov 1 at 10:58am
Gee, once everybody's medical records are digitized into one huge Federal government database, what mischief might be done? At the very least, expect to pay higher premiums if your kid gives inconvenient answers.
Jul '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Trace Urdan: Campfires are safe for now; grilling is next in line. During summer STA days the use of charcoal grills is "strongly discouraged," If you must grill, they say, use gas. But not in your car.
for your entertainment:
http://www.sparetheair.org/Stay-Informed/Particulate-Matter/Wood-Smoke/Compliance.aspx · Nov 1 at 10:59am
"...strongly discouraged..."?
Do they use a truncheon? Or a Taser?
Sep '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Kenneth
Hah! Here in the SF Bay Area, citizens are forbidden to burn wood on government-designated "Spare the Air Days".
Environmental cops patrol neighborhoods looking for tell-tale smoke plumes and neighbors are encouraged to snitch on each other. · Nov 1 at 10:40am
In my old age, I might just be ornery enough to burn some wood on such days just so I could have some fun messing with the "Green Police"
BTW sustainable in quotes was meant to be tongue in cheek. People used to die of consumption in the old days because they breathed too much wood smoke.
Edited on Nov 1, 2010 at 11:16amSep '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Both Obama and John Kerry (who served in Vietnam btw..) have recently made comments about "facts and science" not winning arguments. Seeing that California residents think they can change global climate with state mandates leads me to agree with the Obama/Kerry sentiment.
May '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Not to speak in defense of of the "Green Police", but I think most commenters here are unfamiliar with the peculiar weather phenomena of the California coastal communities, specifically the "marine layer". On many days chimney smoke in this area will not rise at all. I have seen smoke pour from a neighbors chimney and flow down to street level and right into our house. Hard to imagine but it happens. Car exhausts too are all confined to a slim layer only a couple of hundred feet high. Some days the air down low can get pretty thick, and it's tough on asthmatics like my wife.
We have a neighbor who burns wood in a home fireplace/stove year-round, to the annoyance of much of the neighborhood. Some days I swear its his trash that he is burning in there, for the smell of it. Rather than state regulation I'd rather we applied more direct neighborhood pressure. Perhaps we'll sneak up there when they are out and weld shut the flue...
Aug '10
Re: It's Not the Pot
Anybody that flies to California,esp. Southern , can tell you how much clearer the air is.
The Clean Air Act ,signed by (cue ominous music) Pres. Nixon has certainly done alot to clean up the LA area. Only time I see much smog is when the fires are burning because the Park Services won't clear out the deadwood fuel and it continues to pollute the air with unnecessary fires.
Wel, so much for old Republicans. We have Carol Browner now , it's not about pollution anymore. Controlling industry is the clarion call, and is that sweet music to a liberal ear.