Nonsensical Drivel

In order to swallow the Kool-Aid, it is often necessary to call it something else. No one would drink water with an infusion of sugar and various chemicals unless you called it Strawberry-Pineapple something or other. You've got to convolute the reality until it is viewed as palatable. It helps, of course, if you are only five years old, can't read the ingredient label, and you like the sweet taste. If you are a resident of Jonestown and you didn't read the label, however, you find yourself bloating in the sun.

Take a moment to read this nonsensical piece which clearly illustrates the principle:

It Isn't a Tax, It's a Reward!

The flaws in the logic scream at you, but if you believe in hope and change you don't notice them. We've increased our productivity and standard of living exponentially since the dawn of industrialization. The contrast to Moore's Law which Mr. Friedman makes is exactly counter to his point. Just as Moore's Law doesn't seem to be running out of life, so also our productivity and ability to actually have more shouldn't be underestimated. There is no "More Tax" only the potential under this concept for more prosperity. The "Carbon Tax" conversely means more taxation on everything we do.

He doesn't find it improbable that the Messiah seeks to have our puny 300 million population create a positive carbon impact globally even as he points out that the population of the world is 6.8 billion. Somehow Friedman skims past that as his environmentally friendly green eyes see world cooperation in this growth stifling proposal when they can't agree on much else. Can he really believe that China, India and Russia, for example, are going to voluntarily match our carbon emission limitation efforts? He sounds like a potential customer for a major bridge in NYC.

Notice the generous acknowledgment of the current "economic troubles" and his suggestion that the draconian carbon tax option be delayed until 2011. Of course, the economic profligacy of the administration will have made it all better in less than two years. In that time we are all supposed to retool our lives with "green" appliances, cars, homes and exhalations. So, you've lost your job, your 401k is worthless, your mortgage is in foreclosure, your health insurance has been replaced by a free clinic and you are going to go on this responsible green spending spree.

Then you will reap the vast reward. It won't be a tax, it will be a dividend! How perverse is that logic?

No wonder the New York Times totters on the brink of disappearance.