Tuesday, February 12, 2008

The alarm industry

From this post:
...it is clear this latest strand of virulent fundamentalism - carbon fundamentalism - is tolerated and indeed encouraged by virtually all powerful vested interests on earth. Here’s why:

* Insurance companies get to charge higher premiums
* Fossil fuel companies get to keep prices (and profits) high
* Politicians get to enact new taxes
* Public sector entities get new tax revenue to fund their pensions
* Environmental organizations get more funds
* Left wing activists get a new basis to attack private ownership
* Labor unions get more jobs, especially in the public sector
* Lawyers get a new basis to file lawsuits
* Wall street gets to trade emissions credits
* Climate researchers get more grant requests funded
* United Nations bureaucrats get a guaranteed revenue stream

And along with those special interests, sadly, add the inspired hoards of greentech entrepreneurs who are spending precious time groveling for carbon-offset funded subsidies and other government handouts, instead of pursuing innovations that win competitively in the free market.

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