Irresponsible Leadership

I agree with this U.N. Report, but with serious reservations; the most basic being the assumption that the human race should not impact the ecology. Every Species of animal on this World has had some impact on the ecology, and the rate of extinction of Species is rapid in comparison with post-Ice Age Periods–remember the Dinosaurs, or not! It is true that the human race is outrunning our Food sources, true in the fact that medical advances shortens the life expectancy of the race by increasing the life expectancy of its elements, and true that We burn too much Carbon creating too many Greenhouse gases. Where the Report errs lies in the hysteria underlying it; California fires have produced more Greenhouse gases, than has been saved in improved Carbon use since the passage of Koyoto. Reality states human activity in the United States creates no more Greenhouse gases than would two active volcanos on the North American continent. China, a worse Coal offender, produces no more Greenhouse gases than would three active volcanos in their Country. The Temperatures of the World can be little affected by human action, and Calls for expensive remedial action will be defeated by the World itself. Cooler Air temperatures may allow for larger glacier formations, but also make for more brittle volcanic domes subject to increased rate of breakage; volcanic domes can manage about 48 inches of expansion now, ten Degrees cooler would limit such expansion to maybe only 12-14 inches. Humanity still has not grasped the notion that tinkering with the ecology can be bad, either way One goes.

Risk evaluation firms already seek to minimize the total Cost to Insurers of the California fires, hoping to steady a shaken Market. It is true that much of the Household capital was under-insured, and will not get anything approaching full replacement value. The Costs to the Households, though, will be immense, and Insurers are already establishing a Position to short them of the value Homeowners sought for protection. I do not understand why Market personnel would believe this activity aided the economy, when Insurers will raise Premium rates to pay for legal Costs endured by the attempted Shorts, and the Federal Government stands liable to pay all Shortfalls by venue of Taxation or Borrowing.

I truly liked this Post from Free Exchange. It clearly outlines the limits of corporate responsibility, and because of that limitation, the rationale for limiting Corporate involvement in Politics. Others will say that Corporate involvement is no more than other Special Interests issues, and should be allowed. The trouble with this assessment revolves around the fact that it stands within corporate activity under the process of maximizing Shareholder value to actually buy legislative votes through whatever Means are available; corporations easily possessing the liquidity to fund this Process. lgl