Everyone should be waking up to Thomas Friedman’s column in the New York Times today. He puts it plain and clear why McCain-Clinton’s ponzi-scheme “gas tax break” is a ruinous plan for an already nose-diving “energy policy”.
“If you are going to use tax policy to shape energy strategy then you want to raise taxes on the things you want to discourage — gasoline consumption and gas-guzzling cars — and you want to lower taxes on the things you want to encourage — new, renewable energy technologies. We are doing just the opposite.” - Thomas Friedman
Americans should be outraged by their elected officials squabbling over energy policy in Washington. Has the oil industry paid everyone off??? Otherwise Congress’ actions and inaction simply make no sense at all.
Azerbaijan has prevented a shipment of Russian nuclear equipment from getting to Iran. Pretty damn good news if you asked me. It’s going to take more than the United States or France to reign in Iranian Mullahs (not to mention circumnavigating Putin’s rogue policies). Thank you, Azerbaijan!
Russia, being the maverick she is, is refusing to cap its greenhouse gas emissions. Isn’t that the most glorious news? But, seriously, Russia is really refusing to cap its greenhouse gas emissions. Ummm …
I mean, the world puts up with a lot of ridiculous bs when it comes to Russia. We allow her to think she is part of the G-8. We try to treat her like any other First World “Democracy”. We console her as she cries watching her old “allies” defect from the East and realign themselves with Europe, NATO and the US. We try to treat Russia as if it were on an equal playing field with the rest of the industrialized world. And everyone knows its a load of bull.
But the world cannot continue to play into Russia’s distorted self-image and allow the country to blow off initiatives to combat global warming.
We stand back as the country curbs free speech and intimidates and kills its journalists.
We look away as their leader consolidates power through thuggery and manipulation, as the government gobbles up industry and media - silencing any opposition through violence and imprisonment.
We remain neutral as the Kremlin conducts assassination attempts on its whistle blowing defectors in London.
We watch on casually as she threatens her neighbors (allies of the US) with war and expels foreign diplomats and makes trade deals with our enemies.
And we raise no flags when Russia bullies Europe by threatening to cut off its oil supply.
This can be tolerated no longer. Russia needs to be brought in line. As one of the most polluted places on earth, with 100+ acre “dead zones” due to industrial waste and mismanagement, Russia’s environmental policy effects us all.
The carbon and other greenhouse gases which Russia spews with abandon is breathed by everyone all over the planet - especially in the northern hemisphere. Their air is our air and vice versa. Get it?
Russia needs to fall in step with the rest of the civilized world and take steps to reduce her carbon emissions
Otherwise, we need to stop pretending that Russia is a friend, an ally, a legitimate power or a dominate player on the world stage. We need to stop pretending that Putin’s Russia is nothing more than an authoritarian state in capitalist drag. Bad capitalist drag.
Five British citizens who were kidnapped in Iraq over a year ago are being held inside Iran by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. … Um, this ain’t good news: a direct link between terrorism inside Iraq and the government of Iran. Right. This will give the US more reason to consider military force against Iran for its meddling with Iraq. Basically, this nightmare just got prolonged. Ugh.
Ask yourselves this. Are gay people really a threat to the “sanctity of marriage”. Do loving gay persons have anything to do with the sky-rocketing divorce rate? Or single-parent households? Or adultery?
I think not.
Let’s employ a little logic here:
Married people (a term which only extends to heterosexual couples at this writing) are 
responsible for the dismal state of marriage. Those who have been married are responsible for the divorce rate. Those who are already married are responsible for adultery. Those who are or have been “married” are to blame for any lack of “sanctity” in marriage. Married people are the real threat to marriage!
Gay people have nothing to do with it.
The fact is that gay people are going to continue to love each other and have monogamous relationships sanctified in their hearts, by their families and by God no matter what opponents of gay marriage say or do. This is the way it is.
So opponents of gay marriage: wake up and smell the love.
The Supreme Court rejected 11 death row appeals today. This gets us right back on track with our death penalty besties: Iran, China, Viet Nam, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia and Pakistan. Feels good, doesn’t it?