By Rob Roper
For a while now we have been reporting and commenting on how utterly unrealistic, economically irrational, logistically impossible, and downright nutty the policy prescriptions being kicked around by the Vermont Climate Council are. Turns out members of the council and its subcommittees aren’t totally oblivious to this fact either. They are fully aware that they are setting up the elected legislators who ultimately support their recommendations for a political suicide mission.
Ben Rose, a former two-term legislator from the late 1990s, serving on the Rural Resilience and Adaptation subcommittee, put it bluntly, “There are moments when there are things worth losing one’s seat over. … If what we come up with as our highest one or two priorities are things that legislators are told this is worth losing your seat over, that’s the most powerful work the council can do.” (Around the 49:00:00 mark)
Rob Roper is the president of the Ethan Allen Institute.
One wonders if the folks facing the voters in November 2022 are as enthusiastic about taking their proverbial shot of sake, shouting banzai, and flying off into political self-immolation to … NOT SAVE THE PLANET.
Kia Morris, another former legislator no longer facing the voters, cheerily explained, “They [legislators] are going to get some nasty-grams from their constituency. And it will have much less to do with how many points did you bring down emissions, and a heck of a lot more with ‘what happened to these jobs.’”
So, yes, you got that right, elected representatives and senators will be asked to vote for policies that will directly and indirectly destroy tens of thousands of their constituents’ jobs in order to NOT SAVE THE PLANET.
At the September 22 meeting of the Agriculture and Ecosystems Subcommittee meeting, John Roberts defined the council’s priorities: “[We need to] really focus on what is good for the climate. It may not be good for the ecosystem, but what is good for the climate” [emphasis added] (around the 1:47:00 mark). This highlights an important distinction: the kind of renewable energy expansion the council is advocating for — lots of industrial wind and solar — is highly damaging to Vermont’s ecosystems. It destroys ridgelines, covers open pastureland, creates water quality problems, wrecks animal habitats, etc. Preserving these things is the environmentalism most Vermonters ascribe to. The Vermont Climate Council isn’t concerned with damaging our ecosystems so long as they lower greenhouse gas emissions to a level that will NOT SAVE THE PLANET.
So, this is the question legislators will face in January: Do I want to commit political suicide by voting to destroy Vermonters’ jobs, strangle our economy and quality of life with outrageous taxes and regulations, damage the natural beauty and health of our ecosystems in order support a list of impossible goals (42,000 electric vehicles on the roads in 3 years is not going to happen) that, even if implemented will NOT SAVE THE PLANET.
In fact, to say that the measures recommended by the Vermont Climate Council will not save the planet is too generous. As members of the council and Vermont legislators will admit when pressed, Vermont could eliminate all of its greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow and it would have no impact whatsoever on future climate trends or weather events. All of this pain and disruption will be for nothing. Mr. Rose is absolutely correct; any legislator who votes for this scheme absolutely deserves to lose their seat.
Rob Roper is president of the Ethan Allen Institute. Reprinted with permission from the Ethan Allen Institute Blog.
GWSA is all about implementing all sorts of expensive measures to reduce CO2, because that is perceived as “fighting climate change”, which is utter BS, because the sun’s DAILY energy input is vast larger than all of MANKIND could achieve to reduce CO2 in a YEAR.
Those measures will benefit RE businesses, but they will HARM ALL OTHER VERMONTERS in many ways.
Even though I did not need to, I spent $24,000 on three heat pumps, just to prove there would be about 35% of replacement of fossil fuel-Btus by electricity Btus, in my well-insulated/well-sealed, 3,600 sq. ft. house, which I designed and built myself.
This resulted in about $200 of annual ENERGY cost savings, instead of the $1,000 to $1,800 bandied about on various RE-liar websites.
BTW, those lies disappeared after the VT-DPS heat pump survey of users.
HEAT PUMPS ARE MONEY LOSERS IN MY VERMONT HOUSE, AS THEY ARE IN ALMOST ALL NEW ENGLAND HOUSES
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/heat-pumps-are-money-losers-in-my-vermont-house-as-they-are-in
This sad tale is just as bad for EVs and electric buses.
POOR ECONOMICS AND MINIMAL CO2 REDUCTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN NEW ENGLAND
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/poor-economics-of-electric-vehicles-in-new-england
ELECTRIC TRANSIT AND SCHOOL BUS SYSTEMS REDUCE LITTLE CO2, ARE NOT COST-EFFECTIVE
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/electric-bus-systems-likely-not-cost-effective-in-vermont-at
I read an article by Mark of Energize Vermont, in the Valley News, from beginning to end.
It is well written and thoughtful.
Conservation of not-yet-destroyed, important, natural areas is key for Vermont to continue to have a pale semblance of natural habitat conditions existing 250 years ago.
Having more wind, solar and batteries, as advocated by RE-liar websites, etc., would produce expensive electricity, which would burden Vermonters so much, as to be unable to AFFORD that pale semblance, plus the cost of GWSA-induced CO2-reduction madness.
HIGH COSTS OF WIND, SOLAR, AND BATTERY SYSTEMS IN US NORTHEAST
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/high-costs-of-wind-solar-and-battery-systems
He is absolutely right about the ridiculous GWSA looking at only CO2 reduction, come hell or high water.
That act was written by some naive, self-serving legislators, and EAN, VEIC, VT-DPS, GMP, etc., a self-serving cabal, which acts together to represent themselves and a multitude of subsidy-dependent RE companies.
These folks are NOT OUR ALLIES. THEY ARE OUR ENEMIES
My articles show in detail how they LIE BIG-TIME about the VERY-COSTLY CO2 reduction of EVs, HPs, electric school and transit buses, etc.
My comments on TNR have repeatedly point that out.
Regarding my article on the forensic audit of Maricopa County, Arizona, please be assured I will write it, and revise it, as accurately as I can. Unlike the Media, I do not have to sell programs, papers and ads.
STATE SENATE HEARINGS OF FORENSIC AUDIT RESULTS OF ARIZONA 2020 ELECTION
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/state-senate-hearings-of-forensic-audit-results-of-arizona-2020
Forensic audits have virtues, because:
1) They hang out dirty linen, in public
2) How that linen got dirty in the first place
3) They provide education to voters regarding how their Constitutional rights can, and have been, corrupted over the decades.
Perpetrators of fraud ALWAYS are vehemently opposed to such audits, and do their best to sabotage them, as in Maricopa County.
BTW, the scandalous VT-EB-5 fraud, largest such fraud in the US, should have had such an audit.
I apply the same exacting standards to my election articles, as to my technical articles.
I support my statements with evidence from non-traditional Media, because the traditional Media, including the Vermont Media, do not properly cover the subject, as they have become captives of the Democrat party.
The only way to properly read my articles is to also read the URLs.
I recommend you start by reading the Pennsylvania article.
ALL of that fraud took place MONTHS BEFORE the 2020 Election, before the US lay public, including myself, even KNEW ANYTHING about the all the ways to have fraudulent elections.
It has been quite an education for me, and others.
PREPARATION OF UP TO 280,000 MAIL-IN BALLOTS IN BETHPAGE, NY FOR USE IN PENNSYLVANIA MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/preperation-of-288-000-mail-in-ballots-in-bethpage-ny-for-use-in
It may be too late to save the state of VT from all the non-sense that over time (recent time) has been allowed to take root and be real stuff in the cogs of the gears.
I hope I live long enough to see correction, but it ain’t looking good.
We became too comfortable while the wheels turning against us were really beginning to turn, and still are.
God help us.
In truth, Vermomt got saved by COVID. Really. VT was the No# 1 state in all of USA for amount of money gifted by the Gov’t, on a population basis. Billions and Billions…..all for free. I was giving VT about 4-5 years before that until the poop hit the fan….but covid put that off for another few years hence. Vermont depends on “other peoples money”. In normal years VT get’s roughly $2.5 billion (plus) of free money from the Gov’;t….add in COVID?…I bet VT get’s over $6 billion. And all those billions for 625,000 residents?. How is it possible that VT has a ballpark $7.4 BILLION annual spending budget, for 625k people?. Simple answer? Other peoples money! BUT NOT MINE! I am gone & departed almost 3 years now to low tax state…happy as can be….if you are conservative, VT is REALLY bad for your mental health, as well as finances. Take two aspirin and then GET OUT 🙂
This is a short 13 mins talk by climate expert & data collector, Tony Heller…and he lays out the hard facts that all climate change data is manipulated, even fraud. If you have not seen it yet, it IS a must see. This should be made mandatory for every legislator to watch. For the sake of Vermont and the insanity, please watch this and send it to as many as you can.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8455KEDitpU&t=44s
The Climate Council needs to keep the State of California record in mind when writing its final report……..Here’s why:
1. California has perhaps the strictest air quality standards in American
2. California has perhaps the highest taxes on gasoline in the country
3. California has among the highest overall tax rate in the country
4. California has huge amounts of industrial wind and solar development
5. California has rolling power black outs
6. California has perhaps the worse air quality in the country
7. California has total Democrat control of its state government
8. California citizens are leaving the state in droves
9. And the list goes on and on…….All a product of California’s Global Warming Solution Efforts
We await the Vermont Climate Council’s report to see what it has learned from what has occurred in California.
Sorry to say Peter,
I think what they’ll come up with is Komifornia just didn’t
spend enough money on their Greenweeneeism.. and we can do
better…
They are not working for the people, nor defending the constitution. They have a different boss, their boss wrote Agenda 21. The 21 stands for the year 2021.
These people are following the plan. They are working for the United Nations, who wrote out the plan. They are working for the WHO, who gave us the plandemic/scamdemic.
These people will be rewarded handsomely at the next election with money for their campaigns brought to them via all sorts of NGO’s, non profits and probably massive support from the liks of VPIG, VNRC and others.
And they’ll be teaching your kids at 10 years old, with graphic novels of children giving peach other blowjobs and oral sex, and when you protest, they’ll have the FBI investigate you because you protested at the school board.
Who signed Agenda 21, in 1992 down in Rio? George Bush. Remember him talking about the New World Order?
Not all are who they present themselves. You can tell a tree by its fruit. A good tree does not produce bad fruit. Good political parties do not support bad actors, conversely bad political parties do not support good people and plans.
VERMONT has been completely subverted, now what? We have to know where we are before we can plot our way out. TGBTG
Bernies $3.5 TRILLION is an initial down payment for many decades of CLIMATE FIGHTING (tilting at wind mills)?
Oh, no, no, no!
The real purpose is to increase existing government programs, and to create new government programs to REMAKE the US into a CENTRALLY MANAGED, COMMAND/CONTROL entity, as Bernie has been striving for all his life.
The government programs will be used to bribe the largely naive inhabitants of Dem/Prog-controlled cities to vote Dem/Prog forever.
“Global warming fighting” has nothing to do with reducing the world temperature, because mankind’s very puny efforts would completely pale compared to the daily energy input from the sun.
Vermont, in fact, all of New England, could completely disappear, and it would not make one iota of difference regarding the world climate or climate change.
This is all about centralized command/control of all phases of our lives, while the “politically unfavored” are mandated to toil to meet the increasingly nutty GWSA-like mandates of Dem/Progs
About half the world population is exempt from those world-saving toils, by Paris agreements.
Totally ineffective John Kerry flies his private jets worldwide, spewing CO2, while playing the role of climate TSAR.
China folks laugh at him, and ignore him.
Bernie refuses to fly, except first class, or on borrowed private planes to collect his lucrative speaking fees (aka bribes) to fatten his tax-free “Foundation”, as do the Clintons, who detest other folks, and call them trailer trash and despicables.
Life is already great for ELITE Dem/Progs (with Obama in a $15 million compound), and is about to get even better
““Global warming fighting” has nothing to do with reducing the world temperature” … correct, just like the vaccines and masks have nothing to do with health. It is all about control.
I suspect that the initial Vermont Climate Council report and edicts will be mild, to accommodate 2022 elections. 2023 brings us new edicts that will sting and set up Vermont to be worse than California for rules and taxation. The average Vermont voter will have become accustomed to the new edicts by the 2024 election cycle, so Vermont will remain the poster child for big government and socialism.
Anyone remember the “Take Back Vermont” movement? It wouldn’t surprise me if December 1 2021 was the start of the “I Left Vermont” movement- and a good portion of conservative thinkers and voters finally give up and leave the Green Mountains to the liberals.
No amount of money thrown down the sink hole of climate warmongering will
change the climate one iota… China told climate czar kerry to bugger off when
he met with them to discuss the Paris accords and they will continue to build
coal fired plants to manufacture crap products for the world… The only
way to make them lower their evil co2 production is to stop buying their crap….
Rob, What you describe is not new for the far left Democrats, but rather a pattern and actually one that has worked quite well for them. They did this with the Equal access to education bill that became Act 60 and led the way to the now consolidation of public schools with pretty much total state control. They did it again with the civil unions law. It did take both of these to create a Republican majority in the house and some good gains in the senate. But for reasons worth thinking about the Democrats came roaring right back the next election destroying the Republicans majority in the house as well as I think taking 2 senate seats.
BTW, that was the election of my first win in left-leaning Bennington County, as a Republican who did not “play to the voters,” but rather stood solid on limited-government, free-markets, life and natural marriage and all constitutionally protected rights.
The next election was another Democratic roll. Two more senate seats and off to a super majority in the house. And somehow I won again, even after putting in marriage and taxpayer bill-of-rights (TABOR) constitutional amendments proposals for which my own Republican state representative publicly took me to task over. Like most who do not know how to stand up, he soon got defeated by a Democrat that was more than willing to deliver for the left.
So with their new super-majority, the Democrats passed a state takeover of healthcare that had no funding and later collapsed of its own stupidity.
So this risk taking is really nothing new. Each time they know they are moving the needle their direction and perhaps because their base knows they will risk their seats to deliver they work tirelessly for them and soon they have a majority again.
Republicans could learn a lot from the Democrats. Had Republicans not wasted their majority by ignoring the very reasons the voters put them in office, they might have not lost it. It is hard to get people excited to work hard to reelect someone that does not deliver, or even more does not even have the courage to try to deliver, on the issues that elected them.
Rob Roper & Francisco Machado sum up the far left’s madness beautifully. Thank you. Willem Post adds the frosting to their cake. Now, how do we get that message out to an audience bigger than True Norths?
AGW is most rationally identified as a cult. Rational thought is anathema; Dogma is Truth. Biden said it: “We accept truth over facts.” The dogmatic “truth” is that man can control climate by performing irrational rituals and sacrificing as many of the plebs as they can. A characteristic of dogmatic religions is that they declare their dogma as absolute truth not subject to debate, that all disagreements are heresy and all who disagree are to be demonized and shunned (if not executed, at least by getting them fired). And the Popes and Cardinal of the cult? Mansions. Ship sized yachts. Private jets taking them to exotic locals to discuss policy. Increased fuel costs? Tax you for driving your car to work? It’s for the cause. Al Gore: Waterfront mansion. Bird kill? OK. Habitat destruction? OK. Loss of power, deadly blackouts? OK. And you can bet the prelates of the cause have their own polluting generators.
If the elections in Vermont are rigged, as many suspect, these legislators can and will do anything they want, regardless of the damage it causes their constitents.
Stu,
No Legislator needs to lose his seat, because Vermont has recently enacted UNIVERSAL MAIL-IN OF BALLOTS.
CONDOS will send you a ballot, whether you asked for it or not, whether you are in-state, or not, whether you are alive or not, etc.
That means about 150,000 of unused ballots of people who NEVER vote will be floating around all over Vermont.
VPIRG, and others, will be HARVESTING these and other ballots, which is allowed, because Vermont recently enacted UNIVERSAL HARVESTING OF BALLOTS.
These two are measures are insurance for perpetually occupying a seat.