The UK TimesOnline reported on Sunday that Jonathon Porritt, one of Britain’s leading green advisers, will warn that Britain must drastically reduce its population if it is to build a sustainable society. Porritt’s call will come at this week’s annual conference of the Optimum Population Trust. The trust will release research suggesting that in order to feed itself sustainably the UK population must be cut by 50% to 30 million, roughly what it was in late Victorian times.
Note that the advice is not to slow growth, but to cut the current population.
How would this culling be achieved? Where are 30 million people supposed to go? Deportation of immigrants? Deportation of criminals? Widespread use of the death penalty? Large scale doctor assisted suicides? Limited births? Forced sterilization? Forced abortions? Worse?
If births are limited, who will provide for the elderly and disabled? Will culling of the elderly, disabled and weak be necessary?
It seems that Porritt should look at other ways the UK could survive in a sustainable manner. Ensure that most food is grown locally rather than imported; reward home gardening and home food preservation; allow for backyard “farms” in urban areas; or adopt less wasteful lifestyles.
Read it here: UK TimesOnline
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Plan: Rahm Emanuel’s Socialist Plan for America
Barack Obama's Chief-of-Staff, Rahm Emanuel, has co-authored a book with Bruce Reed, president of the Democratic Leadership Council and a columnist for Slate magazine. The poorly written and mercifully short book is modestly titled “The Plan: Big Ideas for Change in America”. A more appropriate title might be “The Attack: An Analysis of the Failure of George Bush” or” The Threat: How Barack Obama Will Turn America to Socialism.” The Plan is an offering of political rhetoric with a liberal amount of Bush bashing and Democratic feel-good commentary designed to stir your emotions rather than lay a foundation for real change.
In spite of its shortcomings, considering that Emanuel is perhaps the second most powerful person in the United States, this is a must read if you want to see where America is heading. (Apologies to Nancy Pelosi.)
Overarching the plan is what the authors call a “new social contract” that makes clear what you can do for your country and what your country can do for you. Thanks, but I’ll just stick with the original contract, the Constitution, although I realize why the authors might consider it a hard contract to follow, with all its restricting laws against big government power to intrude in our lives.
Components of The Plan include:
UNIVERSAL CITIZEN SERVICE: All Americans between 18 and 25 will be asked to serve their country by reporting for 3 months of basic civil defense training and community service. “Young people will know that between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, the nation will enlist them for three months of civilian service.”
Emanuel and Reed insist "this is not a draft," but in order for this part of the plan to come to fruition, a draft must be imposed. Additionally, they warn, "[s]ome Republicans will squeal about individual freedom," which seems to rule out any likelihood of an opt-out. I guess that’s why it’s called “universal”.
UNIVERSAL COLLEGE ACCESS: The Government would give the states tuition grants to make college free.
UNIVERSAL RETIREMENT SAVINGS : Employers would be required to offer 401 (k)'s to all workers. Workers must be enrolled and are expected to contribute unless they make an affirmative step to opt out.
UNIVERSAL CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE: Cut costs to make it affordable. Give small business access to the same health plans as members of Congress.
RETURN TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: End “corporate welfare”.
A HYBRID ECONOMY: Cut American gasoline use in half over the next decade. Accelerate energy research. Embrace the plug-in hybrid auto. End our dependence on Middle-Eastern oil.
Thumbs down for The Plan, both the book and the intent.
In spite of its shortcomings, considering that Emanuel is perhaps the second most powerful person in the United States, this is a must read if you want to see where America is heading. (Apologies to Nancy Pelosi.)
Overarching the plan is what the authors call a “new social contract” that makes clear what you can do for your country and what your country can do for you. Thanks, but I’ll just stick with the original contract, the Constitution, although I realize why the authors might consider it a hard contract to follow, with all its restricting laws against big government power to intrude in our lives.
Components of The Plan include:
UNIVERSAL CITIZEN SERVICE: All Americans between 18 and 25 will be asked to serve their country by reporting for 3 months of basic civil defense training and community service. “Young people will know that between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, the nation will enlist them for three months of civilian service.”
Emanuel and Reed insist "this is not a draft," but in order for this part of the plan to come to fruition, a draft must be imposed. Additionally, they warn, "[s]ome Republicans will squeal about individual freedom," which seems to rule out any likelihood of an opt-out. I guess that’s why it’s called “universal”.
UNIVERSAL COLLEGE ACCESS: The Government would give the states tuition grants to make college free.
UNIVERSAL RETIREMENT SAVINGS : Employers would be required to offer 401 (k)'s to all workers. Workers must be enrolled and are expected to contribute unless they make an affirmative step to opt out.
UNIVERSAL CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE: Cut costs to make it affordable. Give small business access to the same health plans as members of Congress.
RETURN TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: End “corporate welfare”.
A HYBRID ECONOMY: Cut American gasoline use in half over the next decade. Accelerate energy research. Embrace the plug-in hybrid auto. End our dependence on Middle-Eastern oil.
Thumbs down for The Plan, both the book and the intent.
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