Join the Campaign to Suspend AB 32

Why are Democrats to intent on doubling down on stupidity this year? Despite repeated set backs that indicate their agenda is not popular, they forge ahead, seemingly oblivious to the looming electoral disaster that awaits them. Health care, cap and trade, amnesty are a few examples. At the top of the Democrat ticket in California both the nominees for governor and lieutenant-governor, Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom are still supporting the so called Global Warming Solutions Act, AB 32. I think it gives the Republicans an opening in an otherwise challenging political environment. (Jerry Brown is touting the creation of a "Renewable Energy Jobs Czar" who will singlehandedly create 500,000 green jobs. Beyond parody.)

The proposed repeal is actually a very modest roll back, saying only that its draconian provisions would be suspended while unemployment remains above 5.5%. Just a quick common sense note. How can anyone in their right mind think that California, by itself, make a dent in carbon emissions. Given that energy production and use are somewhat fungible, at least on a national scale, doesn't this effort ignore physics and economics.

Here is some of the pretzel logic used in support of AB 32, courtesy of reason.com:

AB 32’s proponents say it will create a plethora of new “green jobs.” Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta, founder of VPC Energy and of Strategic Energy, Environmental & Transportation Alternatives, recently declared, “When it comes to job growth, there is substantial, irrefutable evidence that growing more efficient and greener will create jobs, not kill them.” That, she explained, is “why I am heartened that CARB’s new economic analysis reaffirms the benefits of implementing California’s Global Warming Solutions Act.”

Verdugo-Peralta was referring to a March report from the California Air Resources Board, the agency that will oversee carbon rationing. Its analysis finds that implementing emission cuts will increase the price of electricity by up to 20 percent, the price of natural gas by 13 percent to 76 percent, and the price of gasoline by 6 percent to 47 percent.

Wow! If I had only know that increasing energy costs resulted in more jobs; I guess I forgot about the famous example of the 1970s, where the Arab oil embargo resulted in record dips in unemployment.

Temple of Mut alerted me to the opportunity for the Tea Party to make a difference on this issue. Besides suspending a stupid law, good turnout on this measure may help defeat leftist candidates supporting such tomfoolery. Check out the Proposition 23 web site and support the effort to suspend AB 32.