Hysteria !

Growing Number of Americans See Warming as Leading Threat is the headline in the Washington Post, and is it any surprise, given the full-on propoganda campaign the media has been conduction? Type the phrase "Global Warming" into Google News Search, and you get over 30,000 articles in the last 30 days. Let's look at some of the solutions offered, and where they will take us:

One in five favors higher taxes on electricity to encourage conservation, and about a third support higher gasoline taxes. Sixty-two percent of those surveyed say the government should require power plants to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Forty-two percent think the government should require greater fuel efficiency for vehicles, something both the administration and Congress back, and 36 percent want to require manufacturers to produce more efficient air conditioners, refrigerators and other appliances

Higher taxes on electricity? One cycle of bills will be all it takes to get folks screaming, and to wipe the sanctimonious smirks off the faces of vote-counting Democrats. Will they try to stagger the bills, making the "rich" (you know, anyone who earns more than $60,000/year) pay even more to carry the electric bills of the poor? Again, one cycle - either billing or election - and this charade will end.

Higher gasoline taxes? The ultimate regressive tax on the poor. Since the government makes more of a profit than the oil companies on each gallon sold, shouldn't taxes be cut? Or is commuting to work now an activity covered under liquor and cigarette "sin taxes"?

Require power plants to reduce emissions? Not a bad idea, but see the whole 'taxes on electricity" thing above - how much of a economic toll for a 0.0001 reduction in greenhouse gases? Don't ask China, they are building two new coal-blowers a week....

Greater fuel efficiancy for automobiles? They already make plenty of fuel-efficient cars, and they sell just fine. At what point to you force automakers to build cars out of tin to shave off another hypothetical 1.7 MPG highway/ 1.9 city ? And how many kids need to die in previously harmless fender-benders just to feed Al Gore's ego? Of course, you can try to take my Jeep away - when you can pry it from my cold, dead hands, of course....

More efficient appliances? Another great idea, except - how long can President Edwards stay in office when only the rich can afford air conditioning and refrigerators, and the rest of us are reaching in our iceboxes for some warm water to drink out on the fire escape?

Some of these solutions sound easy, and this poll gives the WaPost the headline it wants, but I reckon not one respondant was given the personal economic costs of any of the solutions proffered in this sorry survey. If we do it the Washington Post's way, we'll all have plenty of clean cool air to breathe - 'cause we'll be living in trees.

But that's just the kind of progress the so-called "progressives" want. Ironic, ain't it?

Bring it on, please...it's the kind of liberal political suicide the JerseyNut just looooves to watch...

UPDATE 4/21: Some "Green Myths "to check out in today's NY Post !