So you think that there's absolutely nothing that ever gets done that isn't ultimately good rather than bad? That's a very pessimistic view. For example, don't you think that increasing tailpipe emissions standards is a good thing overall, and in the long run helps everyone? barfo
Sorry, I wasn't clear. I don't think that if what I am saying is true that nothing good would ever get done. Some good things could happen, but with current Dem and Republican leadership the overall trend is that more is given to the elite and more is taken from the general population. Increasing tailpipe emissions standards is a good thing, but if that comes with committing us to (or unnecessarily exposing us to the long term risk of needing to) burn fossil fuels in our cars it is not a good thing, overall.
Why is this the case? Is it because more people are in the middle or just sick of being force fed from media and national committees? Are the extremes driving people away from party affiliation? IMO, probably some of each and more. Voters Who Identify As Independents Skyrocket ...Forbeshttps://www.forbes.com › Business
The extremes, yes. The alternative is that they are the same. Those are your choices. You get a psycho who wants you to believe they are a wizard (and is somehow capable of getting 30% of the population to enthusiastically agree) or you get a rich person who will smile at you and tell you nice things while they gently bend you over a barrel and violate you, your family and every one of your descendents for at least generations.
I've never liked the party system. I became non-affiliated back in the 80's. The only complaint that I have is that in Oregon I have no say as to who the candidates in a general election are going to be. Oregon needs to have open primaries. Primary voting should be open to all registered voters. IMO
Good question - I can't imagine how that would work - people should only have a single vote in any given election. Ideally all candidates would be on a single ballot regardless of party affiliation but I think that's pretty much a pipe dream, at least in my lifetime.
Ok. Not sure cutting off ICE vehicles immediately has yet been an achievable option, although it will be one day. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. barfo
It's not such a pipe dream, other states have that, including California - although not for presidential elections. barfo
If our leaders are being funded by the fossil fuel industry they are going to side with the fossil fuel industry over us. If emissions standards or carbon capture does prevent a bit of greenhouse emissions but replaces or leads to the delay of other policy that would eliminate or drastically reduce overall fossil fuel usage sooner then it is a net negative. Carbon offsets would be a good example. Plastic "recycling" would be another.
Until there’s an emissions standard with no exceptions (e.g., for trucks and SUV’s) any emissions standard is effectively toothless. Car companies will just stop selling anything smaller than crossovers to the US, because the exception is the way to get out of doing extra work. Companies are lazy cheapskates and will always be. Regulations only work when they have to be followed.
Problem with hydrogen is that it's an incredibly inefficient process to make it (losing 30% of the energy) and store it (losing another 10%) then you lose like 1% of it's mass per day in storage (in incredibly expensive tanks). And after all of that you run it through an internal combustion engine in which you lose another 50% of what energy you do have left. And it is most cost effectively made from natural gas. And the natural gas portion is not an environmentally friendly solution either.
And I'll agree that hydrogen could well have a place in our energy grid. I just don't know how it would work. If we could come up with a way to store it, then outlaw making it from natural gas... Or maybe just get the environmental impact tax and dividend going... Then it would have a chance of being used for good. Maybe using AI we come up with a model that will point us in the direction of a material which can actually keep the stuff from slipping right through the wall...
Fox has found proof of Biden's decline: ice cream! Yes, Biden is fond of ice cream. His favorite flavor is chocolate chip. But chocolate chip is not one of the top five most popular ice cream flavors. Obviously Biden is unpopular. And also in mental decline because he chose unpopular flavor. Young girls select a shade of lipstick because Taylor Swift uses it. But if I thought Biden was greatest political leader in world history it would not affect the flavor of ice cream I eat.
