PrintFebruary 16, 2010
The Oppressive Climate in Cambridge
Cambridge Massachusetts, home of Skip Gates, Harvard University, MIT and the Cambridge Climate Congress is taking the lead in battling the climate emergency. I am reminded of a line from the motion picture 1776. In his frustration with the Continental Congress, John Adams (a Harvard alumnus) says "I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is a disgrace, two are called a law firm and three or more become a congress."
Oblivious to the record snowfalls and cold weather that has slammed the east coast and totally unaware of the climate-gate scandal which has rocked the climate change industry, the Cambridge Climate Congress is forging ahead with plans to tackle a perceived climate emergency.
The CCC's 20 page report which is available at FoxNews.com contains the usual array of new taxes and fees including a progressive carbon tax (voluntary at first), a tax on plastic and paper bags provided by Cambridge retailers, a tax on certain (as yet unlisted) packing materials, increased rates for parking meters and increased fees for parking permits which will have additional charges for SUVs and gas guzzlers and all of which will have a built-in annual increase.
To further reduce carbon emissions from motor vehicles, the CCC suggests the reduction of curb-side parking and the transformation of certain shopping areas like Harvard Square into pedestrian only districts. Of course the reduction of convenient parking will coincide with an increase in the fines for parking tickets. There will however be more bike racks and greater access to affordable public transportation (free for city employees) to help wean the people from their dependency on private motor vehicles.
Just to ensure fairness the good folks at the CCC are also pushing for "Environmental Justice" so that the disadvantaged will not be burdened by spirling costs and additional policies will be implemented to help improve the lives of those disadvantaged. This should not be confused with redistribution of wealth. The CCC also has a plan to transform "monocultural use" open space into public green space. "Monocultural use" is the CCC code for a municipal golf course, how's that for environmental juctice!
Other suggestions in the CCC's report include "meatless Mondays", the promotion of a vegetarian lifestyle, disincentives (taxes) placed on beef, pork and lamb, disincentives (taxes) for the purchase of non-regional foods, incentives (possible mandates) for local grocers and retailers to provide local or regional foods and promotion of year round farmer's markets.
If the suggestions contained in the CCC's report (only the tip of the iceberg has been listed here) were to be adopted by the City of Cambridge one can only imagine the climate of oppression that would be enabled. No doubt many people with the wherewithal to move would vacate the city for freer though not necessarily greener pastures.
Just a suggestion of my own for those Cambridge residents contemplating a move, you should at least consider the beautiful State of Utah. Why Utah you ask? Well The Salt Lake City Tribune reports that:
The House adopted a sternly worded resolution declaring the body's deep skepticism over current climate science and called for the federal government to halt carbon dioxide reduction programs. Rep. Kerry Gibson said that by pursuing cap-and-trade policies, Washington is engaging on a path that could destroy Utah's way of life.
Of course the Utah Legislature's resolution (which passed 56-17) is non-binding, but much as with the CCC's report it is an indication of the mind set of the participants. One could almost say that the Cambridge Climate Congress has acted stupidly in this instance.
