A few minutes ago, another writer here pointed to an article by a right wing blogger who is furious about a small financial commitment to help poor nations deal with climate change, but has no problem with a much larger, continuing commitment of military funding. I went to find out more about that blogger, and discovered a fun little time capsule in the form of an anti-Obama artcle from last year.
In October 2008, the blogger warned that if Barack Obama were elected President, he would:
- “Make all aliens aliens into citizens immediately with a vehicle license and voter registration”
- “Let Barney Frank, Christopher Dodd and Chuck Schumer provide mortgages to those who can’t afford a car, let alone a home.”
- “After the election, shut down all forms of dissent including talk radio and cable TV.”
The blogger also predicted of the Congress:
- “Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Dick Durban and John Murtha will be running the show with a supermajority that will provide a “veto” proof vote to ram the democrat’s programs down American throats.”
2009 is almost done now, and none of these predictions have come to pass. Strangely, that blogger has not yet written an article expressing thanks to Obama and the Democratic Congress for having a better record than he had hoped for. When do you think that article will come?
So, a nobody with a blog read by no one represents “the right”?
And since when is $100 Billion a “small commitment”? Why not put $5 Billion toward population management programs instead, and actually accomplish something useful?
Yes, that person represents the Right when tons of other right wing bloggers made similar silly predictions last year.
Yes, that amount committed to helping poor countries deal with climate change is small, when compared to the immense military spending that takes place every year, and when you take into account that the amount the U.S. will be spending will not be 100 billion dollars, but only a share of that, spread over several years.
You have to pay attention to the details, Jenny. They matter.
Thank you for referencing my blog posts at http://www.onecitizenspeaking.com. Tomorrow, Saturday 12/19/09, I will be posting my response to the questions asked by the readers of Irregular Times. I want to take this opportunity to thank my fellow bloggers and their readers for enlarging the scope of the conversation about life in this great nation. Although we may agree to disagree on political and scientific issues, the discussion of current events is all important for the progress of our nation and the individuals who believe in our way of life. May you and yours have a pleasant holiday season. — steve
To Jenny D — from a nobody whose blog nobody reads … It’s not that I am right-wing, it’s that I am rational. My blog was started as an experiment in personal communication as I was tired of shouting at the television and pounding the dash of my car. You would be extremely surprised at who reads my blog, I know I am.
To Green Man — about those pesky details, how can you insure that the money that will be transferred from the taxpayers will be spent appropriately by the recipient and why are you so sure that it is the solution to the problem. I think I would be more impressed if the money was spent on bringing clean water, sanitary conditions, better education, better healthcare and sustainable employment to those in less developed countries. While there is waste, fraud and abuse in our military budget, don’t you find it curious that both parties abhor such waste, fraud and abuse … and yet it continues. Explain that.
I think $100B per year is a lot of US tax payer money for anything. The constitution specifically requires congress to budget for the military, not for poor countries lack of environmental friendly budgets. It can be debated that there’s too much budgetd for the military but its not valid comparison other than money is money. Further, China and India may have a lot of poor who make you and I look stinking rich (I don’t qualify as rich by any Obama standards) but there is a lot of US business tax paying that has gone to those countries with a lot more to follow. Yes the US should do its part and we as individuals have to do our part but how much more should we do for other nations who want our money? China is growing faster and polluting more. It’s time they stepped up.