Sunday, August 31, 2003

"Markets Reward Eco-Terror. So Let's Fix Them" is an interesting article by James D. Miller, an Assistant Professor of Economics at Smith College. Says Miller:

Giving in to terrorists encourages them. Unfortunately, markets automatically respond to eco-terrorism by doing exactly what the terrorists want. If, for example, SUV dealerships were subject to a significant risk of arson, their insurance rates would rise, which would in turn raise the price of SUVs and therefore result in Americans driving fewer big cars.

We need to change economic cause and effect to stop the market from rewarding environmental terrorism.


Read the article to see his proposals.
Kane County, Utah is having a big battle with the BLM. At issue are President Clinton's designation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and control of county roads. On August 13, Kane County Commissioner Mark Habbeshaw and County Sheriff Lamont Smith removed 31 BLM signs from 19 county roads. Reportedly, BLM first initiated a "criminal investigation" of the two county officials, but according to State Rep. Mike Noel, now "BLM's going to put together an independent group to review and investigate the events that led up to the county's actions. Marty Ott, formerly from Tropic and the current State Director for Montana BLM, is coming down to mediate the issue and look into it." Check out articles on this issue here and here.
Charlie Daniels new book, "Ain't No Rag: Freedom, Family and the Flag" is reviewed here. An exerpt from the review by La Shawn Barber:

Daniels's book is a straightforward account of his life and outspoken opinions on the hottest political topics. Politically correct he is not. He is a plain and simple man who worked hard to achieve success in the music business - and he loves his country. How refreshing!

The title of the book is taken from his controversial song, "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag", and is a collection of columns that have appeared on his band's web site. With plainspoken "cowboy logic", Daniels reminds the reader what it means to be an American: love of country, freedom and God. Divided into three themes: "Cowboy Logic", "Why I Love America" and "Faith and Family," the 241-page book is good reading. Daniels makes no apologies for his simple prose and candid views. Having traveled all over the world performing for fans, including U.S. troops, he's done a whole lot of living. He discusses issues like abortion, welfare, illegal immigration, hyphenated Americans, patriotism and his love for Jesus Christ. Daniels warns, chastises, praises, advises and evangelizes.

Land Rights Advocates Allege Bush Administration Betrayal

Land rights advocates (search) are scratching their heads as to why the White House has asked the Supreme Court not to hear two cases challenging seven controversial national monuments named by President Clinton in the waning days of his administration.

During his race for president in 2000, then-Gov. George W. Bush campaigned against the monuments, giving hope to many western landowners who found their private property subject to strict federal protections.

Three years later, the monuments remain, encompassing millions of acres of land in places like Montana, Oregon, Nevada and Idaho, where the government already owns huge chunks of untamed wilderness. And some property owners are becoming disillusioned.


It appears the Bush Justice Department is sticking with tradition and defending the actions of the previous President. They are doing the same with abortion clinics.

Saturday, August 30, 2003

Edward O. Wilson, Professor Emeritus at Harvard, in his piece "Bush's Forest Plan Worse Than Fire", labels this summer's savage fires "the ecologist's equivalent of a perfect storm". Says Professor Wilson:

The best way to avoid these catastrophic fires is by trimming undergrowth and clearing debris, combined with natural burns of the kind that have sustained healthy forests in past millennia. Those procedures, guided by science and surgically precise forestry, can return forests to near their equilibrium condition, in which only minimal further intervention would be needed.

On the other hand, the worst way to create healthy forests is to thin trees via increased logging, as proposed by the Bush administration.

Wilson goes on to say:

America's national forests are a public trust of incalculable value. They should be freed from commercial logging altogether. The time has come to free them from political partisanship and use their treasures to benefit all Americans, now and for generations to come.

No word from the good professor about the mismanagement of our forests. No word about the economic and ecologic devastation caused by these fires. Perhaps we need a surgically precise "perfect storm" in the Harvard area, eh professor?
Montana environmental groups vow to oppose all salvage logging and the Healthy Forests Initiative:


"We think salvage logging impedes the recovery of these burned areas," said Jake Kreilick, executive director of the National Forest Protection Alliance. "We are opposed to salvage logging."


And Ag Undersecretary Mark Rey responds:

"I suppose these folks will appeal and litigate projects enough so some of the work needed to be done will in fact be stopped," Rey said. "And those moonscapes will stand as a monument to that idiocy."


For the entire article go here.
In "The Costs of Turning America Green" Henry Lamb takes on the New York Times and the environmental community:

The tragic fires that destroy far more forests and wildlife than the "greedy" loggers are the direct result of the "save-the-old-growth" garbage spouted by environmentalists. The rising costs of energy, as well as the increasing unreliability, are the direct result of environmental policies that block the use of domestic oil, gas and coal. The skyrocketing property-tax rates are the direct result of the environmental agenda that demands government ownership of all remaining open space. The staggering escalation of housing costs is the direct result of environmental policies that limit the availability of building sites.