How Terrifying is Global Warming II

NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg is terrified by global warming. Here’s how scared:

“Terrorists kill people. Weapons of mass destruction have the potential to kill an enormous amount of people,” Mr. Bloomberg told reporters after addressing the U.N. General Assembly, but “global warming in the long term has the potential to kill everybody.”

The long term potential to kill everybody. That’s pretty scary. It’s also complete nonsense. And besides, it’s that the future Bloomberg wants–a future where no human being emits greenhouse gases?

Where are the Barry Goldwater Conservatives Today?

Barry Goldwater (Congressional Record, Sept. 16, 1981):

However, on religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being.

But like any powerful weapon, the use of God’s name on one’s behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both.

I’m frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ and ‘D.’ Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate.

I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of ‘conservatism.’

Mickey Kaus Asks An Importanat Question about Obama

There are quite a few stories like this around–In Virginia, Longtime Republican Votes for Change. Obama is obviously a candidate for change (as was George W. in the day), but what kind of change? Many people seem to think he is rather moderate. But Mickey Kaus asks a good question about that:

Remind me again, what is the evidence–in terms of policies, not affect or attitude or negotiating strategy–that Obama is not an unreconstructed lefty (on the American spectrum–a paleoliberal or a bit further left)? For example, would he roll back welfare reform if he could? … P.S.: One way to know Obama isn’t the black Gary Hart: He’s been endorsed by Gary Hart. …. Update-Reminders: Obama “fails to denounce” free trade. OK, that’s one. …