Horner IV: the politics and economics of Global Warming

More from Christopher Horner's The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming and Environmentalism...

I'm dividing this review into four parts: some lovely quotes on global cooling; his discussion of global warming and cooling; "the debate" including the tactics of those in the "consensus" view; and the political and economic responses (below).

Horner opens his preface by noting that "global problems demand global solutions...thus helping to bypass the irritating obstacles posed by sovereignty and democratic decision-making" (p. xiii).

We see the same sort of thing with the "trade deficit" (in goods and services). A problem is blown-up and extended to a national concern, implying national solutions are required (protectionism).

Interestingly, from the apocalyptic rhetoric, Horner wonders whether any policy imaginable would solve the problem. He cites Gore who compares all of this to World War II and wonders whether Gore's war will also feature "internment camps, food and fuel rationing, and conscription" (p. xiv).

Horner spends a lot of time on how little Kyoto is expected to do-- even if you got compliance and virtually ignoring its impact on the economy and individuals (especially the more marginal). In any case, he notes that Clinton and Bush both deferred on the issue-- despite clamoring that Bush was different/worse (p. 277). Horner documents Enron's primary role in Kyoto and their connections to the Clinton administration (p. 194-199). And Horner also has words for John McCain (p. 252):

At least Senators McCain and Lieberman have the humility to declare theirs to be "a modest first step". One trembles for the economy when they imagine Mr. McCain's immodest second step.

Greens are sometimes nicknamed "watermelons" (p. 7)-- green on the outside and red on the inside. Of course, this is ironic, given the environmental records of Communist countries (p. 8). In fact, capitalism (including regulation for externalities) offers the best way forward.