Daren Bakst

Sacrificing thousands to benefit the few:

Thousands of N.C. businesses could have to apply for permits to release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, state environmental officials say, after a conservative think tank filed objections.

The agency ruled it would focus solely on the largest gas emitters, such as coal-fired power plants. The state Environmental Management Commission adopted the EPA rule. But objections, filed largely by the Raleigh-based John Locke Foundation, put a legal hold on them.

Proving (once again) that all that hooey about being on the side of "entrepreneurs" is just a smokescreen to obscure their whoring for the fossil fuel industry.

Fridays at the Puppetshow are interesting because the understudies typically stand in for Stagemanager Hood. Some are flat-out crazy, but every now and then one makes a point worth considering, as Daren Bakst does today.

The end is near. If we put any more restrictions on where people can smoke, the next thing you know, there will be a law stopping you from sleeping past nine.

Out of my commitment to being a kinder, gentler James, I mostly try to ignore the tiresome talking points emanating from Art Pope's Puppetshow. But every now and then the Puppets write something so sublimely ignorant that it's hard to let it pass. That's what happened today, with the latest "report" produced by Daren Bakst.

Recent high energy prices are taking their toll on the economy, Bakst said. “A Congressional Budget Office study that examined the impact of high gasoline prices on the economy found Gross Domestic Product in 2006 is probably lower by about one percent, or $132 billion, than it would have been if energy prices had not risen,” he said. “In addition, the average household’s annual spending on energy goods and services rose by about $1,700 between 2003 and 2006, and their saving rate dropped sharply.”

The recently published report ("primer") by the John Locke Foundation on wind energy, among other criticisms, posits that wind turbines are "exceedingly deadly" to bird (and bat) wildlife. This puts them, perhaps surprisingly, in opposition to the National Audubon Society, which supports further development of wind energy as an alternative to fossil fuel-based energy sources.

Can this be right? Can a organization that claims to be committed to "individual rights, free enterprise, property ownership, [and] limited government" really be calling for a "'Coast Law' to prohibit construction of industrial wind turbines on the [North Carolina] coast" (emphasis added)?

And what of the Audubon Society? Has an organization dedicated to bird habitat and welfare suddenly elected to neglect its core mission, or worse yet, does it welcome the deployment of "exceedingly deadly" bird-killing machines?

Prompted by recent coverage (1, 2) and criticisms of the JLF's report here on BlueNC, I—not even yet a resident of the state, and ignorant of the existence of the JLF until I joined this community— elected to look into the matter for myself.

Leave it to Art Pope's minions to argue against one of the very few energy sources that could immediately contribute to building a sustainable energy portfolio. And, as usual, their arguments are full of hot air.

RALEIGH – North Carolina needs a “Coast Law” to protect residents from wind turbines that ruin local landscapes, harm wildlife, and pose potential health risks, all while providing an unreliable source of electricity. That’s the key conclusion of a new John Locke Foundation Spotlight report.

Oh. My. God. Now we have Puppets all a'twitter about local landscapes, wildlife and health. Will wonders never stop ceasing?

It must be tough being a poor oppressed Puppet working for Art Pope. Not only do you have to make "reports" day-in and day-out, you also have to make up mortal adversaries. That's exactly what's happened in the latest barrage of pseudo-news from Daren Bakst of the John Locke Foundation.

“For many environmental advocates, Earth Day is a special occasion to scare more people into believing air quality is getting worse,” said JLF legal and regulatory policy analyst Daren Bakst, the report’s author. “Unfortunately, the scare tactics have worked. Too many people think that the air in North Carolina is getting dirtier and harder to breathe. The fact is North Carolina’s air is cleaner than ever and only getting better.”