Don's Tuesday Column

            THE WAY I SEE IT   by Don Polson  Red Bluff Daily News   12/03/2019

        Thankful for not being socialists

There are some themes associated with this time of year, particularly recounted in past
Thanksgiving columns, about how socialism and communism are historically provable failures, delivering only Misery, Oppression and Death, or M-O-D. Centuries ago, Governor Bradford’s diary documented lessons of the Pilgrims’ experimentation with literal communal economics. All produced items were put in a “common store,” while each of their group were allowed only what they needed as determined by, of course, an administrator—producing M(isery) and D(eath).

Contemporary leftist/environmentalist/climate alarmists might rationalize the Pilgrims’ M and D—deprivation and starvation imposed by insufficient supplies due to systemic demotivation and laggardly production—as a necessary byproduct of the laudable pursuit of “social justice” or “fairness.” After all, there has never been a case of a communal “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need” system wherein other-than-deprivation, let alone abundance, resulted.

For the pilgrims, the young men were expected to work “according to [their] ability” and produce more food or whatever than they needed. They plainly resented that their efforts allowed families, with only one man fit to work, to take “according to [their] needs,” needs including non-working (maybe pregnant) wives and children. A happy ending had to wait for a decision that, to avoid starvation (M and D) for all, plenty or the lack thereof would be self-imposed as each family was given a plot to till and use for their own needs. The failing of which let other, more productive, Pilgrims live—no M or D.

Thank goodness that the they had no equivalent of the youthful Greta Thunberg, aka “Chicken Little,” lecturing and haranguing her fellow Pilgrims about the imperative to limit their use of resources lest that part of North America somehow become an unbalanced, failing climate. Fact is, the communal model would have been the system that, in her (apparently) infinite wisdom, would have been the obvious means to assure no one had more than they needed, M and D aside.

You think I exaggerate in jest but little Ms. Thunberg has happened upon the core failing, the most imperative, needed transformations: the dismantling of our free enterprise (capitalist to the jingo-spewing alarmists), resource-consuming Western way of life. Use your little search box to enter “GRETA SNAPS: ‘Change Everything,’ ‘Climate Crisis’ About ‘Colonial, Racist, And Patriarchal Systems Of Oppression,’ Fossil Fuel ‘Literally’ Killing Us.” (simply entering “greta snaps change everything” finds it)

“Far-left climate extremist Greta Thunberg unloaded on the world in an op-ed published on Friday, claiming that fossil fuels ‘are literally’ killing mankind, and that they are a threat to “our very existence” as she said that her ‘climate crisis’ agenda is not just about the environment, but about fighting the ‘colonial, racist, and patriarchal systems of oppression.’

“In an op-ed published in Project Syndicate, Thunberg and two other far-left climate activists attacked world leaders over their pro-capitalist policies, writing that ‘the politicians let the profiteers continue to exploit our planet’s resources and destroy its ecosystems in a quest for quick cash that threatens our very existence.’” (Dailywire.com, Ryan Saavedra) Cue Chicken Little’s hysterical “The sky is falling.”

For an example of the counter-arguments, one article from September, “Sorry, Greta Thunberg, but you’re (mostly) wrong,” by Adam Kalkstein, allows that there is warming and humans have a role (the position of most scientists) but focuses on what she completely misses: “First, the science: Despite the tearful claims of stolen childhoods, suffering and death, Greta’s generation has grown up in the most prosperous time in human history.

“Global hunger is at an all-time low. Fewer live in poverty than ever before. Life expectancy is up. Disease is generally down. And all of this has occurred in the face of rising global temperatures…” More people die from the cold than from heat each year, as a matter of fact.

For a Thanksgiving Day-appropriate dose of climate reality, look up “10 Things Climate Alarmists Don’t Want You to Be Thankful For,” by Tyler O’Neil: 10) Global greening—Vegetation growth has increased across the earth thanks to carbon dioxide. 9) Higher life expectancy—In the past 60 years, global life expectancy has increased by 48 percent. 8) Failure of the Green New Deal—It has been estimated to cost between $49 and $93 trillion (seizing everyone’s wealth, let alone just “the rich,” wouldn’t be enough).

7) Ditto the Paris Climate Accord. 6) Transportation—We should all be thankful for modern transportation. Not only can we cheaply travel across continents and oceans, but trucking transported $721 billion worth of goods across America in 2017. Modern city life would not be possible without it.

5) Where's the beef?—Climate alarmists have encouraged Americans to consume less meat, and emphasized the detrimental environmental impact of cow farts…Beef is the second-most consumed meat in the U.S., and cows represent only about 2 percent of the U.S.'s contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. Americans should be thankful for their beef.

4) Fracking—Hydraulic Fracturing has revolutionized American oil production, leading the U.S. to become a net exporter of oil for the first time in decades in 2018. According to some estimates, fracking saved Americans $1.1 trillion over the last decade. 3) Warmer weather saves lives—If the globe really is warming, that may be something to be thankful for. Cold weather kills 20 times more people than hot weather.

2) Petroleum—Alarmists may demonize oil, but without petroleum, we wouldn't have: Aspirin, bicycle tires, cell phones, chewing gum, computers, toothpaste, water bottles — oh, and solar panels!

Finally, we should all give thanks for 1) The American patriot— let’s praise the Americans who fought and died for our freedom…We should be extremely thankful for our veterans, the Founders, and the founding generation. On this point at least, climate alarmists should agree with us.