Today’s unveiling of President Barack Obama’s proposed environmental regulations aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the nation’s power plants will be a blow to the U.S. coal industry, a long-time source of low-cost electricity generation, notes Grumpy Editor.
Look for few media outlets to mention the president’s latest salvo at the coal industry will mean higher power bills to households and businesses. The regulations will favor solar power, wind and other renewable energy sources.
Overlooking North Korea and Iran with their nuclear threats, Islamist extremism, the country’s swelling national debt, growing federal welfare programs and reduced U.S. military forces, Obama for months has been declaring climate change (formerly global warming) as the biggest threat facing the U.S.
Three months ago with a commencement address at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Obama envisioned climate change aggravating poverty and social tensions that can fuel instability and foster terrorist activity and other violence.
Going back to his state of the union address to Congress in January, the president declared, "No challenge, no challenge, poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change."
Even the Pentagon --- with its 23,000 military and civilian employees as headquarters for the U.S. Department of Defense --- is getting into a field far remote from its usual military activities in jumping into backing climate change.
A Pentagon report called “National Security Implications of Climate-Related Risks and a Changing Climate,” was released last week and sent to U.S. combat commanders around the world. It pointed out climate change as an “urgent and growing threat to our national security.”
Meanwhile, while the Pentagon now is focused on climate change, the Army saw a 14 percent shortfall in the number of recruits so far this year as it plans to pare 40,000 soldiers from its ranks over the next few years.
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…
The U.S. economy expanded less than previously estimated for 2012 to 2014. A Bureau of Economic Analysis revealed expansion averaged 2 percent each year rather than 2.3 percent as reported under a prior method of calculating gross domestic product…U.S. consumer sentiment slipped to 93.1 in July from 96.1 the previous month, reported the University of Michigan…Fed rate hike chatter quiet for a few weeks. The Federal Reserve last week dropped hints that it is close to seeing enough improvement in the job market and economy to prompt an interest rate increase next month --- maybe…Gee, only about $3 BILLION? While Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate, said he is worth more than $10 billion, Bloomberg calculated he is worth a mere $2.9 billion. Responded the real estate mogul: ‘They don’t know what they’re talking about”…Where the auto jobs are. General Motors will invest $5 billion over the next several years to develop a new line of Chevrolets via its Chinese partner…Hammering the message. Pitching printers, Staples Inc. ran the same 30-second spot four times during a morning radio news hour, including three times within 13 minutes…More empty desks. U.S. newsrooms last year lost 3,800 jobs, tallied the American Society of News Editors. The job total at year end was 32,900, down about 40 per cent from a 2006 peak of 55,000...How public officials think. With 47,000 fewer weddings a year taking place in Las Vegas vs. a decade ago, rather than cut the marriage license fee to attract more “I do’s,” county commissioners voted to BOOST cost of licenses to $77 this month, up $14.
With AT&T’s acquisition of DirecTV, look for a name change in the satellite TV provider.
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