Leading Economists Give Industry Reports on EPA an Incomplete, D, two Fs

The economic impact of current policies for the American Destruction Agency, more commonly known as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have been reviewed & graded by leading economists.

 

The conclusion? EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson should be riding the Short Bus!

From the National Resources Defense Council --

WASHINGTON  (October 28, 2010) -- Recent industry reports purporting to evaluate the economic impacts of policies to keep America’s air clean received unsatisfactory grades from leading economists. Economists from Dartmouth, the University of Wyoming and the University of California at Santa Barbara gave reports from the Manufacturers’ Alliance, IHS Global Insight and Fisher International an Incomplete, D and F respectively.

“These industry groups are attempting to shape vital public health policies with work that wouldn't pass muster in a college economics class,” said John Walke, senior attorney and director of NRDC’s Clean Air Program. “Industry lobbyists are resorting to shoddy economics and outright deception to block EPA rules that could reduce toxic air pollution from industrial plants and save nearly 5,000 lives a year and prevent thousands of cases of respiratory and heart disease. These lobbyists are going further and opposing more protective national smog standards that could save up to 12,000 lives each year.”

For the full reviews go to: http://docs.nrdc.org/legislation/files/leg_10102801a.pdf

Here are excerpts of the reviews from the economists grading these reports:

“Economic Implications of EPA’s Proposed Ozone Standard” - by Manufacturers’ Alliance (MAPI)
Evaluator: Richard B. Howarth, the Pat and John Rosenwald Professor in the Environmental Studies Program at Dartmouth College

Letter Grade -- Incomplete

“The MAPI report is fundamentally flawed, resting on an analytical framework that is scientifically unsound and inappropriate for use in policy evaluation.”

“The report fails to apply standard statistical techniques that are taught to students specializing in the fields of statistics and econometrics.”

“The report would warrant a grade of ‘incomplete’ if it were submitted as an undergraduate honors thesis or master’s thesis in an academic program focusing on environmental policy analysis.”

Evaluation of the Economic Impact of Proposed EPA Air Toxics Rule on Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters – by IHS Global Insight
Evaluator: Jason F. Shogren, Professor, Department of Economics and Finance, University of Wyoming

Letter Grades -- D & F
Application -- D
“Lack of a serious accounting of economic behavior -- no attempt to account for the behavioral elasticities of demand, a high end cost estimation, one-to-one mapping of upgrade costs to demand reduction, not addressing impacts in non-sector gainers within the economy, no accounting for R&D and new technology innovations and entrepreneurship.”

Transparency -- F

“Weak discussion on the basic economic role of responsiveness and substitution possibilities, multiplier justification is unclear, abatement cost assumptions incomplete, unclear, and inadequately justified.”

“Economic Impact of Pending Air Regulations on the US Pulp and Paper Industry,” addressing EPA’s air toxics standards for industrial boilers, by Fisher International

Evaluator -Charles D. Kolstad, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Economics,
University of California at Santa Barbara

Letter Grade -- F

“If I were grading this, I would give it an F. The economics is all wrong (lack of an incidence analysis or acknowledgement of its importance; failure to draw on the relevant literature), which of course would be my main concern.”

“But the paper has some redeeming features -- the English grammar is decent and typically better than I see on a poor paper. Furthermore, I would want to encourage the student to work harder on the next assignment.”

For more on the EPA click here.

Kucinich shows "Phony" Love for the Troops!

Reaching for straws in his attempts to beat back the on coming surge from challenger Peter J. Corrigan for his 10th Congressional seat, Congressman Dennis Kucinich is now trying to act as if he cares about our U.S. Soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. 

Routinely slamming the efforts of our troops, Dennis Kucinich made the following statement about Afghanistan President Karzai’s admission that he receives “bags of cash” from the Iranian government...

“The Karzai regime is so corrupt; it doesn’t even bother to try to hide it anymore. It can’t be voted out of office because the elections are rigged. While Americans struggle to provide for their families, we continue to spend billions of taxpayer dollars to prop up the arrogantly corrupt regime. How bad does it have to get?

 “We know that the War in Afghanistan is longer than any other war America has ever fought. We know that the war has cost U.S. taxpayers more than a trillion dollars. We know that the death toll is rising. We know that more than 1300 Americans have died, thousands more wounded and countless Afghan civilians have died. We know that the civilian death toll is rising, and we know there are fewer than 100 Al Qaeda in Afghanistan,” said Kucinich.

“What more do we need to know? What part of "Get Out" does the Administration not understand? Our presence in Afghanistan is indefensible. Our soldiers should not have to put their lives on the line for this,” added Kucinich.

Several of Kucinich's statments ring hollow with hypocrisy. 

First, while Kucinich takes issue with Karzai taking bags of cash, Kucinich himself had no problems accepting support and bags of cash in the form of donations from many of the people tied up in the Cuyahoga County corruption scandal.

Second, Kucinich just moved to defund the Afghanistan War and undercut the efforts of our troops.  Which is in line with his obvious disdain for our fighting forces as shown when he refused to visit our troops in 2007 and instead met with Syrian President Bashir Assad. Assad is routinely adored & praised by terrorist groups for allowing them to use his country as a Terrorist Safe Haven.  Then praising Syria for their efforts in the Middle East and with their help in the Iraq War, Kucinich stated our troops were illegally occupying Iraq.

Finally, Kucinich asks, "what part of 'Get Out' does the administration not understand."  Well we would ask, "What part of NO Health Care Reform Bill & NO Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants does Dennis Kucinich not understand?"

Standing in stark contrast with the voters in the 10th Congressional District, Kucinich flip-flopped his stance and voted FOR the Health Care Bill vote and is a strong supporter of Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants.

So it appears besides ridiculing him, the Adminstration ignores Dennis Kucinich the same way he ignores the wishes of the constituents he is supposed to represent.

9th Circus Court of Appeals allows Illegal Immigrants Voting Rights in AZ

In another case from the robed clowns on the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, an Arizona law that requires proof of citizenship when registering to vote and proof of identification when casting a ballot was struck down on grounds that it was superseded by the National Voter Registration Act.

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor cast a concurring vote for the opinion which drew praise from the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the League of United Latin American Citizens.

Please Call Me Senator.... (Video)

Call Me Senator from RightChange on Vimeo.

Spending Revolt Tour & Nancy Pelosi Pork Barrel Pig Roast

  In the time it takes you to brush your teeth today...

the Federal Government will spend $47 Million!

The nationwide Spending Revolt Bus Tour is rolling into N/E Ohio for another stop on Monday October 25th at 5:30pm.

Along with the Spending Revolt Bus & some musical entertainment there will be the location exclusive "Nancy Pelosi Pork Barrel Pig Roast." In recognizing the efforts of our Cash for Clunker Congress -- Nancy Pelosi "Pulled Pork" Sandwiches will be served!

Pleas join us as this is sure to be an event you don't want to miss!

• Date: Monday October 25, 2010
• Time: 5:30pm - 7:00pm
• Location: LA Pete's (Click for Map)
• Address: 6080 Brecksville Rd. Independence, OH

Speakers to date include;

• Matt Patrick (WTAM)
• Jim Trakas (former OH Rep)
• Mike Carey (Ohio Coal Assoc.)
• Ralph King (CTPP)
• Walker F. Todd (American Institute for Economic Resaearch)

Please bring a friend and don't forget to sign the Spending Revolt Bus & Spending Revolt Petition against out of control spending!

See ya there!

GOTV Rally w/ Tea Party Patriot's Co-Founder -- Jenny Beth Martin

As part of the Tea Party Patriots nationwide Get Out the Vote efforts, Jenny Beth Martin, Co-Founder of the Tea Party Patriots, one of the people profiled in Tea Party: The Movie & selected for TIME Magazines Top 100 World's Most Influential People will be stopping in Ohio for a visit on Saturday October 23, 2010.

Jenny Beth Martin was one of about 20 people who took part in the original conference call (convened via Twitter hashtag) in response to Rick Santelli's now famous rant that kicked off the Tea Party movement. Come & meet one of the "real" driving forces behind the Tea Party Patriots & the Tea Party movement sweeping the nation!

• Date: October 23, 2010
• Time: 10:00am
• Location: Shula's II (Click here for map)
• Address: 6200 Quarry Lane Independence, OH

Speakers will be;

• Jenny Beth Martin (Co-Founder Tea Party Patriots)
• Rebecca Hiemlich (Americans For Prosperity / State Coordinator)
• Marianne Gasiecki (Mansfiled Tea Party Patriots / Founder)
• Diana Greenwood (New Ashland Tea Party Patriots / Founder)
• Amy Brighton (Medina Tea Party Patriots / Co-Founder)
• Kat Palmer (Westshore Tea Party)
• Rick Mikesell (Cleveland Conservatives)

 Please RSVP to clevelandteaparty@gmail.com if you plan on attending.

We will conduct a neighborhood canvass in District 10 after the rally. We will pass out literature informing voters in this District on the destructive votes of Congressman Dennis Kucinich. Even if you do not live in District 10 -- please join us in our neighborhood canvass after the event.

Remember Dennis Kucinich's sold all of us out on his vote for Health Care, believes in unabated Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants, and in the face of a $1.3 Trillion Deficit -- believes we need even MORE government spending!

Dennis Kucinich; The Anti-American Congressman Supports Code Pink

As Dennis Kucinich, facing a tough reelection bid against challenger Peter J. Corrigan, and his supporters skip around Cleveland telling everyone how wonderful he is -- you can bet the truth about Dennis is not being told. 

Dennis Kucinich, the top Socialist in Ohio, who recently voted to defund our troops in Afghanistan is also a supporter of groups that work against the national security interests of the United States and lends aid to terrorists targeting our soldiers....

From American Thinker --

Last week, American Thinker published evidence that Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) made it possible in 2004 for Code Pink and other radical groups to deliver $600,000 in cash and supplies to enemy insurgents and their families in Fallujah. Two days later, Lt. Col. Robert "Buzz" Patterson posted the diplomatic letter Waxman wrote to assist Code Pink's mission.

Waxman's Republican opponent, Korean War veteran and former Marine Chuck Wilkerson, calls the letter a "smoking gun." He adds, " ... to actively assist getting aid to people who killed and wounded Americans on the battlefield is beyond forgiveness. If aid and comfort were given to the enemy, this borders on treason." Wilkerson is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether Waxman is guilty of "aiding and abetting a declared enemy of the United States in a war authorized by the Congress." Attorney General Eric Holder has yet to comment.

Fellow leftists have attempted to defend Code Pink's actions by arguing that the supplies they gave to the insurgents were merely "humanitarian" in nature. The evidence supports a different conclusion. For example, the radical delegation made a point of meeting with associates of radical militia leader Moqtada al-Sadr and other advocates of killing U.S. troops. The supply mission also served as a propaganda coup for U.S. detractors, attracting sympathetic coverage from an array of hostile international media outlets including Al Jazeera and Iranian TV.

Who is Code Pink?
Code Pink presents itself to the public as a group of "Moms" who oppose violence and war. In reality, Code Pink's leaders are not peace activists at all, but dedicated Marxists who for decades have conducted a political war against the American system that targets the U.S. military.

Delivering supplies to America 's enemies is not a new occupation for Code Pink's leaders. Founder Medea Benjamin helped create the Institute for Food and Development Policy in the 1980s to support Nicaragua 's communist dictatorship in its war against the U.S.-backed Contras. Code Pink's Kirsten Moller and Sandra Brim also worked for IFDP. As the director of Medical Aid, Brim even flew an American neurosurgeon to San Salvador to operate on Revolutionary Party Commander Nidia Diaz, who had been wounded in combat. Two months earlier, Diaz's group had claimed responsibility for the murders of four U.S. Marines and nine civilians.

Medea Benjamin also founded Global Exchange, a forerunner to United for Peace and Justice, the vast "anti-war" coalition led by American Communist Party member Leslie Cagan, and helped organize the destructive 1999 riots against the World Trade Organization and capitalism in Seattle . Benjamin and Cagen teamed up again in 2004 to form Iraq Occupation Watch, which quickly opened a center in Baghdad to encourage American troops to defect and desert.

Code Pink's purpose is to reduce the effectiveness of the U.S. military by all possible means. These include denouncing U.S. troops as war criminals and murderers; manufacturing sympathy for enemy states, groups, and combatants; and coordinating activities with those same enemies. The group works to undermine military recruiting efforts and ROTC programs and lobbies to insert anti-military propaganda into U.S. school curricula. At a typical protest in 2007, Code Pink members and their supporters reportedly defaced a Marine recruiting center in Berkeley with signs slandering our Marines as "traitors" and "assassins."

Perhaps the most contemptible aspect of Code Pink's anti-military jihad has been its relentless harassment of wounded troops at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington , D.C. The group has held dozens of protests in front of the Army Medical Center , loudly chanting slogans and waving signs with thoughtful messages such as "Maimed for Lies." They also lined the sidewalk with a row of mock caskets. Most of Code Pink's hospital demonstrations have been held on Friday evenings, when the recovering soldiers are being visited by their parents, spouses, and children.

Why Fallujah?

Since "humanitarian aid" could have been delivered to any of a dozen war-torn cities in Iraq , why did the leaders of Code Pink and their fellow radicals choose Fallujah?

In late 2004, Fallujah was the last major stronghold of organized resistance to the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq . Long known as a hotbed of insurgent activity, this was the city whose residents had murdered four Blackwater USA security guards the previous March, burned and mutilated their bodies, and strung up two of the corpses on a bridge as a display.

The first attempt in 2004 to control the city had failed, and by November the stage was set for a major military engagement that would cost fifty-one Americans their lives and wound another 560. Such was the environment that inspired Code Pink to collect supplies and cash to support what Medea Benjamin openly described as "the other side."

The evidence clearly indicates that Code Pink's mission gave aid and comfort to America 's wartime enemies in Fallujah, a clear-cut act of sedition made possible by the group's allies in Congress -- Democrats Barbara Boxer, Henry Waxman, Raul Grijalva, and Dennis Kucinich.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/10/an_enemy_within_code_pink_and.html