An example of trickle down economy insanity from the Green movement
Bookworm on Jul 27 2009 at 2:41 pm | Filed under: Uncategorized
You can read the whole article, but the first two paragraphs pretty much tell you everything you need to know about the economic irrationality of true believers:
A Pacific Gas and Electric Co. program that asks customers to fight global warming by paying a little extra on their electricity bills has enrolled just 31,000 people and takes far more money to run than it generates.
Now PG&E wants to extend the ClimateSmart program, even as consumer watchdogs question whether it’s worth the money.
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3 Responses to “An example of trickle down economy insanity from the Green movement”
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Yep, you’re right. It is a good example of economic irrationality of true believers.
But, what I liked most in reading it was the one comment added below the article:
“Didn’t the same environmentalists say we MUST have MTBE added into our gas? How did that work out?”
Gotta love the “power” of the web where common sense can sometimes speak up.
In related news, NBC has cancelled its new show “Sam I Am, The Unicycle Man” after only three episodes, due to its failure to attract an audience.
In tonight’s final airing, Sam, the intrepid crime solver on his unicycle, chases down a gang of Christian white fundamentalists who want to seize a plane from the LA Airport and fly it into the nearest tall building.
Sam’s producer, Renfield C. Reesenbonkers, is troubled but promises he won’t engage in violent protest. “We think ‘Sam’ is the most topically relevant show on the air”, he said in the constantly whiny voice that is pervasive among metrosexuals and has been popularized by Michael Cera recently. Last week’s episode where he taught a group of coal-loving schoolchildren to honor their carbon footprint had us simultaneously in tears and yet with delighted smiles for the honor of Mother Gaea,” he said. “This is just a travesty. It’s beyond words.”
“I’d rather not cancel ‘Sam’ due to its extraordinary relevance to our times,” said Susan B. Hoodwinker, programming director for Tuesday nights on NBC. “But we’ve received only one letter in support of the show, signed by four people. They said, ‘This is the bestest, the very bestest show we ever seen on our TV.’ But unfortunately as far as I can tell, they’re the only four who are watching.”
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There’s actually some good info in the full article. One can come up with examples where it’s acceptable for good money to chase bad. Sometimes a genuine quality TV show (for example) does need a few years to build an audience. But this Pacific Gas And Electric global warming program is not one of those cases.
- They’re not even close to their own estimates of how many consumers would join.
- There is no indication in any of its trends that they will ever meet the expected numbers.
- They have failed to meet every criteria mandated at the three-year window for the program.
It is in the nature of enthusiasts/fanatics to save what they cherish.
But there’s something else going on here than just enthusiasts/fanatics…
What we also have here is the typical government program that refuses to die. Even in this extraordinary case, where requirements were spelled out clearly, in advance, for allowing or disallowing the program to continue, the bureaucrats in charge of the program are fighting to keep it alive, no matter what.
Government programs, like vampires, simply never die. If the commission has any sense, they will put the stake through the heart of this one, providing the rare exception.
But only if concerned consumers keep shining the light on it and protesting.
I’m so glad that my utility dollars are so plentiful that PG & E has them to burn. Like the half mil they donated to the “No On Prop 8″ campaign.