Socialist Forced Crap-Feeding In Austin

It's hard to imagine a better name for a politician than Will Wynn, and he does exist -- but as the mayor of Austin TX he is, of course, a baffoon. As of yesterday, he became the nation's biggest global warming buffoon, leading Austin on an expensive, Quixotic quest to stop global warming.

"Climate change may be the most critical issue we face today. That may seem like a dramatic statement, but all the science points to catastrophic results if we don't quickly get a handle on this growing problem." (source)

If all the science points to catastrophe (which of course it doesn't), why the "may." Wouldn't global warming be the most critical issue we face of the science really pointed to global catastrophe on an unprecedented scale?

Austin intends to reduce emissions of CO2 to "almost nothing" by 2020, Wynn says. Of course he's lying for headlines. The city's goal is merely to have 30% of its power from renewable resources by 2020.

I'm all for conservation, especially if it's market-driven, not Socialist forced crap-feeding, but even if Austin reaches it's goal, it will make absolutely no difference. But don't let facts get in the way of politicians chasing so determinedly after symbolism. The vote came with no cost estimates, details or timelines. Why be bothered with such trivialities when there are headlines to be grabbed?

Related Tags: Global Warming, Austin, Will Wynn
Here's what we know of Austin's plan at this time:

• Imposing very tough green standards on new houses -- which are already more energy efficient than old houses -- while imposing nothing on the residents of old houses, where voters actually live today.
• The new owners of existing homes will get dinged, though, if the city does in fact force energy audits and energy upgrades on all homes at resale. While appliance manufacturers and window companies may think that's swell, realtors and citizens won't like it at all.
  
• Have wind and solar provide up to 30% of Austin's power by 2020. That's a possible, but expensive goal. The problem is that in the summer, when ACs are cranking, the wind is still, so windfarms won't help. In the winter, when heaters and electric blankets are cranking, the solar won't help much. So the capacity of each system will have to be large; nevermind that oil is efficient in winter and summer.
  
• Austin's proposed spiffy new coal burning power plant, which would use the latest technology to burn coal cleanly, apparently would have to be scrapped if Wynn really wants a carbon footprint of "almost zero." But then, brownouts and blackouts caused by power shortages do lesson carbon footprints.
  
• Austin's 38,000-car fleet (why does a city the side of Austin need 38,000 cars?) will be gradually replaced with hybrids, electric and biofuel cars. Nevermind that all have carbon footprints, albiet smaller than conventional gas or diesel engines.
  

Perhaps the residents of Austin actually will re-elect Wynn, even after their electric bills and city taxes soar, even after their ACs shut down on the hottest days of summer. It is a college town, after all, and intellectuals are just stupid enough to keep windmill-chasers (apt, eh?) in office despite their lunacy.