Are You Ready for the Day the Lights Go Out?

Because it's coming. Someday in the not-too-distant future we in the United States are going to suffer blackouts and brownouts on a significant and fairly consistent basis.

If we stay on the same course we're currently on, sometime, likely in the next decade or so, we are not going to be able to generate enough power to keep the lights on all the time.

It's not that we don't have the technical know-how or the available resources to provide sufficient electrical power. We do. It's not that power companies are unable to produce enough power to meet demand. They are.

When it happens it will be entirely the result of misguided government policy. Over the last decade or so we have shunned cheap, reliable sources of energy to chase a liberal pipedream and, if we don't change course, it's going to have serious consequences. Although they certainly didn't start this soon-to-be-regretted trend the Obama Administration is accelerating it.

The latest threat is from what is called the Utility MACT Rule or, as it has more accurately been called, the Blackout Rule because of the likelihood it will result in massive losses of power. As a Wall Street Journal editorial this week reported,

The threat is that the EPA is triggering what NERC calls "an unprecedented resource-mix change," with utilities switching to natural gas from coal. For the first time in U.S. history, net coal capacity is in decline. On top of the 38 gigawatts of generation that is already being run below normal levels or slated for early retirement, NERC [National Energy Regulatory Commission] predicts another 36 to 59 gigawatts will come offline by 2018, depending on the "scope and timing" of EPA demands. That could mean nearly a quarter of all coal-fired capacity.

According to the report, "the nation's power grid will be stressed in ways never before experienced" and reliability depends on building new power plants to cover the losses. But the electric industry has only three years to comply under one EPA regulation known as the utility rule that is meant to target mercury and is due to be finalized soon, while many other destructive rules are in the works.

Replacing power is not like replacing a lost cellphone. There are bottlenecks in permitting, engineering, financing and building a new plant and then tying it to the electricity network. Over this same three-year window, NERC estimates that between 576 and 677 plants will need to be temporarily shut down to install retrofits like scrubbers or baghouses.

The EPA could release this rule as soon as December 16.

At a time when our energy needs are increasing we are not only not building enough new power plants we are reducing the capacity we currently have. Here in Nevada, a few years ago we had three coal-fired power plants planned that would have produce 3.75 Gigawatts. But Senator Harry Reid publicly opposed them and over the course of the next couple years these plans dropped off one by one.

This is an absolutely dangerous situation. And policies such as the Blackout Rule are hastening the day when we will no longer be able to produce enough power to meet demand.

When these policies begin causing massive price increases and blackouts, expect the politicians and bureaucrats to demagogue and point their fingers at the power companies. But, as the WSJ explains, "when the brownouts and cost-spikes occur, don't blame the utilities. Blame their regulator." And the politicians, we would add.

Battle of the Ads

Powerful new ad by Newt Gingrich. Quote: "We can and will rebuild the America we love"



Newt could have used another take on the opening few lines - they don't sound as natural as they should. Overall, though, it's a great spot.


Perry on faith. Quote: "As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage."



Perry looks and sounds confident and composed, everything he hasn't been in the debates.


Romney with "Leader". Quote: "If I'm President of the United States, I will be true to my family, my faith and our country and I will never apologize for the United States of America." (Are those shots at Obama and Newt?)



Let me stress that I am firmly undecided on my choice for President. But I will post videos presented by the campaigns that are good, bad or otherwise noteworthy.

"A Date Which Will Live In Infamy"

Seventy years ago, December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States officially entered World War II.



The goal of the United States was "complete and absolute victory over the forces of evil."

Occupy LV Makes Another Grasp at Relevance

The radicals, statists and professional protesters who comprise the leadership of Occupy Las Vegas descended upon the offices of Nevada's congressional delegation but came away disappointed when they didn't get kicked out of anyone's office.

Some protesters came prepared for confrontation but the interactions generally were peaceful.

"We figured we'd get run out of one office before we went to another," said Sebring Frehner of Las Vegas, a student at Nevada State College sitting in Heck's office. "We are not amateurs at this. We know we are going to get run out."

"Getting run out is kind of the point," said Debra Dickerson of Washington, D.C.

In the Nevada delegation, organizers targeted Heller and Heck, who have drawn the ire of activists and opposition from Democrats after taking positions in favor of revamping Medicare and for questioning the long-term viability of Social Security without a similar restructuring.

"Given the limited amount of time we wanted to make our voices heard to those we think have been the most unresponsive in listening to the concerns of everyday Americans," Fadie said.

While they may be capitalizing on the concerns of everyday Americans what they stand for is far from anything that is supported by everyday Americans. It is the agenda of a narrow group of leftists, radicals and government union members who want a government that is already larger than ever to become even more expensive and more intrusive and to control even more of everyone's lives.

They are completely oblivious to the collapse of Europe, which is a direct result of the policies that the more moderate among them advocate. The more radical among them would go even further.

Of course they concentrated on the Republican officials, as Occupy Las Vegas is a product of the unions and left-wing groups that are the major constituency of the Democrat party. The Occupiers are advocating the same big government agenda the protesters at the Legislature pushed for earlier this year.

In fact, the leadership of Occupy Las Vegas are many of the same people who participated in those protests. They've simply moved on to to this movement, or their bosses have instructed them to become involved in this movement, whatever the particular case may be.

We have to give the Las Vegas Occupiers credit, though. They have not had many of the same problems with crime and filth that have characterized many of the other Occupy settlements around the country. On the other hand it has made them rather boring. Looks like they're trying to spice things up a bit.

Who Are the Parasites Draining Union Dues?

LaborUnion Report has released November's Union Corruption Report. A sampling:

On November 17, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Tommy Harris, former Secretary-Treasurer of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1230 (located in Griffin, Ga.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement totaling $24,646.82, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by OLMS Atlanta District Office.

On November 17, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Kevin McKnight, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 1390 (located in Laurence Harbor, N.J.), was charged in a one-count information with embezzling union funds in the amount of approximately $68,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). McKnight then pled guilty to the charge. While Secretary-Treasurer, he withdrew approximately $68,000 from the union’s bank account for his personal use. The sentencing is scheduled for February 28, 2012. The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.

Nothing on the list from Nevada. In fact, virtually all of this month's transgressions were from the East Coast and Midwest.

Brookings Study Waves the Flag for Crony Capitalism

NPRI's Geoff Lawrence looks at the Brookings Economic Diversity study and came to a familiar conclusion. Great minds think alike, I guess.

Lawrence identifies a number of flaws in the report - from repeating the myth Nevada is a low-tax state to the flawed assertion more funding will improve education to pushing for more green energy despite the fact that will increase the state's already-high energy costs to the promotion of crony capitalism.

The document presents a severely defective plan that pushes the omnipotence and infallibility of government as the solution to the state's current economic woes.

Instead of focusing on the many ways government and Nevada's most powerful special interests have long fought the natural diversification of Nevada's economy, "Unify, Regionalize, Diversify" urges lawmakers to pick economic winners and losers. It is a roadmap for crony capitalism — not for successful economic development.

Nevada's citizens and lawmakers should reject the report's underlying premise — that government does a better job running the economy than individuals working in a free-market system — and most of its recommendations.

Lawrence's analysis is excellent and well worth the time.

100 Incredible Views Out Of Airplane Windows

Awesome photos from all over the world.

via Instapundit

Crazy

I'm not a Ron Paul fan. I agree with about 80% of what he says but he really loses me on the other 20%. Of course, most of his supporters like him because of that 20.

One thing he does have is a lot of rabid and creative followers. Which is how they come up with ads like this, which I have to say is excellent.

Dems' Payroll "Tax Cut" Isn't a Tax Cut, It's a Loan that You And Your Kids Will Have to Pay Back

While Democrats have been demagoguing the payroll tax cuts (and tax increases on high-income earners) the reality is these "tax cuts" are not really tax cuts at all but are loans that will need to be repaid. And the proposed tax increases don't do anything to reduce the amount of the loans. Furthermore, they could hasten the day Social Security will run out of money.

The 2% payroll tax cut comes directly out of the contribution each of us makes to Social Security. It lowers the amount we pay into Social Security from 6.2% to 4.2% of our gross pay. That, and the employer match, are the only funding that Social Security receives.

So that money will have to be made up in the future by increasing taxes. Either that or the Social Security Trust Fund will be depleted even sooner. Or both.

When Trust Fund runs out the law requires that Social Security benefits must be cut immediately so that SS outlays are not greater than SS income. At the current projections that would be about a 30% cut in SS benefits. Who thinks that's going to happen?

The taxes that Democrats proposed be raised to make up for the lost revenue are not directed to Social Security. So they will only allow Congress to increase current general spending and will have no effect on current or future SS obligations.

The result of all of this is that, unless spending is reduced, the money that we are allowed to keep from these "tax cuts" will have to be paid back some time in the future, with interest. Since the people pushing this have no intention of reducing spending, all they are doing is allowing us to keep a little more money now while making us promise to pay them back more later. Some tax cut.

Duane Lester at All American Blogger has an excellent post on the subject.

Evidence Shows Policy Uncertainty IS Related to Hiring

Confirming what business owners know to be true a recent study by a duo from the Cleveland Fed reveals businesses' expansion plans, whether to hire and/or make capital expenditures, are related to government policy uncertainty.

A reluctance to invest and hire in the face of uncertainty just seems natural. The more certain businesses are about future governmental policies the more likely they are to take risks. Increasing uncertainty increases risks and therefore will make businesses more hesitant.

However, some recent reports, including one by the US Treasury, have stated that policy uncertainty is not a major impediment to job growth.

Sean Hackbarth at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's ChamberPost blog reports on a study by Mark E. Schweitzer, Senior Vice President and Director of Research at the Cleveland Federal Reserve and Scott Shane, professor at Case Western Reserve University's business school. They use a policy uncertainty index developed by other researchers and compare the index to surveys indicating the percentage of small businesses that plan to hire and/or make capital expenditures.

Historically, high policy uncertainty correlates to low percentages of small businesses planning to hire or invest, and vice-versa. Schweitzer and Shane report,

While the downturn and weak recovery certainly had a large negative effect on small business hiring plans, policy uncertainty has exacerbated this effect. In the summer of 2011, the net percentage of small business owners planning to hire would be 6 percentage points higher if it were not for policy uncertainty. That is, either 6 percent more small business owners would be planning to hire (or 6 percent more small business owners would not be planning to lay off workers), were policy uncertainty not currently an issue. The results for capital expenditures are very similar.

They acknowledge the fact that this study doesn't prove that policy uncertainty caused business to hold back hiring and expansion, as no statistical analysis can truly determine the root cause of behavior. However, they assert that it is not irrelevant and should be considered by policymakers.

Help Halt the NLRB’s Assault On America’s Union-Free Workplace

The National Labor Relations Board has transformed itself from a neutral arbiter of labor issues to an anti-business attack dog for Big Labor. The Ambush Rules passed last week were merely the latest in a string of assaults on business. Our friends at LaborUnionReport.com have chronicled some of them.

• Micro-unions: In a recent ruling, the NLRB has given unions the green light to begin unionizing portions companies by what are called “micro-unions.” Now, union can unionize small segments of a company by classification (or department).
• Reducing employees’ rights to rid themselves of unwanted unions: In a reversal of a previous NLRB decision, the Obama-NLRB has made it much more difficult for employees to decertify unions where highly flawed card-check method of unionization had been utilized. The NLRB’s reversal was only outdone by the NLRB’s destroying of ballots from elections that were already held, but were awaiting the outcome of the NRLB’s decision.
• Requiring union-free employees to post union posters. Though delayed, the NLRB is requiring all union-free, private-sector employers to post NLRB posters explaining workers’ rights to unionize.
• Legitimizing union ‘sweetheart deals.’ Last year, the NLRB approved unions’ ability to negotiation pre-recognition agreements in exchange for ‘card check,’ thus undermining employees’ rights through “sweetheart deals.”

LUR has also provided a means to fight back. It highlights an online petition from the Free Enterprise Alliance and its Halt the Assault campaign. Send a message to Washington to halt the NLRB's assault on America's businesses. (Click Read more to see)

Cain Out of Race; Endorsement Coming? UPDATED

I wonder if the ten grand to the NRP is refundable.

Yesterday Herman Cain announced he was suspending his campaign, meaning, despite the claims from him and his supporters otherwise, he's dropping out of the race.

The rumor in the Twitterverse is that he will be endorsing...

Newt Gingrich.

A report in The Hill newspaper echoes this claim.

UPDATE: After both camps initially denied Cain will be issuing an endorsement, it appears he will be endorsing Gingrich after all. Gingrich has scheduled a press conference for 2 p.m. Eastern today after Gingrich meets with Donald Trump.

LA Occupiers: Too Fragile for the Real World

The cops raided OccupyLA earlier this week and arrested around 300 people. This is one of a number of such actions in which cities are cleaning out these protests, which have often become bastions of filth, disease and crime.

Most of the people detained were released on Friday night. Turns out some of the little dears missed their mommies, or something.

One speaker suggested that some of those arrested might need therapy. Several said they felt traumatized after witnessing police use nonlethal force and being forced to wait for hours in zip-tie handcuffs. Some displayed cuts on their wrists from the handcuffs. Others complained that they were forced to urinate in bags on the bus as they were transported to jails.

Really? Traumatized? Therapy? We really have become decadent and soft. Or at least some of us have.

This is the product of a generation that has been pampered and coddled. One that has never had to deal with any type of deprivation and has been shielded from disappointment. One in which nothing was allowed to damage their fragile self-esteem - where even poor performance and lack of effort generated praise and everyone was a winner. One where the response to every setback was therapy and medication - the Ritalin generation.

In some ways it's little wonder that people who grew up in that artificial world would rebel against the reality. And if this is what they consider "traumatic" they still have a lot of adjusting to the real world still left to do.

Don't Mean to Rain on Your Jobs Parade, But...

The federal government released its employment report for November this morning and the news is being hailed as positive - 120,000 jobs added, 140,000 in the private sector, the unemployment rate fell to 8.6%. In addition, prior months' reports were revised upward to reflect 72,000 additional jobs.

Not to rain on anyone's parade, like Las Vegas is being rained on this morning, because the news could certainly be worse, but how about a little perspective and a little more information.

Economic Diversity Plan: Lots of Devils In Those Details

The media was all abuzz a couple weeks ago with the release of the Economic Development Agenda for Nevada by Brookings Mountain West. The plan is now in the hands of the state’s policymakers, who would do well to look closely before blindly adopting its recommendations.

It does contain some good ideas – enhancing the business development data available to businesses and assisting the state’s “exporters through the ins and outs of selling abroad”. The report deviates from liberal orthodoxy in some places, for example, advocating for real alternative licensure and merit-based pay for math and science teachers. It also cites as a constraint on businesses in the state the difficulty and delays caused by the land-use and permitting policies of the various federal agencies that own 87% of Nevada’s land.

But generally it reads like a document prepared by a group of left-leaning academics and (surprise, surprise) contains what one might expect from a group of left-leaning academics – more money for academia, for instance. While it expresses a preference for bottom-up approaches as opposed to top-down dictates, it is itself an exercise in top-down planning.

One of the worst, and possibly dangerous, ideas is the creation of the positions of “sector champions” within state government (p. 96).

Heck Testifying on Bill to Ease Restrictions on Mesquite Land Law

If you're up at 7 a.m. Friday morning and are looking for something to do, Congressman Joe Heck will be testifying to the Natural Resources Committee on a bill he and Senator Dean Heller introduced. HR 2745, according to a release from Heck's office,

amends current land law to provide the City of Mesquite with greater opportunity for long-term economic development.

"Mesquite's growth, like many other communities across Nevada, is restricted due to the vast amount of federal land in our state. This legislation provides the community of Mesquite the flexibility it needs for smart growth over a longer period of time and strengthens the Virgin River Habitat Conservation plan. Ultimately, this bill empowers the City of Mesquite with greater control over its future development," said Senator Heller.

"This bill provides an opportunity for economic growth, which is critical right now. By allowing Mesquite to continue with plans to expand the growing city's airport, and bolstering the Virgin River conservation habitat, this bill is a clear win-win for the residents of Mesquite and all of southern Nevada," said Congressman Joe Heck.

Under current law, the City of Mesquite was required to notify BLM by November 13, 2009, if it wanted to purchase the last parcel of land made available by the Mesquite Lands Act and to close the purchase of the deal within one year. This bill takes legislative action to extend the timeline for Mesquite to purchase this land.

This legislation (S. 1473, H.R. 2745) also corrects an omission in the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002 for the implementation of the Virgin River Habitat Conservation and Recovery Plan (VRHCRP) and the Hydrologic Monitoring & Mitigation Plan (HMMP).

For those unaware, the federal government owns more than 80% of all land in the state of Nevada. This can severely restrict economic development in many cases because often nearly all the undeveloped land in a particular area is owned by the federal government and can, literally, take an act of Congress to release.

Many times it's even more complicated than that because the green lobby will suddenly discover some insect whose habitat will be disturbed and even further delay the process. All of Nevada's Congressional delegation should make it a priority to reduce both the amount of federally-owned land in the state and the red tape that must be navigated to develop that land.

What Did You Do in the Great Ideology War, Mitt?

In a recent interview with Fox News' Bret Baier, Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney slammed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich as a lifelong politician. "He spent his last 30 or 40 years in Washington," Romney charged. "I spent my career in the private sector."

Fair enough, however....

House Votes to Override NLRB's Ambush Rules

In the wake of the NLRB's ramming through new ambush rules the House of Representatives voted to pass HR 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act. This proposal would reverse the NLRB's new rules, which would severely harm the rights of employers to educate workers and ensure due process during unionizing elections.

The House passed the Act 235-188, with 6 Democrats voting in favor and 8 Republicans voting against. Both Nevada GOP Congressmen, Joe Heck and Mark Amodei, voted for the measure while Democrat Shelley Berkley voted No.