by Karl Denninger, Market Ticker:

I’m sorry, but if this turns into “reality” in terms of force you may as well gird for a civil war — because we’re going to get one.

Progressive House lawmakers are pointing to last week’s damning climate report as proof that Democrats next year must create a new special committee focused solely on finding a solution to warming temperatures.

Supporters of the Green New Deal — an idea to create a committee that would aim to get the country to 100 percent renewable energy within 10 years — are hoping the dire report issued by the Trump administration will ease party infighting and get skeptical Democratic members on board.

First, let’s assume that Glo-bull warming is both (1) real and (2) caused exclusively by man (not natural forces.)  That is, let’s assume humans can alter the course and that the current course is negative for humanity as a whole.

Assuming that is true then it remains idiotic for America to go to “100% renewable energy.”

Why?

1. We are 330 million people.  There are 7 billion humans, more or less, on the planet.  To be in the top half you need a mere $4,000 or so in net worth.  In other words even if you count yourself among the “poor” in America odds are you’re richer than half of the world’s population, by far.  If you’re middle class you’re richer than nearly all of the world’s population.

2. The rest of the world is not going to stop advancing their economies and energy consumption except by force.  Let’s be specific — you’re going to have to murder them.

3. Due to (1) and (2) it is utterly inconsequential if we were to go to “100% renewable” energy in terms of climate outcomes — and again, this assumes that both the path is set by human activity and the outcome will be destructive if we do nothing.

4. If such a path is taken virtually everyone below the median income in America will be severely harmed.  Transportation costs will skyrocket.  Electrical power costs will skyrocket, because in a 100% renewable world you must maintain on a hot standby basis non-renewable infrastructure for the times when the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine, yet that infrastructure produces nothing 90% of the time.  The alternative is that your lights don’t work.  “100% renewable” means natural gas, heating oil and propane are banned as household heating fuels.  In cold climates where air-exchange heat pumps don’t work this will at least triple heating costs since electric resistance heat is the only non-fuel option.

5. All existing ICE-based cars will be banned.  This means you cannot take a 500+ mile road trip because the range does not exist to do so.  The vehicle that costs under $40,000 will not exist, so if you don’t have $40,000 you won’t be able to own a car.  Allexisting mass-transit that runs on diesel, propane or CNG (that’s basically all city and all intercity bus service) will be banned.  All existing airlines will be banned.  Most existing freight train lines will be banned.  All existing long-haul trucks will be banned.  In short the ability to move yourself over large distances under your own power, on your own terms and time frames will be illegal.  Got it?  Good.  Do you think this is a “free society” any longer?  Of course it’s not.  Still willing to buy into it?

If Congress attempts to do this it will literally enslave and impoverish roughly half the people in the country immediately.  Some percentage of them will not go along with this move quietly or peacefully.  I have no idea exactly how many will not do so, but that some reasonable percentage will decide that shooting now rather than dying in a simpering ball during the winter when they cannot heat their residence is a preferable outcome.

Yeah, it’s that serious, and these people are that stupid.

Never mind that even if it could be accomplished it would do exactly nothing to actually make a difference in outcomes, and that’s if their premise is true.

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