Articles by David Roberts

The Blue Man Group on global warming

Kerry energy speech

John Kerry -- approaching full campaign mode -- delivered a major energy speech yesterday. It blahs on and on toward the beginning, but finishes strong. (Here's an mp3 of the speech.)

Even reading his text, I imagine him delivering it and drift to somnolence. But this 'graph is choice:

For evidence, look no further than the fake energy bill Congress enacted over bipartisan objections -- a monstrosity with no guiding national goal, no tough decisions, no change in priorities -- just a logrolling, back-scratching collection of subsidies for any industry with the clout to get a seat at the table and a share of the pork. A few good ideas, a lot of bad ideas and ugly ideas -- Washington smiled equally upon all of them.

Fun stuff. Almost every speechwriter or rhetorician gets more eloquent when they're gripped with righteous fury. Not sure why that is.

Here's the mission statement:

Kerry energy speech

Here's the big news from John Kerry's energy speech today:

I propose establishing an aggressive economy wide cap and trade program to reverse emissions growth starting in 2010. After that, we will progress to more rapid reductions and end at 65 percent below 2000 emissions by the year 2050.

That's by far the most aggressive proposal for reducing CO2 emissions I've heard from any major politician.

More on the speech later.

(You can listen to an mp3 of the speech here.)

Schadenfreude alert

Rush Limbaugh was busted on his way back from the Dominican Republic with unprescribed Viagra.