I watch Fox News. Go ahead, get your insults in. Last night during Hannity, a guest was on (whose name I do not remember). He was speaking about Cap and Trade, and went on and on about how it was yet another attempt by Liberals to control the lives of people by eventually getting down to the point of telling us how much energy we can use, and allocating each person a certain amount of power/resources, etc. He even went so far as to suggest that Liberals want to control the birth rate and such. As a conservative and someone who prefers government to stay the hell out of my life, I was, of course, appalled. But then I started thinking... What if that is something that we have to do in order to ensure the survival of the human race? What if the government is trying to manufacture a slowdown, because it simply understands that there is no way the world can continue to grow at rates it has in the past? what if 1% GDP growth is the new norm, and not only that, but required to ensure the planet's sustainability going forward? There is no way we can continue doing what we're doing now. I don't care how much you put faith in "Climate change" or "Peak Oil" or peak anything for that matter (Peak fish, water). The growth rate we have been experiencing since the industrial revolution is no longer sustainable. Natural resources will be depleted by mid century without recycling. Some even earlier than that. A brake must be put - globally - on growth, both economical and population. What if this is all manufactured for our own good?
What if this is all manufactured for our own good? ------------------------- Possible. The way I try to approach this is to imagine if I was the gov't and unlimited resources at my disposal, I would imagine a 5,10,25 50 and 100 year plan. gather up a bunch of academics to forecast the future. Right or wrong you have to start somewhere and if independently they reach a conclusion of slower growth is the goal, voila, cap and trade etc. To add to your post I think the EPA has to much power, is this by design or just a bunch of pricks with small weenies?
this was your first mistake. you are not allowed to think if you watch fox news. is there anyone who does not understand that something must be done about birth rates?
Originally it was probably the latter. But as we go forward, the EPA is the perfect vehicle in which to push all this. I read something similar to this theory in popular science the other day. I'll try to find the article and post it.
We must go back to being hunter gatherers again and start the whole process over. There is no way to do it easily. I don't think any society will voluntarily accept government causation. How did China's 1 child policy work out? I don't trust any government to do it. Just let human nature "greed" provide the mechanism. When resources can no longer sustain the race It'll happen. Without resource easy pickins it will be very difficult to do it again. Problem solved.
Overpopulation, imo, is not an issue, nor is overcrowding. A city such as New York is much more "green", more efficient is all aspects than a suburb. Examples of poverty as a cause from overcrowding is basically due to mis-management of resources.