Mike Bloomberg yesterday ended any chance of success in his quest for the presidency. He did so by announcing that if elected he would immediately shut down all 251 coal fired electric power plants across the country and would take steps that would stop construction of about 150 natural gas fired power plants currently being built. He would also put in place subsidies for renewable energy sources. Here's what that move would accomplish:
1. By shutting the coal fired plants, the USA would lose about 30% of its capacity to generate electric power. That would mean that millions of people would experience brown outs or complete losses of power for many years to come. Think of Florida, Arizona or Texas without air conditioning. Think of industrial sites shut due to lack of power. Think of commuter trains and subways shut down because of lack of power. In other words, think of the inability of the US economy to function and the mass discomfort of the American people.
2. Natural gas plants have been replacing coal plants at a rapid clip across America for the last decade. As a result, carbon emissions have plummeted since the gas facilities cut those emissions by more than 60% on average. Natural gas production has grown massively during that time to meet the needs of gas consumers. By stopping the construction of gas plants and ending the use of coal plants, Bloomberg would literally put millions of people out of work in the gas and coal industries and support companies. States like Texas, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Dakota, Ohio, Louisiana and Wyoming would be devastated. Other places would be hard hit as well, but not to the same scale. It's highly unlikely that the people being put out of work would ever support Bloomberg or the Democrats if he is the nominee.
3. Because of the technological breakthrough in natural gas production (fracking), America has become the world's largest producer of natural gas and oil. We are also now a major exporter of those products. Bloomberg's move would crush the price of fossil fuels to the point where production would no longer be profitable. All the people working in the export of those products would lose their jobs, so would all the people who work in drilling or in related industries.
There's a shorter description of what Bloomberg would achieve: Depression and huge job losses.
What sane American would vote for that?
1. By shutting the coal fired plants, the USA would lose about 30% of its capacity to generate electric power. That would mean that millions of people would experience brown outs or complete losses of power for many years to come. Think of Florida, Arizona or Texas without air conditioning. Think of industrial sites shut due to lack of power. Think of commuter trains and subways shut down because of lack of power. In other words, think of the inability of the US economy to function and the mass discomfort of the American people.
2. Natural gas plants have been replacing coal plants at a rapid clip across America for the last decade. As a result, carbon emissions have plummeted since the gas facilities cut those emissions by more than 60% on average. Natural gas production has grown massively during that time to meet the needs of gas consumers. By stopping the construction of gas plants and ending the use of coal plants, Bloomberg would literally put millions of people out of work in the gas and coal industries and support companies. States like Texas, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Dakota, Ohio, Louisiana and Wyoming would be devastated. Other places would be hard hit as well, but not to the same scale. It's highly unlikely that the people being put out of work would ever support Bloomberg or the Democrats if he is the nominee.
3. Because of the technological breakthrough in natural gas production (fracking), America has become the world's largest producer of natural gas and oil. We are also now a major exporter of those products. Bloomberg's move would crush the price of fossil fuels to the point where production would no longer be profitable. All the people working in the export of those products would lose their jobs, so would all the people who work in drilling or in related industries.
There's a shorter description of what Bloomberg would achieve: Depression and huge job losses.
What sane American would vote for that?
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