Hobgoblins!

“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed, and hence clamorous to be led to safety, by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” H.L. Menken

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is portrayed as causing extreme, erratic, damaging weather. According to a recent report from the Oxford Academics’ BioScience, the “Earth has entered uncharted territory,” and life (presumably all life, including yours) is “under siege.” We have received repeated warnings about the escalating concentrations of “deadly” carbon dioxide. The public continues to ignore this message.

The mantra is that we MUST significantly reduce, or even eliminate, the continued use of oil, coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels. These create deadly amounts of CO2. The alternative is extreme heat, drought, terrible storms, food shortages and social chaos. We have supposedly opened the “Pandora’s Box” of climate disaster.

“All” of the smart money and global leaders supposedly agree about the upcoming disaster. The United Nations, our U.S. President, Joe Biden, the World Economic Forum, many of our weather forecasters, and most of the free press all seem to agree: CO2 concentrations are too high. If we fail to reduce the use of fossil fuels, millions will die, the oceans will rise and engulf the coastal areas.

We “know” this because every year over a thousand world leaders fly half-way around the world in private or chartered jet airplanes to attend conferences about “global warming.” They all agree that unless we change our energy usage to eliminate the by-product CO2, the planet is doomed, and our civilization will collapse.

In order to protect us, our President, Joe Biden, and “Leviathan,” (the Administrative State) have released many “rules” that we must follow.

We are told that our use of gas-powered automobiles cannot continue. We are told that within a few years we will be allowed to purchase only electric automobiles. The government is telling us we soon will no longer be able to purchase gas stoves and water heaters. So far, they are unsure about how we are to heat our homes without producing CO2. Even our military equipment will be converted to electric power. That includes military trucks, tanks and other mobile equipment.

All of this, and much more, is an attempt to limit the global temperature increase caused by the release of CO2 to less than 1.5 degrees Centigrade.

This is a “hobgoblin.” The political establishment is predicting these disasters to keep us alarmed and fearful. We are easier to control this way.

When I was in the eighth grade in Cedar Rapids, my Science teacher, Mr. Lovejoy, taught a section about how plants need carbon dioxide and animals need oxygen. Mr. Lovejoy explained how plants use CO2 and create oxygen as a byproduct. Animals must breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide as a by-product.

Mr. Lovejoy also explained how the fossil and climate records show that when CO2 levels are higher, plants flourish, and about how past civilizations flourished during periods of warm climate.

Today, research shows that while a few people globally die annually of exposure to cold weather, many more people die every year because of the effects of hot weather.

Completely ignoring established science, the United Nations is planning for us to reduce emissions of CO2 to as near zero as possible. The target date is the year 2050. In twenty-six years, according to this plan, we will generate all of our energy needs without the use of natural gas, oil or coal. Oh, another thing – they plan to eliminate nuclear power generated energy, because nuclear power is “icky.” The plan calls for all of our energy needs to be met by wind, tide and solar power sources.

Just think of the possibilities! Our farmers will use electric tractors and grain dryers. Our military will use battery operated tanks, vehicles and ships. Our domestic transportation will be powered exclusively by battery operated vehicles. That includes our cars, school busses, our trucks, our airplanes. All trains will run on electricity. Commercial ships will depend on solar and wind power, just as in the age of sail. Our industrial equipment will operate exclusively on battery power. What could go wrong?

We are being bombarded with endless publicity about the coming disasters to be caused by the production of CO2. The “hobgoblins” of extreme weather events, and climate disasters, are ever before us. The political authorities stand by – ready to rescue us from these “hobgoblins.” But we must submit. We must clamor to be led to safety. We must allow the government to achieve its aim: control.

Mike Lang, Chairman, Union County Republican Central Committee