Spain is held up as a model for our green future - where they've imposed the "necessary" regulations on traditional energy sources, and spent the "necessary" subsidies on their green alternatives. Everywhere you look it's windmills, solar panels and self satisfied socialists, anxious to preach to you about how they're saving the earth by "caring" and you're an evil imperialist bastard because you don't.
But when you look under the hood at how all this self satisfaction changed things, you see that all that really happened was that they raised their overall cost of energy as compared to their output, and that crushed their economy. It's had exactly the same effect as it would have if they simply banned the use of fossil fuels, and required everyone to 'pay' for their electric usage by mounting a generator on a stationary bike, and pedaling it 5 hours a day.
Costs have risen, output has fallen, and for every green job they saved or created, they lost 2 in more traditional (dirty) industries. Hooray for the Earth! If only we had such far sighted leaders who 'care' as much as the Spanish. Then again, it's tough to 'care' about the earth when your life is in a shambles and your kids are going hungry.
Spanish unemployment is now at 20.3%.
Spanish culture is very different than American culture. Like most Europeans, they are more likely to accept ill treatment from their leaders than we gun toting - god clinging Americans. But with necessary caveats stated, it looks like we're going to get a test of that axiom about how rioting happens at about 20% unemployment.
4 comments:
What is the source of the idea that rioting starts at 20% unemployment? We had 20%+ unemployment in the US in the 30s with no rioting. Do you think it applies to the US? Just asking.
Actually - someone asked me that very thing a few weeks ago and I couldn't find a reference (was it you?). I honestly don't remember where I initially heard it - but it was definitely while I was in school. And it wasn't one of those things that was just being tossed around either - it was a "real forecast" that involved supporting research of some kind.
But if I can't find the original source for the stat then I suppose I'd better stop saying it.
Unfortunately, it appears Christie is going to double down on the carbon trading / green energy scam.
The money being transferred from rate payers to the green lobby (via SREC payments to anyone who install solar or wind) has gotten to the point where NJ now pays double the national average for electricity. Half of NJ power comes from nuclear (which has gotten less expensive over the past 10 years) with the next big chunk from coal (which has been fairly price stable). The area where utility costs are skyrocketing is on the regulated side of the bill.
Reducing energy costs will be crucial if this state ever plans to rebuilt its industrial / commercial sectors.
But the headline says the austerity's what's causing the economic slowdown. The Spanish government just needs to spend more money--that's all.
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