Coralville Courier

20 years ago today: The fall of the Berlin Wall

Do you remember what you were doing when the announcement was made?  Put into motion by the great Ronald Reagan.....

The wall fell on this day 20 years ago......

U.S. Sen. Grassley: China re-opening market to pork

Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, with jurisdiction over international trade, today made the following comment on the announcement that China will re-open its market to U.S. pork products, consistent with international scientific standards. The announcement came as U.S. and Chinese officials concluded talks at the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.

“This is very welcome news. A resumption of trade with China will benefit pork producers in Iowa and around the country. It’s significant when a major economy like China demonstrates that its trade regulations will be set in accordance with internationally-recognized sound science, and even more significant when it shows that it will follow through as a responsible member of the world trading community. I want to commend Ambassador Kirk, Secretary Vilsack, and Secretary Locke for their hard work and commitment to bringing about this important development in our bilateral trade relations with China.”

Global Warming: Another in the Non-Consensus Camp

by Paul Chesser, Heartland Institute Correspondent

That would be Karl Bohnak, chief meteorologist at WLUC-TV on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, who calls global warming alarmism his “pet peeve” and finally got so fed up with it that he wrote to his congressman, Democrat Rep. Bart Stupak. He shared his letter in a blog post on his station’s Web site:

Read On...

Initiatives pursued by global warming alarmists will accomplish nothing

Another outstanding article by Paul Chesser, this one regarding how hollow the proposed Waxman-Markey global warming energy tax legislation is:

'Twas repeated just a few weeks ago for Spectator:

But instead of boldly proclaiming the great thermostatic results their policies will produce, (alarmists) run away from the science they so adamantly claim that they stand behind.

Key Members of Congress Call on Obama to Protect Foreign Markets for U.S. Pork

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A bipartisan, bicameral Congressional delegation sent a letter today to President Barack Obama asking his help to combat unfounded concerns that are impeding pork trade in domestic and export markets. The initial references to the H1N1 virus as "swine flu" have created fears that pork can transmit this virus, dealing a terrible blow to an already struggling U.S. pork industry. Science shows that pork products are safe for human consumption. A misunderstanding of the transmission of this virus, however, has caused some nations to shut down pork exports from the United States. Today's letter asks the President, along with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, to continue to place a high priority on maintaining access to pork and meat export markets around the world.

"Unfortunately, several U.S. trading partners have already notified the United States government of new import restrictions on U.S. pork, and, at least one country has extended their ban to meat from other species as well. There is no evidence to justify the imposition of measures to restrict the importation of pigs and pork products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security all confirm that influenza viruses are not spread by food and that there are no food safety threats caused by the virus," wrote the members of Congress. "Actions by our trading partners to use the outbreak of this influenza strain as an excuse to shut down borders to U.S. pork are either based on misinformation or purposefully instituted to create an unfair barrier to trade. We ask you to continue to allay concern raised about the safety of eating pork both among U.S. and foreign consumers."

The letter is signed by the Chairmen and Ranking Members of five different Congressional committees or subcommittees: the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; the Senate Committee on Finance; the House Committee on Agriculture; the House Committee on Ways and Means; and the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade.

The text of the letter follows:

May 4, 2009

The President

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As you and your Administration respond to the many challenges from the A/H1N1 influenza outbreak, we ask you to continue to allay concern raised about the safety of eating pork both among U.S. and foreign consumers which have no basis in sound science. We commend your Administration for your efforts thus far to dispel the myth that U.S. pork is unsafe to consume. In a statement released April 28, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) stated that it is incorrect to call the A/H1N1 strain “swine influenza”, given it contains virus components from humans and birds, and not just from swine alone. Thus, we appreciate that you and members of your Administration are now using the H1N1 term.

Unfortunately, several U.S. trading partners have already notified the United States government of new import restrictions on U.S. pork, and, at least one country has extended their ban to meat from other species as well. There is no evidence to justify the imposition of measures to restrict the importation of pigs and pork products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security all confirm that influenza viruses are not spread by food and that there are no food safety threats caused by the virus. Actions by our trading partners to use the outbreak of this influenza strain as an excuse to shut down borders to U.S. pork are either based on misinformation or purposefully instituted to create an unfair barrier to trade

Given the importance of exports to U.S. agriculture, we ask that you, Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack, and U.S. Trade Representative Kirk continue to place a high priority on maintaining access to pork and meat export markets around the world. In 2008, pork exports accounted for 20 percent of total U.S. pork production. It is estimated that 2008 exports amounted to approximately $48 per hog harvested. Access to foreign markets has become increasingly important to the economic health of the U.S. pork industry.

We appreciate the work your Administration has already done in this area and ask you to continue to engage with our trading partners to resolve swiftly all border disruptions for U.S. pork and meat products.

Sincerely,

Senator Tom Harkin

Congressman Collin Peterson

Senator Saxby Chambliss

Congressman Frank Lucas

Senator Max Baucus

Congressman Charles B. Rangel

Senator Charles E. Grassley

Congressman Dave Camp

Congressman Sander M. Levin

Congressman Kevin Brady

Senate votes to kill cap-and-trade?

There's an excellent article about the issue of cap and trade on www.globalwarming.org, here's a snippet:

...the Senate voted 89-8 for an amendment to the Fiscal year 2010 budget resolution (S. Con Res. 13), introduced by Sen. John Thune (R-SD), which would prohibit any future greenhouse gas cap-and-trade initiative from increasing gasoline prices and electricity rates for U.S. households and businesses.  

http://www.globalwarming.org/2009/04/02/senate-votes-to-kill-cap-and-trade/

Listen up Obama, Daniel Hannan nails it!

This is a fantastic speech, given by Daniel Hannan of Great Britain.  We can't tax and borrow our way out of this recession folks.  Everybody seems to know it but liberals.

U.S. deficit on trade goods and services decreases

The U.S. current-account deficit--the combined balances on trade in goods and services, income, and net unilateral current transfers--decreased to $132.8 billion (preliminary) in the fourth quarter of 2008, the smallest deficit since the fourth quarter of 2003, from $181.3 billion (revised) in the third quarter of 2008.  The decrease mostly resulted from a decrease in the deficit on goods.  An increase in the surplus on income and a decrease in net unilateral current transfers to foreigners also contributed to the decrease in the current-account deficit.  A decrease in the surplus on services was partly offsetting.

Alarmist: Science Doesn’t Matter

by Paul Chesser, Climate Strategies Watch

As unusual as it has been for global warming alarmists to debate skeptics, I have found it even more rare to find a mainstream news outlet — anywhere — to cover the issue surrounding states’ global warming commissions and the Center for Climate Strategies. Well, after traveling all the way to Anchorage a few weeks ago, I finally found a local TV station who was interested in hearing about it: ABC’s affiliate, which broadcasts throughout Alaska.

It turned out that I was there (when the station did a report about my concerns) on the day before the Alaska Climate Change Sub-Cabinet, as it’s called up there, was to meet. So after hearing what I had to say, reporter Bob Mallory checked out the meeting to see what CCS and panel members had to say. From his report, where he said a carbon tax was under consideration:

   Mallory: As far as scientific debate as to whether global warming is occurring, that’s something that won’t be happening in these meetings.

    CCS facilitator Gloria Flora: I think when you look at Gov. Palin’s executive order, and (Alaska Dept. of Environmental Conservation) Commissioner (Larry) Hartig has made it very clear, that we’re not here to debate who did what when, where are these emissions coming from…we know that there are far more carbon and CO2 in the atmosphere.

In a further on-air discussion with anchor Ty Hardt, Mallory explains how the state’s contract with CCS (as is the case in every state) forbids any discussion or debate about the science of global warming. And in the written version of the report for the station’s Web site, Flora makes this amazing statement:

   ABC Alaska News asked Flora, what if the science behind climate change is wrong? Her response: “So what? We’ve saved money. We’ve saved resources. We’ve improved our health. We’ve improved the environment. So, if we’re wrong, hallelujah! You know, we just did a lot of really good things.”

To give you a flavor of the Grape Nuts that CCS is hiring to run their state climate commission meetings, YouTube has a short clip of Flora in full-alarmism.

Paul Chesser
Director
Climate Strategies Watch
C/O John Locke Foundation
200 West Morgan Street, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27601
pc@climatestrategieswatch.com
www.climatestrategieswatch.com

PEC and Center for Climate Strategies Announce Creation of "Center for Climate Strategies, Inc."

HARRISBURG, PA. -- The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) today announced the establishment of the Center for Climate Strategies as an independent nonprofit corporation.  "This move reflects the great success that CCS has had working to address the issue of climate change in more than twenty states" said Paul King, Chair and Interim President of PEC.

Started in 2004 as a policy center of Enterprising Environmental Solutions, Inc (EESI), formerly a supporting organization of PEC, CCS has grown to national recognition based on their work across the country.  "The growth of CCS has been phenomenal" said Tom Peterson, the new President of CCS and its driving force over the last five years. "We have been privileged to work with governors, state legislatures, environmental agencies, and key stakeholders in over two dozen states to develop plans that really are the foundation for addressing climate change nationwide."

CCS works collaboratively with diverse stakeholders to develop consensus-based solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in partnering states.  "We are looking forward to continuing our efforts and to focus more intently on the climate issues at the national level" said Peterson. "We greatly appreciate PEC's support of our work over the past several years."

"The success that CCS has had is remarkable," said King.  "This is not the first time that PEC has helped launch a successful project, and we hope it will not be the last. PEC is committed to fostering innovative projects and, when appropriate, giving them wings to fly."

For more information about the creation of CCS and its past relationship with PEC, see here:

http://climatestrategieswatch.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=1
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/jul/12/covert-enviro-strategy/
http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=4115