Hi Belly,

Coming off the back of a huge electoral defeat for the ALP/Green ideology, I have to wonder why you are re-running your loss through US politics? It must be painful to go through it all again.

If we were to replace Obama with Rudd/Gillard, Obamacare for NDIS/NBN, add the debt ceiling, deficit, failure to deliver and overspending, you could replay your last defeat all over again. Has anything new come up?

Then take a look at the tired and failed ALP/Green responses to identical policies on this thread and the “action replay” is complete.

There is something to be said about the sort of madness evidenced by repeating failures in the hope of a different outcome.

It is to be hoped that the US electorate is listening and that your failed ideology will produce a similar result for Americans.

Hi Poirot,

Hasbeen said,

"Foxy my sweet, what do you think Obama has been doing handing out billions of tax payer dollars to all his mates in the solar, wind & battery industries."

To which you replied <<More bunkum>>. Really?

“RENIXX is the key international stock market index for renewables and tracks the worlds top 30 largest renewable energy companies based in the USA, EU and China. This market is down 90 percent since 2007. (Sources; The Australian and NZ Climate Science Foundation)

In the USA alone eight of their largest subsidized renewable energy manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy between 2007 and 2012. Beacon Power Corp, Ener1, Evergreen Solar, Solyndra, SpectraWatt, Babcock and Brown, Mountain Plaza Inc and Solar Millennium. The cost to the US taxpayer is U$ 3.9 Billion.

A further six subsidized green energy companies are in default or in decline at a cost to the US taxpayer of U$ 6 Billion. The wind industry in the USA, the largest in the world, is predicted to lose 70 to 90 percent of its orders. Investors predict its total demise.

As at March 28 2013, “CHINA'S Suntech reached its zenith as the world's largest solar panel producer, but has plunged to the nadir of bankruptcy in just a year, highlighting the woes of the industry it shaped”. (Sources; the Global Warming Policy Foundation and The Australian)

As at November 2013, Siemens Solar in Germany announced the collapse of this company with losses of 1.0 Bn Euros. (source GWPF)

I guess Hasbeen was correct on Obama’s Green investments? which leaves only you talking bunkum

Frankly, I do not understand why the US Republicans have an objection
to people taking out health insurance.
It just seems common sense to me.
Are there implications of which I am unaware ?

Hasbeen & Belly;
One way or another we are going to need alternative energy sources.
We will be OK for electricity for a long time, provided we do not
sell it all to China, but transport is another kettle of fish.

The rising ratio of unconventional oil to conventional oils has put
pressure on transport costs and the only alternative readily available
is natural gas. If we migrate our transport fleet (cars & trucks) to
NG we will just have to reduce the planned export quantities.

There is a security factor in this also as we soon will be importing
100% of our petrol & diesel. To have a significant proportion of our
fleet running on NG will be insurance against having to compete for
expensive short supplies in the event of war in the gulf or just plain old production decline.

"Europe is running away from subsidized alternate energy just as quickly as they can, & it is only shale gas that has saved so many in the USA from energy poverty."

Odd?

"Germany Has Built Clean Energy Economy That U.S. Rejected 30 Years Ago"

"Twenty-five percent of Germany's electricity now comes from solar, wind and biomass. A third of the world's installed solar capacity is found in Germany, a nation that gets roughly the same amount of sunlight as Alaska. A whopping 65 percent of the country's total renewable power capacity is now owned by individuals, cooperatives and communities, leaving Germany's once all-powerful utilities with just a sliver (6.5 percent) of this burgeoning sector."

"The Reichstag, the home of Germany's parliament, is a perfect microcosm of the Energiewende I saw from the train. Revolutionary in its architecture and use of energy, the building is at once beautiful and functional"

http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20121113/germany-energiewende-clean-energy-economy-renewables-solar-wind-biomass-nuclear-renewable-energy-transformation

Of course, these types of developments require innovation and vision.

Something you won't find too much of on OLO.....

if insurance..really worked..the insurance..would cover ALL..of it*

[the only way..it does 'work'..if you can..
*force those..NOT NEEDING IT..into buying it..

[ie the fit/young and healthy]..BUY..it..or get punished..[so how many..are only 'buying it..to avoid being punished?

the yanki thing is nothinmg like medicare
[more like medi-[bank][private]..

thing is..if it costs 100..and you need to find.;.only ten..dollars or so..thats ok..but no..its thousands..[and is..the highest cause of bankruptcy]..

and then they must do..so many unneeded..or puerile tests..so they dont get sued etc..then the tests pick-up..an occasional wrong dia-gnosis.and they claim to have fix a problem..that never existent..and not fully covered by that gmo

then..adverse reaction/to..prescribed drugs
or affordability..of what mostly is..placebo

see..that insurance..has risks..and some..absurd risks..have been assumed..[undrer=written]..in the collateralized/securities..let alone..the other quick-fix..of underwriting..junk bonds..as triple AAAplus..etc

havnt you noticed..all the adverts..to buy this..or that insurance
as they squeeze..the last life blood/drops from..our purse..as well as our govt/purse[bailout..the rich..not next time..

next time..nationalize the asset..not the debt

that found-money[insurance]....is like a payday..
that is..all gone..when we finally collapse..

the massive fraud's..under..their own lies..take the 3 trillion..we supposedly got..in super..paid under compulsion..where will that be safe..when..the stockmarket..falls..when the free/cash flow stops

but..the longer it flows..the worse it gets
think..we pay..[though your not told it]..15 dollars each..on-top of your rego..[to insure..the uninsured vehicles..on our roads

so..how come you/who do..the right/thing..MUST* pay hundreds..for the same?

whether you ever claim on it or not...whether your good..or the worst driver./.whether you use your car once a year..or drive it non stop..

[so TECHNICALLY..there is..no such thing..as an uninsured vehicle..ever..yet they fine..those too poor to pay..1200 bucks

[one cure for you..is crime against..me/extortion..on me..]

your drinking..YOUR over eating
your way of life..MADE you sick.,.

yet i..ave to pay..for your bad..
too bad..or criminal colluded capitalist treason..are the defenders of it..only paid-lobby..or just plain blind?

you cant..force people to do commerce
unless you..high-jacked govts reason ..for exsistance..

ie..for protecting..its people..
facilitate compulsion..upon..us not interested..in subsidization..of capitalist gain,..FOR*big business..built on..individual pain

as yu/said..better would be to spend
money on doing health..not business

Dear Bazz,

<<Frankly, I do not understand why the US Republicans have an objection
to people taking out health insurance.
It just seems common sense to me.
Are there implications of which I am unaware ?>>

One implication is that people are forced to purchase a product which they are not interested in. Some people would, on principle either:
1) Not agree to receive medical treatment, preferring to die naturally of their illness if and when it comes.
2) Not agree to be treated by Western/conventional medicine, using alternative therapies instead.
3) Want to pay their own medical bills, as a way to hold themselves responsible for their own health.

Another implication is that doctors will be able to charge more because their income would now be assured by legislation, hence health costs would soar for everyone.

Another implication is that those who regularly donate to charities that provide medicine for the poor will no longer be able to express their compassion and goodwill. Some of those who use such donations to clear their conscience for past misdeeds would no longer be able to relieve their conscience this way.

Another implication is increase in red-tape and bureaucracy for handling the system, including wasting more of the doctor's time on administrative tasks.

Another implication is making health-funds richer and more people fed for doing desk-work. People of middle-income and higher are better off 'insuring' themselves by keeping money aside for a rainy day.

Another implication is loosening family ties and bonds, since the traditional extended family cares for its members, essentially providing an informal form of medical insurance.

Another implication is that people are less encouraged to take good care of their health. When people know that being ill would hurt their pockets as well, they are more likely to lead a healthier lifestyle.

This is an obvious case of government, in the roll of a Nanny, telling people that it "knows" what's best for them better than themselves.