By All Means, Come Live in the US—Just Manage Your Expectations Carefully

by craigshieldsPosted on November 4, 2015 Posted in Fossil Fuels

In a recent survey, thousands of people from all over the world were asked if they aspired to emigrate from their homeland into another country, and, of those who answered in the affirmative, the United States was by far the most popular destination. In that respect, I’m very proud to be an American, and I certainly see the attraction of living here. But here’s something that most of these would-be immigrants aren’t anticipating, and so I caution them: when you get here, don’t expect to find a democracy in any meaningful sense of the word.

Perhaps the best example is the American people’s attempts to establish some level of gun control; 89% of US voters want enhanced background checks for prospective owners of handguns, assault rifles, etc.  But, shamefully, Congress can’t take a single step in that direction.

Here’s another painful reminder, this one directly related to energy and the environment.  26 of our 50 states are suing to overturn the restrictions that the Environmental Protection Agency has set on power plant emissions.  That would be hard enough to swallow if it weren’t for the fact that 61% of the people living in those states approve of the emission controls. (more…)