Jan 05 2009
How to Profit from Raising a Stink
A few years ago, when the news that studies had been done to determine the effect of cow flatulence on the environment were being and had been done, we all guffawed at the idea. C’mon, perfectly good and freshly printed government money being used to test the emissions of Ol’ Bessie’s backside? HA! The good ol’ boys couldn’t help but laugh while downing a cup of coffee and a maple log.
However, those studies were being done for a reason. The EPA has suggested that these discharges from cattle may fall under their jurisdiction by way of the Clean Air Act. This might also open the door for an additional tax on dairy and beef cattle as well as well as swine.
Much like the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), which at its heart seeks to regulate and track every single farm animal in the country, this wonderful “poop” tax would be cost prohibitive to smaller farmers and ranchers. Even worse, it is based on trying to eliminate what is one of the largest and most expensive hoaxes of all time: global warming.
In the ‘70’s, we were destined for an ice age within just a few years. In the ‘80’s, the great imagined terror was acid rain (and the basis for such great movies as ‘Return of the Living Dead’). In the ‘90’s, it was the evil ozone hole that just had to be created by hairspray.
People in general, and Americans in particular, love to invent monsters to fear, and then ignore the real terrors that stare them in the face. If that’s where it all stopped, in the privacy of their own closets, that would be great. But instead, opportunistic politicians find a way to tax people to stop the hoax. By the time the hoax is evident to all, the damage has been done. By that time, there is a new “monster” that can only be stopped with taxes. Wake up, people.
I just wanted to say that this is the cutest little website I’ve seen in a long time. Keep it up, Uncle Bubbie, even though I don’t understand most of what is going on.