Big Environment: Always Confident and Most Always Wrong

It is simply astounding how often the 'experts' in environmental issues (like Dr. Paul Krugman) are wrong almost all of the time on almost all environmental issues.

Krugman, in 2006, told us (above) that prices were only going to rise because the world was starting to run out of oil ("peak oil"). Here is a closeup of his graph:

Oil peaked at around $100/bbl in 2006. Due to inflation, that $100 is now $128 per barrel.

Instead of the price of a barrel of oil rising -- as Dr. Krugman predicted -- the world is awash in oil. So much so, there is no place to store it. Yesterday, the West Texas Intermediate futures contract closed at a negative value for the first time, ever, at -$13.10.

If you would take a barrel of oil off their hands, they would pay you $13.10! By contrast, you would have to pay $70.40 for a barrel of water (in the form of Aquafina). Yet again, Big Environment (and Dr. Krugman is a charter member) couldn't be more wrong.

Speaking of stupid predictions,

The article states,
Since the start of the crisis, advanced democracies — even those ruled by right-leaning parties — have listened to public health experts and taken drastic steps to safeguard both their residents and their economies.

As usual, President Trump has said many stupid/obtuse/obnoxious/egotistic things since the CV-19 threat ramped up.

But, to argue he hasn't "taken drastic steps" and he hasn't listened to "public health experts" is either

Typical lineup at one of President Trump's press conferences.
√ = public health expert
Dr. = physician 

libelous or completely ignorant. Some of us think he's paid too much attention to experts and models. As to being a "dictator,"

Wall Street Journal

But mainly he has given pride of place to federalism and private enterprise—lauding the patriotism and proficiency of our fantastic governors and mayors, our incredible business leaders and genius companies, our heroic doctors and nurses and orderlies, and our tremendous truckers. By shouting out many of them by name and documenting their deeds on a daily basis, he has vivified the American way in action (once reluctantly aroused). When asked why he has not issued orders for nationwide home and business lockdowns, he has emphasized that the intensity of the epidemic varies widely and is best met by calibrated state and local judgments—and added pointedly that such steps would conflict with the Constitution...

The most striking aspect of the administration’s response has been its waiving or liberalizing of hundreds of regulatory requirements that would otherwise impede efforts to cope with the epidemic and ensuing shutdowns. The Food and Drug Administration has relaxed its extreme restrictions on the development and deployment of medical tests, equipment, drugs and vaccines. The Medicare and Hipaa waivers, along with the suspension by many states of their restrictions on out-of-state medical professionals, are allowing doctors and nurses to go where they are needed and to practice telemedicine. The Education Department is easing its micromanagement of school districts to facilitate online teaching and other initiatives. Teachers I know are enthusiastic about the cancellation of this year’s federal testing requirements—now they can actually teach their students instead of merely preparing them for tests.

How many dictators in the history of the world decreased the federal power of their respective nations? How many of them relaxed federal rules? Hitler confiscated guns. President Trump, for better or for worse, has insisted gun retailers stay open (per some interpretations of the Second Amendment). What the Huffington Post did with its article is to engage in projection (6b, below):

Across our nation, Democrat governors and mayors have enacted draconian rules and procedures to keep people from worshipping, even safely. This along with closing beaches, closing parks (even though it is

nearly impossible to contract the illness outdoors unless you are standing very near someone who sneezes on you) and many other counterproductive policies that lessened our freedoms.

To sum up, everything you read about the environment and global warming in the MSM should never be taken at face value. A surprising amount is simply false. 

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