While I was sleeping.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to provide forthwith for renewable and alternative energy and energy efficiency in the commonwealth, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.


So begins An Act Relative To Green Communities signed into law on July 2nd by Governor Deval Patrick. In his press release, Governor Patrick displays Senator Obama-like enthusiasm for impacting the whole world with his green policies. The Act will invest (can the government invest taxpayer's money?), stabilize the markets, relieve homeowners by allowing them to sell back to energy to utilities at a very good rate, That sounds like a whole lotta government interference to me.

While I am only on page 3 of the 52 page Act (slogging through referenced Acts, Policies, and General Laws is quite confusing and tiring), I am most interested in the auctioning of carbon dioxide indulgences - the first in this country - in September. Once I understand how that works, I'll be sure to discuss it whilst eating my new diet of worms.

In the meantime, I'm so proud to be a member of the Greenest Community ever to be forced by government interference (about which the statists around me will no doubt turn around and scream "capitalism doesn't work" when this is representative of the free market system they rail against). I just can't remember where the Constitution states that "public convenience" is an American value. I must have been asleep. We must all be asleep.

Or drugged. That's my other thought. Drugs in the water. I'd better call in the community sewer diver.

Note: According to Massachusetts Legislative History:

Acts with emergency preambles usually provide for the measure to become effective immediately, but always in less than 90 days. Mass. Const. Amend. Art. 48, Ref. Pt. 2. An emergency preamble is standard language stating the general purpose of the act; the preamble concludes with the statement that this is an "emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience." The preamble must be adopted by both branches. In such cases, the act is effective upon the precise moment of the Governor's signature.

Well, that makes me feel much better.

Comments

Stephen Bourque said…
It's very chilling, like something out of Atlas Shrugged or It Can't Happen Here. I'm getting a little tired of seeing Massachusetts - home of Lexington and Concord - lead the way in America's march to statism.

By the way, I like your "Diet of Worms" joke, which nicely played upon the comparison of these "carbon offsets" to Tetzel's indulgences.
July 10, 2008 at 6:15 PM
Lynne said…
Thanks, but I meant I'd eat worms before buying the right to exhale.
July 10, 2008 at 7:18 PM
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