Well Done Mr President - I Think Not

Was Obama's grandiose climate announcement really inspirational? Is it really the deal of the century? I believe the answer is no. I believe the Chinese have pulled a swift one again. And I think Stuart Varney at Fox summed it up perfectly with this statement.

"This is not a lopsided deal.  This is a total cave on the part of President Obama to his Chinese counterpart.  We are going to accelerate the cutting of our emissions.  We've got even bolder targets.  China doesn't have to do anything.  They can keep on polluting at this current level, even increase their emissions for another 15 years.  All they've agreed to do is peak their emissions in the year 2030.  We cut; they don't.  And then when you come to the money, we're gonna pay for this.  Our utility bills are going to go up, and it's gonna cost us jobs.  It doesn't cost the Chinese anything.  They pay nothing extra for this so-called agreement."

The Chinese are the biggest polluters in the world and they are not going to do anything that will hinder their economic growth. They plan to continue building coal fired power stations because that is crucial to their growth. In fact, for the next 15 years they will be increasing their emissions. The Chinese are the smart ones not Obama. China are the ones who can leave the G20 stating they are committed to Tony Abbott's inspirational vision of growth and jobs. Obama, on the other hand has just simply tightened the noose on growth.

So, to recap, China will continue to develop and grow, to lift more people out of poverty and increase their standard of living as a result of the provision of power. For it is this power that enables factories to be built, to provide jobs and to increase exports and to contribute to overall economic growth.

The US on the other hand under Obama's grandiose vision face higher costs of doing business, increases in people's power bills and therefore a negative impact on their cost of living.  They face the likely prospect of more business closures, more people in poverty, stymied job growth with the resultant impact of effectively slamming the brakes on what modest economic growth there is. And for this taxpayers fork out $3billion.

So well done, Mr President you have proved yet again that you are not only the World Bully but you are Enemy Number One of the American People. Let's hope the Republicans can put a stop to this before you do any more damage.

The China Live Animal Exports Debate

I find the current debate about live cattle export to China fascinating.  And I will declare I am not a supporter of live animal transport be it cattle, pigs or sheep. 

No one with any heart can view images of cattle; sheep or pigs stuck in the bowels of transport ships for weeks and not be moved to tears. Or watch some of the practices in slaughterhouses overseas and not feel revolted.  I feel exactly the same about animals stuck in feed lots on our shores. Pigs confined to pig stalls where they can’t move and most can barely stand-up. They never see the sun on their faces and they live a life of misery until they are transported to slaughterhouses to face even more terror.  Let’s not forget about chickens and battery farms. Once again, live creatures subjected to misery cramped together in the most awful environments and then rammed into cages and off to be killed.   

People tend to focus on slaughtering and forget about what comes before. They hide behind the ‘cry’ that we kill humanely. I personally fail to see how being stunned before having your throat cut is humane. It’s less barbaric arguably but it’s not and never was humane. Perhaps it’s just a little less stressful and a slightly ‘easier’ death than some other practices we read about.  For what it is worth it’s even worse for chickens. Whilst I’m on this topic being corralled in a pen waiting for their turn to be murdered isn’t pleasant for any animal. They smell death and they suffer extreme anxiety. Before anyone jumps to the conclusion that I’m an inner city greenie, I will point out I was born and raised in the country. My father was a farmer so I have witnessed practices first hand.

By all means we should speak up about cruel practices but in all conscious we can’t condemn others and then conveniently turn a blind-eye to what happens on our own doorsteps. Some of the most vocal never ever utter a word about pig pens, feed lots or battery farms. I would be on a safe bet in saying that many of those ‘shouting their mouths off’ about the deal with China have tucked into their bacon and eggs this morning with nary a thought for what happened before their food hit their plates. 

As with so many things in life money will continue to drive our live export industry. It’s big business. We can only hope to minimise the impact on animals.  It’s the same for the less than desirable practices on our own shores (depending on your view of course). But please let’s cease the hypocrisy of the faux outrage over live exports and continue to ignore what happens here. The argument about its less cruel doesn’t overcome the fact that raising animals for human consumption involves a level of cruelty. Some people can accept that which is their right of course. But if you do have an issue with it, do what I did and become a vegetarian.