Fidel comes out against fracking

Posted By Joshua Keating Friday, January 6, 2012 - 12:58 PM Share

Defying rumors of his death, Blogger Fidel is back with a new column, weighing in on, of all things, the debate over hydrofracking, calling it a "march into the abyss" : 

"It is sufficient to point out that among the numerous chemical substances injected with the water to extract this gas is found benzene and toluene, which are substances terribly carcinogenic," he wrote.

The information on shale gas was something "no political cadre or sensible person could ignore," he said.

Castro said he was so intent on getting the word out, he had "let the festive days of the old and new year pass by" working on his column.

Castro has weighed in on enironmental issues before, denouncing ethanol subsidies, crticizing the U.S. over the handling of the Gulf oil spill and promoting energy efficient lightbulbs.  

Of course, Cuba's own oil drilling plans have raised some red flags for environmentalists as well. 

Jorge Rey/Getty Images

 

RAVIANSWETHEART

2:13 PM ET

January 6, 2012

Qualit

by Steven Hill, author of Europe’s Promise: Why the European Way Is the Best Hope in an Insecure Age and Director of the Political Reform Program at the New America Foundation

Picture two flags, side by side, one the Stars and Stripes, also known as Old Glory, the other the European Union royal blue with a circle of twelve gold stars, like a halo. While Europe is considered the “old world,” the United States actually is far older than the European Union. The European Union is the new kid on the block, a fundamentally different “Europe,” reconstructed from the rubble of World War II with America’s generous assistance. Because modern-day Europe is so new and still in formation, it is frequently misunderstood by Americans. Numerous myths and half-truths about Europe now pass as conventional wisdom, and these myths have clouded Americans’ perceptions and understanding of Europe. It will be helpful to the future of the transatlantic relationship to clarify some of these myths.

Myth 1. Europe has a weak, sclerotic and noncompetitive economy.

FACT. Europe has the largest economy in the world, producing nearly a third of the world’s economy, almost as large as the United States and China combined. It has more Fortune 500 companies than the United States and China combined, and some of the most competitive national economies in the world, according to the World Economic Forum. From 1998 through 2008 (until the global economic collapse), Europe had a higher per capita GDP growth rate than the U.S. , and currently the continent previously known as the “land of high unemployment” has a lower unemployment rate than the U.S. (U.S. 10%, European Union, 9.5%, Germany 7.6%, France 10%).

Europe is the largest trading partner both of the United States and China. Europe’s stocks and investment returns have out-performed those in the U.S., making Europe an international investment magnet. In fact, Europe is corporate America’s biggest target for foreign investment, and U.S. businesses make far more profits there than anywhere else in the world, over twenty times more than what they have made in China.

But Europe’s economy is not just powered by Fortune 500 companies and big corporations. It has more small businesses than the U.S. that provide two-thirds of Europe’s jobs, compared to about half the jobs in the United States.

Myth 2. The European “welfare state” hamstrings its businesses.

FACT. Hardly a welfare state, Europe’s economy and comprehensive social system are two halves of a well-designed “social capitalism” that is better geared than America’s “Wall Street capitalism” to support families and individuals, and keep them healthy and productive. Europeans are supported with quality health care, a comfortable retirement pension, paid parental leave after childbirth, paid sick leave, child care and “kiddie stipends,” more vacation time, free or nearly free university education, job training, affordable housing, senior care and more. This is more “workfare” than “welfare,” since it keeps workers in good health and able to work. And it reveals real family values, as it provides families the support structure they need in this economically insecure age. The overwhelming evidence shows this has been good for the economy, producing highly productive workers who have sufficient wages to be active consumers.

Myth 3. Europe is a socialist den of government interference and intervention.

Europe is completely capitalist, not socialist, with more Fortune 500 companies and more small businesses than in the U.S. But Europe has figured out how to harness capitalism’s tremendous wealth-creating capacity so that its prosperity is broadly shared. Practices of economic democracy known as “codetermination,” “supervisory boards,” “works councils” and “flexicurity” are crucial to that harnessing. Codetermination allows workers to elect representatives to corporate boards of directors (known as supervisory boards). Half of the board members for the largest corporations in Germany — Siemens, BMW, Daimler and others — are elected by the workers. In Sweden, one-third of a company’s directors are worker-elected. Imagine Wal-Mart’s board of directors having anywhere from a third to half of its directors elected directly by its workers. It’s hard to even conceive of such a notion from the American standpoint. Yet, most European nations employ some version of this. The impact has been immensely significant, and research shows it has fostered a healthy degree of consultation and cooperation between management and workers.

Works councils are the other twin pillar of codetermination. Elected works councils at individual companies allow workers to gain significant input into their working conditions. Works councils, which are separate from labor unions, have real clout. They enjoy veto power over certain management decisions such as redeployment and dismissal of individual employees. They also have “co-decision rights” to meet with management to discuss the firm’s finances, daily work schedules, scheduling of holidays, work organization and other operating procedures; and “consultation rights” in regard to planning for the introduction of new technologies, mergers and layoffs.

Codetermination fosters the right balance of workers’ rights and consultation with robust commerce and entrepreneurship. It is one of the keys to how Europe’s brand of “social capitalism” has managed to harness its economic engine.

Myth 4. Europeans pay more taxes than Americans.

FACT: For their taxes, Europeans receive a seemingly endless list of benefits and services for which Americans must pay extra via out-of-pocket fees, premiums, deductibles, tuition and other charges, in addition to our taxes. For example, many Americans who have health care coverage are paying escalating premiums and deductibles, while Europeans receive health care in return for a modest amount deducted from their paycheck. Other Americans are saving a hundred thousand dollars per child for their college education, yet European children attend for free or nearly so. Millions of Americans are scraping to save the amount they will need for retirement beyond Social Security, but the European retirement system is much more generous. Many Americans pay extra for child care, or self-finance their own sick leave or parental leave after a birth, but Europeans receive all of these and more—in return for paying their taxes. When you sum up the total balance sheet, it turns out that many Americans pay out as much as or more than Europeans — but we receive a lot less for our money.

Myth 5. Europe’s economy will be hurt by its inadequate domestic energy supply and its dependence on Russia for its energy needs.

FACT: Europe’s energy efficiency is the best in the world. As a result of widespread implementation of conservation and renewable technologies, Europe’s ecological “footprint” (the amount of the earth’s capacity that a population consumes) is about half that of the United States for the same standard of living. The European landscape is being transformed slowly by giant high-tech windmills, vast solar arrays, underwater seamills, hydrogen-powered vehicles, “sea snakes,” and other renewable energy technologies. Europe is implementing conservation and “green” design in everything from skyscrapers to fuel-efficient automobiles, high speed trains, low wattage light bulbs, and low flush toilets. Europe has gone both high- and low-tech: It has also developed thousands of kilometers of bicycle and pedestrian paths that are used by people of all ages. In the process, Europeans are creating entire new industries and tens of thousands of new jobs.

As a result of this activity, Europe has reduced its energy reliance on Russia and the Middle East, diversifying its foreign sources of oil and natural gas. The heads of all 27 E.U. nations have agreed to make renewable energy sources 20 percent of the union’s energy mix by 2020 and to cut carbon emissions by 20 percent. For all these reasons, BusinessWeek has stated that Europe is better prepared than the United States for this era of energy uncertainty.by Steven Hill, author of Europe’s Promise: Why the European Way Is the Best Hope in an Insecure Age and Director of the Political Reform Program at the New America Foundation

Picture two flags, side by side, one the Stars and Stripes, also known as Old Glory, the other the European Union royal blue with a circle of twelve gold stars, like a halo. While Europe is considered the “old world,” the United States actually is far older than the European Union. The European Union is the new kid on the block, a fundamentally different “Europe,” reconstructed from the rubble of World War II with America’s generous assistance. Because modern-day Europe is so new and still in formation, it is frequently misunderstood by Americans. Numerous myths and half-truths about Europe now pass as conventional wisdom, and these myths have clouded Americans’ perceptions and understanding of Europe. It will be helpful to the future of the transatlantic relationship to clarify some of these myths.

Myth 1. Europe has a weak, sclerotic and noncompetitive economy.

FACT. Europe has the largest economy in the world, producing nearly a third of the world’s economy, almost as large as the United States and China combined. It has more Fortune 500 companies than the United States and China combined, and some of the most competitive national economies in the world, according to the World Economic Forum. From 1998 through 2008 (until the global economic collapse), Europe had a higher per capita GDP growth rate than the U.S. , and currently the continent previously known as the “land of high unemployment” has a lower unemployment rate than the U.S. (U.S. 10%, European Union, 9.5%, Germany 7.6%, France 10%).

Europe is the largest trading partner both of the United States and China. Europe’s stocks and investment returns have out-performed those in the U.S., making Europe an international investment magnet. In fact, Europe is corporate America’s biggest target for foreign investment, and U.S. businesses make far more profits there than anywhere else in the world, over twenty times more than what they have made in China.

But Europe’s economy is not just powered by Fortune 500 companies and big corporations. It has more small businesses than the U.S. that provide two-thirds of Europe’s jobs, compared to about half the jobs in the United States.

Myth 2. The European “welfare state” hamstrings its businesses.

FACT. Hardly a welfare state, Europe’s economy and comprehensive social system are two halves of a well-designed “social capitalism” that is better geared than America’s “Wall Street capitalism” to support families and individuals, and keep them healthy and productive. Europeans are supported with quality health care, a comfortable retirement pension, paid parental leave after childbirth, paid sick leave, child care and “kiddie stipends,” more vacation time, free or nearly free university education, job training, affordable housing, senior care and more. This is more “workfare” than “welfare,” since it keeps workers in good health and able to work. And it reveals real family values, as it provides families the support structure they need in this economically insecure age. The overwhelming evidence shows this has been good for the economy, producing highly productive workers who have sufficient wages to be active consumers.

Myth 3. Europe is a socialist den of government interference and intervention.

Europe is completely capitalist, not socialist, with more Fortune 500 companies and more small businesses than in the U.S. But Europe has figured out how to harness capitalism’s tremendous wealth-creating capacity so that its prosperity is broadly shared. Practices of economic democracy known as “codetermination,” “supervisory boards,” “works councils” and “flexicurity” are crucial to that harnessing. Codetermination allows workers to elect representatives to corporate boards of directors (known as supervisory boards). Half of the board members for the largest corporations in Germany — Siemens, BMW, Daimler and others — are elected by the workers. In Sweden, one-third of a company’s directors are worker-elected. Imagine Wal-Mart’s board of directors having anywhere from a third to half of its directors elected directly by its workers. It’s hard to even conceive of such a notion from the American standpoint. Yet, most European nations employ some version of this. The impact has been immensely significant, and research shows it has fostered a healthy degree of consultation and cooperation between management and workers.

Works councils are the other twin pillar of codetermination. Elected works councils at individual companies allow workers to gain significant input into their working conditions. Works councils, which are separate from labor unions, have real clout. They enjoy veto power over certain management decisions such as redeployment and dismissal of individual employees. They also have “co-decision rights” to meet with management to discuss the firm’s finances, daily work schedules, scheduling of holidays, work organization and other operating procedures; and “consultation rights” in regard to planning for the introduction of new technologies, mergers and layoffs.

Codetermination fosters the right balance of workers’ rights and consultation with robust commerce and entrepreneurship. It is one of the keys to how Europe’s brand of “social capitalism” has managed to harness its economic engine.

Myth 4. Europeans pay more taxes than Americans.

FACT: For their taxes, Europeans receive a seemingly endless list of benefits and services for which Americans must pay extra via out-of-pocket fees, premiums, deductibles, tuition and other charges, in addition to our taxes. For example, many Americans who have health care coverage are paying escalating premiums and deductibles, while Europeans receive health care in return for a modest amount deducted from their paycheck. Other Americans are saving a hundred thousand dollars per child for their college education, yet European children attend for free or nearly so. Millions of Americans are scraping to save the amount they will need for retirement beyond Social Security, but the European retirement system is much more generous. Many Americans pay extra for child care, or self-finance their own sick leave or parental leave after a birth, but Europeans receive all of these and more—in return for paying their taxes. When you sum up the total balance sheet, it turns out that many Americans pay out as much as or more than Europeans — but we receive a lot less for our money.

Myth 5. Europe’s economy will be hurt by its inadequate domestic energy supply and its dependence on Russia for its energy needs.

FACT: Europe’s energy efficiency is the best in the world. As a result of widespread implementation of conservation and renewable technologies, Europe’s ecological “footprint” (the amount of the earth’s capacity that a population consumes) is about half that of the United States for the same standard of living. The European landscape is being transformed slowly by giant high-tech windmills, vast solar arrays, underwater seamills, hydrogen-powered vehicles, “sea snakes,” and other renewable energy technologies. Europe is implementing conservation and “green” design in everything from skyscrapers to fuel-efficient automobiles, high speed trains, low wattage light bulbs, and low flush toilets. Europe has gone both high- and low-tech: It has also developed thousands of kilometers of bicycle and pedestrian paths that are used by people of all ages ab circle pro reviews . In the process, Europeans are creating entire new industries and tens of thousands of new jobs.

As a result of this activity, Europe has reduced its energy reliance on Russia and the Middle East, diversifying its foreign sources of oil and natural gas. The heads of all 27 E.U. nations have agreed to make renewable energy sources 20 percent of the union’s energy mix by 2020 and to cut carbon emissions by 20 percent. For all these reasons, BusinessWeek has stated that Europe is better prepared than the United States for this era of energy uncertainty.

Thanks

 

AASPURANI

2:26 PM ET

January 6, 2012

Great

Excelent work. This is quality reply. :)
I really like your effort :D

 

ANON45

7:17 PM ET

January 6, 2012

Europe isn't a single country! Neither is the European Union!

Using Europe and the European Union is interchangeably is rather disingenious, they are different entities. treating 'Europe' as a single economy and state is incorrect.

These mistakes render all of the arguments irrelevant as they compare apples to oranges. Heck, Myth 4 and 3 are rather proven by the writer's words, not refuted.

As much as the writer wants it to be otherwise, Europe is comprised of a multitude of independant states with different objectives economically and politically.

The current political tension on bailouts rather underscores this point, and brings into question this optimistic (to put it lightly) view of the European Unions' current state and future.

1)It would be innaccurate to state that Europe has a weak, sclerotic and noncompetitive economy because Europe doesn't have a single economy. It would be accurate to state that some states in Europe have a weak, sclerotic and noncompetitive economy, which is why the European Union has dissolved into infighting.

2) Europe has no single economy or welfare system, apples to oranges. Symptomatic of this is that it apparently hasn't worked for all members of the European Union, and by association all members of Europe.

It also omits the caveat that while workers in European states are in general 'highly productive' (whom compared to whom?) American workers are more productive.

5)I am unsure of how the 'Fact' under myth five refutes the belief that European states are dependant on Russia and the Middle East/Africa for energy needs.
In fact, i'm unsure of how dependance on Russian or Middle Eastern energy will hurt any European country's economy at all without a specific scenario!

 

LIAHASAN11

11:42 AM ET

January 8, 2012

Over the past few years,

Over the past few years, there has been a growing tendency to dub Muslims as terrorists. And leading from the front in this blame game is none other than the superpower, the United States. It is extremely sad that such a tolerant and loving community is being dubbed as behind the terror outfits.

It is gross injustice that the Muslims of this world are being treated as second class. How many of you think that Muslims are behind the terror plots, no matter where they happen? No doubt most of the terror outfits are comprised of Muslims, but is it correct to say that all Muslims are terrorists? If we look at the community as a whole, the Muslims will outnumber almost the rest. Indeed most of the rich nations are Muslim nations.

There are a few misguided youth who have spoilt the spirit of Islam, disturbed the Muslim norms, created havoc in the world, revoked the laws of the land, disturbed peace, affected fraternal relations, and above all marginalised the facets and tenets of the KORAN --the Holy Book-- that has been leading several generations ever since it came into being. It is not just the Muslims that bow before the Koran, I being a non-Muslim, too, bow before the most sacred book, and I have no doubt in saying that millions of non-Muslims treat the Koran as their HOLY BOOK--much like the Geeta of Hindus, the Bible of Christains, and the Guru Granth Sahib Ji of Sikhs. All these sacred, religious books preach their followers fraternity, brotherhood, and love for all --no matter which religion they belong. Wouldn't it have been wonderful, had all of us followed our religion, keeping in mind the sanctity of all other religions?

this is my request to everyone..standby your faith, your religion, your prayer, your worship, your norms, but for God's sake don't use the pious name of God for violence, waging wars, letting bloodshed, diluting sacred human values, massacring men, women, children and old n infirm,---just for the sake of POWER n SUPREMACY over others.

ASK God when, you leave for haven, how correct are those indulging in gross human rights violations just to gain power n prestige just to create dread, fear n havoc in the world.

Muslims are a religious community, who believe in the sanctity n virtues of the Koran n the Prophet --the Great Prophet, who taught them to fight those who kill innocents, to wage a jihad against those who r antihuman-- not against all n sundry..

So, how did Muslims started being dubbed as terrorists? Being a community rich of strength n valor, the powerful Muslim lords saw themselves reaping dividends by ruling over the world. Just this was the beginning...n the rest is history, v much the present--may b d future too.

But can we let the blood of our brethren, n fellow citizens flow like this in suicide bombings, bomb blasts n all such atrocious tactics of the so-called terrorists? The disgruntled few r in a state of dissatisfaction n to satisfy themselves have started waging a war on innocents that they call as jihad. however, they fail to understand that in doing so, they have tarnished the sacred name of ISLAM, n invited criticism from world over..resulting in the world calling the entire Muslim community as associated with terrorists.

For God's sake stop calling Muslims terrorists. They are a community that loves its religion, its God, its Prophet, and upkeep human values. The dissatisfied n misled among them r the real culprits, who need to be justified. I have so many Muslim friends and trust me, they all believe in upkeeping human values, they believe in brotherhood, fraternity, their heart cries at the suicide bombings, their lives r disturbed by terrorist activities. They love humanity, first.

Do you know so many Muslims have died in the suicide bombings and bomb blasts? If the terroists who care so much for their religion, loved their religion n fellow Muslims, will they kill them? Will they place bombs at places where muslims r predominant? will they target muslim locations n habitations?

they have targetted muslim habitations..hyderabad in INDIA is a glaring example, where so many muslims were killed in the blast incide the mosque. such disgruntled elements placed the bombs inside the mosque only to create misunderstanding between different communities so that people fight each other out, which would result in the victory of the terrorists.

A Muslim scholar from Pakistan says: "Our religion teaches us that the murder of an innocent person is the murder of humanity as a whole. "

MUSLIMS r not terrorists. muslims r friends n fellow citizens. please do not mistake such a tolerant community because of a misled few!

 

POPSIQQ

5:00 AM ET

January 9, 2012

the beauty of fracking

Cheap energy and virtually limitless amounts of bottled water from European and other sources show who's right when it comes to making America energy-independent.

 

DR.SPARK

11:55 AM ET

January 9, 2012

Qualit

Congratulation for your excellent contribution. Very, very clear and strong demystification! Your message is timely and necessary, for all those concerned with the recent state of affairs! The myths you enumrated will continue to exist until:
First
the EU finds its own way to present its united economical and financial achievements through one voice;
Second
the Euro, the currency of Unified Europe, gets a strong backing by every and each member of the EU;
Third,
an effective , self-regulatory, economic and financial EU mechanism is established for all member states, enhancing control and implementation of high EU economic and financial standards, aimed at utilizing the strength and capabilities of every EU member state and of the EU as a whole, for strengthening the economic and financial stability of every member and the EU as a whole, for overcoming the recent World economic and financial crisis;
Fourth,
heads of states of the EU act as fire "extinguisher" and short term crisis manager, instead of providing short and long term measures and guidance, with an effect for each and every EU member, indeed for all the EU and beyond.
This are only the most urgent immedIATE STEPS. Their effect will be felt without any doubt every where on the Planet Earth !!!

 

SPOOD

3:22 PM ET

January 6, 2012

Ooooh, that kind of frakking

Fidel was talking about oil extraction from shale.

Never mind.

 

BGFNDPA98FSA

8:46 PM ET

January 6, 2012

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POPSIQQ

5:07 AM ET

January 9, 2012

Senile dementia

Imagine! Millions of Americans know that fracking has no effect on their water at all.The others are whiners and complainers - pre-senilely demented like El Commandante- drinking naturally-occurring aromatic oleoresins in your water will do that to you.

They should be thanking the energy corporations of America for providing a one-pipe solution to home fuel and liquid needs.

Besides, there's always a sale on Dasani or Aquapura (Reg.TM) down at the gas station. Buy up and drink up America.

 

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