FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
******Bizcon
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
BIZ CON 1NC
A. Investor confidence is on the brink – rescue of financial institutions shored up
confidence, but any erosion cascades globally
WSJ (Wall Street Journal), 7-15-08, “The Multifront War Over Investor Confidence”,
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121610307854153963.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
That seemed to help, at least temporarily, since investors yesterday bought $3 billion in short-term debt in a Freddie
auction that drew more bids than usual and thus allowed the company to offer lower yields and keep down its
borrowing costs, as The Wall Street Journal notes. This confidence stems from the powerful promise Treasury
Secretary Henry Paulson essentially made to back Fannie and Freddie on Sunday, however much he expressed a
preference for keeping their shareholder-owned structures. As BusinessWeek's Michael Mandel argues, the two
seem to be "on the inevitable road to being bailed out, nationalized, and shrunk," since the placement of "the full
faith and credit of the U.S. government behind two private financial companies" can't be undone. Still, if Mr.
Paulson's weekend moves helped shore up short-term confidence in Fannie and Freddie's ability to keep pumping
money into the housing market, they didn't solve long-term worries about their capitalization, the Journal says. The
rescue of Fannie and Freddie came "after Wall Street executives and foreign central bankers told Washington that
any further erosion of confidence could have a cascading effect around the world," officials tell the New York
Times. And yet, the start-and-stop market cascades tied to the mortgage crisis that began early last year were at it
again today. Yesterday's fall in U.S. banking stocks today is translating into hefty losses in Shanghai, Singapore,
Hong Kong and Japan, and in London, Frankfurt and Paris, too. The dollar reached a new low against the euro,
which was buying more than $1.60, and U.S. stock futures are down ahead of the market open in New York.
B. Government regulation causes investors to wait to invest – uncertain about the future of
the laws and the company
Alain Verbeke, Director of MBA Studies - Solvay Business School, University of Brussels, 4 Dec 1998.
[“Corporate strategies and environmental regulations: an organizing framework,” Strategic Management Journal,
Volume 19 Issue 4, Pages 363 – 375]
In our view, many firms at present fear a quadrant 1 scenario. They do not invest in developing green capabilities
because of the high uncertainty regarding leveraging effects associated with these investments. In many cases it is,
for example, unclear ( a ) how government regulation, both in terms of command and control regulations and
market-based instruments will evolve over time, ( b ) to what extent the impact of ‘green consumerism’ will
increase in terms of affecting purchasing decisions of buyers, ( c ) what the industry standards and benchmarks will
be in the area of environmental protection. This is consist- ent with Jaffe’s analysis, which demonstrated the
benefit of waiting to make irreversible invest- ments in clean technologies until better technol- ogies become
available ( Jaffe et al, 1995 ).
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
BIZ CON 1NC
C. Lack of business confidence destroys the economy
John Braithwaite, Australian Research Council Federation fellow, 20 04, The Annals of The American Academy of
Political and Social Science, March, “Emancipation and Hope,” Lexis
The challenge of designing institutions that simultaneously engender emanci- pation and hope is addressed within the
assumption of economic institutions that are fundamentally capitalist. This contemporary global context gives more
force to the hope nexus because we know capitalism thrives on hope. When business confidence collapses, capitalist
economies head for recession. This dependence on hope is of quite general import; business leaders must have hope
for the future before they will build new factories; consumers need confidence before they will buy what the factories
make; investors need confidence before they will buy shares in the company that builds the factory; bankers need
confidence to lend money to build the factory; scientists need confidence to innovate with new technologies in the
hope that a capitalist will come along and market their invention. Keynes’s ([1936]1981) General Theory of
Employment, Interest and Money lamented the theoretical neglect of “animal spirits” of hope (“spontaneous optimism
rather than . . . mathematical expectation” (p. 161) in the discipline of economics, a neglect that continues to this day
(see also Barbalet 1993).
D. Economic stagnation leads to nuclear war
Walter Russel Mead, fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, 1992, NEW PERSPECTIVES
But what if it can’t? What if the global economy stagnates—or even shrink In that case, we will face a new period of
international conflict: South against North, rich against poor. Russia, China, India—these countries with their billions of
people and their nuclear weapons will pose a much greater danger to world order than Germany and Japan did in the ‘30s.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Bizcon increasing
Bizcon is increasing in the squ due to small business success
Buisness Wire, “Administaff Announces Results of Business Confidence Survey
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_May_12/ai_n25408031, May 12th 08
Nearly 78 percent of owners and managers of small businesses say their companies are either growing as
planned or at a faster pace than forecast at the beginning of the year, according to results of a Business
Confidence Survey released today by Administaff (NYSE:ASF), a leading provider of human-resources services for
small and medium-sized businesses. Survey respondents also are actively filling open positions with 44 percent
saying they are hiring full-time employees and 11 percent planning to bring in part-timers. Administaff also
released compensation data compiled from its client base of more than 6,000 small and medium-sized businesses
throughout the country. A comparison of first-quarter data against the same period in 2007 shows that average
compensation is up 4.9 percent and average commissions have increased 6.8 percent. In addition, overtime pay
is running 9.5 percent of regular pay.
Buisness confidence up in squo
TIER, “Domestic and international business confidence rising”,
http://investintaiwan.nat.gov.tw/en/news/200706/2007062101.html , June 21, 2007
Business confidence is rising, as companies are holding a more optimistic outlook for the second half of 2007,
according to the Taiwan Institute for Economic Research (TIER). TIER based these conclusions on the results of its
latest survey of the manufacturing and service sectors. Nearly 50% of the surveyed manufacturers said that they
were "optimistic" about economic performance in the second half of the year. The survey was presented at a
meeting hosted by TIER president David Hong and researcher Chen Miao. As organizations such as the UK's
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and the United Nations have revised their economic growth forecasts upwards,
the global economy should remain strong, which means Taiwan will continue to maintain strong exports, said
Chen. Although manufacturers were less positive about business performance in April in comparison to March, they
held an optimistic outlook for the next three to six months -- the percentage of manufacturers who said they were
"positive" about their business outlook rose from 44.3% to 49.2%, according to Chen.
Business confidence up in squo – at: floods
Dayton Business Journal, “Survey: Midwest floods dampen business confidence level”,
http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2008/06/30/daily1.html?surround=lfn , June 30, 2008
National City's monthly business confidence survey hit a record low in June, helped along by growing gloom in
its territories affected by recent flooding, the bank said. Only 57.8 percent of respondents expressed confidence
in the economy, down from more than 60 percent in May, National City said in a news release. States affected by
flooding had the largest drops: Missouri's economic outlook results fell to 59 percent from 77.4 percent over the
month; Illinois' to 61.7 percent from 71.2 percent; and Indiana's to 66.9 percent from 70.7 percent.
Bizcon increasing – real estate
Mark Zandi , http://www.zey.com, “Survey of Business Confidence”, 2008
Global business confidence has remained in a tight range since late May, consistent with a global economy that is
barely growing. Developed economies, including the U.S., Europe and Japan, are contracting moderately, while most
developing economies are expanding moderately. This is an improvement since late April, however, when global
business confidence fell to a record low. The most measurable improvement has been among real estate operations,
financial services companies, and business service firms. These firms are still dour, but not nearly so. As has been the
case for the past year, the most negative responses are to the broad questions concerning present conditions and the
outlook.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Bizcon increasing
Business confidence looking up now – interest rate cuts
The Mercury, 3/26/08. “Market gets a $42b boost,” Factiva
THE Australian sharemarket gained 3 per cent yesterday, adding $42 billion in value, amid renewed buying.
Bargain hunters snapped up stocks following signs of improved business confidence in the United States.
The all ordinaries gained 173.3 points to 5355.7.
It was the biggest one-day gain since last Wednesday, after the US Federal Reserve made a large cut to interest rates.
Macquarie Equities adviser David Halliday said sentiment had improved in the United States amid JP Morgan's increased bid
for troubled investment bank Bear Stearns and moves by the US Federal Reserve to keep the financial system orderly.
Lucinda Chan, division director at Macquarie Private Wealth, said: ``What you are seeing is confidence moving into this
market.
``It's the first time in months the market's seen some positive signs leading to the upwards and while the bad times are not
entirely over, some risk appetite has returned to the market and people are starting to look for some bargains.''
Global investor confidence is rising in the squo.
CNBC, “Small Business Confidence at Lowest Since 1980 ”,
http://www.cnbc.com/id/25073260/site/14081545, /July 10th, 2008
Small business owner confidence in the U.S. economy deteriorated to its lowest in 28 years, according to a
survey released Tuesday. The National Federation of Independent Business said its index of small business optimism
fell 2.2 points in May to 89.3, the lowest reading since 1980, when the index plunged as a recession hit.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Investor Con Stable
Investor confidence stable – strong debt sales prove
The Guardian, (Reuters), 7-14-08, “US pledge fails to lift cloud over Fannie, Freddie”,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7651704
The Treasury Department is seeking Congressional approval for a temporary increase in the credit line it provided for
Fannie and Freddie. Its size is to be determined by Paulson, who told the Fed not to lend to Fannie and Freddie until
they exhaust their Treasury credit lines. Debt buyers seemed confident in the mortgage agencies. Monday's $3 billion
debt sale from Freddie drew stronger demand than a similar one on July 7. Fannie announced that it will sell $3 billion
worth of debt on Wednesday. While Monday's debt auction was routine, it was viewed as a key test of market appetite
following last week's stock sell-off. Freddie's treasurer said the sale was "business as usual," and he did not perceive a
crisis of investor confidence.
Global investor confidence is rising in the squo.
State Street, “INVESTOR CONFIDENCE INDEX RISES FROM 72.3 TO 81.0 IN MAY ”,
http://pr.statestreet.com/us/en/20080520_1.html, May 20th, 2008
Global Investor Confidence rose by 8.7 points to 81.0 from a revised April level of 72.3. North American investors
were the key drivers of this, as their risk appetite increased by 8.0 points from 77.0 to 85.0. In other regions, the
confidence levels saw negligible changes from the previous month, with European investor confidence falling by 0.5 points
to 76.3 and Asian investor confidence rose by 0.2 to 86.4.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Investor Con – Brink
Investor confidence is on the brink – rescue of financial institutions shored up confidence, but any
erosion cascades globally
WSJ (Wall Street Journal), 7-15-08, “The Multifront War Over Investor Confidence”,
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121610307854153963.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
That seemed to help, at least temporarily, since investors yesterday bought $3 billion in short-term debt in a Freddie
auction that drew more bids than usual and thus allowed the company to offer lower yields and keep down its
borrowing costs, as The Wall Street Journal notes. This confidence stems from the powerful promise Treasury
Secretary Henry Paulson essentially made to back Fannie and Freddie on Sunday, however much he expressed a
preference for keeping their shareholder-owned structures. As BusinessWeek's Michael Mandel argues, the two seem
to be "on the inevitable road to being bailed out, nationalized, and shrunk," since the placement of "the full faith and
credit of the U.S. government behind two private financial companies" can't be undone. Still, if Mr. Paulson's
weekend moves helped shore up short-term confidence in Fannie and Freddie's ability to keep pumping money into
the housing market, they didn't solve long-term worries about their capitalization, the Journal says. The rescue of
Fannie and Freddie came "after Wall Street executives and foreign central bankers told Washington that any further
erosion of confidence could have a cascading effect around the world," officials tell the New York Times. And yet,
the start-and-stop market cascades tied to the mortgage crisis that began early last year were at it again today.
Yesterday's fall in U.S. banking stocks today is translating into hefty losses in Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong and
Japan, and in London, Frankfurt and Paris, too. The dollar reached a new low against the euro, which was buying
more than $1.60, and U.S. stock futures are down ahead of the market open in New York.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Consumer Confidence High
Despite economic slowdown, US consumer confidence is looking up – spending high now
Business World, 5/23/08. “Special Feature: Consumer Loans; Consumer spending on the rise” Lexis
The United States may be experiencing a slump, but local consumer spending is going the opposite direction. With improved
consumer confidence, the low interest rate environment and overseas workers' remittances, consumer spending is definitely
going uphill.
Remittances particularly supported the robust consumer confidence in the country as total dollar remittances totaled $14.4
billion last year, up 13.2% year-on-year. It was also higher than the forecast $14.3 billion level.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Investor Confidence - High
Despite inflation, investors are buying more than ever
Washington Post, 7/17/08. “Stocks Rebound Despite Big Jump In June Inflation; Financial Shares Post Double-Digit
Gains,” Lexis
Other prices were also up in June, indicating that high prices for oil and other commodities are working their way through the
economy. Transportation costs were up 3.8 percent last month; rents and the cost of education and other services rose briskly,
too. Overall, core inflation -- which excludes food and energy -- increased 0.3 percent in June, a substantial increase over the
previous four months. But investors, buoyed by the Wells Fargo news, brushed off the inflation report and streamed to buy
up stocks that were at the lowest level in years. The S&P 500 Banks Index rose 23 percent, the biggest jump since
September 1989. Share prices of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac more than erased steep losses from Tuesday, with Fannie Mae
surging 31 percent and Freddie Mac rising 30 percent. Shares of Washington Mutual, the largest U.S. savings and loan,
jumped 25 percent, while J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America, the nation's largest commercial banks, climbed 16 and 22
percent, respectively. Wachovia, which holds more deposits from Washington area residents than any other commercial bank,
gained 16 percent. Wells Fargo reported a second-quarter profit of $1.75 billion, or about 53 cents a share. That was 21
percent lower than its profit in the corresponding quarter a year earlier but exceeded the expectations of most Wall Street
analysts, who had predicted a profit of 50 cents a share. Even more encouraging to investors was the company's
announcement that it would raise its dividend 10 percent, a move that reaffirmed a positive long-term outlook.
US investors are becoming optimistic after a drop in oil prices and higher-than-expected bank profits
The International Herald Tribune, 7/17/08. “Stocks rise in U.S. and Europe as oil declines;
MARKET ROUNDUP,” Lexis
U.S. and European stocks rose Wednesday after oil prices fell sharply on news of an unexpected leap in U.S. crude supplies
last week and after a big American bank posted surprisingly strong results. All told, the events helped to ease investor fears
about the battered financial sector. Spot gold prices tumbled about 2 percent as crude oil slid and the dollar extended gains
after the Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke, Ben Bernanke said that under certain conditions currency intervention
might be warranted. Shares in the beaten-down financial sector surged. The S&P financial index rose 6.3 percent, while the
KBW banks index gained 9.4 percent. Not all the news was positive. Data showed U.S. consumer price inflation accelerated
to an annual rate of 5 percent in June - well above economists' forecasts - and U.S. government debt prices fell sharply. U.S.
crude oil futures fell more than 4 percent after a U.S. government agency reported a surprise increase in import levels,
causing crude prices to chalk up the biggest two-day loss in percentage terms since January 2007. While the two-day drop in
the price of oil of almost $15 only brought crude to a three-week low, the fall was enough to help Wall Street indexes rally
about 2 percent in late trading. Equity markets had slipped entirely into bear-market territory earlier in the week. An index of
top European shares also closed higher, a day after hitting a three-year closing low. Stronger-than-expected quarterly results
by Wells Fargo, one of the biggest U.S. banks, helped turn a sour mood on Wall Street that has seen banking shares slide to
decade lows as the sector looks for still more capital after record infusions.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Investor Con High – Mortgage Lenders
Fed action on Fannie Mae boosted investor con
Maurna Desmond, Forbes writer, 7-14-08, “Investors Still Shy Of Fannie & Freddie”,
http://www.forbes.com/home/2008/07/14/fannie-freddie-gse-markets-econ-cx_md_0714markets11.html
Fannie Mae (nyse: FNM - news - people ) and Freddie Mac (nyse: FRE - news - people ) surged Monday
morning, but then cooled after news that the Federal Government announced a three-pronged plan on Sunday to
ensure that the two government-backed lenders, which own or guarantee roughly $5.3 trillion or half of all outstanding
U.S. mortgage debt, are able to continue operating. The government's action turns an implicit government guarantor
into an explicit one, and boosted investor confidence, at least initially. Freddie was down 1.4%, or 11 cents, to $7.64
and Fannie added 2.8%, or 29 cents, to $10.54 by noon in New York.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Link – Investor Con
Energy market intervention destabilizes investor confidence
Benedict Brogan, political editor Daily Mail, 3-10-08, “Darling attacked over energy subsidies”,
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=432592&in_page_id=2
Darling's latest plan to hit the hugely profitable energy suppliers were rubbished by industry executives. They warned that
the proposals will threaten the ability of companies to invest billions of pounds in new nuclear power stations and
windfarms. Sam Laidlaw, chief executive of the British Gas group Centrica, told the Adam Smith Institute today: 'There
is a worrying tendency towards short-term fiscal interventions or now, from some quarters, even price controls for some
groups of customers. 'Such intervention is contrary to the operation of competitive markets, threatens to destabilise
investor confidence and risks jeopardising construction of the critical power-generation and gas-supply infrastructure we
need.'
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Link – Regulations
Regulation causes businesses to fear litigation, shattering confidence
Glenn Hubbard, Dean of the Columbia School of Business, “REDUCING REGULATION AND
LITIGATION WHILE ENHANCING SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS WILL IMPROVE THE
COMPETITIVENESS OF U.S. CAPITAL MARKETS”,
http://www.capmktsreg.org/pdfs/Summary_11.30interimreport.pdf, 2008
The evidence suggests that balance does need to be restored. A substantial portion of the erosion in U.S. markets
global and internal competitiveness – and the only factors over which U.S. policymakers have control – relates to
insufficiently coordinated, costly and/or excessive market regulation and enforcement, public and private.
Regulatory requirements for complying with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act cost companies, on average, $4.36
million in the first year – a stiff price for most public companies and a significant burden for small ones, particularly first
time market entrants. Nearly open-ended responsibility of auditors in complying with Section 404 has made an
already consolidation-shriveled profession virtually uninsurable for this work. Insufficiently coordinated state
and federal enforcement laws and activities have led to state authorities driving matters that are more national in
scope. Improper criminalization of entire companies has sometimes forced them out of business, eliminating
thousands of innocent employees’ jobs. Private enforcement in the form of securities law class action suits (which
do not exist outside the U.S.) resulted in $150 million of liabilities in 1995. By 2004, this had exploded to $3.5 billion
– a figure that does not even include an additional $4.74 billion of penalties assessed by US public enforcement bodies.
Regulation burdens businesses and cripples business confidence
Gary Banks, Chairman Productivity Commission, ‘03 “Reducing the business costs of regulation”,
http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/7802/cs20030320.pdf
It is an established fact that the burden of regulation falls more heavily on small businesses; not because they are more
heavily regulated, but because they have the least capacity to cope. Operators or managers of smaller businesses are
less likely to have specialist staff with detailed knowledge of regulations or taxation matters. Regulations are more
likely to be dealt with by prime decision-makers, distracting them from their core role. The costs of such managerial
diversion are very difficult to assess, but are potentially large. The Small Business Deregulation Taskforce found that,
among other things: • small businesses often do not understand their compliance obligations; • unnecessary delays in
processing and approvals, and duplication of information requirements, were resulting in lost time; and •
inconsistency in administrative interpretation can result in uncertainty about processes and outcomes, which impact
adversely on business confidence.
Strict regulations and taxes deter investment and decrease growth and jobs – Canada proves
The Fraser Institute, Canadian Economic Journal, 10/20/99. “Mining Policy: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly,”
http://oldfraser.lexi.net/publications/forum/1998/december/mining_policy.html
Most regions in Canada are blessed with a geology that is attractive for mining. Unfortunately, some of those same regions
are burdened with cumbersome, restrictive policies that reduce their overall investment attractiveness. If Canada wants to
maintain a healthy mining industry, it cannot afford to be complacent about its policy climate because countries around the
world are now competing to attract mining dollars to their jurisdictions. Anti-business policy climates deter investment,
reduce economic growth, and cost jobs. As some Canadian jurisdictions have determined, the formula for encouraging
investment and prosperity is not complicated. It does not require complex plans to create jobs and manage the economy.
Rather, it requires eliminating onerous regulations, simplifying permit processes so they are timely and efficient, lowering
taxes, and eliminating uncertainty about expropriation without compensation.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Link – Regulations
Lowered taxes and regulations key to economy – CEOs agree
Chief Executive. 7/10/08. “CEOs Portray a Dismal Forecast for the U.S.,” PR Newswire, Lexis.
http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T4174871779&format=G
NBFI&sort=BOOLEAN&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T4174871782&cisb=22_T4174871781&treeMax=true&treeWi
dth=0&csi=8054&docNo=14
MONTVALE, N.J., July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- With the economy overtaking Iraq as one of the main issues this election year,
Chief Executive magazine conducted a survey among CEOs between June 13 and June 27 in an effort to gauge CEO
sentiment on the direction of the U.S. economy. CEOs were asked which policy position they think the U.S. should take to
increase or maintain American competitiveness as well as questions on which countries will generate the highest number of
jobs and where the top paying jobs will be in the future.
An overwhelming majority of American CEOs believe that in order to create the highest paying jobs and maintain the U.S.'
economic competitiveness, the government needs to reduce taxes and regulation, privatize education and remove restrictions
on trade.
Regulation causes businesses to fear litigation, shattering confidence
Glenn Hubbard, Dean of the Columbia School of Business, “REDUCING REGULATION AND
LITIGATION WHILE ENHANCING SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS WILL IMPROVE THE
COMPETITIVENESS OF U.S. CAPITAL MARKETS”,
http://www.capmktsreg.org/pdfs/Summary_11.30interimreport.pdf, 2008
The evidence suggests that balance does need to be restored. A substantial portion of the erosion in U.S. markets
global and internal competitiveness – and the only factors over which U.S. policymakers have control – relates to
insufficiently coordinated, costly and/or excessive market regulation and enforcement, public and private.
Regulatory requirements for complying with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act cost companies, on average, $4.36
million in the first year – a stiff price for most public companies and a significant burden for small ones, particularly first
time market entrants. Nearly open-ended responsibility of auditors in complying with Section 404 has made an
already consolidation-shriveled profession virtually uninsurable for this work. Insufficiently coordinated state
and federal enforcement laws and activities have led to state authorities driving matters that are more national in
scope. Improper criminalization of entire companies has sometimes forced them out of business, eliminating
thousands of innocent employees’ jobs. Private enforcement in the form of securities law class action suits (which
do not exist outside the U.S.) resulted in $150 million of liabilities in 1995. By 2004, this had exploded to $3.5 billion
– a figure that does not even include an additional $4.74 billion of penalties assessed by US public enforcement bodies.
Regulation increases uncertainty about the profitability of a firm, deterring investment
Wayne Gray, Dept of Economics, Clark Univ, 1993, “ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION AND MANUFACTURING
PRODUCTIVITY AT THE PLANT LEVEL” National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper Series, No. 4321, p.4.
Regulation may also increase the uncertainty faced by firms, affecting their decisions in a variety of ways. Viscusi (1983)
discusses the role of uncertainty about future regulations (and hence about the future profitability of the firm) in reducing a
firm's investment, or at least in postponing the investment until the uncertainty is resolved. Hoerger, Beamer, and Hanson
(1983) point out that new product development could be affected by uncertainty about future regulation of new products.
Development of new production processes could also be hindered by uncertainty about future regulations, as current
regulatory requirements are generally designed with existing production processes in mind.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Link – Regulations
Environmental regulations cause companies to lose jobs, investment and output
Michael Greenstone, Dept Economics – MIT, 2002 [“The Impacts of Environmental Regulations on Industrial Activity:
Evidence from the 1970 and 1977 Clean Air Act Amendments and the Census of Manufactures,” Journal of Political
Economy, vol. 110, no. 6] http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/342808
This paper provides new evidence that environmental regulations re- strict industrial activity. I find that in the first 15 years
after the CAAAs became law (1972–87), nonattainment counties (relative to attainment ones) lost approximately 590,000
jobs, $37 billion in capital stock, and $75 billion (1987 dollars) of output in polluting industries. Although these estimates
are not derived from a randomized experiment and therefore cannot meet a strict definition of causality, they provide robust
evidence that these regulations deter the growth of polluters. In the first place, the findings are derived from the most
comprehensive data available on clean air regulations and manufacturing activity. Second, the preferred statistical model for
plant-level growth controls for all permanent plant characteristics, unrestricted industry shocks, and un- restricted county
shocks. Third, the effects are robust across a variety of specifications. Finally, the regulation effects are evident across three
different measures of manufacturing activity and a wide range of pol- luting industries. The federal standards for ozone and
particulates were tightened re- cently, causing a substantial increase in the number of nonattainment counties.39 The
balance of evidence from this paper suggests that the new nonattainment counties will experience reductions in employment,
investment, and shipments in polluting industries. To gain a clearer understanding of whether it is worthwhile to incur the
costs associated with these reductions, it is crucial to understand the regulations’ effec- tiveness at cleaning the air and the
benefits of cleaner air. Recent re- search finds that these policies are effective at reducing concentrations of air pollution and
that cleaner air, particularly reductions in TSPs, provides substantial monetary benefits to homeowners and reduced in- fant
mortality rates (Smith and Huang 1995; Henderson 1996; Chay and Greenstone 2000, 2002a, 2002b). Regardless of whether
these pol- icies pass or fail a cost-benefit test, this paper’s findings undermine the contention that environmental regulations
are costless or even benefi- cial for the regulated.
Government regulation causes investors to wait to invest – uncertain about the future of the laws and the company
Alain Verbeke, Director of MBA Studies - Solvay Business School, University of Brussels, 4 Dec 1998. [“Corporate
strategies and environmental regulations: an organizing framework,” Strategic Management Journal, Volume 19 Issue 4,
Pages 363 – 375]
In our view, many firms at present fear a quadrant 1 scenario. They do not invest in developing green capabilities because of
the high uncertainty regarding leveraging effects associated with these investments. In many cases it is, for example,
unclear ( a ) how government regulation, both in terms of command and control regulations and market-based instruments
will evolve over time, ( b ) to what extent the impact of ‘green consumerism’ will increase in terms of affecting purchasing
decisions of buyers, ( c ) what the industry standards and benchmarks will be in the area of environmental protection. This is
consist- ent with Jaffe’s analysis, which demonstrated the benefit of waiting to make irreversible invest- ments in clean
technologies until better technol- ogies become available ( Jaffe et al, 1995 ).
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Link – Regulations
Regulation undermines investment
Consumers' Research Magazine, August 1996, p.L/N. (BLUEOC1600)
Who Pays for All This? In general, the cost of regulating is initially expressed as a cost of doing business. Okay, but who
pays this tariff? We all do, in one way or another. Consider a standard situation in which a law requires certain practices to be
followed in hiring or procedures to be used to assure product quality. The former will raise costs by forcing employers to
expand their job search and fill out forms to prove compliance; the latter will raise costs by requiring changes in the
production process. Sometimes, firms can pass these costs to consumers, making them pay more; sometimes firms can't pass
them along at all, so they will have lower profits, which means that owners or shareholders foot the bill. But, often,
employers pass these costs down the line with lower wages and salaries. Other times, when costs cannot be directly passed
off to employees, employers will respond by either hiring fewer people or laying off those already employed. Either way,
higher business costs from regulation will result in lower wages and/or higher unemployment. Excessive regulation also
discourages investment in domestic business: Why plop a factory down on regulated soil when unregulated opportunities
beckon abroad? Moreover, the threat of regulatory changes creates uncertainty, which scares investors, who then demand
higher returns, and tends to make planning horizons more short term. Further, regulation stymies innovation. This has been
especially true in the drug and medical-device industry. Long approval periods shorten the effective patent time for the results
of expensive research and development and thus diminish returns on discoveries without lowering risk. A larger gap between
risk and return renders many research and development projects too unprofitable to under take. And last, all of the above
make it harder for domestic firms to compete in international markets in which many foreign-based firms do not have to
contend with the effects of excessive regulation.
Regulations drain the economy
David Schoenbrod, Professor, New York Law School, JOURNAL OF SMALL & EMERGING BUSINESS LAW, 2001, p.
108 (WFU197)
The weight of EPA's unnecessarily heavy hand falls primarily on us and our joy rather than on corporate fat cats and their
purses. Although the direct costs of EPA's requirements fall in the first instance on existing firms, those who pay the price in
the end are primarily ordinary people. For example, auto buyers, not auto manufacturers, pay most of the cost of emissions
controls on new cars. More generally, ordinary people pay for most of the direct costs of environmental pollution control by
way of higher prices for goods, higher taxes, and less pay. To the extent that the direct costs of pollution control are reflected
in the bottom lines of corporations, most of us are adversely affected anyway because so many of us now own shares of
corporate stock, directly or through various pension plans.
Regulation discourages entrepreneurship
James L. Huffman, Dean and Professor of Law, Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College; JOURNAL OF
SMALL & EMERGING BUSINESS LAW, Summer 2000, pp. 314-5 (WFU201)
Disparities in income and wealth are probably affected as well. One important opportunity for low income individuals to
improve their lot is through entrepreneurship and innovation. By definition, these entrepreneurs are capital poor, so they
cannot afford even small delays in advancing from idea to product or service. If entrepreneurship is discouraged by
regulation, lower income individuals are left to either hourly employment in the businesses of others or the largess of the
state. Neither of these options holds the promise for significant advancement or personal satisfaction that a successful
business venture can provide.
Regulations reduce productivity
Frank Cross, Professor of Business Regulation, University of Texas, ECOLOGY LAW QUARTERLY, 1995, pp. 757-8
(WFU202)
Environmental rules may impair productivity in several discrete ways. By requiring capital investment, environmental
regulations use capital that might otherwise have been used for productivity enhancement. Environmental and occupational
health and safety rules may require manpower for monitoring thus reducing the workforce available for other more
productive activities. Required changes in operation may also reduce productivity. New plants tend to be more productive
than older plants; however, environmental requirements discourage the development of new plants because environmental
requirements are consistently stricter for new sources. In addition, "(r)iskier, longer term investment may be discouraged by
uncertainties about the stringency. timing and applicability of many regulations and by regulatory requirements for studies
and permits that can introduce considerable delays between investment and income."
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Link – Regulations
Legal brawls magnify costs of government mandates
Pietro Nivola, senior fellow in the Brookings Governmental Studies Program, Winter 1996, Brookings Review, p.20
(BLUEOC1603)
For Sheer contentiousness, however, the process of social regulation in the United States seems hard to top. It is not unusual
for decisions, buffeted by legal contestation, to remain in limbo for years. Regulated interests spend lavishly on lawyers and
lobbyists. Their machinations are met by the counter-suits and counter-lobbying of organized advocacy groups, frequently
armed with statutory private rights of action that few, if any, other governments would countenance. Caught in the middle of
the legal brawls, not a few dazed entrepreneurs wait indefinitely for the next shoe to drop before making desirable
investments.
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Link – Finesregulations
Environmental fines threaten investors – unexpected losses for stockholders
Paul Lanoie, Development Director, HEC Montreal. 1/1/94. “The market response to environmental incidents in Canada: a
theoretical and empirical analysis.” Southern Economic Journal. Vol. 60, No. 3
Table III indicates that suit settlements with fines imposed on firms result in stockholders experiencing abnormal losses on
day 0. Not unexpectedly, this is true only for the two last subsamples of cases (cases with the same media exposure and
Canadian cases with the same media exposure) where abnormal losses of respectively 1.65% and 2% of market value are
observed. This result is maintained when we consider only the four firms for which we have both the announcement of the
lawsuit and the suit settlement: they suffer significant abnormal losses of 2.7% on the day of the announcement of the suit
settlement and no loss when the lawsuit is announced.(15) These results suggest that the size of fines, or the fact that there is
a fine in itself, is an unexpected surprise for shareholders. This is plausible in a legal context in which, as described above,
fines TABULAR DATA OMITTED are the exception rather than the rule. Interestingly, these results contrast with those of
MRG who find abnormal losses on day 0 for lawsuits, but not for suit settlements. This suggests that American
environmental authorities have been more successful than their Canadian counterpart in designing enforcement mechanisms
in which a lawsuit can impose a credible threat on investors |17; 18~.
Investors are worried by the threat of penalties on polluters and their affect on future profits
Denis Cormier, Professor - Ecole des sciences de la gestion, and Michel Magnan, Lawrence Bloomberg Chair in
Accountancy, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, 1997. [“Investors' assessment of implicit
environmental liabilities: An empirical investigation,” Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 16, 215-241
In recent years, individual and institutional investors have become increas- ingly concerned about corporate pollution. Their
concerns result from enhanced social awareness and a realization that a firm's environmental performance is likely to result
in costly sanctions or penalties which will affect its future financial performance. In such a context, traditional financial
statements may not adequately capture the financial conse- quences of a firm's environmental management. In addition, the
level of disclosure in financial statements may not be sufficient for stockholders and other stakeholders to reasonably assess
a firm's environmental risk (Rubinstein 1989, pp. 30-34).
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Links- Mandates
Indirect costs of government mandates add large expenses
Richard Stewart, Prof. of Law, NYU, 1993, The Yale Law Journal, p.2083 (BLUEOC1604)
The dysfuntions of the relatively centralized, legalistic regulatory system in the U.S. have become more pronounced in
this ambitious second stage of regulation, which moves requirements further up industry's cost curves. Compliance
outlays under the U.S. regulatory system have increased rapidly and are projected to continue to grow at an
accelerating pace. 218 Pollution control outlays alone exceed $120 billion annually and are expected to rise to $185
billion by the end of the decade. 219 The indirect costs of regulation in the U.S. may add a further 50% to such
figures. 220 Perhaps even more important are the indirect effects of the regulatory constraints, delays, and
uncertainties, and the large and often unpredictable liability awards that distinguish the U.S. system. 221
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Links- Emission Reductions
Studies on the Kyoto Protocol show that ANY method of reducing emissions would
indiscriminately annihilate key sectors of the economy
Raymond Keating, Chief Economist of the Small Business Survival Committee, June 4, 1998,
http://republicans.smbiz.house.gov/hearings/105th/1998/980604/keating.asp
On behalf of the Small Business Survival Committee (SBSC) and its more than 40,000 members across the nation, I appreciate the opportunity to offer
the following comments regarding the potential impact of the Kyoto Protocol, or "Global Warming Treaty," agreed to this past December by the Clinton
Administration in Kyoto, Japan. SBSC is an advocacy and information organization that supports policies which promote the survival and growth of the
entrepreneurial sector of our economy. As I will more fully explain in a moment, SBSC opposes the Global Warming Treaty for several reasons,
but primarily due to the crushing costs that would be imposed on businesses of all sizes and in practically all industries, as well as on consumers
and the economy in general. As most studies of the Global Warming Treaty indicate -- whether performed by private industry or by the
Clinton Administration itself -- this treaty will be an indiscriminate killer of businesses and jobs. And this will be the case no matter what the
means utilized to reduce so-called "greenhouse gas emissions" -- primarily CO2 -- that is, whether through higher taxes, increased regulations,
an emissions "cap and trade" system, or some combination of these options. Like other Americans, we also have other concerns about this treaty,
such as national security implications, the fact that it is based on, to be generous, debatable science, the exclusion of "developing" nations, the foreign
aid and transfer of wealth implications among nations, as well as the often secretive and at times misleading methods used by the Clinton
Administration in seeking to advance its global climate policies.
CO2 is the fuel of the global economy – reductions in emissions would devastate the economy
Lewis,
Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and Bourne et. al, Director of the Energy and Environment Task
Force, 2004 (Marlo and Sandy, http://www.cei.org/gencon/025,03801.cfm, Jan 9)
A study in the November 1, 2002 issue of Science magazine examined possible technology options that might be used in coming decades to stabilize
atmospheric CO2 concentrations.13 Such options include wind and solar energy, nuclear fission and fusion, biomass fuels, efficiency improvements,
carbon sequestration, and hydrogen fuel cells. The report found that, "All these approaches currently have severe deficiencies that limit their ability to
stabilize global climate." It specifically disagreed with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's assessment that, "known technological options
could achieve a broad range of atmospheric CO2 stabilization levels, such as 550 ppm, 450 ppm or below over the next 100 years." As the study noted,
world energy demand could triple by 2050. Yet, "Energy sources that can produce 100 to 300 percent of present world power consumption without
greenhouse emissions do not exist operationally or as pilot plants." The bottom line: "CO2 is a combustion product vital to how civilization is
powered; it cannot be regulated away." Given current and foreseeable technological capabilities, any serious attempt to stabilize CO2 levels via
regulation would be economically devastating and, thus, politically unsustainable.
Any meaningful reduction in carbon emissions would cause a protracted U.S. economic depression
Raymond Keating, Chief Economist of the Small Business Survival Committee, June 4, 19 98,
http://republicans.smbiz.house.gov/hearings/105th/1998/980604/keating.asp
The author shows that altering the carbon/energy ratio or the development of new technologies will not come close to being enough to reduce carbon
emissions. Indeed, continued economic growth and capital stock renewal will ensure that carbon levels continue rising. The author notes only two
avenues that will allow the U.S. to meet its Kyoto Protocol goals: "A decline in GDP of about 4 percent per year would reduce the demand for
energy and thereby carbon emissions sufficient to achieve the Kyoto target. Alternatively, an increase in the price of energy of about 12 percent per
year for a ten year period also would achieve the Kyoto target. " He concludes: "Either of these changes would impose unacceptable costs on the
American economy." To say the least. According to these estimates, in effect, an extended U.S. economic depression would be necessary in order to
meet Kyoto Protocol goals. * A DRI-McGraw Hill study by Dr. Lawrence Horowitz found the following: * a $100 per ton carbon tax could lower
emission levels close to 1990 levels by 2010 and would cost the economy $203 billion annually in lost output; * $200 per ton carbon tax would be
required to reduce emissions below 1990 levels, and would cost the economy $350 billion in lost products and services; * annual job losses from
1995 to 2010 under a $100 per ton carbon tax would hit 520,000, and would leap to 1.1 million annually under a $200 per ton carbon tax; *
gasoline prices could jump by as much as 60 cents per gallon, and electricity costs could increase by 50 percent, and home heating oil by 50-100
percent. * Resources Data International Inc. (RDI) was retained last year by Peabody Holding Company Inc., reportedly the world's largest private coal
producer, to study the economic impact of a new global warming treaty. RDI estimated that a $100 per ton carbon tax imposed in order to reduce
CO2 emissions to 1990 levels would: * limit the annual growth rate in the supply of electricity between 1995 and 2015 to0.83% from a projected
1.45%; * place up to $1.314 trillion, or 14% of GDP, at risk in 2010 and up to $16.823 trillion cumulatively from 2005 to 2015. RDI estimates
that any kind of CO2 trading program would mimic the effects of a carbon tax, with the federal government collecting at least $133 billion
annually.
The U.S. economy is dependent on fossil fuels – taking away carbon is like taking a guitar away
from Hendrix
Sebastian Oberthur, Senior fellow at Ecologic, and Hermann Ott, head of the climate policy division at the Wuppertal Institute,
1999 (The Kyoto Protocol: International Climate Change Policy for the 21 st Century, p. 19)
Outweighing these positive forces is the country's pattern of economic and societal development, which has relied heavily on
the availability of low-price energy, making the US one of the most energy intensive economies in the OECD. As Steve
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Rayner put it, "the history of US energy demand and the existing resources infrastructure and institutions make the US
economy as dependent upon fossil fuel as a heroin addict is on the needle".25 Because of the very high energy intensity
associated with American technology and lifestyles, low-costs means of saving energy and reducing GHG emissions are in
fact abundant.21 Nevertheless, the perception (furthered by some for obvious political reasons) that reducing C02 emissions
would be exorbitantly costly has been comparatively widespread in the US.
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Links- Regulations Cause Blackouts
Environmental regulations risk supply shortages and severe power outages
James M. Inhofe, R-OK and Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, May 12, 2004 (FDCH,
“Hearing on Oil and Gas Environmental Regulations” p. online)
In hopes to appear responsive to constituents, some members of Congress have suggested that we drastically alter the situation with respect to boutique
fuels, or gasoline blends produced to meet a particular need of a particular geographic area. Price volatility is a very real problem when there is a supply
disruption. Neighboring areas don't make the special blend so they are unable to meet the supply shortfall. However, given the experience of the
proposed sulfur regulation roll back, sweeping changes to our fuel policies without careful consideration and study can have detrimental price impacts
for consumers. That's why I worked to conclude carefully crafted study in H.R. 6, the House-Senate Conference report of the energy bill, to consider
environmental and economic impacts of new fuels policy. In this constrained market, we must consider the environmental and the economic more
stringent -- environmental regulations means that refiners must make environmental upgrades rather than increase capacity to meet consumer demand.
The third chart is before you, but it's self-explanatory, but you don't just have to take my word for it. The Energy Information Agency concluded that
tighter product specification will result in increasing likelihood of outrageous outages, diminishing yields in prime fuels.
Regulatory uncertainty discourages investment and causes power shortages
Doug Ose, Republican representative from California, April 8, 2003, http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/hearings/108h/87231.txt
We need to keep in mind that it takes years to propose, site, and build a power plant.Up and down the State, power plant construction is being delayed and
companies are scrapping plans to build more generation. Energy companies cite political and regulatory uncertainty as the principal
obstacle to new energy supply. Wall Street refuses to invest in such an unstable environment. Yet, experts predict that
California will experience shortages again in a few short years. It is, therefore, essential that we get on with the reform process in order
to encourage investments in energy generation and transmission. A stable marketplace, with clear, rational rules, is the only
way to supply the lowest cost, most environmentally clean energy that Californians deserve. We simply cannot afford to wait any longer.
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Link – Kills Investment
Taxes and regulations tank business confidence, decreasing investment
ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales), 5-9-08, “Business confidence still fragile says
ICAEW/Orange UK survey”, http://www.icaew.com/index.cfm?route=135719
The latest ICAEW- Orange UK Business Confidence Monitor shows that while forecasts for GDP and profit growth have
increased this quarter, almost half of the finance professionals surveyed are worried about the growing burdens of tax and
regulation, leading them to invest less in the economy and so endanger long term prospects for economic growth. Despite
rising profit forecasts for the fourth quarter in a row (6.3 per cent), firms in the UK predict that they will increase their capital
investment budgets at a lower rate than they did over the past year, from 3.0 per cent last year, down to 2.2 per cent over the
coming 12 months. This suggests that businesses are not as confident about investing capital in the UK. Eric Anstee, Chief
Executive of the ICAEW, said: “While the BCM shows the economy is moving in the right direction, the longer term
economic outlook looks fragile. A lack of business investment could play an important role in weakening economic growth
further down the road, especially if world economic imbalances start to unravel. I would urge the Government to revisit its
taxation and regulatory regimes to renew confidence among businesses of all sizes which, despite higher profit growth
expectations and rising confidence, remain nervous of further investment.”
Regulation decreases business investment and investor confidence and kills competitiveness
Susan Lee writing for Consumers’ Research Magazine, Aug. 19 96, “How Government Menaces Our Economic Health”,
vol. 79 no. 8, pp. 16-17
Who Pays for All This? In general, the cost of regulating is initially expressed as a cost of doing business. Okay, but who
pays this tariff? We all do, in one way or another. Consider a standard situation in which a law requires certain practices
to be followed in hiring or procedures to be used to assure product quality. The former will raise costs by forcing
employers to expand their job search and fill out forms to prove comp1ianc the latter will raise costs by requiring changes
in the production process. Sometimes, firms can pass these costs to consumers, making them pay more; sometimes, firms
can’t pass them along at all, so they will have lower profits, which means that owners or shareholders foot the bill. But,
often, employers pass these costs down the line with lower wages and salaries. Other times, when costs cannot be directly
passed off to employees, employers will respond by either hiring fewer people or laying off those already employed.
Either way, higher business costs from regulation will result in lower wages and/or higher unemployment.
Excessive regulation also discourages investment in domestic business: Why plop a factory down on regulated soil when
unregulated opportunities beckon abroad? Moreover, the threat of regulatory changes creates uncertainty, which scares
investors, who then demand higher returns, and tends to make planning horizons more short term.
Further, regulation stymies innovation. This has been especially true in the drug ind medical- device industry. Long
approval periods shorten the effective patent time for the results of expensive research and development and thus
diminish returns on discoveries without lowering risk. A larger gap between risk and return renders many research and
development projects too unprofitable to undertake. And last, all of the above make it harder for domestic firms to
compete in international markets in which many foreign-based firms do not have to contend with the effects of excessive
regulation.
Regulation hinders investment and growth
Tobias Madden, Regional Economist FedGazette, Fed Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Jan. ‘08 “Mixed bag for 2008”,
http://www.minneapolisfed.org/pubs/fedgaz/08-01/poll.cfm
The biggest challenges facing businesses are securing workers and complying with government regulation. “We have
been in such an incredibly tight labor market,” a Montana manufacturer said. Over half of all respondents expect a
challenging time finding workers. Leaders from the agricultural and retail sectors have the hardest time securing workers.
About three-quarters of the Dakota respondents expect finding workers as a challenge or a serious challenge, compared
with only 23 percent of the respondents from the U.P. About half of all respondents see government regulation as a
challenge. The respondents from the finance, insurance and real estate sector expect the toughest government regulation.
“Regulation by state and national government will hamper investment and growth seriously,” said a financial services
respondent from the U.P.
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Link – Kills Investment
Regulation hurts growth – limits innovation and diverts attention from key areas
Freehills, 4-13-06, “Decreasing regulatory burden: An important opportunity for business”,
http://www.freehills.com.au/publications/publications_5768.asp
The taskforce recognised that excessive or inappropriate regulation acts impede economic growth. It limits the scope for
innovation, undermines entrepreneurial drive and reduces productivity and competition. The cost of such regulation
affects business, government and the community at large. In regard to the effect on business, in addition to the monetary
cost, compliance diverts management attention from a company’s core business.
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Regulations Kill Biz Con
Businesses fear environmental policy – regulations raise the price of their products
Patrick Bernhagen, Department of Politics and International Relations - University of Aberdeen, 8/15/05. “Business Political
Power: Economic Voting, Information Asymmetry, and Environmental Policy in 19 OECD Countries,”
http://convention2.allacademic.com/getfile.php?file=apsa05_proceeding/2005-10-06/40383/apsa05_proceeding_40383.pdf
For the purpose of empirically assessing the sources of business political influence, I focus on the area of environmental
regulation. Aiming to reduce negative externalities flowing from the actions of citizens and businesses, environmental
regulation virtually always has cost implications for business (Golub 1998, 1). At the macroeconomic level, environmental
policy is blamed for reducing industrial productivity (Christiansen and Haveman 1981). Increasing sensitivity to global
economic compe- tition and budgetary constraints makes governments wary of any form of regulation which might threaten
economic growth, foreign investment, export markets, and em- ployment creation. Regulations requiring firms to reduce
emissions, increase recy- cling, pay more for energy, or switch to more expensive fuels and input materials all raise the final
price of their products, with the result that “green” states lose markets to “dirty” states that lack similar environmental
standards (Golub 1998, 4). This ar- gument is frequently hammered home by business. Criticizing the British govern- ment’s
target of a twenty-percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2010, for example, the director-general of the
Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Digby Jones, recently complained, “if our action is not matched by similar efforts
from the rest of the world, we will undermine the competitiveness of British companies for no real environmental gain.” 2
Indeed, the CBI accepts that, to some degree, it has op- posed every one of approximately 250 EU environmental directives
passed. over the past twenty years. 3 To the extent that governments share this perception of the environmentcompetitiveness nexus, they are induced to engage in a ‘race to the bot- tom’ or ‘ecological dumping’ (Golub 1998, 4).
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Link - Litigation
Hawkish lawyers make government regulation a unique arena for increased litigation
Lisa Rickard, Prez U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, 2007, “Trial lawyers storm capitol”,
http://thehill.com/letters/clean-reliable-cost-effective-nuclear-power-none-of-these-2007-10-05.html
America needs more lawsuits. That’s the message hundreds of plaintiffs’ trial lawyers from across the country have taken
to Capitol Hill this week in lobbying Congress to make it easier to bring more lawsuits. It isn’t surprising. The plaintiffs’
bar has been chomping at the bit since last November’s elections. “We are going to get things done,” declared the
treasurer of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America at the time. (They’ve since changed their name to the
“American Association for Justice.”) One thing that you can say for the plaintiffs’ trial lawyers association: They haven’t
disappointed their members. They’ve been working hard. No bill has been too big or too small not to slip in a liabilityexpanding provision. Passing the farm bill? Invalidate arbitration agreements in meat-packer and producer contracts, so
that more business disputes become lawsuits. Or, better yet, why don’t we outlaw arbitration in all contracts so that the
only realistic way to resolve disputes is with a lawsuit? Reauthorizing Food and Drug Administration funding? Perfect
opportunity to take away the federal government’s uniform consumer protection powers and allow for 50 different sets of
food and drug laws — and while they’re at it, open the door to thousands of state lawsuits for years to come. Or how
about a bill funding the war on terror? Why don’t we allow each state to enact its own set of security laws and
regulations? The more sets of confusing government regulations, the more the likelihood of lawsuits. At every turn,
the plaintiffs’ trial lawyers are looking to cash in on Capitol Hill. They’ve bragged to their membership that their political
donations helped to elect this Congress. Now they want a return favor, asking for plaintiffs’ trial lawyer earmarks that
give them the ability to bring more lawsuits.
Costs of litigation kills competitiveness and domestic investment
Robert A. Kagan, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Lee Axelrad, senior research
associate with the UC Berkeley Center for the Study of Law & Society ’97, “Adversarial Legalism: International
Perspective” in “Comparative Disadvantages? Social Regulations and the Global Economy” Ed. Pietro S. Nivola. Published
by Brookings Institute Press, pp. 187
The impact of higher liability and legal costs can be more pronounced for particular industries. Here the key question
is whether the higher costs fall on inputs or on product design. Ignore the exact magnitudes, just worry about getting
the signs right. Input costs might be higher for certain U.S. industries because of various regulations or liabilityrelated costs. And regardless of whether the higher costs are offset by social benefits, they hurt U.S. exports abroad,
while also making it easier for foreigners to sell their goods in America (though foreign-owned businesses in the
United States presumably do not get this advantage unless they are screwdriver plants, which purchase all their basic
inputs abroad).
Economic costs of litigation outweigh any possible benefit to environmental protection
Robert A. Kagan, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Lee Axelrad, senior research
associate with the UC Berkeley Center for the Study of Law & Society ’97, “Adversarial Legalism: International
Perspective” in “Comparative Disadvantages? Social Regulations and the Global Economy” Ed. Pietro S. Nivola. Published
by Brookings Institute Press, pp. 163
It seems reasonably clear that U.S. adversarial legalism generates higher costs than do some alternative modes of
governance. Yet there is little evidence in the policy areas covered by our research that the higher expenditures
imposed by the system yield better environmental protection, more safety, and so on than the results that prevail in
other sophisticated democracies In other words, our comparative interviews with corporate officials suggest that a
significant share of the costs of U.S. adversarial legalism is not fully offset by its benefits. We proceed by identifying
several categories of such costs, then by reviewing the comparative literature on the subject and reporting conclusions
from our interviews with multinational enterprises. At the end we return to the question of whether adversarial
legalism confers adequate compensatory benefits.
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Litigation kills investor confidence – trials damage the image of companies
David Cid, President of Salus International, '3. Interviewed by Wanja Eric Naef http://www.iwar.org.uk/infocon /espionagecid.htm
The first line of defence is really protection. Once you have to go to the United States Attorney's Office and say someone
stole this information from us the damage has already been done. So the EEA provides a disincentive for someone to do that,
but it really does not help the company per se. The criminal courts are the kinds of places where you are not made whole, you
simply punish the person who did something bad. On the civil side there is the possibility of recovering damages and you
may recoup monetarily, but again the process of litigation takes forever, it is embarrassing to the company and it can cause
loss of faith of stockholders and other investors. So, there is really nothing good about having a serious information
compromise. The EEA is an important facet of our society's response to this sort of thing, but it is really not a solution and it
is really not the best option available to a company. Once you need to go to criminal trial you have already been seriously
damaged.
Environmental litigation hurts business equity – deters investment
Paul Lanoie, Development Director, HEC Montreal. 1/1/94. “The market response to environmental incidents in Canada: a
theoretical and empirical analysis.” Southern Economic Journal. Vol. 60, No. 3
There is a growing concern that regulations that promote safety (e.g., automobile safety and product safety) may have little
impact on the level of risk associated with the utilization of such products |21; 29~. A similar concern has been recently
raised with respect to regulations that promote safety in the workplace |12~. A reason often advocated to explain this
phenomenon is the lack of adequate enforcement mechanisms. In particular, it is often argued that fines imposed on agents
not complying with these regulations are not severe enough to have a deterrence effect |30~. With respect to the enforcement
of the Ontario Environmental Protection Act (R.S.O. 1980, c. 141), Saxe writes that "the majority of fines were too low to act
as effective deterrents" |23, 104~. However, some authors have challenged this view in showing that the market provides
additional monetary incentives for firms to comply with the regulations by punishing non-complying firms through lower
stock market prices. For example, some analyses have shown that public announcements of lawsuits against American firms
not complying with workplace safety |8~, product safety |31~ and environmental regulations |19~ have caused significant
drops of the equity value of these firms. In this last study, it was found that the announcement of lawsuits against firms
violating the American Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA 1976) had a significant negative impact on their
equity value on the day of the announcement, while announcements of suit settlements (e.g., fines) had no effect. In most
studies, authors argue that the reductions in stock prices have some deterrence effect on firms.
Litigation kills investor and consumer confidence
Anthony Q. Fletcher, A.B. Columbia U, ‘95 “Curing Crib Death: Emerging Growth Companies, Nuisance Suits,
And Congressional Proposals for Securities Litigation Reform”, Harvard Journal on Legislation
32 Harv. J. on Legis.
Third, litigation raises the potential of irreparable harm to a company’s reputation. In fact, consumer attitudes may be so
adversely affected upon the initiation of a class action shareholder suit that some consumers may begin to view a
particular product and its entire industry negatively.47 Since most consumer purchases involve potential repeat
customers, a class action suit may significantly stifle future revenues.48 Litigation has the potential to damage a
company’s reputation, and consequently may deter both consumer and investor interest.
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Link - Litigation
Pollution management causes huge shareholder losses – companies held accountable for all cleanup costs and become
more susceptible to future lawsuits
Michael Muoghalu, Director of MBA Program, Pittsburgh State University. 10/90. “Hazardous Waste Lawsuits, Stockholder
Returns, and Deterrence,” Southern Economic Journal, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p357
Table II presents the return information for the Pollution Management, Others, and Petrochemical industry subsamples.
Pollution Management firms suffer the largest shareholder losses, 6.249 percent (z = -6.716). The large losses are not
surprising for a number of reasons. First, under the Superfund Act, Pollution Management firms can be held liable for all
cleanup costs at dump sites they control, even if they generate none of the waste products. Second, a lawsuit at one location
may increase the probability of additional lawsuits by increasing regulatory and public awareness of the firm’s practices.
Third, the increased awareness of the firm’s practices may cause client firms, fearing a joint liability, to seek other disposal
options. Another possible factor in explaining the abnormal returns is the small size (in terms of assets, market values, and
cash flows) of Pollution Management firms relative to other firms in the study.
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Link – Permits
Carbon rationing hurts consumers – will be excluded from permit feeding frenzy
Brian Mannix, associate administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, 10/9/03. “A Mountain of Money,” http://www.alec.org/am/pdf/energy/mountain-of-money.pdf
Once rationing is imposed and the price of energy goes up, there will be many more claimants getting in line. Can the
government refuse to give C-rations to schools? To hospitals? To the armed forces? To local police departments? To mass
transit? To manufacturers facing foreign competition? The average consumer will have no place in this contest, except as a
victim. The politics of carbon rationing cannot be understood by looking just at theories of climate change or at the serious
economic losses that rationing would cause. Rationing will extract tens to hundreds of billions of dollars of revenue per
yearfrom consumers, and the fate of that revenue is what will drive political decisions. Advocates of rationing argue that we
should start a program with modest goals. But once a feeding frenzy for C-rations begins, modesty, and restraint will be very
scarce indeed.
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Links: Cap and Trade
Emissions caps slow economic growth
Coon, Senior Policy Analyst in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, 2004(Charli E., “As Reliable as
the Groundhog: Kyoto’s Proponents Are Back,” 7/18,
http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/wm530.cfm?renderforprint=1
Likewise, Charles River Associates (CRA), an economics, finance, and business consulting firm, analyzed the proposal (PDF link) and found that imposing
an emissions cap equal to 2000-level emissions in perpetuity would increase the cost of residential electricity by over 19 percent and raise gasoline prices 14
percent by 2020. In addition, natural gas and electricity prices for industry would increase by 32 percent and 43 percent, respectively, by 2020. The CRA
study also shows that the purchasing power of the typical household (2.6 members and an income of $49,000) would erode by over $600 in 2010 and by
$1,000 in 2020. More disturbingly, however, CRA notes that the cost burdens associated with this proposal would fall most heavily on the poor and elderly.
CRA data show that the poorest 20 percent of households would have to bear energy cost increases 64 percent larger than the highest income households.
The elderly would have to bear cost increases 15 percent higher than those under age 65. Additionally, CRA projects that higher energy prices would cost
39,000 jobs by 2010 and 190,000 jobs by 2020. Finally, CRA projects that all industries would suffer losses in production. For example, coal production,
electricity generation, and oil refining would decline by 57 percent, 7.9 percent, and 8.8 percent, respectively, by 2020. Non-energy sectors that are
dependent on energy, chemicals, and steel would be the hardest hit. CRA estimates that, collectively, production from energy-intensive industries would
decline $70 to $160 billion by 2020.
Emissions caps slow economic growth
Coon, Senior Policy Analyst in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, 2004 (Charli E., “As Reliable as
the Groundhog: Kyoto’s Proponents Are Back,” 7/18
http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/wm530.cfm?renderforprint=1
Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) may try to attach an amended version of last year’s Climate
Stewardship Act of 2003 (S. 139) to the class-action lawsuit bill that is being debated in the Senate this week or to another
legislative vehicle. Studies show that this energy-suppressing proposal, whether in its original version or in its amended form,
would have an adverse impact on the nation’s economy. It would increase the cost of energy for consumers, impact job
creation, and slow the nation’s economic growth. For these reasons alone, Congress should continue to reject attempts to
impose caps on greenhouse gas emissions.
Binding emission caps will cripple a critical sector of US economy and exports and causing
massive job outsourcing
Stone chairman, president and CEO of Stone Container Co. ’98 – Roger “A Call for Common Sense” Global Climate Change, A
senior Level Debate at the Intersection of Economics, Strategy, Technology, Science, Politics, and International Negotiation
p. 141
As we all know, the first UN Framework Convention on Climate Change issued a call on the developed nations to voluntarily reduce
greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by the year 2000. As I understand it, the current U.S. position now calls for mandated emissions reduction targets and
timetables; we heard that today. This would be accomplished primarily, I think, by setting a cap on energy consumption and may also lead to new
taxes on both energy and carbon emissions as well as impose excessive energy efficiency standards and perhaps severely re strict the way we
manage our nation’s working forests. Massive changes such as these could permanently cripple our pulp and paper industry. A carbon tax could
increase our direct costs by as much as 150 percent over the next eighteen years and raise manufacturing costs by up to 14 percent. And if credit is not
given to the use of biomass fuels, manufacturing costs could rise as much as 30 percent. Indirect costs would probably be higher than that 30 percent
number. I don’t think it takes a scientist or a Kellogg School graduate to understand the impact of a 30 percent hike in manufacturing costs. Paper mills
could permanently close, thousands of jobs would probably be lost, and our position as the world’s leading paper producer would surely
deteriorate, if not vanish.
As an industry, paper’s payroll is about $26 billion a year, and we ex port goods worth more than $11.5 billion. In fact, our exports represent more than
2 percent of all U.S. exports. From our perspective it would be just plain silly to jeopardize all of this based on a theory founded on poor or inexact
science or someone’s complex social or environmental agenda, using the false issue of climate change. What’s worse is that the jobs lost in the United
States—and I think this is referred to as some thing that has to be negotiated—will move to the developing nations that are aggressively
expanding their pulp and paper capacity, nations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Brazil. These countries are not a part of the
climate change equation as I understand it. And this means that, at the moment, they are not required to reduce their CO emissions, nor do they
subscribe to the practice of sustainable forestry. They are free to cut their virgin tropical or rain forests at unsustainable levels. So what would
the net effect of all this be? Well, the way we see it is that it will lead to an increase in CO emissions on a worldwide basis and a loss of forests
rich in biodiversity. Clearly this is not a level playing field, and we see no environmental benefit in this scenario. In my opinion the loss of
thousands of jobs to overseas countries that follow no environmental standard, frankly, is absurd.
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Links: Cap and Trade
Binding emissions reductions would devastate six U.S. industries critical to the global economy:
paper, iron and steel manufacturing, petroleum refining, aluminum, chemical and cement
manufacturing
Mulchay executive vice president and CEO of Northern Indiana Public Service Company ’98 – Patrick “The
Importance of Flexibility Implemented Through Voluntary Commitments to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions” Global
Climate Change, A senior Level Debate at the Intersection of Economics, Strategy, Technology, Science, Politics, and
International Negotiation p. 87-8
A U.S. Department of Energy study analyzed the potential economic impacts of increased energy prices on energyintensive industries, assuming that new greenhouse gas control policies will constrain only industrialized countries
and that any emissions control mechanism—from new energy taxes to emissions standards and tradable emissions
permits—will drive up energy costs to some degree. According to the study, rising energy prices driven by new
climate commitments could have a crushing effect on six U.S. industries: paper and allied products, iron and steel
manufacturing, petroleum refining, aluminum production, chemical manufacturing, and cement manufacturing.
Increased energy costs from emissions mandates could devastate the U.S. steel industry (which has already invested
heavily in energy efficiency and pollution control technologies), without bringing a significant de crease in worldwide
energy-related emissions from steelmaking. Production will simply be shifted to developing countries and may
possibly lead to higher levels of overall pollution due to lower standards in those countries. This issue highlights the
necessity for the thoughtful application of binding agreements for all nations—developing and developed. Energy
costs account for approximately one-third of the cost of making steel. Almost half of the electricity NIPSCO generates
is de livered to the steel industry. Steelmaking facilities in northern Indiana have invested substantially in the past
decade to improve their efficiency, both in production and in energy use. Primary Energy, a subsidiary of NIPSCO
Industries, is developing cogeneration projects with several of our steelmaking customers. These projects will
contribute significantly to NIPSCO’s greenhouse gas reductions. In 1998 three Primary Energy cogeneration projects
will go on-line at Inland, U.S. Steel, and National Steel, displacing nearly one million metric tons of NIPSCO’s
carbon dioxide emissions. Sensible decision making on the greenhouse gas issue should involve a careful balancing of
costs and benefits. However, this is complicated by the global effects of greenhouse gas concentrations in the
atmosphere, the long-term consequences and short-term costs associated with the issue, and the global economy and
tension between developed and developing nations.
Cap-and-trade deters investment – investors fear unstable prices
LA Times, 5/28/07. “Time to tax carbon,” http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-edcarbontax28may28,0,2888366.story?coll=la-opinion-leftrail
Cap-and-trade would also have a nasty effect on consumers’ power bills. Say there’s a very hot summer week in
California. Utilities would have to shovel more coal to produce more juice, causing their emissions to rise sharply. To offset
the carbon, they would have to buy more credits, and the heavy demand would cause credit prices to skyrocket. The utilities
would then pass those costs on to their customers, meaning that power bills might vary sharply from one month to the next.
That kind of price volatility, which has been endemic to both the American and European cap-and-trade systems, doesn’t
just hurt consumers. It actually discourages innovation, because in times when power demand is low, power costs are low,
and there is little incentive to come up with cleaner technologies. Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists prefer stable prices so
they can calculate whether they can make enough money by building a solar-powered mousetrap to make up for the cost of
producing it.
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Litigation Kills Invest Con
Litigation kills investor confidence
David Cid, President of Salus International, '03 (http://www.iwar.org.uk/infocon /espionage-cid.htm
The first line of defence is really protection. Once you have to go to the United States Attorney's Office and say someone
stole this information from us the damage has already been done. So the EEA provides a disincentive for someone to do
that, but it really does not help the company per se. The criminal courts are the kinds of places where you are not made
whole, you simply punish the person who did something bad. On the civil side there is the possibility of recovering
damages and you may recoup monetarily, but again the process of litigation takes forever, it is embarrassing to the
company and it can cause loss of faith of stockholders and other investors. So, there is really nothing good about having a
serious information compromise. The EEA is an important facet of our society's response to this sort of thing, but it is
really not a solution and it is really not the best option available to a company. Once you need to go to criminal trial you
have already been seriously damaged.
Litigation causes a negative market reaction – automobile liability proves
DANIEL TINKELMAN, Assoc. Prof – Accounting, Pace University, Et al, 2007. “Using the Event Study Methodology to
Measure the Social Costs of Litigation - A Re Examination Using Cases from the Automobile Industry.” Review of Law &
Economics, Vol. 3 Issue 2, p1-42. (co-authored by: SURESH GOVINDARAJ, associate prof - Accounting, Business Ethics
& Information Systems, State University of New Jersey and PICHENG LEE, associate prof – Accounting, Pace University)
In a comprehensive study extending prior research, Prince and Rubin (2002) use the event study methodology, and find
negative market reaction to a sample of 15 initial filings of product liability litigation and 29 other litigation events against
U.S. automakers between 1973 and 1995. They conclude that the event study methodology is a useful way to measure the
costs of litigation. In contrast, after examination of a new sample of 144 initial filing events and 465 other litigation events
for six major automobile firms from 1985 to 2000, and after re-examining Prince and Rubin’s data, we find that the market
reaction to all but the most extreme and infrequent events is generally not significant. We suggest that the event study
methodology may not generally be useful to study the social costs of litigation, but may be useful for unexpected abnormal
litigation events where the potential liabilities (including reputation and other losses triggered by litigation) may far exceed
the legal liability reserves set up by firms. We find mixed results for the market impact of litigation against a competitor.
When a product liability lawsuit is first filed against a U.S. firm, the market values of the Japanese firms significantly
decline. When a Japanese firm is sued for product liability, the U.S. firms register a significant increase in market value.
However, these spillover results have to be interpreted with caution because of small sample sizes and possible confounding
events.
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Regulations Kill FDI
Environmental regulations stifle foreign investment – statistical evidence
Yuquing Xing, professor of economics at Graduate School of International Relations, International University of Japan,
4/18/01, “Do Lax Environmental Regulations Attract Foreign Investment?” Environmental and Resource Economics, ,
http://www.springerlink.com/index/3JUUUG48YY29QHMU.pdf
The statistical evidence suggests that there exists a significant negative linear relationship between FDI of the US chemical
and metal industries and the strin- gency of environmental regulation in a foreign host country. In general, lax
environmental policy tends to attract more capital inflow from the US for pollu- tion intensive industries. Viewed differently,
tough environmental regulations would tend to impede or discourage FDI from these industries. Since chemicals and
primary metals are probably the most polluting of all industries, this result may have implications for the relationship
between environmental regulations and capital movements for other polluting industries. Also, this finding provides indirect
support to the “pollution haven” hypothesis, which postulates that devel- oping countries may utilize lenient environmental
regulations as a strategy to compete for the investment of polluting industry from developed countries. This result is
strengthened by our inability to find a similar effect for other sectors for which pollution is less of a problem – electrical and
non-electrical machinery, transportation equipment and food products.
Foreign investment has empirically decreased because of strict regulations and taxes
Department of the Treasury, 5/10/07. “An Open Economy is Vital to United States Prosperity,”
http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/hp395.htm
At $1.9 trillion, the total stock of FDI in the United States in 2005 was equivalent to 15% of U.S. GDP. Foreign investment
in the U.S. is the ultimate vote of confidence in our economy. It signals a long-term belief in the strength of our markets and
the skill of our workforce.
*
In the last few years, the United States has not received as high a share of total worldwide FDI as it did before 2000. This
trend could be due to the growth of opportunities in emerging markets, burdensome U.S. legal, regulatory and corporate tax
regimes, or the misperception that the United States is no longer open to foreign direct investments.
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Biz Con s/o - Tech
Changes in technology spill over to all sectors and globally – financial integration means news spreads quickly
Thomas Dalsgaard et al, Principal Administrator - Economics Department of the OECD, 2002. “ONGOING CHANGES IN
THE BUSINESS CYCLE – EVIDENCE AND CAUSES,” Société Universitaire Européenne de Recherches Financières,
http://www.suerf.org/download/studies/study20.pdf
There may be a number of causes behind increased share price correlations across countries. Financial integration and
reduced divergencies in macroeconomic policies are examples with repercussions throughout the economies. Others relate to
global developments in individual sectors driving correlations. An example could be technological change. In this case,
increased cross-country correlations would be driven by the sectors where such common technological change took place.
Thus, the news driving share price co-movements would tend to be industry-specific and increased aggregate correlation
across countries would be the result of increasingly correlated news in some industries. In the alternative case of economywide developments driving share price correlations, the news driving increased correlation should be spread over all
industries. Conditional variances of share price returns may be considered aproxy indicator of risk, which again is affected
by the arrival of new information. Thus, if conditional variances have become more highly correlated in some sectors but not
in others, this may suggest that the news driving share prices in the former sectors have had amore global character, possibly
as aresult of common technological developments. To shed light on this, time-varying conditional variances of equity returns
have been estimated for the G7 countries using aGARCH technique. Bilateral correlations of conditional variances have
subsequently been calculated for country pairs and the averages taken over all such country pairs. This has been done for two
sub-periods since 1973 and for anumber of sectors (Table 3). The results indicate an increased correlation of total market
volatility (or risk) driven, in particular, by the ITsector and more generally TMTshares (note that non-cyclical services
include the Telecom industry) as well as the financial sector. Given that major technological breakthroughs, product
developments and internationalisation have taken place in the TMTand financial sectors (where considerable deregulation
and liberalisation has taken place since early and mid 1980s) it is perhaps not surprising that the shocks affecting these
industries transmit more globally. Also, in light of the “new economy”, the results seem to be consistent with the hypothesis
that common technology shocks, spurred by rapid expansion of information and communication technology, may have been
the main driving force in concurrent asset price developments across borders.
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Biz Con Spillover – Domestic
Declines in biz and consumer con act as downside risks to the broader economy – decrease
demand
Commonwealth Budget ’02, “Statement 3: Economic Outlook”, http://www.budget.gov.au/200102/papers/bp1/html/bs3-03.htm
From a domestic perspective, a key uncertainty relates to the possibility that the recent downward trend in business
and consumer sentiment is sustained over coming quarters. While the relationship between business and consumer
sentiment measures and actual growth outcomes can be loose, if the recent falls in these measures were sustained there
may be downside risk to the forecasts for business investment and consumption. On the other hand, there is a
possibility that the lower dollar and lower interest rates will provide a greater stimulus to economic growth than has
been incorporated into the forecasts. There is also the potential for stronger than forecast investment and consumption
in 2001-02 if business and consumer confidence were to rebound sharply from their current levels. The dwelling
sector is expected to rebound strongly in 2001-02, although, there is a greater than normal degree of uncertainty
surrounding the timing and extent of this recovery. In particular, while the Government's more generous First Home
Owners Scheme and the recent reductions in interest rates should provide a significant boost to activity in the sector,
the timing and magnitude of this boost is difficult to assess. The key international uncertainty is how the US economy
will evolve over the next few quarters. The most likely outcome is that growth will slow in the first half of 2001 as
excess inventories are unwound and excess capacity is pared back, but will pick up quickly once the adjustment is
complete. In this case the impact on the rest of the world would be relatively mild and transitory. However, if falls in
consumer and business confidence were to translate into weaker demand then the deterioration in confidence would
likely become self-reinforcing and the outcome would be a deeper and more prolonged period of weakness than
currently envisaged.
Biz con spills over to other sectors
Contractor ‘6, “London IT firms 'the most attractive in Europe'”, http://www.contractoruk.com/news/002968.html
Asked yesterday about the prosperity of London-based IT firms, the Federation of Small Businesses said the
confidence in the sector could create a positive overspill. Said FSB spokesman Simon Briault: “Optimism in one
small business sector can often spill over into other areas, so this is potentially good news for all small businesses.”
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Biz Con Spillover - Global
Globalization means U.S. biz con spills over – effects other nations’ growth
F&D (Finance & Development, a quarterly mag of the IMF), 2005, “Economic Spillovers”, September 2005, Volume 42,
Number 3
But just how large is the impact of external economic conditions on a country’s growth? And as the world economy
becomes more integrated, has the importance of growth spillovers increased? We undertook three studies to try to
answer these questions. One study analyzed trade-related growth spillover in over 100 industrial and developing
countries. The other two studies sought to assess the impact of the United States and South Africa on the growth of
other countries. Our results show that economic conditions in trading partners do in fact matter significantly for
growth. After controlling for other growth determinants, we found that a country’s economic growth is positively
influenced by both the growth rate and relative income level of its trading partners. Our findings also suggest that
countries benefit relatively more if their trading partners grow faster than they themselves do and are richer. And we
found evidence that some countries are indeed engines of global or regional growth: the impact of the United States is
significant in many countries around the world, and South Africa matters for economic growth in the rest of Africa. In
all three cases, we found the estimated impact of growth spillovers to be relatively large. It has been larger in recent
decades and for open economies, implying that international spillover effects may increase in importance as
globalization continues. What theory tells us Economic conditions abroad—including growth rates and income
levels—are thought to influence a country’s growth through several channels.
* The most obvious channel is trade
linkages: a rise in trading partners’ growth leads to an increase in their demand for imports, which then contributes
directly to an increase in the net exports of the home country. And the positive implications of trade for economic
growth are not limited to countries that run surpluses, since countries can benefit from technology transfers and other
efficiency gains associated with international trade (Coe and Helpman, 1995).
* With growing foreign direct and
portfolio investment, the spillover effects of trading partners may also be transmitted through financial linkages.
*
Finally, there may be indirect effects, with business and consumer confidence in major countries influencing
confidence in other countries.
Growth of world econ tied to U.S. biz con and consumer con
UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), ’02, “2002 - United States: leading the global recovery
Western Europe: moderate growth prospects”, http://www.unece.org/press/pr2002/02gen12e.htm
"An important risk to the forecast recovery in Europe and other regions of the world economy is its dependence on a
sustained and gradually strengthening expansion of domestic demand in the United States," said Mrs. Schmögnerová.
This is expected to stimulate domestic activity in the rest of the world, including Europe, via exports and the spillover
effects from increasing business and consumer confidence in the United States.
The internationalization of the market means business confidence spills over globally
Thomas Dalsgaard et al, Principal Administrator - Economics Department of the OECD, 2002. “ONGOING CHANGES IN
THE BUSINESS CYCLE – EVIDENCE AND CAUSES,” Société Universitaire Européenne de Recherches Financières,
http://www.suerf.org/download/studies/study20.pdf
A further, much more speculative, channel for greater synchronisation is the internationalisation of enterprises – over and
above the effect it may have on synchronisation of share prices as discussed in Box 4. For example, to the extent enterprises
are multinational, the need to retrench because of developments in one market may cause cut-backs in activities in other
countries, and viceversain case of buoyant conditions.38 It is difficult to get apicture of the potential importance of such
effects. However, foreign direct investment flows have expanded strongly in recent years pointing to apotentially rising
influence of this channel (Figure 22). The transmission of cyclical fluctuations over time may conceivably also be affected
by “soft” factors such as confidence. Even if more tangible influences such as linkages viatrade and asset prices may
determine the overall magnitude of international transmission, its timing could well be influenced by confidence. Indeed,
over the decade of the 1990sthere has been avery high correlation between indicators of business confidence and share
prices in many countries, notably the United States. Although causality remains uncertain, this may conceivably have
speeded up the impact of share price developments by directly affecting the “animal spirits” of investors. Nevertheless,
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despite closer correlation of equity returns over the last two decades, it is not obvious that cross-country correlations of
confidence indicators have increased in any systematic manner.
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DDI 2008 <Lab>
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AT: Regulations Help Businesses
Even if regulations don’t hurt businesses, firms will overreact – they will ignore any benefits
Patrick Bernhagen, Department of Politics and International Relations - University of Aberdeen, 8/15/05. “Business Political
Power: Economic Voting, Information Asymmetry, and Environmental Policy in 19 OECD Countries,”
http://convention2.allacademic.com/getfile.php?file=apsa05_proceeding/2005-10-06/40383/apsa05_proceeding_40383.pdf
The negative link between environmental protection and economic performance is neither clear nor undisputed. While
environmental pioneers may suffer short-term economic disadvantages in international competition, early movers in the area
of environmental protection will be at an advantage in competition for innovative technologies (J?nicke 1992, 52). At the
level of the individual firm, however, no matter what society-wide benefits and even the long-term benefits to the firm there
may be, envi- ronmental policies add considerable compliance costs to firms. This may lead to cut- backs in research and
development efforts, limit the innovative efforts of firms, or even endanger their general profitability. As a result, firms will
generally tend to em- phasize the costs of environmental policy, while underestimating the benefits and op- pose
environmental policy which they perceive to place them at a competitive disad- vantage. Exceptions are cases where firms
can achieve protectionist benefits through stricter environmental policies. In practice, however, these are rather rare (Murphy
2004)
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Flight Bad – Econ/Environment
Industrial flight hurts the economy and can’t solve pollution – businesses will just move to laxer countries
Yuquing Xing, professor of economics at Graduate School of International Relations, International University of Japan,
4/18/01, “Do Lax Environmental Regulations Attract Foreign Investment?” Environmental and Resource Economics, ,
http://www.springerlink.com/index/3JUUUG48YY29QHMU.pdf
To correctly interpret our findings, one should keep in mind that the environ- mental variable is only one of the determinants
of the FDI. Our empirical study only identifies the impact of environmental regulations on capital outflows and reveals the
role of environmental regulations in the decision-making of the FDI of polluting industries. It would not be appropriate to
conclude that environ- mental regulation alone can decide the direction of FDI flow for a polluting industry. We have no
convincing evidence that the environmental variable domi- nates other determinants in the process of determining FDI of a
polluting industry. However, to the extent that the environmental policy gap between developing and developed countries
widens, more capital investment associated with polluting industries can be expected to flow to countries with lax
environmental regulation. This could result in a significant migration of polluting industry to “pollution havens”. The flight
of polluting industries may cause economic problems such as unemployment in the short run for the country exporting
capital, and may also expedite environment degradation of host countries. In addition, the migra- tion of polluting industries
only changes the geographic location of pollution generation. If the pollution is undepleted and can spill over borders (via
rivers, aquifers, precipitation or air movement), the reduction of the pollution at the country with strict environmental
regulations may be at least partially offset by an increase in pollution in other countries. Thus the free mobility of capital
asso- ciated with polluting industries may undermine noncooperative efforts at pollution control.
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AT: No Flight
Skeptics of industrial flight are wrong – their studies focus on goods flow, not capital flow
Yuquing Xing, professor of economics at Graduate School of International Relations, International University of Japan,
4/18/01, “Do Lax Environmental Regulations Attract Foreign Investment?” Environmental and Resource Economics, ,
http://www.springerlink.com/index/3JUUUG48YY29QHMU.pdf
An alternative view, without as much theoretical justification, is that environ- mental regulations have no effect on plant
location. The basic argument is either that cost effects are so small as to be negligible or that increased environ- mental
quality is reflected in reduced employee compensation. Without regulation, employees would have to be paid more to live
and work in polluted conditions. Thus in equilibrium, the total costs will be the same. Using the later argument, one would
still expect to see particularly polluting industries moving to loca- tions endowed with a clean environment (perhaps
temporarily) and with weaker environmental regulations. The empirical literature to date supports the view that
environmental regulations do not matter.2
While empirical studies of the industrial flight/pollution haven hypotheses have been illuminating, their shortcomings
suggest that the question has not yet been fully answered. One problem with previous empirical studies is that the endogenous variable, intended to track the effects of environmental regulations, is unsatisfactory. For instance, Low and Yeates
(1992) use a country’s share of production in total world trade of pollution-intensive products as a proxy for specialization
in polluting goods. This is a coarse measure of specialization. Such a variable is determined by a wide variety of factors in
addition to the strictness of environmental regulations. Furthermore, it is capital flow, not goods flow, which should be most
affected by differential environmental regulations. Only in the long run will a country’s production mix reflect capital
movements induced by differential environmental regulations.
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Consumer Con Key to Econ
High consumer confidence indicates strong consumer spending – the key internal link into the
economy
Investopedia, Forbes Media Company, ’08, “Consumer Confidence: A Killer Statistic”,
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/fundamental/103002.asp
Consumer spending is the one key to any market economy. On the airwaves, there's never a shortage of data, analysis
and cable commentary regarding consumer behavior. So what are the key fundamental consumption indicators in a
good economy? How about in a bad economy? The following article will recap the vital economic indicators of
overall consumption, outlining what trends to look for and when to look for them. There is no doubt that consumer
spending is the most vital component of any economy. Why? Depending on the economy's sheer breadth, consumer
spending can range anywhere from 50-75% of GDP. In the U.S. and most highly industrialized nations, this
percentage is about 65% of total spending. The first part of measuring total consumption is measuring consumer
sentiment, which is derived completely from a consumer's standpoint.
Consumer confidence key to econ – drives economic activity
Jim Lee, Professor of Economics at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Oct. ‘02 “What is the role of consumer
confidence in the business cycle, and how does it affect the economy?”,
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:jViVBhE4T_0J:www.tracer2.com/admin/uploadedPublications/181_tlmrexpert0210.p
df+consumer+confidence+key+to+economy&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=22&gl=us
Consumers play a major role in the economy. This is because consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of U.S.
output. Since households’ economic outlook affects their spending behavior, their expectations influence the direction
of economic activity in the business cycle. Consumer confidence, or optimism about the overall economy, is
commonly referred to as “animal spirits” after a famous economist, John Maynard Keynes. Keynes asserted that the
Great Depression of the 1930s was largely attributable to a collapse of public confidence, which led to dramatic
declines in consumer and business spending. Today, consumer confidence receives a great deal of media attention.
Rising consumer confidence is widely interpreted as a precursor to higher future household spending. It is therefore a
leading indicator of the overall economy. If consumers are more optimistic about the economy, they will tend to spend
more, especially on durable goods and other large purchases. A higher overall demand for goods and services will
subsequently lead to higher output and employment.
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Biz Con Key to Growth
Business confidence key to sustaining growth via investment
Sue Kirchhoff and Barbara Hegenbaugh, 2004, USA Today, “What's worrying business? Confidence erodes across
industries”, http://www.usatoday.com/educate/college/careers/news12.htm
Business investment and hiring are key to sustained economic growth, as consumer spending growth slows from its
heady pace. While corporate profits and spending have ramped up, economists are nervous about one key element -confidence. Business confidence has eroded since spring, according to several surveys. On Monday, economic
consulting firm Economy.com said its weekly survey of business owners showed declines were widespread, both
geographically and across industries. The U.S. index is off 25% from its peak earlier this summer. How business
executives see the world is key for the economy because it can influence decisions on hiring and investing.
Nervousness is likely one reason hiring has been patchy this year, spiking in March but growing less rapidly since
then.
Lack of business confidence causes a recession
John Braithwaite, Australian Research Council Federation fellow, 20 04, The Annals of The American Academy of
Political and Social Science, March, “Emancipation and Hope,” Lexis
The challenge of designing institutions that simultaneously engender emanci- pation and hope is addressed within the
assumption of economic institutions that are fundamentally capitalist. This contemporary global context gives more
force to the hope nexus because we know capitalism thrives on hope. When business confidence collapses, capitalist
economies head for recession. This dependence on hope is of quite general import; business leaders must have hope
for the future before they will build new factories; consumers need confidence before they will buy what the factories
make; investors need confidence before they will buy shares in the company that builds the factory; bankers need
confidence to lend money to build the factory; scientists need confidence to innovate with new technologies in the
hope that a capitalist will come along and market their invention. Keynes’s ([1936]1981) General Theory of
Employment, Interest and Money lamented the theoretical neglect of “animal spirits” of hope (“spontaneous optimism
rather than . . . mathematical expectation” (p. 161) in the discipline of economics, a neglect that continues to this day
(see also Barbalet 1993).
Bizcon is key to prevent economic collapse resulting from a lack of investment
Thomas Boston, Black Enterprise, “Confidence is key: economist cites the importance of business outlook to
recovery - The Economy & You”, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1365/is_6_33/ai_95845058, Jan 2003
Trying to jump-start the economy by reducing interest rates even further is like pushing on a string. Despite the
fact that the Federal Reserve has lowered the federal funds rate to 1.75%, its lowest level in 40 years, the Index of
Leading Economic Indicators (the measure used to gauge the future health of the economy) has declined for
four consecutive months. Why is the economy so anemic? One major reason is declining consumer and
business confidence. Think of it this way: Suppose you decide to make a major purchase, such as a house or
automobile. If the price has been determined, two additional factors are likely to figure prominently in your decision
to make the purchase. The first factor is the interest rate, which is nothing more than the cost of borrowing money.
The second factor is how confident you are about your future earnings. For example, if you are concerned about
job security, you are not likely to make the purchase, no matter how low interest rates might be. The same logic
holds for business owners deciding whether to undertake a new investment. While interest rates are important
because they affect the total return on capital invested, if business owners are pessimistic about future economic
activity, even low interest rates will not be attractive enough to make them invest.
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Investment Key to Econ
Business investment key to the economy – recent investment-led recession proves
Economic Report of the President, Feb. 2004, http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy05/pdf/2004_erp.pdf
Business investment in equipment and software surged in the late 1990s. Real investment increased at an average
annual rate of roughly 13 percent between the fourth quarter of 1994 and the fourth quarter of 1999, compared with an
average annual rate of less than 7 percent over the preceding three decades. The surge in investment was led by
purchases of high-tech capital goods—computers, software, and communications equipment—which increased at an
average annual rate of 20 percent over the period. Economic theory implies that businesses invest when they believe
that there are profits to be made from that investment. In the late 1990s, several developments fed a perception that the
expected future return from newly installed capital would be considerably greater than the cost of this capital. Rapid
advances in technology had lowered the price of high-tech capital goods dramatically throughout the 1990s and
especially in the second half of the decade. For example, the quality-adjusted price index for business computers and
peripheral equipment fell at an average annual rate of 22 percent between late 1994 and late 1999. In addition, rapidly
growing demand for business output led firms to believe that newly installed capital would be used productively,
boosting the expected return to investment. Moreover, technological progress and legislation provided incentives for
strong investment in high-tech equipment. The development of the World Wide Web enabled new and established firms to
enter e-commerce, and rapidly increasing household and business access to the Internet provided a large base of potential
customers for these firms. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 provided for substantial deregulation of the
telecommunications industry and may have spurred investment in that sector. In addition, concern that some computer
systems might be inoperable after December 1999 caused a wave of so-called Y2K-related investment. Some analysis
indicates that Y2K spending alone boosted the growth rate of real equipment and software investment by more than 31⁄2
percentage points per year in the latter part of the 1990s. Optimism about the potential gains from new capital, and from
high-tech capital in particular, was reflected not only in investment decisions but also in a sharp rise in stock prices. From
late 1994 to late 1999, the Wilshire 5000—a broad index of U.S. stock prices—nearly tripled. The Nasdaq stock price index,
which is heavily weighted toward high-tech industries, registered an even more dramatic ascent, increasing more than
fourfold over this period. The increase in stock prices stimulated investment by reducing the cost of equity capital. In
addition, the rise in stock prices fueled a consumption boom by boosting the wealth of a growing number of Americans and
more generally signaling better future economic conditions. This consumption boom encouraged further business
investment. In mid-2000, business equipment investment abruptly slowed. After rising at an annual rate of 15 percent in the
first half of the year, real spending on business equipment and software inched up at about a 1⁄4 percent annual rate in the
second half. The slowdown in high-tech equipment investment was especially dramatic. For example, real outlays for
computers had skyrocketed at an annual rate of 40 percent in the first half of the year, but grew at less than one-quarter of
that pace in the second half. This stalling of investment preceded the downturn in the overall economy; by contrast, in
the typical business cycle, investment has turned down at the same time as overall economic activity (Chart 1-2). The
unusual timing of the investment slowdown in this recession is the reason that the recent business cycle has been
widely viewed as an “investment-led” recession. The sharp break in investment occurred in parallel with an apparent
reevaluation of future corporate profitability among financial market participants. By the end of 2000, the Wilshire 5000
index of stock prices was down 13 percent from its peak, and analysts had substantially marked down their forecasts for
S&P 500 earnings over the coming year. The movements were even more dramatic in the high-tech sector. The Nasdaq
index of stock prices dropped nearly 50 percent from its peak in March 2000 to the end of the year. The prices of
technology, telecommunications, and Internet shares fell particularly sharply, along with near-term earnings estimates. The
elevated valuations of many such companies also declined markedly. Indeed, the price-earnings ratio (where “earnings” are
those expected over the next year) for the technology component of the S&P 500 fell from a peak of more than 50 in early
2000 to less than 35 by the end of the year. These facts and considerable anecdotal evidence suggest that business
managers and investors sharply revised downward the expected gains from new capital investment during this period.
One factor that may have contributed to the downward revision is a possible slowing of the pace of technological advance—
the rate at which computer prices were declining eased (from more than 20 percent in the late 1990s to about half that in
2000), and the software industry reportedly developed no new so-called “killer applications” that required or spurred
purchases of new hardware. In addition, firms may have been disappointed by the response of households to e-commerce
opportunities and to new communications technologies such as broadband. Finally, previous investments had not uniformly
translated into higher profitability, perhaps because the true potential of new forms of capital could be realized only by
changing other aspects of production processes. For example, new computer systems designed to lower inventory
management costs might have required an expensive reconfiguration of warehouses.
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Investment Key to Econ
Investor confidence key to the economy
Phil DeFeo, CEO of Pacific Exchange, 2002. http://www.nysearca.com/content/regulation/weekly/2002/PCX_wb-02-25.pdf
So the pendulum has swung. Stocks that once traded at sky-high prices are now cautiously valued. Investors have grown
weary of significant losses, and are now wary of a marketplace where the information provided cannot be trusted.
As long as investors do not trust the financial system, investment performance will lag economic performance. Lacking
confidence, they will overweight risk, discount values and potential returns, and shy away from committing new capital to
the market. I believe this can and will act as a brake on essential capital formation. I believe will weaken and slow both the
economic recovery and long-term growth.
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Foreign Investment Internal Link
Foreign investment key to US economy – jobs, R&D, capital account
USINFO, 2/12/07. “Foreign Investment in U.S. Benefits Economy, Bush Advisers Say,”
http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/February/20070212165404AKllennoCcM0.7061731.html
Washington -- Foreign direct investment in the United States benefits the U.S. economy by stimulating growth, generating
jobs for U.S. workers, promoting research and development, and financing the current account deficit, say President Bush’s
key economic advisers.
Recently, foreign direct investment in the United States has stagnated, according to the annual Economic Report of the
President released February 12. The share of employment credited to foreign investment declined slightly between 2000 and
2004 and the share of foreign investment in the U.S. capital account has declined since 1999.
The current account deficit is the broadest measure of U.S. transactions with the rest of the world. The U.S. capital account is
the flow of money both into the United States and from the United States for investment, grants and loans.
FDI key to US economy – fosters innovation and growth
Department of the Treasury, 5/10/07. “An Open Economy is Vital to United States Prosperity,”
http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/hp395.htm
Foreign firms in the U.S. account for 5.7% of U.S. economic output, as well as 10% of all investment in plant and
equipment in the United States.
*
Foreign firms in the U.S. re-invested $48.6 billion (45% of their income) back into the U.S. economy in 2004. This
investment furthers innovation and promotes economic growth.
*
Foreign firms generate 19% of U.S. exports ($153.9 billion in 2006). This contribution is greater than their overall
percentage of U.S. economic output, which means they are doing more than their share to help improve the U.S. trade
balance.
*
Foreign firms in the U.S. generate a disproportionate share of national R&D spending (13%, totaling $29.9 billion). This
spending strengthens U.S. global competitiveness in pharmaceuticals, high-tech, and other key sectors and produces
innovative products that help to improve our standard of living.
*
The economic benefits generated by inflows of foreign capital help strengthen economic leadership. In the late 1980s and
early 1990s, some pointed with alarm to Japanese purchases of U.S. assets, fearing they foreshadowed the Japanese
overtaking our economic leadership. Twenty years later, the resulting jobs and economic growth show those fears were
misplaced.
Reduced Foreign Investment leads to the collapse of Heg
Scott Champion, analyst with the Centre for Global Negotiations, “Will a US dollar collapse end American
Hegmenony?”, Share International, 6/2003,
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:c7OliQOGgIEJ:shareno.net/dollarcollapse.htm+economic+collapse+and+hegemony&
hl=en, BB
Today, many forces are coming together that could lead to a collapse of the US dollar. Among these are its
oversupply, low interest rates, the need to fight deflation, continuing stock-market declines, and a potential derivatives
meltdown [see Share International May 1990] It is highly likely that in the not-too-distant future all of these factors
will come into play simultaneously. In addition, many of the world’s financiers, central bankers, and government
officials cannot be pleased with the economic and foreign policies of the Bush administration. They well know
that the continued recycling of capital into US assets serves, at least in part, to allow the US to dominate the world. If
the people who control the world’s capital were to decide, for whatever reason, to cease buying Treasury
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securities and to liquidate those they own, the dollar would collapse and the US would experience an
unprecedented economic shock. Were this to happen, the world would witness the end of American hegemony.
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Foreign Investment Internal Link
Foreign Investment key to avoid economic collapse
Scott Champion, analyst with the Centre for Global Negotiations, “Will a US dollar collapse end American
Hegmenony?”, Share International, 6/2003,
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:c7OliQOGgIEJ:shareno.net/dollarcollapse.htm+economic+collapse+and+hegemony&
hl=en, BB
For many years the US has been the economic engine for the world, standing in as purchaser of last resort for the
world’s supply of goods in times of global economic distress. Now the US itself is in trouble. If the US attempts to
fight the rapidly gaining forces of deflation by encouraging a depreciating dollar, it will export deflation to the rest of
the world because foreign currencies will rise relative to the dollar. This will damage foreign economies and inhibit
their ability to buy goods and services, including those from the US. Since the short-term benefit of a weak dollar to
US corporations’ earnings will show up quickly, while the long-term damage to the global economy will become
apparent only with the passage of time, it is a fair assumption that the US will take the easy route and worry about the
global fallout later. The problem with this approach for the Bush administration is that there are great risks to a weak
dollar policy. The world economy is awash in dollars, and when there is too much of something the price or value
usually drops, sometimes precipitously. If confidence in the dollar or dollar assets, such as Treasury bonds,
declines, the world may, at some point, reconsider its involvement with US assets. The results of such a
reappraisal could be anything from mildly damaging to catastrophic. Seventy-five per cent of the world’s
central-bank assets are held in US dollars (as Treasury bonds). These bankers do not want their primary asset
to suffer a significant decline.
High debt levels leads to anti-american military aggression
The International Herald Tribune, August 18, 2007, “A debt culture gone awry; America's handicap”, Hamid
Varzi, an economist and banker based in Tehran, Pg. 5, lexis, BB
The U.S. economy, once the envy of the world, is now viewed across the globe with suspicion. America has
become shackled by an immovable mountain of debt that endangers its prosperity and threatens to bring the
rest of the world economy crashing down with it. The ongoing sub-prime mortgage crisis, a result of irresponsible
lending policies designed to generate commissions for unscrupulous brokers, presages far deeper problems in a U.S.
economy that is beginning to resemble a giant smoke-and-mirrors Ponzi scheme. And this has not been lost on the rest
of the world. This new reality has had unfortunate side effects that go beyond economics. As a banker working in
the heart of the Muslim world, I have been amazed by the depth and breadth of anti-Americanism, even among
U.S. allies, manifested in reactions ranging from fierce anger to stoic fatalism. Muslims outside the United States
interpret America's policies in the Middle East not as an effort to spread democracy but as a blatant neocolonialist
attempt to solve its economic problems by force. Arabs and Persians alike argue that America's fiscal
irresponsibility has forced the nation to seek solutions through military aggression.
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AT: RegulationsCompetitiveness
All the evidence goes the other way – no empirical evidence that regulations stimulate competitiveness
Robert N. Stavins, Assoc Prof – Public Policy, Harvard, 1994. [“The Challenge of Going Green,” Harvard Business Review,
Vol. 72 Issue 4, p37-48]
The picture is bleaker still for the tenet that environmental regulation stimulates innovation and competitiveness. Not a
single empirical analysis lends convincing support to this view. Indeed, several studies offer important, if indirect, evidence
to the contrary. Natural skepticism regarding this regulatory free lunch should remain unabated.
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Bizcon key to Econ
Bizcon is key to prevent economic collapse resulting from a lack of investment
Thomas Boston, Black Enterprise, “Confidence is key: economist cites the importance of business outlook to
recovery - The Economy & You”, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1365/is_6_33/ai_95845058, Jan 2003
Trying to jump-start the economy by reducing interest rates even further is like pushing on a string. Despite the
fact that the Federal Reserve has lowered the federal funds rate to 1.75%, its lowest level in 40 years, the Index of
Leading Economic Indicators (the measure used to gauge the future health of the economy) has declined for
four consecutive months. Why is the economy so anemic? One major reason is declining consumer and
business confidence. Think of it this way: Suppose you decide to make a major purchase, such as a house or
automobile. If the price has been determined, two additional factors are likely to figure prominently in your decision
to make the purchase. The first factor is the interest rate, which is nothing more than the cost of borrowing money.
The second factor is how confident you are about your future earnings. For example, if you are concerned about
job security, you are not likely to make the purchase, no matter how low interest rates might be. The same logic
holds for business owners deciding whether to undertake a new investment. While interest rates are important
because they affect the total return on capital invested, if business owners are pessimistic about future economic
activity, even low interest rates will not be attractive enough to make them invest.
Biz con key to the economy – investment and employment
Thomas D. Boston, heads Boston Research Group in Atlanta & member of the Black Enterprise Board of Economists, 1-103, “Confidence is key: economist cites the importance of business outlook to recovery”,
Think of it this way: Suppose you decide to make a major purchase, such as a house or automobile. If the price has been
determined, two additional factors are likely to figure prominently in your decision to make the purchase. The first factor
is the interest rate, which is nothing more than the cost of borrowing money. The second factor is how confident you are
about your future earnings. For example, if you are concerned about job security, you are not likely to make the purchase,
no matter how low interest rates might be. The same logic holds for business owners deciding whether to undertake a new
investment. While interest rates are important because they affect the total return on capital invested, if business owners
are pessimistic about future economic activity, even low interest rates will not be attractive enough to make them invest.
Over the past year, business owners have been more wary than consumers, so investments have lagged. Fortunately,
consumer spending has carried the economy forward--even though consumers are facing record levels of debt. But the
situation has changed over the last three months. The growing number of job losses has caused consumers to become
cautious. As a result, if the economy is to improve, investment must pick up. But low interest rates alone will not get the
job done. Rather, the key index to watch is business confidence. The Gazelle Index, a survey of 350 of the nation's fastest
growing black-owned businesses as measured by workforce growth rates, took a sharp drop, from 67.7 to 49.5, between
the second and third quarters. An index value below 50 indicates that business owners are more negative than positive
about economic conditions. Why is the index value important? When business leaders are concerned about the economy,
they reduce hiring, which contributes to higher unemployment rates.
Business investment is the dominant factor – biz con dictates the direction of the economy
Investopedia, Forbes Media Company, ’08, “Consumer Confidence: A Killer Statistic”,
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/fundamental/103002.asp
Though not as powerful an indicator as consumer spending, business capital spending can be a killer statistic - since
things can get ugly in a hurry when overall business investment precipitously cuts back: the impact on the economy
can be felt at an even faster pace than as if the cut occurred purely along consumer lines. The rationale is that today's
sophisticated and large inventory-lean corporations often can gauge future demand before policy makers can
implement changes, which often take months to kick in due to embedded policy lags. Corporate spending is therefore
very similar today to the role the stock market has played in most recoveries: improvements can be foreseen as a
leading indicator for things to come. On the flip-side, cutbacks in corporate capital spending are indeed an ominous
indicator. The PMI, or Purchasing Managers Index, is a representation of the progress in corporate spending.
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Indo-Pak war
A decline in confidence leads to an Indo-Pak conflict to cover up economic collapse.
Micheal C. Rupert, “Global Economic Collapse Imminent,
Pension Fund Disaster”, http://www.rense.com/general26/ftw.htm, July 2002
The situation now is much, much worse as more factors combine to suggest that foreign investors and trust in
the U.S. economy might soon be a thing of the past. Your pension is at risk today and your home may be at risk in
six months to a year. One economic analyst has suggested that a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan
might be the perfect cover for the biggest financial wipe out in human history. I think that an ill-conceived and
risky invasion of Iraq might serve the same purpose. From consumer confidence, to corporate accounting, to
the dollar, to gold, to foreign capital flight, to pension fund wipe outs, to the derivative bubble, to debt, there is
not a single economic indicator that is not flashing red. The warnings are as clear, explicit and well-documented as
were the warnings received by the U.S. government throughout summer 2001 that a terrorist attack against the World
Trade Center would take place during the week of Sept. 9 using hijacked airliners from United and American airlines.
Nothing was done to prevent that and apparently nothing is being done now in spite of the fact that $4.2 trillion of
your money has been stolen right in front of your eyes.
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****Biz Con Aff Answers
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2AC Biz Con Frontline
US consumer and business confidence is dismal – free-falling faster than in 2001
The Globe and Mail, Canadian News, 5/31/08. “THREE STATS YOU JUST CAN'T BE WITHOUT ON A SATURDAY:
THE WEEK IN ECONOMICS,” Lexis
"In the U.S., consumer confidence is in freefall," he says. Confidence is falling faster now than between 2001 and 2003,
when the United States was enduring a high-tech meltdown, a mild recession and a major terrorist attack. European
confidence peaked a year ago and has plunged since then, especially in Britain. Japan's confidence levels peaked in 2006, but
are now at recessionary levels. Confidence in Canada is sliding too.
Consumers in these countries account for about 50 per cent of world production, he says. "The prognosis for near-term world
economic growth is not encouraging."
Business confidence is higher, but is also eroding in Europe, Japan, and particularly in the United States.
"Confidence is arguably most important when conditions slow," Mr. Hall warns. "Pessimism sells, it spreads rapidly, and can
be self-fulfilling. A significant lapse of confidence can even erode parts of the economy that are not drowning in the excesses
created by a protracted period of prosperity."
Investor confidence at an all-time low – housing market proves
BOYD ERMAN, The Globe and Mail's capital markets reporter, 7/12/08. “Good timing: Feds avoid Fannie-style mortgage
freefall,” The Globe and Mail, Lexis
That criticism misses a larger point, something that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are making painfully clear in the United
States: The housing market depends not just on the confidence and borrowing ability of people interested in trading up from a
bungalow to a two-storey with an ensuite Jacuzzi and a great room. It depends on investor confidence and the borrowing
ability of the giant government-backed lenders that really fund mortgages. In the United States, that investor confidence is
gone and the ability of Freddie and Fannie to borrow may follow. That's an unprecedented threat to the housing market,
which is saying something given what the United States has already been through. Freddie and Fannie are federally chartered
companies created to help homeowners by purchasing the mortgages that banks make, freeing up banks to make even more.
With the implicit backing of the U.S. government, Fannie and Freddie could borrow cheaply in the bond market to finance
mortgage purchases. Until recently, that is. Investors are shying away and borrowing costs have shot up relative to
government bonds. Investors are worried about the highest delinquency rates on mortgages in at least three decades. Many of
those mortgages have terms like zero-down and 40-year amortizations. If those terms sound familiar, it's perhaps because
Canadian banks had been advertising them lately.
T/ Environmental regulations reduce perception of risk, encouraging investors – studies prove
Stanley J. Feldman, Associate Professor of Finance at Bentley College, et al, 1996. “Does Improving a Firm’s
Environmental Management System and Environmental Performance Result in a Higher Stock Price?” Journal of Investing,
(co-authored by Peter A. Soyka, and Paul Ameer)
We have just completed a thorough evalu- ation of our ideas using real-world data on more than 300 of the largest public
com- panies in the U.S., and have produced results that validate our hypothesis. As suggested by financial theory, we have
computed changes in systematic risk for each firm over two time periods, and related these to a number of financial and
environmental variables using multiple regression analysis. We constructed our analysis to explain as much of the variability in observed systematic risk as pos- sible using factors suggested by finance theory and empirical observation. Using
this approach, we were able to isolate and quantify the effects of several environ- mental management and environmental
performance measures that have both practical and statistical significance. Our work suggests that environmental
improvements such as those we have eval- uated might lead to a substantial reduction in the perceived risk of a firm,
with an accompanying increase in a public company’s stock price, of perhaps five percent.
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2AC Biz Con Frontline
T/ A. Incentives increase affected industries’ market control – increasing productivity and income
Roger G. Noll, professor of economics emeritus at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for
Economic Policy Research, ’97, “Internationalizing Regulatory Reform” in “Comparative Disadvantages? Social
Regulations and the Global Economy” Ed. Pietro S. Nivola. Published by Brookings Institute Press, pp. 332-333
The international consequence of incentive-based environmental regulatory reforms is to reallocate production among nations
in a manner that reduces total social costs. These reforms reduce compliance costs for industries that need to control harmful
pollutants. As a result, the relative price of the products of these industries falls, and if their products are traded these
industries gain a larger share of the world market. In some cases, the principal effect is to substitute domestic production for
exports that appeared attractive only because they were produced in a less costly regulatory environment, and in other cases it
is to increase exports of the industries that experience lower regulatory compliance costs. In all cases, all prices and exchange
rates will adjust so that some other industries experience some compensating adjustment in net imports, and total trade can
either rise or fall. But in all cases, the net effect is an increase in world productivity and income as production moves to areas
where the true social costs are lowest.
B. Increased productivity and business capital increases business investment – key internal link
into long-term growth and competitiveness
Christian E. Weller, Fellow at the Center for American Progress and an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the
University of Massachusetts Boston, and Amanda Logan, Research Associate at the Center, 3-5-08, “Slowing
Productivity Growth Requires Boosting Business Investment”,
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/03/slow_productivity.html
The Labor Department reported this morning that worker productivity increased at an annual rate of just 1.9 percent in
the fourth quarter of last year, the slowest pace since the first quarter of last year. This also marks the third year in a
row that productivity growth fell below the crucial 2 percent-mark. In our report last year, “Ignoring Productivity at
Our Peril,” we examined the likelihood of a general slowdown in productivity and economic growth in the fourth
quarter and what that would mean to U.S. economic competitiveness over the course of 2008. As we pointed out in the
report, worker productivity is a key component of economic growth and stability. Over the past seven years, economic
growth has largely been driven by consumer spending, which is unsustainable in the long run because of the low
personal savings rate, slow income growth, and high household financial debt financing consumption. Despite record
profit levels, many companies have chosen to use their money in ways other than investing directly in growing their
businesses’ overall productivity—and we are seeing the results. More business investment can lead to higher future
productivity growth via an enlarged capital base. The rewards of higher productivity growth come in the form of more
money for workers to spend on consumption items. This extra money will provide businesses with an incentive to
invest more in their buildings and equipment, thereby laying the foundation for even higher productivity in the future.
The virtuous cycle of higher investment, rising productivity growth, and growing income helped lift almost all
economic boats in the 1990s. From 1995 to 2000, productivity grew at an annual rate of 2.5 percent, which some
researchers have attributed to investments in better technology such as hardware and software. Under the right
circumstances, this translates into higher living standards in an expanding economy. Boosting business investment to
overcome indications of a vicious productivity cycle taking hold in our economy would have positive effects for the
economy both in the short term and the long term. In the immediate future, faster investment growth could give the
economy a much-needed boost as consumer spending has slowed in the wake of a massive debt run-up and as
households concentrate on repaying their record-level debt. Over the long term, faster investment growth could also
help lay a stronger foundation for innovation—the key but elusive measure of our nation’s overall competitive
advantage in the global economy. But businesses will not invest unless incomes rise faster, which means policymakers
need to ensure that workers can see more gains from a growing economy in the form of faster job growth and higher
wage growth. At the same time, policymakers must create additional incentives for companies to invest in new
technologies appropriate for a creative U.S. economy that remains on the cutting edge of global innovation. Our
colleagues at the Center for American Progress have detailed how the next administration and Congress can begin to
chart this new course in our “Progressive Growth” series of papers. It’s time we got started.
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2AC Biz Con Frontline
Prefer our turns – litigation has no effect on investor confidence – no abnormal returns
Michael Muoghalu, Director of MBA Program, Pittsburgh State University. 10/90. “Hazardous Waste Lawsuits, Stockholder
Returns, and Deterrence,” Southern Economic Journal, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p357
Table I also reports the abnormal returns around the settlements of hazardous waste lawsuits. No statistically significant
abnormal performances occur during the event window. The lack of abnormal returns indicates that the announcement of
court decisions/settlements provides no new systematic information to investors. To check whether the lack of significant
returns was a result of suits with positive returns canceling those with negative returns, the settlements were individually
examined for abnormal returns. Only 4 firms in the sample of 74 show significant abnormal returns during the two-day event
interval (2 positive and 2 negative), which is fewer than would be expected randomly at the 90 percent confidence level.
Given the lack of statistically significant abnormal returns, no further analysis of lawsuit settlements is conducted.
Squo solves their impacts – biz con fluctuates in the business cycle, it will eventually be restored
The Business Report, “Drop in business confidence part of a cycle”, http://www.fastmoving.co.za/newsarchive/sa-economy/drop-in-business-confidence-part-of-a-cycle, July 8th, 2008
The world economic market overall is uncertain at this stage, but all cycles - good and bad - come to an end.
"But I think that the country's macro-economic policies remain strong and despite a number of external global
factors - like the much-publicized subprime mortgage crisis and credit crunch faced by many countries - we
should be heading for less choppy waters as we approach the third and fourth quarters of next year," added
Mokoena. "Also, as we head towards the 2010 soccer World Cup I believe a more positive business sentiment will
start emerging. Consumers and companies just need to fine-tune their current business strategies and ensure
they are well placed to weather the storm. Those companies that plan for the business upturn now are the ones
that are really going to shine.”
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Small business confidence low
Small business confidence is down due to rising prices
Chris Crum, “The Death of the American Dream?”,
http://www.smallbusinessnewz.com/topnews/2008/06/30/small-business-confidence-at-all-time-low, ,
6/30, 2008
Unfortunately, small business economic confidence is at an all-time low. In fact, confidence indicators were down in
every single category of the survey. "With prices rising, especially gas and food, just about everybody is feeling
the squeeze," says, Discover business credit card director Ryan Scully. "People are starting to change their habits and
cut back. For small business owners who are seeing profits go down as a result, that means they have less to invest in
finding new business," Scully added
Confidence low now – investors are preparing for low earnings and high oil prices
Glenn Mumford, staff writer - Australian Financial Review 6/24/08. “Testing times for investor confidence,” Australian
Financial Review. Factiva
Equities here and in the United States are in the process of building a major base, but recent market weakness has certainly
provided a key test of this belief. The fact that the local market’s forward price-earnings ratio has moved to less than 12 times
- with the major banks and resource companies registering at less than 10 times - suggests investors are pricing in either a
new wave of negative earnings revisions or a sustained bout of inflation-inspired P/E compression. The rising oil price will
be significant in all this, and local resources companies will be required to support the general market. This week could also
see a resolution of iron ore pricing negotiations for BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. Do we bounce or do we dive? I’m sticking
with the first option, but a lot will depend on the oil price. Expect a volatile week.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Election Kills Bizcon
The upcoming election has shattered business confidence due to ambiguity regarding the next
president’s economic policies.
Peter Ryan, ABC News, “Business confidence plunges on election uncertainty”,
http://www.abc.net/news/stories/2007/11/23/2098730.htm, 2007
The survey of 2,000 businesses, conducted by Telstra's directories arm Sensis, found confidence had fallen 16 points
in the three months to October to 43 per cent. The decline in confidence is the biggest fall in the survey's 14year history. The author of the Sensis Business Index, economist Christena Singh, said businesses were concerned
about the outlook for workplace relations as well as a possible change in leadership. "What we are finding is that
small businesses are telling us that their confidence has been impacted quite dramatically in the lead up to the
election," Ms Singh said. "The main factors influencing that are a potential change of government, with the key
issues small businesses are looking at being industrial relations and economic management ."We have been
picking up strong economic conditions for the past few years really from small businesses and they are
concerned there might be some change there."
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
BIZ CON CYCLICAL
Although business confidence is decreasing, it fluctuates in a cycle meaning it will eventually be
restored
The Business Report, “Drop in business confidence part of a cycle”, http://www.fastmoving.co.za/newsarchive/sa-economy/drop-in-business-confidence-part-of-a-cycle, July 8th, 2008
The world economic market overall is uncertain at this stage, but all cycles - good and bad - come to an end.
"But I think that the country's macro-economic policies remain strong and despite a number of external global
factors - like the much-publicized subprime mortgage crisis and credit crunch faced by many countries - we
should be heading for less choppy waters as we approach the third and fourth quarters of next year," added
Mokoena. "Also, as we head towards the 2010 soccer World Cup I believe a more positive business sentiment will
start emerging. Consumers and companies just need to fine-tune their current business strategies and ensure
they are well placed to weather the storm. Those companies that plan for the business upturn now are the ones
that are really going to shine.”
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Bizcon declining - flooding
Bizcon declining in the squo – flooding is damaging agricultural sector of the economy
Buisness First, ABC News, “National City: Business confidence declines”,
http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2008/06/30/daily13.html20, 08
National City (NYSE: NCC) contacted business managers in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and
Pennsylvania, and asked them two questions: Business outlook and hiring plans indices are calculated by adding the
percentage of total positive responses and half of the neutral responses. The composite index is calculated by averaging the
outlook and hiring plans indices. Respondents contacted in June said they feared ripple effects of recent Midwestern
flooding, including higher food prices. "Natural disasters seldom prove as damaging to economic growth as their first
impressions," National City chief economist Richard DeKaser said in a news release. "The impact of flooding on
agriculture, however, is different as crop cycles, which are measured in years, are not readily recouped. "In
Louisville, 55.4 percent of business managers expressed optimism about the economy, compared with 81.3 percent a
year earlier. In Kentucky, 71.6 percent expressed optimism, down from 83.3 percent in June 2007. In Indiana, 66.9
percent expressed optimism, down from 80.4 percent a year earlier.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Biz Con Low
Banking crisis ensures business confidence remains low – tight credit market
William Rees-Mogg, The Times UK, 7-14-08, “This recession could easily tip into a depression”,
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/william_rees_mogg/article4326794.ece
The present recession has some characteristics which make me think that it will be a relatively long one. The recession is
centred on banking and property. In an ordinary recession, one has to wait for consumers to regain their confidence, which, in
turn restores the confidence of business. Now one has to wait for the bankers as well. At present, banks are too anxious even
to lend to each other, let alone to expand consumer credit or business loans.
Buisness confidence is decreasing in the oil industry
Dayton Business Journal, “Survey: Midwest floods dampen business confidence level”,
http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2008/06/30/daily1.html?surround=lfn , June 30, 2008
Business confidence levels across the Gulf continued to fall in the second quarter, as inflation, high oil prices
and staffing problems dampened sentiment, the HSBC Gulf Business Confidence Index has revealed.
The
survey, released on Sunday, found that while the general mood of Gulf business people remained buoyant, levels of
business confidence had maintained their downward trend of the past 18 months. Overall, the Business
Confidence Index dipped to a mark of 94 from the benchmark 100 set in February 2007 when HSBC started the index.
The index dropped from 96.8 in the first quarter of this year.
Buisness confidence low – credit crunch.
Dayton Business Journal, “Survey: Midwest floods dampen business confidence level”,
http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2008/06/30/daily1.html?surround=lfn , June 30, 2008
"In the short term, these events do imply a greater measure of financial restraint on economic growth as credit
becomes more expensive and difficult to obtain." Already there are signs that it is getting harder to sell bonds
linked to credit cards and car loans, and there are worries that spreads on corporate bonds are tightening. The
tightening of credit will hurt economic growth because in the US consumers have borrowed heavily to fund
their consumption. The latest figures indicate that consumer and business confidence is slumping both in the US
and Europe as worries about the effects of the credit crunch grow.
Business confidence low now – struggling US economy
B&T Weekly, Australian News Magazine, 6/13/08. “Forum paints retail at a crossroads,” Factiva
The current economic landscape is the most significant challenge facing retailers in a generation. The problems are structural
and a consequence of costs growing faster than consumer spending. This is evident in mature retail markets.
The economic malaise is clearly affecting consumer spending and business confidence in the United States and Western
Europe much more than we have seen to date in Australia.
But while we haven't fallen off the cliff, local retailers can't afford to be complacent. Recent consumer confidence surveys
indicate mounting concern, while retail market darlings like Harvey Norman, David Jones and JB Hi Fi are cautious about
weakening consumer demand.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Biz Con Low
Business confidence on the downturn now – global credit crunch
Reuters, 12/18/07. “Market woes, oil, forex to curb euro zone growth-EU,” Factiva
BRUSSELS, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The global credit crunch, created by uncertainty about the size of losses in the U.S. mortgage
market, will curb euro zone economic growth in coming quarters, the European Commission said on Tuesday.
Financial market estimates showed losses related to rising default rates in the U.S. mortgage market could reach $250-500
Billion compared to an earlier range of $50-100 billion, the EU executive said in a quarterly report.
Euro zone growth was also at risk from high oil prices and the strong euro, it said, but added that activity would be supported
by robust employment and record-high corporate profitability.
"Tighter financing conditions, reduced confidence in the aftermath of the financial market turmoil and rising inflation, among
other factors, will weigh on growth in the next few quarters," the report said.
It said the global credit crunch would affect growth through higher market lending rates, lower consumer and business
confidence and reduced consumption in the United States.
Business confidence in the energy sector is low
International Swaps and Derivatives Association
5, “RESTORING CONFIDENCE IN U.S. ENERGY TRADING MARKETS”,
http://www.isda.org/press/pdf/isdaenergywhitepaper.pdf, April 2003
Starting with the Enron Corp. bankruptcy filing on December 2, 2001, the United States gas and power trading business
has sustained one blow after another. Credit downgrades, accounting scandals, governmental investigations, falling
stock prices, indictments and guilty pleas have been reported in the news for months. The companies involved have
included many well-respected energy trading companies. Throughout the energy trading business, few companies with gas
and power trading operations have been spared reputational harm and economic loss. There has been a loss of
confidence in the entire business, which emerged less than a decade ago. Rapid growth, inadequate credit and risk
management controls, a poorly designed California energy market and the Enron bankruptcy all contributed to this
loss of confidence.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Consumer Confidence Down
Consumer confidence is shot due to rising food and oil prices
Buisness Wire, “Administaff Announces Results of Business Confidence Survey
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_May_12/ai_n25408031, May 12th 08
A key measure of consumer confidence dropped in June to the fifth lowest reading ever, as Americans grew
more concerned about their jobs and rising food and fuel prices .The New York-based research group Conference
Board said Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 50.4 from a revised 58.1 in May. The
reading was the lowest since February 1992, when it was 47.3.Economists had expected the index to decline to
56, according to Briefing.com.Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board, said the report is an indication that the
economy is "stuck in low gear."
Consumer confidence low despite consumer spending
CNN, 6-24-08, “Consumer confidence tumbles to 16-year low”,
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/24/news/economy/consumer_confidence/?postversion=2008062413
A key measure of consumer confidence dropped in June to the fifth lowest reading ever, as Americans grew more concerned
about their jobs and rising food and fuel prices. The New York-based research group Conference Board said Tuesday that its
Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 50.4 from a revised 58.1 in May. The reading was the lowest since February 1992,
when it was 47.3. Economists had expected the index to decline to 56, according to Briefing.com. Lynn Franco, director of
the Conference Board, said the report is an indication that the economy is "stuck in low gear." "Perhaps the silver lining to
this otherwise dismal report is that Consumer Confidence may be nearing a bottom," Franco said in a statement. This year's
loss of jobs, the simultaneous decline of stocks and home prices, and the sharp rise in food and fuel prices all combined to
leave this month's consumer confidence index at roughly half that of 2007's composite average, according to economist
Bernard Baumohl of the Economic Outlook Group. Baumohl said consumer spending has held up well in recent weeks,
despite "horrible" consumer confidence, but he expects that to change after the effects of the economic stimulus and the
annual tax refunds have subsided. "Getting both at this time of year had led to an increase in household spending, but I
expect this to be temporary. I'm looking for spending to trail off in the latter part of the summer," Baumohl said.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Investor Confidence Low
Investor confidence low now – job cuts, high energy and food prices
Washington Post, 7/15/08. “Bush Expresses Confidence in Economy; Bernanke Cites Long List of Problems,”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/15/AR2008071500999.html?hpid=topnews
Wall Street was lower again today, with major U.S. indexes off as much as 1.5 percent in early trading. Asian and European
markets both fell overnight.
Bernanke spoke at a time of uncertainty on a number of fronts. Despite a recent series of Fed actions to cut interest rate and
keep cash flowing among banks and financial companies, U.S. growth remains sluggish and employers have eliminated jobs
for six months in a row. Meanwhile, rising prices for energy, food and a list of commodities has made for an "unusually
uncertain" outlook for inflation, Bernanke said.
As a result, "accurately assessing and appropriately balancing the risks to the outlook for growth and inflation is a significant
challenge for monetary policy makers," Bernanke said. "Given the high degree of uncertainty, monetary policy makers will
need to carefully assess incoming information bearing on the outlook for both inflation and growth . . . In light of the increase
in upside inflation risk, we must be particularly alert" to evidence of higher long-term inflation expectations.
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Consumer Con Low
Consumer con at all time low
Reuters, 7-15-08, “US consumer confidence unchanged, near record low-ABC”,
http://www.reuters.com/article/economicNews/idUSN1536607520080715
American consumers' confidence held steady at a low level in the latest week, more than 30 points below its all-time
average, a report showed on Tuesday. The ABC News Consumer Comfort Index held at -41 in the week to July 13,
unchanged from the previous week on its -100/+100 scale. Its all-time low, reached in May, is -51 and its historical
average -10. In a separate survey, ABC said pessimism about the economy's direction is at a 27-year high of 78 percent.
Investor confidence at an all-time low – housing market proves
BOYD ERMAN, The Globe and Mail's capital markets reporter, 7/12/08. “Good timing: Feds avoid Fannie-style mortgage
freefall,” The Globe and Mail, Lexis
That criticism misses a larger point, something that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are making painfully clear in the United
States: The housing market depends not just on the confidence and borrowing ability of people interested in trading up from a
bungalow to a two-storey with an ensuite Jacuzzi and a great room. It depends on investor confidence and the borrowing
ability of the giant government-backed lenders that really fund mortgages. In the United States, that investor confidence is
gone and the ability of Freddie and Fannie to borrow may follow. That's an unprecedented threat to the housing market,
which is saying something given what the United States has already been through. Freddie and Fannie are federally chartered
companies created to help homeowners by purchasing the mortgages that banks make, freeing up banks to make even more.
With the implicit backing of the U.S. government, Fannie and Freddie could borrow cheaply in the bond market to finance
mortgage purchases. Until recently, that is. Investors are shying away and borrowing costs have shot up relative to
government bonds. Investors are worried about the highest delinquency rates on mortgages in at least three decades. Many of
those mortgages have terms like zero-down and 40-year amortizations. If those terms sound familiar, it's perhaps because
Canadian banks had been advertising them lately.
US consumer and business confidence is dismal – free-falling faster than in 2001
The Globe and Mail, Canadian News, 5/31/08. “THREE STATS YOU JUST CAN'T BE WITHOUT ON A SATURDAY:
THE WEEK IN ECONOMICS,” Lexis
"In the U.S., consumer confidence is in freefall," he says. Confidence is falling faster now than between 2001 and 2003,
when the United States was enduring a high-tech meltdown, a mild recession and a major terrorist attack. European
confidence peaked a year ago and has plunged since then, especially in Britain. Japan's confidence levels peaked in 2006, but
are now at recessionary levels. Confidence in Canada is sliding too.
Consumers in these countries account for about 50 per cent of world production, he says. "The prognosis for near-term world
economic growth is not encouraging."
Business confidence is higher, but is also eroding in Europe, Japan, and particularly in the United States.
"Confidence is arguably most important when conditions slow," Mr. Hall warns. "Pessimism sells, it spreads rapidly, and can
be self-fulfilling. A significant lapse of confidence can even erode parts of the economy that are not drowning in the excesses
created by a protracted period of prosperity."
Consumer confidence is at its lowest since 1992 – decreasing growth and home prices
Wall Street Journal, 6/25/08. “CONSUMER CONFIDENCE PLUMMETS,” Lexis
Conference Board reports US consumer confidence fell to 50.4 in June from 58.1 in May, for lowest reading since 1992;
second-quarter growth is expected to be around 0.9%; latest evidence of slumping growth and tumbling home prices suggests
Americans' willingness to keep spending is being tested, making economic contraction more likely; Federal Reserve faced
with economic weakness is likely to keep interest rate steady at 2%; graphs (L)
FILE NAME
DDI 2008 <Lab>
Your Name
Consumer Con Low
Consumer confidence is at its lowest since 1982 – high fuel and food prices and decreasing incomes
LA Times, 4/26/08. “Consumer confidence hits 26-year low, survey says,” Lexis
U.S. consumer confidence fell for a third straight month in April, hitting its weakest level in 26 years on heightened worries
over inflation and the sagging housing market, a survey showed Friday. The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of
Consumers said its final index of confidence for April fell deeper into recessionary territory, to 62.6 from 69.5 in March and
below economists' median expectation of 63.2 in a Reuters poll. The April result is the lowest since March 1982's 62.0, when
the "stagflationary" period of low growth and high inflation was still an issue for many Americans. "More consumers
reported that their personal financial situation had worsened than any time since 1982 due to high fuel and food prices as well
as shrinking income gains and widespread reports of declines in home values," the survey said. "Never before in the long
history of the surveys have so many consumers reported hearing news of unfavorable economic development as in the April
survey." Nearly 9 in 10 consumers thought the economy was now in recession, Reuters/University of Michigan said.
Although a tax rebate will bolster consumer spending, consumers favor "by a wide margin" using the rebate to repay debt and
to add to their savings, according to the surveys.
Investor and consumer confidence low now – uncertainties about interest rates
National Post (Canada), 6/25/08. “U.S. traders await Fed decision,” Lexis
Stock markets in the United States fell yesterday, on concerns about the economy after a report showed consumer confidence
hit a 16-year low and as a profit warning from United Parcel Service (UPS/NYSE) stoked fears about corporate results.
But trading volume was thin, with investors hesitant to place any big bets as they wait to see whether or not the Federal
Reserve keeps interest rates on hold as expected today.
Consumer confidence is the lowest in 28 years – high petrol and food prices
The Sunday Times, 7/13/08. “Oil and credit woes fuel long summer of discontent,” Lexis
This is the summer of our discontent. Only 14% of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the United
States, the lowest figure recorded by Gallup's pollsters since they began asking that question almost 15 years ago. Consumer
confidence is at its lowest level in 28 years, according to the respected Reuters/University of Michigan survey. And not many
Americans are expecting things to improve soon. "Consumers' economic outlook is so bleak that the Expectations Index has
reached a new all-time low," reports the Conference Board. In part this pervasive gloom is due to petrol prices that have
passed the $4-per-gallon (about 53p a litre) level. In part it is the result of the squeeze soaring food prices are putting on
consumers' wallets.
Consumer confidence falling – high energy prices
The Globe and Mail (Canada), 6/26/08. “Fed seems paralyzed by effect of energy prices on big picture,” Lexis
BCA noted that global expenditures on energy are approaching levels not seen since the early 1980s - and said the last time
the "oil drag" on consumers reached these levels, "the world economy veered off into a deep recession."
While the industrialized world's economy is less energy-intensive than it was a generation ago, and global fiscal and
monetary conditions are in much better shape, soaring energy costs are nevertheless a major threat to already fragile
consumers (especially in the U.S.), who are a key driver of global economic activity and who have already been battered by
slumping housing and credit markets.
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
As this week's U.S. Conference Board consumer confidence report showed, high energy costs are pushing them off the deep
end. Merrill Lynch economist David Rosenberg called the report "arguably the worst" in the 40 years the Conference Board
has been tracking consumer moods.
65
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Consumer Con Low
Consumer con at all time low
Reuters, 7-15-08, “US consumer confidence unchanged, near record low-ABC”,
http://www.reuters.com/article/economicNews/idUSN1536607520080715
American consumers' confidence held steady at a low level in the latest week, more than 30 points below its all-time
average, a report showed on Tuesday. The ABC News Consumer Comfort Index held at -41 in the week to July 13,
unchanged from the previous week on its -100/+100 scale. Its all-time low, reached in May, is -51 and its historical
average -10. In a separate survey, ABC said pessimism about the economy's direction is at a 27-year high of 78 percent.
66
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Aff – No Effect on Investment
Environmental regulations have no effect on investment – studies prove
G. Bruce Doern, Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration - Carleton
University, 8/2004. “REGULATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES:KEY
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES,”
http://www.huss.ex.ac.uk/politics/research/readingroom/DoernNRTEE.doc
After looking at the U.S. studies, Olewiler concluded in 1994 that they “give little evidence of environmental
regulation having any impact on investment in new plants or on patterns of international trade” (Olewiler, 1994, p.
87). But Olewiler also immediately cautioned that there may well be greater impacts once 1980s and 1990s data was
included and examined either at an aggregate level or in particular industrial sectors. When adding very limited
Canadian data on Canadian Pollution Abatement Costs (PACs) to the 1994 picture, this study cautioned the reader on
the limited nature of the Canadian data and the problems of comparing it to the U.S. Nonetheless, one aspect of the
Canadian data on PACs in the late 1980s was that “Canadian PACs for pollution- intensive industries may be as much
as three times those for similar U.S. industries” (Olewiler, 1994, p. 112). On an overall basis, Olewiler concluded,
however, that “the available evidence suggests that international investment flows have been relatively unresponsive
to differences in environmental regulation across countries. A similar story exists for differential regulations within
countries. Other factor input costs are in general much more important, even for pollution-intensive industries”
(Olewiler, 1994, p. 111). Other studies also brought out similar conclusions (Dasgupta, Roy and Wheeler, 1995;
Jaffe, et.al., 1995; Vogel, 1998).
Litigation has no effect on investor confidence – no abnormal returns
Michael Muoghalu, Director of MBA Program, Pittsburgh State University. 10/90. “Hazardous Waste Lawsuits, Stockholder
Returns, and Deterrence,” Southern Economic Journal, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p357
Table I also reports the abnormal returns around the settlements of hazardous waste lawsuits. No statistically significant
abnormal performances occur during the event window. The lack of abnormal returns indicates that the announcement of
court decisions/settlements provides no new systematic information to investors. To check whether the lack of significant
returns was a result of suits with positive returns canceling those with negative returns, the settlements were individually
examined for abnormal returns. Only 4 firms in the sample of 74 show significant abnormal returns during the two-day event
interval (2 positive and 2 negative), which is fewer than would be expected randomly at the 90 percent confidence level.
Given the lack of statistically significant abnormal returns, no further analysis of lawsuit settlements is conducted.
67
Econ Generic
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Serrano
Regulations Increase FDI
Environmental regulations increase foreign investment – China proves
Judith M. Dean, Economist – International Trade Commission, et al, 2/05. “Are Foreign Investors Attracted to Weak
Environmental Regulations? Evaluating the Evidence from China,” World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 3505.
(Mary E. Lovely, Hua Wang) http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=659122#PaperDownload
Conditional logit analysis indicates that Chinese-sourced equity joint ventures in highly polluting industries are deterred by
relatively stringent pollution regulation. This finding is consistent with the behavior described in the pollution haven
hypothesis, though it contradicts the notion that the pollution havens are created by industrial country investors. In contrast,
equity joint ventures from non-Chinese sources are actually attracted to provinces with more stringent environmental
regulations, regardless of pollution-intensity--the opposite of the pollution haven hypothesis. This attraction also holds for
Chinese equity investment in low and medium pollution-intenstive industries, though to a lesser extent. Even after
accounting for the possibility of a nested decision, environmental stringency still significantly attracts non-Chinese equity
investment, while significantly deterring only Chinese equity investment in highly pollution-intensive activities. In all
specifications, corrections for the degree of state ownership reduce the size of the pollution levy effects, but do not alter their
effects or significance.
Environmental regulations reduce perception of risk – studies prove
Stanley J. Feldman, Associate Professor of Finance at Bentley College, et al, 1996. “Does Improving a Firm’s
Environmental Management System and Environmental Performance Result in a Higher Stock Price?” Journal of Investing,
(co-authored by Peter A. Soyka, and Paul Ameer)
We have just completed a thorough evalu- ation of our ideas using real-world data on more than 300 of the largest public
com- panies in the U.S., and have produced results that validate our hypothesis. As suggested by financial theory, we have
computed changes in systematic risk for each firm over two time periods, and related these to a number of financial and
environmental variables using multiple regression analysis. We constructed our analysis to explain as much of the variability in observed systematic risk as pos- sible using factors suggested by finance theory and empirical observation. Using
this approach, we were able to isolate and quantify the effects of several environ- mental management and environmental
performance measures that have both practical and statistical significance. Our work suggests that environmental
improvements such as those we have eval- uated might lead to a substantial reduction in the perceived risk of a firm,
with an accompanying increase in a public compa- ny’s stock price, of perhaps five percent.
68
Econ Generic
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Aff – T/ Increases Productivity
Incentives increase affected industries’ market control – increasing productivity
Roger G. Noll, professor of economics emeritus at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for
Economic Policy Research, ’97, “Internationalizing Regulatory Reform” in “Comparative Disadvantages? Social
Regulations and the Global Economy” Ed. Pietro S. Nivola. Published by Brookings Institute Press, pp. 332-333
The international consequence of incentive-based environmental regulatory reforms is to reallocate production among nations
in a manner that reduces total social costs. These reforms reduce compliance costs for industries that need to control harmful
pollutants. As a result, the relative price of the products of these industries falls, and if their products are traded these
industries gain a larger share of the world market. In some cases, the principal effect is to substitute domestic production for
exports that appeared attractive only because they were produced in a less costly regulatory environment, and in other cases it
is to increase exports of the industries that experience lower regulatory compliance costs. In all cases, all prices and exchange
rates will adjust so that some other industries experience some compensating adjustment in net imports, and total trade can
either rise or fall. But in all cases, the net effect is an increase in world productivity and income as production moves to areas
where the true social costs are lowest.
69
Econ Generic
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Serrano
Energy prices -> inflation
High energy prices are causing rapid inflation.
CNBC, “Energy costs drive up US inflation”, http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jun/13/inflation.usa,
/June 13th, 2008
Core prices, which exclude food and energy, were up 0.2%. Energy prices surged 4.4% during the month, the
biggest rise since November. That was driven by a 5.7% spike in gasoline prices during the month, also the
biggest rise since November. Consumer prices rose 4.2% compared with this time last year, the biggest rise since
January. Julian Jessop at Capital Economics said: "The latest US inflation data are not bad enough to panic the
Fed into an early rate hike (not while unemployment is soaring and the financial system is still creaking) but there
is little good news here either. "Unless oil prices drop back sharply soon, headline inflation is likely to remain
uncomfortably high at around 4.0-4.5% until the final months of the year."
70
Econ Generic
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*** Fiscal Discipline
71
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1NC Shell(1/2)
A. Uniqueness-- Bush and the Blue Dogs are holding the line on fiscal disc
Housing Wire,7/15/2008, “Bush: Congress Needs to Move on Housing Bill”,
http://www.housingwire.com/2008/07/15/bush-congress-needs-to-move-on-housing-bill/, BB
The largest source of Bush’s veto threat had centered around a proposed provision in the Senate that would
add $3.9 billion in Community Development Block Grant funding to allow local governments to purchase
foreclosed and abandoned real estate for use as affordable housing. The House version of the package contains no
such provision, and so-called “Blue Dog” Democrats — a name given to a group of conservative Democrats in
the House — have been strongly opposed to the measure, as well.
B. Link-- Congressional attempts at alternative energy are inevitably earmarked
Newt Gringrich, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and author of "Winning the Future", 06/03/2008 ,
“Stop the Green Pig: Defeat the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman Green Pork Bill Capping American Jobs and Trading America's
Future”, http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26808, BB
Of these two approaches, the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman bill is definitely of the old school. The Wall Street Journal
calls it "the most extensive government reorganization of the American economy since the 1930s." The bill aims to
reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere by 66% in 2050. To do this, it would have government set a limit on
overall carbon emissions and issue "allowances" to businesses that specify how much carbon they produce. Like Pork
Barrel Politics? Wait Until You See Energy Pork Barrel Politics And here's where we get into the Washingtonstyle pork barrel politics. Half of these "allowances" will be auctioned off to businesses - a massive, up front tax that
is expected to cost $3.32 trillion. Businesses will be forced to pass these indirect taxes along to consumers, of course,
while Washington politicians decide which special interests will get a piece of the new $3.32 trillion revenue out of
the politicians' gigantic new Green Piggybank. Boxer-Warner-Lieberman is riddled with earmarks, both to
redistribute new tax revenues to politically favored groups (for example, there is $136 billion earmarked for
energy efficiency block grants to local governments) and for buying off industries that might otherwise put
their armies of lobbyists to work to defeat the bill. Bottom line: If you liked the pork and political-favor-ridden
Farm Bill and Transportation bills, you're going to love the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman green pork bill.
C. Internal Link--Lack of Fiscal Discipline leads to Economic Collapse
Gerald J. Swanson, Professor; Thomas R. Brown Chair in Economic Education @ Eller College, America the Broke,
2004, pg. 13, BB
Because foreign investors view the dollar as nothing more than another asset they buy in hopes of making a
return, increasing economic turmoil in the United States would probably provoke them to sell some, if not all,
of their dollar assets, causing the currency’s value to drop farther. As this vicious cycle gathered speed, foreign
investors might quit buying Treasury securities altogether. They might even start cashing in the bonds they
already held. That would force the government to print the money it couldn’t borrow—a surefire trigger for
inflation and another blow to the value of the dollar. What would happen then? We can only guess, because such a
debacle has never occurred in modern times. At the very least, the United States—and because of our wide-ranging
influence the rest of the world, too—would be plunged into economic chaos, all because of our unwillingness to
reign in our reckless spending.
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Econ Generic
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Serrano
1NC Shell(2/2)
D. Impact- Economic Collapse leads to Nuclear War
Walter Russell Mead, Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, "Depending on the Kindness of
Strangers," New Perspectives Quarterly 9.3 (Summer 1992) pp. 28-30.
There is, or there should be, nothing surprising about the fix we are in. Everyone has known since the ‘70s that
the U.S. could no longer, single-handedly, manage the global economy. But, like Blanche Dubois, America’s
leaders preferred to ignore the unpleasant reality, and made no provisions to meet the coming challenge. There is
something breathtakingly casual in the way the American elite responds to its failures. The savings and loan
debacle, the disintegration of our inner cities, the budget deficit: Our public and private elites don’t care about
them. Perhaps because they grew up in the years when the U.S. faced no real economic challenges and knew no real
limits, they don’t understand that failure has a price. If so this new failure—the failure to develop an
international system to hedge against the possibility of worldwide depression—will open their eyes to their
folly. Hundreds of millions—billions—of people around the world have pinned their hopes on the international
market economy. They and their leaders have embraced market principles—and drawn closer to the West—because
they believe our system can work for them. But what if it can’t? What if the global economy stagnates—or even
shrinks? In that case we will face a new period of international conflict: South against North, rich against poor.
Russia, China, India—these countries with their billions of people and their nuclear weapons will pose a much
greater danger to the world order than Germany and Japan did in the ‘30s.
73
Econ Generic
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Serrano
Fiscal D is High Now
Blue Dogs are able to maintain pay go
Denise Ross, covered South Dakota politics since 1999. She now publishes Hoghouse Blog and can be heard weekly as a
political junkie guest on South Dakota Public Radio. , 7/17/2008, Black Hills Pioneer, “‘Blue Dog’ Herseth Sandlin at center
of House fiscal watchdog group”, http://www.bhpioneer.com/articles/2008/07/17/opinion/doc487fb5450094f111315432.txt,
BB
“With Democrats potentially controlling both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue in 2009, House leaders must not ignore
the Blue Dogs’ concerns if they want to keep the majority,” reports a recent National Journal cover story titled
“Dog Days.” Herseth Sandlin was one of four of the 49 Blue Dogs chosen for the National Journal interview and
cover photo. South Dakota’s congresswoman seems to have found growing power within a group that is itself growing
in power. The Blue Dogs have grown from 23 members when they first formed in 1994 after the GOP’s historic
takeover of Congress, and they have expanded from mostly Southern representatives to include members from the
Midwest and West. They even have six members from the Northeast. More importantly, recent heretofore
unimaginable Democratic victories in red districts have been won by candidates endorsed by and funded by the Blue
Dogs. And, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco ponders her party’s majority in the House, she knows much
of the credit must go to the Blue Dogs, according to the National Journal. “She and other House Democratic
leaders are well aware that if just 19 Blue Dogs oppose them on party-line votes, the majority can’t pass
legislation,” reported the magazine. The Blue Dogs have unified around what’s called “pay-go” in Capitol Hill
shorthand, or a “pay as you go” budget rule that requires Congress to pay for new spending with either a tax
increase or other spending cuts. That rule has been waived a handful of times but only cautiously due to the Blue
Dogs’ collective swing-vote status.
Fiscal Discipline Now- No new spending bills till next year
The Hill, 7/15/2008, “House Republicans stand to benefit from earmark bans”, http://thehill.com/business--lobby/houserepublicans-stand-to-benefit-from-earmark-bans-2008-07-15.html, BB
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said earlier this month that he expects Congress will hold off on
clearing any of the spending bills until President Bush leaves office. Bush has called earmarks wasteful and
promised to veto any appropriations bill that has not reduced its earmarks by half from last year’s total.
Nevertheless, several Republicans and a few Democrats in both the House and Senate agreed that earmarks
had gotten out of control and adopted personal bans on requesting the projects this year.
Blue Dogs enforcing pay-go now
National Journal, 7/18/2008, “Debt Limit Won't Be On Housing Bill”,
http://www.nationaljournal.com/congressdaily/cda_20080718_4509.php, BB
The housing-recovery package that is expected on the House floor Wednesday will not raise the statutory debt
limit of $9.8 trillion, even though it will allow the Treasury Department to provide a line of credit to beleaguered
mortgage-financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. House Democrats decided not to conflate two issues as they
try to quickly pass a final measure before the August recess. The CBO has not scored the cost of the plan crafted by
Treasury Secretary Paulson that would provide a temporary increase for the line of credit the two have with Treasury
and allow the department to purchase equity in the two. The government sponsored enterprises own or guarantee
about $5.2 trillion in mortgages, though lawmakers do not expect the CBO estimate to be anywhere near that number.
Paulson contends the two will not have to tap the public funds because the legislation would send a strong signal to
the markets that they will be fully capitalized. Lawmakers are expected to place some restrictions on the proposal
before attaching it to the housing package. House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank has signaled some
provisions, such as no stock dividend could be paid out if either accesses the line of credit, that the Treasury would
have to buy preferred stock so it would be the first in line to others once the companies produced profits and, if the
line of credit is tapped, a new strengthened regulator would have the power to curb top management compensation at
Fannie and Freddie. Frank said any expenditure under the bill will be charged against the debt limit. He argued that
will be a limiting factor for Treasury if it is given such powers, an argument that could help sway the concerns of
the Blue Dog Coalition that has insisted the bill comply with pay/go rules.
74
Econ Generic
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Serrano
Fiscal D is High Now
McCain is creating the perception of fiscal discipline—it doesn’t matter if it is true
Time Magazine, July 10, 2008, “McCain: Selling an Economic Policy”,
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1821470,00.html, BB
As frequently as he now talks about economic issues, his attempt to embrace two conservative economic models at
once isn't helping his credibility. On the one hand, McCain argues for fiscal discipline, with his promises to end
wasteful pork-barrel spending (which he mentioned five times during his appearance in Ohio). On the other, with
his commitment to tax cuts, he embraces supply-side economics, which maintains that short-term deficits don't really
matter. But does it really matter to voters if the numbers don't add up? Not necessarily, argues former
Republican Congressman Vin Weber, an influential conservative voice. In a time of economic anxiety, "voters
want to know the candidate, first of all, understands the seriousness of the problem, and second of all, they
have to believe there's a commitment to change." Weber says what voters listen for are "big signal issues."
Bush and the Blue Dogs are holding the line on fiscal disc
Housing Wire,7/15/2008, “Bush: Congress Needs to Move on Housing Bill”,
http://www.housingwire.com/2008/07/15/bush-congress-needs-to-move-on-housing-bill/, BB
The largest source of Bush’s veto threat had centered around a proposed provision in the Senate that would
add $3.9 billion in Community Development Block Grant funding to allow local governments to purchase
foreclosed and abandoned real estate for use as affordable housing. The House version of the package contains no
such provision, and so-called “Blue Dog” Democrats — a name given to a group of conservative Democrats in
the House — have been strongly opposed to the measure, as well.
Fiscal Discipline is guaranteed until 2009
Miami Herald, 7/12/2008, “Wasserman Schultz defends her budget earmarks”,
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/602272.html, BB
That's because in an election year marked by partisan bickering, congressional observers question whether any
of the spending bills will pass before the November election. If that doesn't happen, the bills would be revisited
only after Congress reconvenes in 2009. The federal government would keep operating under a stop-gap
measure that would keep spending at the same level.
McCain’s stance on fiscal d spills over
John Milne, veteran New Hampshire political reporter and analyst, 7/19/2008John Milne: Stephen hopes spendthrift
Congress will spark voter anger,
http://www.newburyportnews.com/puopinion/local_story_200215855.html?keyword=topstory, BB
Stephen echoed the probable GOP presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, when he attacked
earmarks, those special giveaways inserted slyly by members of Congress into appropriations bills. "I want to
say 'no' to wasteful earmark spending," he said. "We're going to go from business as usual to real change."
[Republican congressional hopeful John Stephen]
Election pressure leads to fiscal discipline
CBS News, July 8, 2008, “Starting Gate: Feeling The Pain”,
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/07/08/politics/horserace/entry4240277.shtml, BB
Look at yesterday’s debate over taxes for example. Trying to return his party to the champion of smaller
government and spending discipline, John McCain pledged to slash federal spending and balance the budget by
the end of his first term in office (a questionable prospect at best) while keeping taxes low. “The choice in this
election is stark and simple,” McCain said at a town hall meeting in Denver. “Senator Obama will raise your taxes, I
won’t.”
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Econ Generic
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Serrano
Fiscal D is High Now
Bush is holding the line on spending now
Kimberley Strassel, member of The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board, 9-21-2007, Real Clear Politics, “Can Bush Hold
the line on spending?” http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/09/can_bush_hold_the_line_on_spen.html, BB
Yet it's precisely the position Mr. Bush is going to have to put his own Republicans in if he hopes to remain relevant
in the ensuing spending fights. The big spenders on both sides of the aisle are sniffing for any sign of White
House weakness, and will rightly view any slipping or sliding as license to break the piggy bank. If the president
rolls on Schip, he'll be rolled on every spending question from now until he packs the china. Mr. Bush seems to
understand the bigger stakes, and only yesterday gave a feisty speech outlining yet again why he intends to veto
the current Schip legislation, and warning yet again that he won't back down. Congressional Republicans
would be wise to take him at his latest word, for their own sake. The recent GOP campaign over earmark
disclosure is good politics and a start to recognizing voter anger over Washington's spending ways. But it's also
a one-trick pony. Conservatives voters will see the bigger test of re-found fiscal responsibility in whether its
Washington representatives are willing to say no to big new government spending. That begins with Schip.
McCain pressuring GOP on Fiscal D
Xinhua Net, 7/8/08, “McCain, Obama clash over economic issue”, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/200807/08/content_8508975.htm,BB
Clarifying his economic credentials in a speech in Denver, McCain pledged to balance the federal budget,
impose fiscal discipline on Washington and modernize how the government does business in order to save
billions of dollars.
He promised to veto "every single bill with wasteful spending."
Re-election is pushing GOP to maintain fiscal discipline
Las Vegas Sun, Jul 18, 2008, “GOP abuzz after Heller stirs nest”, http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/18/gopabuzz-after-heller-stirs-nest, BB
Heller’s comments were consistent with those he made when he was first elected to Congress in 2006. He spoke
about the lasting power of the Reagan-era philosophy of small government and fiscal restraint — popular
themes in his mostly rural Northern Nevada district. One of just 13 Republicans newly elected in 2006 as voters put
Democrats in control of Congress, Heller said his party needed to return to its fiscally conservative roots. Heller
is seeking reelection this fall in a rematch of the 2006 contest against Derby. Conventional wisdom says
Democrats missed their best chance at winning the seat two years ago, during the 2006 Democratic wave and before
Heller had the power of incumbency. Democrats have never held the seat since it was created in the 1980s. Derby lost
by 5 percentage points.
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Link- Emergency Spending
Emergency spending is routinely loaded with pork barrel spending
Brian M. Riedl, Senior Policy Analyst and Grover M. Hermann Fellow in Federal Budgetary Affairs at the Heritage
Foundation, and Alison Acosta Fraser, Director of the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at the
Heritage Foundation, 4/17/06, “The Senate’s Deadly Sin: Larding Up Emergency Appropriations”
Unfortunately, many of the spending items that wind up in supplemental are all too foreseeable. Because emergency
supplemental bills do not count against budget caps, they are routinely loaded with additional spending that is
unrelated to the original purpose of the legislation. [20] The Senate Appropriations Committee’s current supplemental
bill is a perfect example of this.
77
Econ Generic
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Obama Fiscal D
Obama is going to be fiscally responsible, Cooper proves
John Rodgers, City Paper staff writer, July 18, 2008, “Cooper says Obama best choice to reform America”
(http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=61509)
While both are Democrats and Harvard Law graduates, Jim Cooper and Barack Obama don’t share many
similarities. Cooper is a fiscally conservative congressman representing Nashville and Obama, by Cooper’s own
admission, has “sterling liberal credentials” hailing from Chicago, serving as Illinois senator and heading the
Democratic ticket. Stylistically, Obama packs arenas with his soaring oratory, inspiring millions. Conversely, Cooper
employs a quick wit while training his spectacles on line items in the federal budget in his ongoing quest to trim wasteful
spending. Policy-wise, the gulf between the two is almost as wide, especially on fiscal issues. For example, unlike Obama,
Cooper thinks the likely Democratic presidential nominee’s Social Security plan is “way too specific” and “way too
premature,” his trade policies too “protectionist” and Obama’s opposition to expanded offshore drilling “mistaken.” Yet, for
all of their differences, the conservative fiscal hawk Cooper thinks a President Obama is the only one who could fix
Washington and its spendthrift ways. “Opposites attract in politics, like only Nixon could go to China,” Cooper said this
week, recalling the strident anti-communist president’s trip to China. “Well probably only a liberal and an African-American
could reform runaway entitlement program spending. Now there’s no guarantee of that, but I don’t see a Republican doing
it.” Cooper’s fiscal reputation and fervent support for Obama has even spurred some speculation that Cooper would be
considered for a position in an Obama administration, possibly as budget director — something Cooper for now is
downplaying. Cooper thinks Obama is the man to change a Washington and curb the influence of special interests who
fervently protect spending programs benefiting them in the federal budget. The two main entitlement programs Cooper
often references — Medicare and Social Security — need reform, he says, and Obama’s “liberal credentials” are what is
needed to get the job done. “I’m pretty darn conservative,” Cooper said. “But that’s why moderates and conservatives like
me can enthusiastically support Barack.”
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Serrano
LINK - EARMARKS
Earmarks are linked to Pork Barrel Spending
Huffington Post, The internet newspaper, June 18, 2008, “Bipartisanship Thrives -- At Least When it Comes to Earmarks”
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-bittle-and-jean-johnson/bipartisanship-thrives_b_107667.html)
Plus, you have to wonder just who Congressman Reyes sees as his "constituency." The U.S. is more than $9 trillion in
debt, and polls show that most Americans don't like earmarking . Americans nationwide are struggling with rising gas and
food costs. Communities across the country are suffering from the mortgage meltdown. Maybe the congressman thinks he
should only focus on Texans, but you really have to ask exactly how many Texans benefit from a nice, new, not-asked-for by
the Defense Department contract for Digital Fusion. Perhaps the best defense of earmarks is that all of them added up
together don't make much of a difference in the country's $3 trillion dollar budget. The best ballpark estimate is that
this kind of pork-barrel spending adds up to about $17 billion in 2008, and many budget hawks think that getting
upset about them deflects attention from far more serious fiscal problems. It is a pretty small piece of the pie, and maybe
some of these earmarks do some good. Somewhere. Unfortunately, every single one of them was paid for with red ink, and
the very worst thing about them is the cynicism and pessimism the practice engenders in the American public. Are elected
officials oblivious to that? If they are wondering why public ratings for Congress are so low, this is a clue. In an era when
Congress is too divided to balance the budget , reform the country's broken immigration system, craft a long-term energy
policy, fix our mishmash of a health care system, or protect Social Security, there is still one area of broad bipartisan
agreement -- earmarks will live for yet another day.
“Must pass” bills collapse fiscal discipline
Istook et Al., a Visiting Fellow in Government Relations at The Heritage Foundation, served 14 years in the U.S. House of
Representatives and was chairman of a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, Ernest Istook, Nicola Moore,
Baker Spring and Alison Acosta Fraser, May 2, 2007, “Post-Veto War Supplemental Must Eliminate Pork and Support
Troops”, http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/wm1440.cfm, BB
A series of short-term supplemental bills would also destroy any hope of Members' exercising the fiscal discipline
that this Congress has promised to provide. In the vetoed supplemental, Congress stuffed in an extra $20 billion
of non-emergency spending, much of which likely would not survive outside of "must pass" legislation.
Although some special-interest spending was taken out in the conference committee, there was still plenty to
beef about: $1.4 billion to the livestock industry, hundreds of millions for dairy producers, $60 million for
salmon fisheries, a $650 million SCHIP bailout to states that irresponsibly expanded their programs,[3] plus
billions more for programs whose value could be debated--all told, $21 billion more than President's original
request. As Charlie Rangel openly admitted on Meet the Press, most of that pork added to the supplemental was
used to buy votes. Increasing the number of short-term supplemental appropriations will only serve to increase
the extent to which the leadership will need to grease the skids with more pork projects in order to buy more
votes to pass the series of supplementals. This two-month strategy would make it all the more vital for the President
to require fiscal responsibility by eliminating special-interest projects and parochial spending.
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LINK - EARMARKS
Congressional attempts at alternative energy are inevitably earmarked
Newt Gringrich, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and author of "Winning the Future", 06/03/2008 ,
“Stop the Green Pig: Defeat the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman Green Pork Bill Capping American Jobs and Trading America's
Future”, http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26808, BB
Of these two approaches, the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman bill is definitely of the old school. The Wall Street Journal
calls it "the most extensive government reorganization of the American economy since the 1930s." The bill aims to
reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere by 66% in 2050. To do this, it would have government set a limit on
overall carbon emissions and issue "allowances" to businesses that specify how much carbon they produce. Like Pork
Barrel Politics? Wait Until You See Energy Pork Barrel Politics And here's where we get into the Washingtonstyle pork barrel politics. Half of these "allowances" will be auctioned off to businesses - a massive, up front tax that
is expected to cost $3.32 trillion. Businesses will be forced to pass these indirect taxes along to consumers, of course,
while Washington politicians decide which special interests will get a piece of the new $3.32 trillion revenue out of
the politicians' gigantic new Green Piggybank. Boxer-Warner-Lieberman is riddled with earmarks, both to
redistribute new tax revenues to politically favored groups (for example, there is $136 billion earmarked for
energy efficiency block grants to local governments) and for buying off industries that might otherwise put
their armies of lobbyists to work to defeat the bill. Bottom line: If you liked the pork and political-favor-ridden
Farm Bill and Transportation bills, you're going to love the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman green pork bill.
80
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Snowball Link
Emergency bills quickly snowball as money is continually added to it.- carbon tax link
Capital Briefs,5/8/2006 [ “Snowball Downhill”. < http://findarticles.com/p/articles
/mi_qa3827/is_200605/ai_n17182049>]
SNOWBALL DOWNHILL: This "emergency" bill demonstrates how such measures can grow like a snowball rolling
downhill -even in a Republican Congress. After Bush presented his $92.2-billion request, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R.Tex.), a leading member of conservative House Republican Study Committee (RSC), prepared an amendment that
would have offset all $92.2 billion by cutting unobligated funds from fiscal 2006 appropriations. But the House Rules
Committee, chaired by Rep. David Dreier (R.-Calif.), refused to allow Hensarling to offer that amendment on the
floor.Twenty-nine members of the RSC, led by Rep. Mike Pence (R.-lnd.), then voted on the floor against Dreier's
rule. It passed anyway, however, when 22 Democrats crossed party lines to join with most Republicans to ensure
passage of a bill without offsets. The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Thad Cochran (R.-Miss.),
voted 27 to 1 to add more than $14 billion to the bill, sending the full Senate a $106.5-billion version. (Sen. Judd
Gregg (R.-N.H.) was the only committee member to dissent.) On the Senate floor, the bill grew by another $3.5
billion, despite efforts by Sen. Tom Coburn (R.-Okla.) to force embarrassing rollcall votes on pork-barrel earmarks.
Earmark snowball kills Fiscal Responsibility.
David Doerr, Tribune-Herald Staff Writer, 7/8/07 [“Congressman stresses not all earmarks are 'evil'”. WacoTrib.com]
In 1994 -- the last year Democrats controlled the appropriations process -- there were 4,126 earmarks
totaling $26.6 billion. That dropped to 3,000 earmarks when the Republicans became the majority. Pledges
of fiscal responsibility became overshadowed by more and more earmarks, until the 2006 budget contained
15,500 earmarks totaling $64 billion.
As Malmstrom's Comptroller, I am required to align recommended spending with "military utility" as I
provide financial advice and decisions on where to use our scarce dollars in an effort to eke out the greatest
return in accomplishing the mission. Military utility means that if an item is capable of fulfilling its purpose
for the military mission, it doesn't need replacing. Instead, there are many other competing expenditures
where we can use our money to further advance our mission effectiveness and efficiency. No longer do we
have the luxury of replacing or upgrading based on color, scratches and faded material. In these times of
leaner budgets, health, safety and mission must drive our decisions.
Emergency bills quickly snowball as money is continually added to it.
Capital Briefs,5/8/2006 [ “Snowball Downhill”. < http://findarticles.com/p/articles
/mi_qa3827/is_200605/ai_n17182049>]
SNOWBALL DOWNHILL: This "emergency" bill demonstrates how such measures can grow like a snowball rolling
downhill -even in a Republican Congress. After Bush presented his $92.2-billion request, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R.Tex.), a leading member of conservative House Republican Study Committee (RSC), prepared an amendment that
would have offset all $92.2 billion by cutting unobligated funds from fiscal 2006 appropriations. But the House Rules
Committee, chaired by Rep. David Dreier (R.-Calif.), refused to allow Hensarling to offer that amendment on the
floor.Twenty-nine members of the RSC, led by Rep. Mike Pence (R.-lnd.), then voted on the floor against Dreier's
rule. It passed anyway, however, when 22 Democrats crossed party lines to join with most Republicans to ensure
passage of a bill without offsets. The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Thad Cochran (R.-Miss.),
voted 27 to 1 to add more than $14 billion to the bill, sending the full Senate a $106.5-billion version. (Sen. Judd
Gregg (R.-N.H.) was the only committee member to dissent.) On the Senate floor, the bill grew by another $3.5
billion, despite efforts by Sen. Tom Coburn (R.-Okla.) to force embarrassing rollcall votes on pork-barrel earmarks.
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Snowball Link
Plan Increases funding opening the floodgates to an earmark strategy that funds everyone.
Ronald D. Utt, Ph.D., is Herbert and Joyce Morgan Senior Research Fellow in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic
Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation, November 10, 2004 [
“Is Pork Barrel Spending Ready to Explode? The Anatomy of an Earmark”, Heritage Foundation]
The article also noted that “The cost of hiring Alcalde and Fay would be $5,000 per month, with an
18-month recommended contract.” While the average American family might consider this a steep
price, the prospective arrangement’s payoff reveals what a bargain it is for the county. With their fees
totaling $90,000 for a prospective federal grant of $3.5 million, Alcalde and Fay are, for all intents
and purposes, selling federal taxpayer money for just 2.6 cents on the dollar. Anyone who has
suspected that Washington
places little value on taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars now has an idea of just how diminished that
value is—somewhat less than the market price for defaulted Argentine debt. How the Culpeper
transaction unfolds bears watching for several reasons. From the perspective of federal fiscal
integrity, this new earmark strategy could open the floodgates to me-too projects across the country
that would otherwise be funded with local resources. Just thirty miles down the road from Culpeper is
the town of Fredericksburg, which is now in the process of committing itself, and its budgetary
resources, to a $6 million recreation complex with indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Now
apprised of Culpeper’s prospective earmark, could the elected officials in Fredericksburg be faulted
for ringing up a lobbyist of their own?
And in the not-too-distant future it is quite likely that the federal budget process will no longer take
place in the halls of Congress, as the Constitution requires, but in the dozens of offices of
Washington’s top lobbyists—largely driven by generous contracts between the firms and their clients.
Pork creates a culture of fiscal irresponsibility that expands the deficit
Chris Edwards, Director of Tax Policy, August 2005, Cato Institute, “Pork: A Microcosm of the Overspending Problem”,
http://www.cato.org/pubs/tbb/tbb-0508-24.pdf,
Pork Erodes Fiscal Responsibility Republican leaders have allowed an “every man for himself” ethos to permeate
Congress. Rather than focusing on national concerns such as security, members have become preoccupied with
grabbing money for hometown projects. While politicians express concern about the deficit, their staffers spend
most of their time trying to secure pork, and rarely look to find savings in the budget. The problem starts at the
top: Republican leaders have shown no personal restraint on the budget. House Speaker Dennis Hastert is a
champion at bringing pork home to Illinois. The Washington Post noted that Hastert “makes a habit of helping
Illinois-based corporations,” such as Boeing, Caterpillar, and United Airlines.9 Hastert’s giveaways have included
trying to get United a $1.6 billion loan guarantee and adding $250,000 to a defense bill for a candy company in his
hometown to study chewing gum. The lack of principled GOP leadership has a corrosive effect on members who
may be willing to support restraint, but who will not put their necks on the line without sacrifice at the top.
Why should rank-and-file Republicans restrain themselves when their leader is the porker-inchief? The
problem with pork is not just the particular money wasted, but also “the hidden cost of perpetuating a culture
of fiscal irresponsibility. When politicians fund pork projects they sacrifice the authority to seek cuts in any
other program,” noted Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK).10
82
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link-Wind
Wind costs at least $15 Billion a year
Smart Money, 7/8, 2008, Igor Greenwald, Staff Writer, “Foreign Oil Cheaper Than Pickens Plan”,
http://www.smartmoney.com/invisiblehand/index.cfm?story=20080708-foreign-oil, BB
He proposes generating wind power to save the natural gas burned in our power plants and redirecting that gas into
compressed vehicle fuel. This looks simple in PowerPoint or Flash. In reality, a wholesale transition is so
cumbersome that $150-a-barrel oil has hardly budged it off the demonstration-project stage. Remote wind
farms need expensive transmission lines linking to cities — which are liable to cost some $200 billion, according
to the self-described "Man with the Plan." Compressed natural gas requires its own fuelling station network, as well as
specially fitted and significantly more expensive vehicles. Neither seems likely to spread without substantial
federal tax breaks. The Pickens Plan says nothing of the subsidy costs, but Dow Jones Newswires estimates $15
billion a year for the wind component of the project alone.
83
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Serrano
Link- Pork Barrel Spending
Emergency funding operations like the plan increase pork barrel spending, disregarding fiscal
responsibilities.
Brian M. Riedl is Grover M. Hermann Fellow in Federal Budgetary Affairs in, and Alison Acosta Fraser is Director of, the
Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation, 4/17/20 06 [ “The Senate's Deadly Sin:
Larding Up Emergency Appropriations” Heritage Online]
President George W. Bush requested an emergency appropriation of $92 billion for operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan and another round of hurricane recovery. The House approved the request, but the Senate
Appropriations Committee has loaded the measure with $14 billion in new spending, most unrelated to national
security or hurricane recovery. Still not satisfied, Senators are now readying floor amendments to add as much as
$10 billion more in spending, which would push the price tag to $24 billion above the President’s request.[1] This
new spending is tremendously irresponsible considering the state of the budget. Congress has already boosted
spending by 45 percent since 2001 to a post-war record of $23,760 per household.[2] On top of that, the Senate
started this year by adding $16 billion to the President’s discretionary budget request.[3] This is at a time where the
new Medicare prescription drug benefit is projected to cost over $1 trillion through 2016. Entitlement programs’
liabilities, public debt, and other liabilities such as veterans’ and federal employee retirement costs already total
$375,000 for every full time worker in America. [4] The Senate’s actions show a clear disregard for this huge fiscal
burden Americans already face. The Senate should reject all additional spending proposals, strip all items not part of
the President’s request, and go one step further by identifying offsets to pay for the bill’s new spending. The
President should draw a line in the sand by promising to veto any supplemental that is either beyond the scope of his
request or above its total level of funding.
84
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Perception
Failure to veto the plan will collapse Bush’s perception of fiscal restraint
Christian Science Monitor, Gail Russell Chaddock, staff writer, 10/4/2007, “GOP looks to reclaim fiscal
responsibility mantle”, http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1004/p02s01-uspo.html, BB
Washington - With the new fiscal year under way and no spending bills completed, President Bush and Congress are
heading into a fight over fiscal responsibility that is likely to dominate politics on Capitol Hill until the end of
the year. President Bush's veto of a popular bill to provide health insurance for poor children, the S-CHIP program,
on Wednesday marked a first volley. The White House says the proposed bill is $30 billion more than what America
can afford. Democrats say that the veto is a sign that Mr. Bush and Republican lawmakers who refuse to back a veto
override have the wrong priorities. "Today the president showed the nation his true priorities: $700 billion for a war
in Iraq, but no health care for low-income kids," said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D) of
Illinois, in a statement. But the 12 pending appropriations bills for fiscal year 2008 – and a new war-funding
request expected this fall – will test the credibility of both sides of the aisle. For Republicans, battered by Bush's
low approval ratings, the fall budget battles are a chance to show angry conservatives that the GOP is getting
back to a concern over a restraint in spending. "This marks the president's last chance to reassert control over
the budget process that's been allowed to flail along wildly for six years now," says Pete Sepp, a vice president at
the National Taxpayers Union in Alexandria, Va. "If this is an effort to reestablish credentials [with fiscal
conservatives], there is a lot more reestablishment to do beyond S-CHIP. The sincerity of this effort will be
judged by the number of vetoes."
Plan will cause a break in fiscal discipline
Concord Coalition, May 17, 2007, “CONCORD COALITION APPLAUDS PAYGO IN BUDGET RESOLUTION
BUT WARNS THAT PROJECTED SURPLUS REQUIRES HARD CHOICES”,
http://www.concordcoalition.org/press/2007/070517release-budgetconference.htm)
WASHINGTON -- The Concord Coalition said today that the Congressional Budget Resolution to be voted on in the
House and Senate this week would help restore fiscal discipline by applying a deficit neutral "pay-as-you-go" (paygo)
standard to all entitlement expansion and tax cut legislation and by creating a "trigger" in the House to protect
projected surpluses. Concord expressed concern, however, that the revenue numbers in the budget plan assume a
waiver of paygo for certain tax cut extensions. This presumed waiver, along with the absence of cost cutting
entitlement reform and an assumed slowing of discretionary spending growth in the outyears, makes the goal of a $41
billion surplus in 2012 seem optimistic. "Budget rules are only as strong as the political will to apply them. A
close look at the pent-up spending and tax cut demands in the budget resolution's 23 reserve funds shows how
important strict adherence to paygo will be for the desired surplus to result. In this budget, paygo acts as a
fiscal levee against a flood of red ink. If that levee breaks, there is little chance of reducing the deficit, let alone
of producing a surplus," said Concord Coalition executive director Robert L. Bixby.
85
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Ag
Agriculture policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW since
1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland Security
from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163 percent);
and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per capita ($646
million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461 per capita
($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership has its
privileges: your money. <<Every year appropriators and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
perform their little dance: USDA requests very little funding for special research grants through the Cooperative
State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) and appropriators add millions of dollars for their own
pet projects. The fiscal 2005 budget is no different. This tango with our tax dollars continued as USDA requested only $3
million while appropriators added $121 million for CSREES projects, or 3,933 percent more than the budget request. As a
result, the fiscal 2005 Agriculture Appropriations Act has something old, something new, something borrowed, and
something blue. Total agriculture pork in fiscal 2005 was $526.1 million, or 44 percent more than the fiscal 2004 total of
$365 million. The number of projects decreased by 1 percent, from 512 to 505.>>
86
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Hydrogen
Hydrogen is expensive-requires $55 billion in subsidies
Environmental News Service, J.R. Pegg, Staff Writer, 7/18/08, http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2008/2008-0718-10.asp
WASHINGTON, DC, July 18, 2008 (ENS) - It will take massive subsidies from the U.S. government to make
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles a significant part of the nation's transportation future, according to a National
Research Council report released Thursday. The study finds that even under a best-case scenario only about two
million hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will be on American roads by 2020, less than one percent of the nation's
estimated total number of cars and trucks. Achieving that goal would require the government to pump at least
$55 billion in subsidies over the next 15 years to make hydrogen vehicles cost competitive with conventional
cars and trucks, the report concluded. Current government spending has equaled some $879 million since 2004.
87
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Taxes
Pork Barrel projects are placed in Tax Bills
Hon. Paul Ryan, a representative in congress from the state of Wisconsin, June 8, 2006, HEARING
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED NINTH
CONGRESS SECOND SESSION, (Serial No. 109–19)
The amount of pork-barrel spending included in the Federal budget continues to increase every year. According to
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), the Federal Government spent $29 billion on 9,963 pork-barrel
projects in Fiscal Year 2006 (FY 2006), an increase of 6.3% from 2005, and an increase of over 900% since 1991.
Overall, the Federal Government has spent $241 billion on pork-barrel projects between 1991 and 2005, an amount
greater than two-thirds of our entire deficit in FY 2005. This includes irresponsible spending on items such as the $50
million Rain Forest Museum in Iowa; $13.5 million to pay for a program that helped finance the World Toilet Summit; and
$1 million for the Waterfree Urinal Conservation Initiative. To make matters worse, this total does not include earmarks
placed in authorization bills or special-interest tax pork placed in tax legislation. As an example, last year’s highway
authorization bill contained approximately 6,371 earmarks, with a total cost of $25 billion. Many of these pork-barrel
spending projects are quietly inserted into the conference reports of appropriations, authorizing, and tax bills at the
end of the process where there is little transparency and accountability. Not only do most Members not have the ability
to scrutinize these provisions at all, but even if wasteful spending items are identified at this stage, Congress is unable to
eliminate them using the amendment process. In fact, the only time that Members actually vote on these items is during an
up-or-down vote on the entire conference report, which includes spending for many essential government programs in
addition to the pork-barrel earmarks. In this situation, it is very difficult for any Member to vote against a bill that, as an
overall package may be quite meritorious, despite the inclusion of wasteful spending items. Unfortunately, the current tools at
the President’s disposal do not enable him to easily combat these wasteful spending items either. Even if the President
identifies numerous pork-barrel projects in an appropriations or authorizing bill, he is unlikely to use his veto power because
it must be applied to the bill as a whole and cannot be used to target individual items. This places the President in the same
dilemma as Members of Congress. Does he veto an entire spending bill because of a few items of pork when this action may
jeopardize funding for our troops, for our homeland security or for the education of our children? The President’s ability to
propose the rescission of wasteful spending items under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 has been equally ineffective
at eliminating wasteful spending items. The problem with the current authority is that it does not include any mechanism to
guarantee congressional consideration of a rescission request, and many Presidential rescissions are simply ignored by the
Congress. In fact, during the 1980’s, Congress routinely ignored President Reagan’s rescission requests, failing to act on over
$25 billion in requests that were made by the Administration. The historic ineffectiveness of this tool has deterred Presidents
from using it with any regularity
88
Econ Generic
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Serrano
Link-Nuclear
Nuclear power is expensive
Wall Street Journal, Rebecca Smith, Staff Writer, 5/12/08, “New Wave of Nuclear Plants Faces High Costs”,
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121055252677483933.html?mod=googlenews_wsj, BB
A new generation of nuclear power plants is on the drawing boards in the U.S., but the projected cost is causing
some sticker shock: $5 billion to $12 billion a plant, double to quadruple earlier rough estimates. Nuclear power
is regaining favor as an alternative to other sources of power generation, such as coal-fired plants, which have fallen
out of favor because they are major polluters. But the high cost could lead to sharply higher electricity bills for
consumers and inevitably reignite debate about the nuclear industry's suitability to meet growing energy needs.
89
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link-Alternative Energy
Spending on Alternative Energy Incentives will be perceived as wasteful
Peter Van Doren and Jerry Taylor, Editor of Regulation Magazine, Senior Fellow @ CATO Institute, 2/3/ 2006,
“Stuck on Empty”, Cato Institute, http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=5438)
President Bush began his energy riff by noting that since 2001, the federal government has spent nearly $10 billion
on "cleaner, cheaper, more reliable alternative energy sources." Perhaps, but what do we have to show for it?
Nothing. The market share for non-hydro renewable energy (presumably what the president is referring to when
he talks about "reliable alternative energy sources") has languished between 1 and 3 percent for decades,
depending upon how you define your terms. Still, past spending was offered as a rationale for a 22-percent
increase in funding for "zero-emission" coal-fired plants, solar and wind technologies, and nuclear energy. Fuel from
corn, weeds, grass, mulch, trees, and whatever else the combines can harvest were also given a tip of the president’s
budgetary hat. For the most part, everybody who’s already getting a federal energy handout will get a little
larger sack of taxpayer loot if the president has his way.
Alternative Energy is perceived as wasteful
Peter Van Doren and Jerry Taylor, Editor of Regulation Magazine, Senior Fellow @ CATO Institute, 2/3/ 2006,
“Stuck on Empty”, Cato Institute, http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=5438)
Still, past spending was offered as a rationale for a 22-percent increase in funding for "zero-emission" coalfired plants, solar and wind technologies, and nuclear energy. Fuel from corn, weeds, grass, mulch, trees, and
whatever else the combines can harvest were also given a tip of the president’s budgetary hat. For the most part,
everybody who’s already getting a federal energy handout will get a little larger sack of taxpayer loot if the president
has his way. Most annoying was the president's contention that "we must also change how we power our
automobiles." Who exactly is "we"? Automobile engineers employed by automobile companies — not politicians
employed by government — are the parties responsible for designing automobiles, and it should stay that way.
Government funded R&D projects to redesign the power train are nothing new. Success in any one of them,
however, would be.The worst aspect of those programs isn't just that they waste taxpayer dollars or that they
subsidize research that should be paid for by auto companies themselves. Rather, it's that they divert
investment from more productive paths. For instance, while the Clinton administration was engaged in a similar
undertaking called "The Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles" and producing nothing of
consequence, Japanese auto companies — without significant government help — were busy designing the hybrid
powered engines that are now all the rage within the auto industry. Had Detroit not gone down the road paved by a
government subsidy, it might be in a better position today to produce the kind of cars the president now hopes to
subsidize.
90
Econ Generic
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Serrano
Link-Alternative Energy
Alternative Energy funding is riddled with earmarks
Jacqueline Ruttiman and Emma Marris, Writer for Nature, Contributing Correspondent for Nature 2 March 2006,
Nature 440, 12 , “Alternative energy plan criticized”, http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7080/full/440012a.html,
BB
Bush's 'advanced energy initiative' made its debut in his State of the Union address on 31 January, when he called
for a 22% funding increase for research into alternative energy technology. But budget analysts looking at the
president's 2007 budget request say the proposed increase is more cautious, with funds moved into some research
areas and removed from others. For instance, there is more money for research on solar energy, with a rise of 79% to
$148 million, and biomass, up 65% to $150 million. But funding for energy conservation is down 6.3% to $289
million, and the geothermal programme is axed altogether. "The wider your view, the less glamorous it looks," says
Kei Koizumi, a budget analyst at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "If you look just at
biomass, it looks great. If you look at all renewables, it looks less great." Energy research, including work on fossil
fuels, would decline overall under the president's budget, says Koizumi. He adds that there is no money set aside for
later years for the energy initiative. Reaction elsewhere has been mixed. Solar enthusiasts are pleased with a budget
increase for work on photovoltaic cells. Noah Kaye, spokesman for the Solar Energy Industries Association, called it
"a key victory for a growing high-tech industry in the United States", but went on to call for production incentives
such as tax breaks. Proponents of wind energy sang the same tune, only with less enthusiasm. Their research boost is
just 13% to $44 million. The president's call for increased funding got a mixed reception from environmentalists. The
funds just aren't enough, they say, and are too focused on research. "We need other policies including technology
incentives, or caps on emissions," says Andrew Aulisi, a senior associate at the Washington-based World Resources
Institute. "You need lots of different policies to get a handle on the climate and energy crisis. Even within R&D, the
numbers are not that good." To make matters worse, analysts point out that a large part of the increased money is
likely to be taken up by earmarks, in which legislators appoint money to projects in their home states. For
example, the NREL has blamed the lay-offs on the large number of earmarks in the 2006 budget, which it says left it
with a $28-million deficit in operating costs. Earmarks are rare at agencies such as the National Institutes of
Health and the National Science Foundation. But they made up 21% of the energy research and development
budget last year, which is the highest ever, according to Koizumi. "The energy department has earmarks that
they have no choice but to fund," adds George Douglas, a spokesman for the NREL. "It is taking away money that
could be used in this type of research."
Alternative Energy is expensive
Michael Kanellos, Staff Writer for CNET, 1/24/2007, “Why it's not easy being green”, http://news.cnet.com/Why-its-noteasy-being-green/2100-11395_3-6152851.html BB
Second, installing an alternative-energy infrastructure isn't cheap, despite the influx of venture money into the
field and the strong demand for technologies such as solar. If oil drops below $55 a barrel, most biofuel concepts will
be unprofitable, Arvizu projected. Even if oil doesn't drop that low, it will cost a lot to get an ethanol-solar-wind
society off the ground. To meet the Department of Energy's goal of making ethanol 30 percent of the U.S.
transportation fuel budget, fuel manufacturers will have to invest $100 billion in refineries. To make wind power
20 percent of the source of the electricity in the U.S., it will take $500 billion in infrastructure investments.
91
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link-Alternative Energy
Alternative Energy Incentives cost $3-4 Billion a year
Michael Vickerman, director of RENEW Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Madison that promotes
clean energy strategies for powering the state's economy in an environmentally responsible manner, 7/16/2008, “Michael
Vickerman: It's crucial for Congress to extend renewable energy incentives”, The Capital Times,
http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/296318, BB
Extending the renewable energy tax credits would cost U.S. taxpayers somewhere between $3 billion and $4
billion a year, most of it going to wind generation. Some members of Congress consider that an unacceptably
large expense. But these are not permanent incentives. In the case of wind power installations, which have a book
life between 20 and 30 years, federal tax credits cover no more than 10 years of operation.
Environmental agencies do pork barrel spending, empirically proven
Mike Lynch, Reason staff writer, July, 2002 “Reason” (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1568/is_3_34/ai_87425667)
THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency (EPA) is legendary for tangling up businesses in red tape. Yet when it
comes to passing out millions in taxpayer money, it exhibits a casual, devil may-care attitude. In 1999 the agency passed
out $1.3 billion of its $7.5 billion budget in grants and contracts, often in complete disregard of the federal government's
competitive bidding process. A May 2001 report from the EPA'S Office of the Inspector General (QIG) discovered that the
"EPA often awards non-competitive assistance agreements to recipients based on the unsupported belief that those
recipients were the only entities capable of performing the work." That's bureaucratese for, "It gave the money to
friends." To justify the awards, the envirocrats retreat to the boilerplate retort that recipients were "uniquely qualified." In
March 2002 the QIG returned to find that sweetheart deals accounted for "1 out of every 5 dollars of the $1 billion" the EPA
awarded in 1999 and 2000. Suspicious that the agency was using taxpayer money to fund groups that were "uniquely
qualified" to lobby for more money for the EPA, the Landmark Legal Foundation took the agency to court in
September 2000 to force it to disclose grant recipients. Some highlights of the $2 billion awarded noncompetitively since
1993 included $47,000 to help the Seattle Mariners start a recycling program at their new $500 million ballpark, $1,500 for
academics to design a solid waste board game called the "Can Man Game," and $379 million to senior citizen groups to
recruit and pay senior citizens to work for the EPA. The agency even funds its ostensible enemies, providing $2 million in
grants to the National Association of Homebuilders and $4.9 million to the Natural Resources Defense Council, both of
which have sued the agency in the past.
92
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link-Alternative Energy
(Alternative) Energy policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW
since 1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland
Security from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163
percent); and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per
capita ($646 million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461
per capita ($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership
has its privileges: your money. <<The fiscal 2005 Energy and Water Appropriations Act overflowed with pork projects.
Appropriators funded nearly every creek, bay, and inlet from the coast of California to the shores of Florida. This
year, the number of projects swelled to 1,417, an increase of 130 percent from 617 in fiscal 2004. The total cost rose by
163 percent, from $714 million last year to $1.88 billion this year.>><<$51,132,000 for projects in the state of Senate
Appropriations subcommittee member Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and the district of House appropriator Roger Wicker (RMiss.), including: $36,693,000 for Yazoo River and Basin projects; $3,750,000 for the Mississippi Environmental
Infrastructure Program; $3,000,000 for the Mississippi Technology Alliance Alternative Energy Enterprises Program;
$1,500,000 for the Mississippi State University Biodiesel from Feedstock Project; $1,060,000 for Pascagoula Harbor
($550,000 for operation and maintenance, and $510,000 for construction); and $100,000 for Okatibbee Lake. $43,813,000 for
projects in the state of Senate appropriator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and the district of House appropriator David Vitter (RLa.), including: $11,450,000 for the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway ($9,000,000 for construction and $2,450,000 for operation
and maintenance. A January 9, 2000 Washington Post article stated that the waterway "still carries less than 0.1 percent of the
commercial traffic on America's government-run river transport system — even though it receives a remarkable 3.4 percent
of the system's federal funds." In 2003, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the $2 billion worth of construction costs
won’t be justified until 2046); $2,000,000 for a sugar-based ethanol biorefinery at Louisiana State University; and
$500,000 for Livingston Parish alternative fuel plant construction.>>
93
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link-Alternative Energy
Renewable energy policies are economically and politically implausible
Climate Progress, An insider’s view of climate science, politics and solution, February 15th, 2008 “The Subsidy Tease
— Part III” (http://climateprogress.org/2008/02/15/the-subsidy-tease-part-iii/”
A recent issue of Scientific American featured a “Solar Grand Plan.” Its authors described a way for the United States
to obtain nearly 100% of its electricity and 90% of its total energy, including transportation, from solar, wind, biomass
and geothermal resources by the century’s end. Electricity would cost a comfortable 5 cents per kilowatt hour. U.S.
carbon emissions would be reduced 62% from their 2005 levels. Some 600 coal and gas-fired power plants would be
displaced. The federal investment would be $400 billion over the next 40 years ($10 billion a year) to deploy
renewable technologies and suitable transmission infrastructure. If that future seems too good to be true, then look at
two other studies during the past 13 months that have reached similar conclusions, one sponsored by the American
Solar Energy Society, the other by the Nuclear Policy Research Institute and the Institute for Energy and
Environmental Research. All three concur that energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies can satisfy
the nation’s demand for power without additional nuclear or fossil-fueled power plants. If $400 billion seems
unaffordable, consider: It’s less money than the federal government already has spent on the Iraq war, only a
third of the $1.2 trillion that some experts now predict the war will cost, and only a sixth of the federal
government’s current annual subsidies for fossil and nuclear energy. And if a Solar Grand Plan seems
politically implausible, read the newspaper. Last November, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
said we have until 2020 to make major changes in greenhouse gas emissions. Two weeks ago the chief executive
of Royal Dutch Shell told his staff that world oil demand will outpace supply within seven years. That means
rapidly rising oil prices, more recession (the last five recessions in the U.S. were preceded by high oil prices),
more power for oil-producing nations like Iran and Russia, and more likelihood of international conflicts.
94
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Foreign Aid
Foreign aid policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW
since 1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland
Security from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163
percent); and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per
capita ($646 million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461
per capita ($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership
has its privileges: your money. <<As the world continues to cope with the devastation caused by the tsunami in the
Indian Ocean, Americans and their government are generously providing hundreds of millions of dollars in relief. The
dark side of foreign aid is the tidal wave of pork projects that has been added to appropriations bills, money that
could have been used to save lives instead of protecting the incumbency of members of Congress. The number of
projects decreased by 10 percent, from 20 in fiscal 2004 to 18 in fiscal 2005. But the cost of the pork increased by 5.4
percent, from $449.8 million to $473.9 million.>>
95
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Military
Military policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW
since 1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland
Security from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163
percent); and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per
capita ($646 million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461
per capita ($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership
has its privileges: your money. <<Defending the United States is the top priority of the federal government. With a
deficit of $427 billion and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan costing more than $200 billion to date, congressional
appropriators should be extremely careful with every defense dollar. Unfortunately, appropriators have ignored the
national interest and used the Defense Appropriations Act as their own personal pork barrel. In fact, the number of
projects jumped 25 percent from 2,077 in fiscal 2004 to 2,606 in fiscal 2005 while the total cost jumped 10.5 percent
from $11.5 billion to $12.7 billion.>>
96
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Military
Homeland Security policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW
since 1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland
Security from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163
percent); and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per
capita ($646 million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461
per capita ($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership
has its privileges: your money. <<$104,000,000 added for the Port Security Grant Program. The grants are provided
"for projects to improve dockside and perimeter security that is vital to securing our critical national seaports. These
awards will contribute to important security upgrades such as surveillance equipment, access controls to restricted areas,
communications equipment, and the construction of new command and control facilities." The department requested
$46,000,000 for the program, but both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees added funds. Despite appropriating
more money, the House Appropriations Committee was "concerned that port security grants made to independent terminal
operators are not coordinated at the State, local port authority, or Captain of the Port levels. Therefore, the Committee directs
that…the coordination of all port security grants with the State, local port authority, and the Captain of the Port, to ensure all
vested parties are aware and that the limited resources are maximized." On September 13, 2004, the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) announced the recipients of the fourth round of port security grants. Premier Yachts, Inc.,
a private for-profit company with revenues of $40 million in 2003, was awarded three port security grants totaling
$208,100. Premier offers "fine dining and entertainment cruises" through its Odyssey, Mystic Blue, and Seadog
Cruises in Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. Nothing like wining and dining at the taxpayers’ expense.>>
97
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Military
Military Construction policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW
since 1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland
Security from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163
percent); and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per
capita ($646 million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461
per capita ($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership
has its privileges: your money.<<Appropriators paid a little more attention to the Pentagon’s priorities than their
parochial pork in the fiscal 2005 Military Construction Appropriations Act, but taxpayers still paid for too many
wasteful projects. Total earmarks decreased by 28 percent, from 199 to 143, and the total amount of pork decreased
by 5 percent, from $1 billion in fiscal 2004 to $974 million in fiscal 2005.>>
98
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link education/health/science
Education/Health/Science policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW
since 1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland
Security from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163
percent); and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per
capita ($646 million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461
per capita ($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership
has its privileges: your money. Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) got it right in a November 20, 2004 press release: "[E]very year,
it’s the same thing — Congress passes spending bills loaded with pork projects." The fiscal 2005 Labor/HHS
Appropriations Act is the poster child for the appropriators’ excess. Of the 3,071 projects, 98 percent were added in
conference; the total is a 57.4 percent increase over the 1,951 projects in fiscal 2004. The projects cost $1.69 billion, an
increase of 79.6 percent over fiscal 2004’s $943 million<<$48,854,000 added in conference in the state of Senate Labor/HHS
Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Tom Harkin (Diowa) and the district of House appropriator Tom Latham
(Riowa), including: $15,000,000 for the Iowa Department of Education to continue the Harkin Grant Program
(according to a September 4, 2004 press release, "Since 1998, Iowa schools have received a total of $101 million in
Harkin Grants, the only federal program of its kind"); $3,000,000 for the Iowa Department of Public Health to initiate the
Harkin Wellness Grant Program; $1,000,000 for the State Historical Society of Iowa in Des Moines, for the development of
exhibits for the World Food Prize; $235,000 for the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls to support youth fitness and
obesity efforts for rural preschool children; $200,000 for the Iowa Games to continue the Lighten Up Iowa Program (the
games are held by the Iowa Sports Foundation [ISF], which claims on its website that "the ISF receives no state or
government financial support."); and $100,000 for National History Day for a history competition in Iowa.<<$17,140,000
added in conference for projects in the district of House Labor/HHS Appropriations subcommittee member Anne Northup
(R-Ky.), including: $14,500,000 for the University of Louisville ($10,250,000 for the Baxter III Research Building;>>
$1,500,000 for Eckerd College in St. Petersburg in the district of House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill
Young (R-Fla.): $1,000,000 to upgrade educational computing and technology and $500,000 for leadership training
programs. The programs are part of the college’s Leadership Development Institute and its network associate, the Center for
Creative Leadership. The institute has a long list of corporate participants (including JP Morgan, Citibank, the U.S.
Department of Energy, the Pentagon, and Tropicana), and the center "has delivered internationally acclaimed programs to
thousands of local, national, and international clients."<<$450,000 added in conference for the National Baseball Hall of
Fame and Museum in Cooperstown for educational outreach using baseball to teach students through distance learning
technology in the district of Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.). Its website states that "baseball has connections to a variety
of academic disciplines, including mathematics, history, geography, technology, sociology, cultural diversity, character
education, economics, women's history." The hall of fame has received $1,569,000 since fiscal 2001 for educational
outreach programs. The Baseball Hall of Fame; a commission to examine steroid use among professional baseball
players — looks like Congress put fiscal conservatism on the bench and is throwing the taxpayers a bunch of junk.>>
99
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – development
Development policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW
since 1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland
Security from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163
percent); and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per
capita ($646 million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461
per capita ($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership
has its privileges: your money<<The amount of money appropriators can waste through the VA/HUD Appropriations
Act is as vast as their imaginations. Even though the Department of Housing and Urban Development did not request
any funding for specific projects in the Economic Development Initiative Program, appropriators added 1,039
projects totaling $264 million. The pork list includes a swank hotel in Coral Gables, Fla. and the Country Music Hall
of Fame in Nashville, Tenn. After the bill had been greased, the total number of projects increased by 16 percent over fiscal
2004, from 1,774 to 2,113. Total pork decreased by 11.9 percent, from $1.1 billion to $1 billion.>>
100
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Interior Policies
Interior policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW
since 1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland
Security from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163
percent); and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per
capita ($646 million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461
per capita ($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership
has its privileges: your money.<< Following the trend of ever-growing appropriations bills, the fiscal 2005 Interior
Appropriations Act was bursting with pork, totaling $680 million, a 52 percent increase over last year’s $446 million.
Total projects increased by 17.5 percent, from 473 in fiscal 2004 to 556 in fiscal 2005.>>
101
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Terrorism
Terrorism policies involve in pork barreling, Empirically Proven
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Congressional Pig Book Summary, and David E. Williams, vice president “2005
congressional pig book summary”( The 2005 Congressional Pig Book Summary gives a snapshot of each appropriations bill
and details 570 of the juciest projects culled from the complete Pig Book)
As reality television shows proliferate, Congress continues to live in its own unreal world, believing there are no
consequences to a steady diet of pork fat. While programs like "Extreme Makeover" take a person, family, or home and
transform them into something new and beautiful, the latest round of appropriations bills demonstrates that Congress and
the federal budget are in dire need of a fiscal makeover. The federal government’s expanding waistline (a record $427
billion deficit) has resulted from too many members of Congress believing that the United States Treasury is their own
personal ATM. Our elected officials have let themselves go whole hog while letting down every hard-working American
taxpayer. The 2005 Congressional Pig Book is the latest installment of Citizens Against Government Waste’s (CAGW)
15-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. This year’s list includes $3,270,000 for the Capitol Visitor Center; $100,000 for
the Tiger Woods Foundation; and $75,000 for Onondaga County for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Once again,
Congress porked out at record levels. For fiscal 2005, appropriators stuffed 13,997 projects into the 13 appropriations bills,
an increase of 31 percent over last year’s total of 10,656. In the last two years, the total number of projects has increased by
49.5 percent. The cost of these projects in fiscal 2005 was $27.3 billion, or 19 percent more than last year’s total of $22.9
billion. In fact, the total cost of pork has increased by 21 percent since fiscal 2003. Total pork identified by CAGW
since 1991 adds up to $212 billion. The top three increases in pork from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 were: Homeland
Security from $423 million to $1.72 billion (306 percent); Energy and Water from $714 million to $1.88 billion (163
percent); and Labor/HHS from $943 million to $1.7 billion (80 percent). Alaska again led the nation with $985 per
capita ($646 million), or 30 times the national pork average of $33. The runners up were the District of Columbia with $461
per capita ($257 million) and Hawaii with $454 per capita ($574 million). Senators have once again proven that membership
has its privileges: your money.<<The Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State execute key objectives in the war on
terror — they hold together diplomatic coalitions, monitor intelligence for future threats, guard borders, and bring
terrorists to justice. But this appropriation also funds agencies such as the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). Such widespread options are always tempting to appropriators. Even though the total number
of projects increased by 30 percent, from 896 in fiscal 2004 to 1,168 in fiscal 2005, the amount of pork decreased by 3
percent, from $1.38 billion to $1.34 billion.>>
102
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – Farm Bills
Farm Bills empirically come in pork barrels
Taxpayer for Common Sense, making government work, Feb 18, 2005 “A Litmus Test on Spending”
(http://www.taxpayer.net/search_by_tag.php?action=view&proj_id=608&tag=subsidies&type=Project)
When it comes to congressional pork barrel spending, there has been no holier sacred cow than farm subsidies. So
when President Bush announced a modest proposal to reduce individual farm payments to $250,000 per farm, he put
his administration on a collision course with one of Congress's fastest moving trains. Time and again, no matter how
much lip service is paid to reining in these outdated, depression-era farm programs, Congress buckles under the
pressure and continues its blank check farm policy. The 1996 farm bill was supposed to reduce this spending and return
the farm sector to the free-market. Instead, total farm spending more than doubled. In 2002, riding a wave of false budget
surpluses, Congress reversed gears, re-wrote the farm bill, and threw in everything but the kitchen sink. Instead of fixing the
failures of the previous bill, Congress ended up passing the most expensive farm legislation in history. Since 1998, average
annual farm payments have gone from $7 billion to $18 billion. The FY 2006 budget estimates 2005 farm subsidy spending
will top $24 billion. Worse, farm payments have become increasingly concentrated, flowing to fewer and fewer individual
farmers. According to the USDA, only 8 percent of producers receive 78 percent of subsidies. At the top of the subsidy food
chain, huge corporate operations receive payments in the millions, while the average for 80 percent of farmers is under
$1,000. Instead of keeping farmers on the land, these huge government payments to only the largest, most productive farms
are forcing many small farmers out of business. Farm payments are based on production levels, so the bigger the farm, the
bigger the government check. Large corporate operations are able to plant more crops, so they get the biggest slice of the
subsidy pie. These large farms then turn around and use their outsized government checks to buy up even more farm land.
Unable to compete, small farmers are left with no choice but to sell their land to the very operations that are putting them out
of business.
103
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – emergency spending
Emergency Spending kills social security and surplus budgets
Peter Sperry, former Grover M. Hermann Fellow in Federal Budgetary Affairs in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic
Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation, September 3, 1999 “Executive Memorandum #621-( http://www.heritage.org/rese
arch /budget/EM621.cfm)
Prior to leaving for its August 1999 recess, the Senate approved a $7.6 billion "emergency" agricultural spending
package that will consume about half of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected on-budget surplus for fiscal
year (FY) 1999. Although emergency appropriations do not count against budget caps, increased spending, regardless
of how its classified, eliminates the possibility of Congress keeping its other commitments, like protecting Social
Security and passing tax cuts. During the floor debate, Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), chairman of the Agriculture,
Nutrition and Forestry Committee, noted that federal assistance payments for crop year 1999 will total $16.6 billion,
excluding the "emergency" spending package. According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture, there are 1,911,824 farms, of
which 685,029 receive federal monies, yielding an average subsidy of $24,233 per farm. Nevertheless, the Senate voted to
increase the agricultural assistance payments for this crop year by almost $8 billion, which will increase total payments to
$24.2 billion, or $35,327 per farm. The Senate's generous allocation of taxpayer funds was prompted by concern that the
East Coast drought and falling commodity prices would lead to unacceptably low net farm incomes. Confirmation came from
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which reported that unless emergency measures were enacted, net farm
income in 1999 would be $300 million lower than in 1998. If correct, it would mean that over half a million farms subsidized
by the federal government might earn an average of $438 less in 1999 than they had in 1998. Apparently, this "emergency"
justifies rescinding recent commitments to dedicate the first federal surplus in 30 years to saving Social Security, reducing
taxes, and paying down the national debt. Conclusion. The level of "emergency" spending approved by the Senate
makes a mockery of its recent passage of tax cuts for working Americans and threatens to do the same to
congressional commitments to protect 100 percent of the surplus for Social Security. Although the CBO projected a $14
billion on-budget surplus available for allocation for FY 2000, many Members of Congress have already indicated that all or
most of an on-budget surplus will be used to fund the 13 regular appropriations bills. Consequently, any "emergency"
spending will exhaust the on-budget surplus and eat into the Social Security surplus. Americans are a generous people
willing to assist their neighbors when necessary. Nonetheless, Congress should not abuse taxpayers' generosity by extending
"emergency" assistance to those who do not need it. Farm households with an unsubsidized net taxable income of more that
$50,000 per year do not need tax subsidies. Likewise, Americans who derive less than 25 percent of their household income
from agriculture do not need federal subsidies to sustain their hobbies. Congress should restrict emergency agricultural
assistance to only those farmers who demonstrate a loss of income that threatens the survival of their family or business.
Middle-income taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize someone else's "lifestyle" choices or six-figure incomes.
104
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Link – elections cause snowball
Congress will use any opportunity to earmark to appeal to their constituents
Jim DeMint, Jim DeMint represents South Carolina in the U.S. Senate., Herald Journal, July 13, 2008 , “We must reform
the Washington status quo”,
http://www.goupstate.com/article/20080713/NEWS/807130303/1132/OPINION&title=We_must_reform_the_Washington_st
atus_quo, BB
The earmark process is actually pretty simple. Powerful appropriations committees in the House and Senate give
each member of Congress a slush fund to spend on their favorite projects. The politician simply creates a list of
top projects, and they usually get funded, no questions asked. Members of the committee get more to spend than
others, and chairmen get even more. This is why Alaska and West Virginia continually get millions more in earmarks
than states like South Carolina and Georgia. Politicians facing tough re-elections get extra taxpayer dollars to
give to their states so that they can be seen as "effective legislators." This means that funding goes to universities
based not on the quality of the schools but whether they are represented by a senior member on the right committee. It
is also important to remember that there is another downside to the earmarking practice. The billions of dollars
that we waste on congressional pet projects is borrowed money. We are borrowing from Social Security, from our
grandchildren, from China even - and for what? We borrow so we can secure our next election rather than the
future for the next generation.
Blue Dogs are able to maintain pay go
Denise Ross, covered South Dakota politics since 1999. She now publishes Hoghouse Blog and can be heard weekly as a
political junkie guest on South Dakota Public Radio. , 7/17/2008, Black Hills Pioneer, “‘Blue Dog’ Herseth Sandlin at center
of House fiscal watchdog group”, http://www.bhpioneer.com/articles/2008/07/17/opinion/doc487fb5450094f111315432.txt,
BB
“With Democrats potentially controlling both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue in 2009, House leaders must not ignore
the Blue Dogs’ concerns if they want to keep the majority,” reports a recent National Journal cover story titled
“Dog Days.” Herseth Sandlin was one of four of the 49 Blue Dogs chosen for the National Journal interview and
cover photo. South Dakota’s congresswoman seems to have found growing power within a group that is itself growing
in power. The Blue Dogs have grown from 23 members when they first formed in 1994 after the GOP’s historic
takeover of Congress, and they have expanded from mostly Southern representatives to include members from the
Midwest and West. They even have six members from the Northeast. More importantly, recent heretofore
unimaginable Democratic victories in red districts have been won by candidates endorsed by and funded by the Blue
Dogs. And, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco ponders her party’s majority in the House, she knows much
of the credit must go to the Blue Dogs, according to the National Journal. “She and other House Democratic
leaders are well aware that if just 19 Blue Dogs oppose them on party-line votes, the majority can’t pass
legislation,” reported the magazine. The Blue Dogs have unified around what’s called “pay-go” in Capitol Hill
shorthand, or a “pay as you go” budget rule that requires Congress to pay for new spending with either a tax
increase or other spending cuts. That rule has been waived a handful of times but only cautiously due to the Blue
Dogs’ collective swing-vote status.
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Dollar Key to econ
Continuing to lower the dollar leads to global economic collapse
Scott Champion, analyst with the Centre for Global Negotiations, “Will a US dollar collapse end American
Hegmenony?”, Share International, 6/2003,
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:c7OliQOGgIEJ:shareno.net/dollarcollapse.htm+economic+collapse+and+hegemony&
hl=en, BB
For many years the US has been the economic engine for the world, standing in as purchaser of last resort for
the world’s supply of goods in times of global economic distress. Now the US itself is in trouble. If the US
attempts to fight the rapidly gaining forces of deflation by encouraging a depreciating dollar, it will export
deflation to the rest of the world because foreign currencies will rise relative to the dollar. This will damage
foreign economies and inhibit their ability to buy goods and services, including those from the US. Since the
short-term benefit of a weak dollar to US corporations’ earnings will show up quickly, while the long-term damage
to the global economy will become apparent only with the passage of time, it is a fair assumption that the US will
take the easy route and worry about the global fallout later. The problem with this approach for the Bush
administration is that there are great risks to a weak dollar policy. The world economy is awash in dollars, and
when there is too much of something the price or value usually drops, sometimes precipitously. If confidence in
the dollar or dollar assets, such as Treasury bonds, declines, the world may, at some point, reconsider its
involvement with US assets. The results of such a reappraisal could be anything from mildly damaging to
catastrophic. Seventy-five per cent of the world’s central-bank assets are held in US dollars (as Treasury
bonds). These bankers do not want their primary asset to suffer a significant decline.
A Dollar Free-fall would collapse the economy
Dr. C. Fred Bergsten, Director Peterson Institute for International Economics, December 5, 2007, CQ Congressional
Testimony, “BUDGET IMPLICATION OF STATE OF U.S. ECONOMY”, lexis, BB
A further decline of the dollar, if gradual and orderly as has been the case since 2002, is a desirable and
indeed necessary component of completing the adjustment of the unsustainable US and international
imbalances. However, markets frequently overreact and a free fall of the dollar could trigger sharp and sudden
increases in US inflation and thus interest rates (especially if energy prices were to rise further at the same time).
This would push the economy in the direction of the stagflation of the 1970s (albeit presumably with less intensity
on either the "stag" or "flation" sides of the equation that occurred at that time). Such a scenario could, at a
minimum, limit the ability of the Federal Reserve to reduce interest rates to counter the economic slowdown
(and provide additional liquidity to the financial markets). It might even force the Fed to raise rates to halt the
currency depreciation. I believe this is in fact the greatest risk to the "modest slowdown" prospect posited above as
the most likely course for the US economy over the next year or so. Hence the United States might have to pay
dearly now, in the teeth of a financial crisis and possible recession (in an election year), for living so far beyond its
means for so long and thus becoming dependent on large continuing inflows of capital from the rest of the world.
There are of course steps that the United States can take to minimize these risks. For this Committee and the Congress
as a whole, the most important is by assuring continued reductions in the structural budget deficit with the goal of
restoring the modest surpluses of 1998-2001 when economic growth returns to trend levels of 21/2-3 per cent.
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Fiscal D Key to Econ
Perception of fiscal discipline is key to avoid economic collapse
David Dapice, Associate Professor of Economics at Tufts University and the economist of the Vietnam Program at Harvard
University's Kennedy School of Government, “Dealing with a Declining Dollar – Part II”, YaleGlobal, 9 February 2005,
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=5254, BB
If US domestic politics make serious deficit reduction unlikely, the uneasy international bond buyers may
ultimately force the administration's hand. If the Republicans wish to avoid wearing a "Herbert Hoover necklace"
(President Hoover's policies brought about the crash of 1929.) around their necks for a generation, they may decide
that preventing a dollar collapse is even more important than expanding spending and extending tax cuts. Or they
might gamble that others have more to lose, and continue to run both federal and current account deficits that push the
limits of foreign asset buyers' acceptance. The willingness of foreign central banks to accumulate dollar assets for
mercantilist purposes makes this bet seem safer in the short term, but also makes it riskier over time. The whole world
has a stake in the outcome of this debate, but few can vote – except with their money. Investors might cast the
deciding votes; though if it comes to that, there could be more losers than winners.
For those who wish to glimpse
the "tipping point" – if indeed there is one – the pace of Federal Reserve short-term interest rate hikes might provide a
clue. If foreigners begin to sell Treasury bills, which still yield little more than inflation, the Fed would have
little choice but to raise interest rates more quickly than it has indicated. These increases would transmit
themselves to longer-term interest rates as well, and would drive up mortgage and other borrowing costs.
Corporate investment, construction, and durable goods purchases (cars, furniture) would all diminish. Exports
would benefit, but the net impact would be negative. If the rate hikes were steep enough, a recession would
likely ensue.
Lack of Fiscal Discipline leads to Economic Collapse
Gerald J. Swanson, Professor; Thomas R. Brown Chair in Economic Education @ Eller College, America the Broke,
2004, pg. 13, BB
Because foreign investors view the dollar as nothing more than another asset they buy in hopes of making a
return, increasing economic turmoil in the United States would probably provoke them to sell some, if not all,
of their dollar assets, causing the currency’s value to drop farther. As this vicious cycle gathered speed, foreign
investors might quit buying Treasury securities altogether. They might even start cashing in the bonds they
already held. That would force the government to print the money it couldn’t borrow—a surefire trigger for
inflation and another blow to the value of the dollar. What would happen then? We can only guess, because such a
debacle has never occurred in modern times. At the very least, the United States—and because of our wide-ranging
influence the rest of the world, too—would be plunged into economic chaos, all because of our unwillingness to
reign in our reckless spending.
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Fiscal D Key to Econ
The lack of fiscal discipline is killing the economy now
The Huffington Post, Paul Abrams, Staff Writer, 7/16/08, “How to Get the Economy from its Vicious to a Virtuous
Cycle -- But Radical Righties Won't Let it Happen”, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-abrams/how-to-get-the-economyfr_b_113067.html
The economy has deteriorated, and will continue to spiral downward, but the reasons for the vicious cycle have
been ignored, and thus the cures not even discussed. That represents a victory for the radical rightwing ideologues and
a major defeat for the people of the United States. The major reason for the downward spiral is the upward spiral
in the US deficits and debt. Remember, our dear leader inherited a projected surplus of $5 Trillion, and
succeeded in transforming that into a debt of an additional $4 Trillion, the most spectacular case of fiscal
mismanagement in world history.
Pay-go key to avoiding economic collapse
The Huffington Post, Paul Abrams, Staff Writer, 7/16/08, “How to Get the Economy from its Vicious to a Virtuous
Cycle -- But Radical Righties Won't Let it Happen”, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-abrams/how-to-get-the-economyfr_b_113067.html
But, we know what works.... because we did it in the early '90s. We were coming out of the Savings & Loan
Crisis, the economy was doing poorly, George H.W. Bush kept proclaiming we were not in recession. But HW
acted, and did so against his "read-my-lips" pledge, earning him the undying enmity of the radical righties, but taking
the major first step that righted the economy. He raised revenues by raising taxes. Bill Clinton then upped the ante
again, and, in the midst of an economic downturn, the myths of the radical righties exploded -- the economy actually
reversed itself and grew despite the slightly increased tax rates. Here's how. The major problem at the time was
that the deficits were reflected by high interest rates. That kept investment low, and the interest on the debt
high, becoming a major component of government spending that accomplished nothing. By restraining
spending via pay-as-you-go (aka, "pay-go"), and taking in more revenues through higher taxes on the wealthy,
interest rates came down, and the economy took off.
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Fiscal D Key to Econ
Lack of Fiscal Discipline Collapses the economy—Interests Rates rise leading to a financial train
wreck
David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the US, 3-10-2008, USA Today, “How the US can avoid a fiscal wreck,”, Pg.
11A, lexis, BB
In my view, we have a five- to 10-year window of opportunity to act. If policymakers don't, it is only a matter of
time before interest rates begin to skyrocket and the U.S. debt is reduced to "junk bond" status. Higher
interest rates will have an adverse effect on the federal budget, on the economy, on the finances of American
households and potentially on the relative standard of living for most Americans. It is time for an open and honest
national dialogue with Americans on what they can realistically expect from the federal government and how they are
going to pay for it. The plain and simple truth is that we are in a deep fiscal hole, and we are still digging. The
U.S. government's total liabilities and unfunded commitments for future Social Security and Medicare benefits
and other items are estimated at $53 trillion, up from about $20 trillion at the start of this decade, and are rising
at a rate of $2 trillion to $3 trillion a year. This fiscal gap translates into an IOU of about $455,000 for every
American household. In other words, our government has made a whole lot of promises that it will be hardpressed to keep without increasing taxes to levels far beyond what the American people have tolerated
historically. By refusing to make tough choices and by charging up the nation's credit card, we are mortgaging the
future of our children and grandchildren. If we continue as we have, policymakers will eventually have two options:
raise taxes dramatically or slash government programs and services. To avoid this fiscal train wreck, we need to
make three changes as soon as possible: *First, we need to impose strong budget controls, written into law, to
constrain federal spending as well as the many tax preferences that reduce revenue and represent a type of
back door spending.
Fiscal Discipline is key to avoid economic collapse
Journal Star 7/14/2006, “Billions of reasons not to celebrate”,
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/07/14/editorial_main/doc44b6dee6efb90992919704.txt
But at this point, only the naïve and gullible still cling to the hope that tax cuts alone are enough to restore fiscal
sanity. The real need is for fiscal discipline. Spending and taxes must be brought into balance. In defense of
current fiscal policy, the White House and some economists say the deficit should be measured against the size of the
economy. By that yardstick, the 2006 deficit is 2.3 percent of the gross domestic product, better than 17 of the past 25
years. But in today’s strong economy, the United States ought to be preparing for the retirement of the babyboom generation by getting its financial house in order. The nation ought to be paying down its debt. Instead,
Bush is maxing out the national credit card. Interest paid on the national debt is the fifth largest item in the
federal budget. Last year, the “debt tax” was equivalent to $1,190 per American. Almost half that money was
sent out of the country to foreign investors. Some of the nation’s top think tanks, representing both conservative
and liberal sides of the spectrum, have joined with U.S. Comptroller David Walker in a national “Fiscal Wake-Up
Tour” to draw attention to the federal government’s poor financial health. “What we have going are the elements of
a perfect storm — a potent mix of ignorance, apathy and inaction in all sectors of American society,” Walker
wrote recently. “If we continue on our present course, a fiscal crisis is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when.’”
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Fiscal D Key to Econ
Loss of Fiscal Discipline leads to runaway inflation
The Daily Observer, 3/14/2008, “Gambia; The Big Read - Saihou Sanyang On the Tenets of Good Governance (Part
2)”, lexis, BB
Fiscal discipline is mainly concerned with the stabilizing function of macroeconomic fundamentals wherein the
capable state seeks to pursue policies that underpin balanced growth and allow for free enterprise to flourish (perfect
competition as opposed to monopoly) alongside a consumer society whose welfare is maximized. In order to ensure
stability, government budgets should adhere to high fiscal discipline which requires that government spending
is planned and implemented in such a way that spending and taxing levels are affordable. Of the three items of
the budget, fiscal discipline mostly refers to the deficit and it's financing. High levels of borrowing to finance the
budget deficit means higher debt service in future years and less spending on priority areas like poverty
reduction (alleviation). High deficits may lead to spiralling (run away) inflation and therefore, comprise price
level stability.
The perceived loss of fiscal discipline cripples the US economy
Bergsten 04 (C. Fred, director of the Institute for International Economics, "The Risks Ahead for the World Economy,"
Economist, 9/9, http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3172404)
Robert Rubin, former secretary of the Treasury, also stresses the psychological importance for financial markets of
expectations concerning the American budget position. If that deficit is viewed as likely to rise substantially, without any
correction in sight, confidence in America's financial instruments and currency could crack. The dollar could fall sharply
as it did in 1971-73, 1978-79, 1985-87 and 1994-95. Market interest rates would rise substantially and the Federal Reserve would probably have
to push them still higher to limit the acceleration of inflation. These risks could be intensified by the change in leadership that will
presumably take place at the Federal Reserve Board in less than two years, inevitably creating new uncertainties after 25 years of superb stewardship
by Mr Volcker and Alan Greenspan. A very hard landing is not inevitable but neither is it unlikely.
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Fiscal D Key to check Russia
Decline in fiscal discipline leads to Russian Resurgence
The International Herald Tribune, August 18, 2007, “A debt culture gone awry; America's handicap”, Hamid
Varzi, an economist and banker based in Tehran, Pg. 5, lexis, BB
U.S. debt affects all nations, but in surprisingly different ways: Third world farmers suffer from the effects of
gigantic U.S. farm subsidies aimed at reducing the trade deficit, while Russia has actually profited from America's
lack of discipline. Flush with funds generated from a decade of trade and account surpluses, Russia views U.S.
sensitivity to its expansionist energy policy as a response to America's own failure to reduce energy waste and
exploit alternative energy sources when it had the opportunity to do so. In sum, American economic decadence
has become a source of Russian strength.
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Fiscal D K deficit
A loss of fiscal discipline balloons the deficit
Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, June 8, 2008, “How to impose fiscal discipline”, The
Washington Times, lexis, BB
Fiscal responsibility is about more than balancing the nation's checkbook; it is about keeping our promises to our
seniors and our young people and promoting job creation and prosperity. Without fiscal discipline, America will
pass on a legacy of debt, fail to meet the demands the baby-boom generation will place on Social Security and
Medicare, and undermine access to capital, the lifeblood of new and growing businesses. In 2007, the new
Democratic Congress began to restore our nation's fiscal health while inheriting a fiscal challenge of historic
proportions. President Bush and the Republican Congress turned a $5.6 trillion, 10-year surplus inherited from
the Clinton administration into a $3 trillion deficit. Thanks largely to the cost of the war in Iraq and the
Republican penchant for tax cuts for the wealthy, the deficit ballooned to $248 billion in 2006.
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Fiscal D K Biz Con
Fiscal Discipline Key to business Confidence// Deficit spending is the greatest risk to the
economy
USA Today 3/21/2005, “Economists: Federal deficit a bigger risk than terrorism”,
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/survey/2005-03-21-deficit-threat-nabe_x.htm_
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The budget deficit has overtaken terrorism as the greatest short-term risk to the
U.S. economy, and concern about the current gap is rising, a survey of U.S. businesses shows. In a survey of
172 members of the National Association for Business Economics, 27% said the deficit or government spending
is the largest short-term threat to the economy, up from 23% who thought so in August. (Related: Top economic
forecasters.) Terrorism dropped to second on the list, with 24% saying it is the biggest threat, down from 40%. Those
most concerned about the deficit in the current account — the largest measure of U.S. trade with other nations —
tripled, to 15% from 5% in August. "Longer term, the costs related to the aging of the population dominate the
challenges to sustaining economic growth. However, the panel is doubtful that this Congress will pass needed Social
Security reforms," said David Wyss, chief economist at Standard & Poor's, who conducted the analysis for the report.
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Fiscal D K Heg
Fiscal Discipline is key to Heg
The International Herald Tribune, August 18, 2007, “A debt culture gone awry; America's handicap”, Hamid
Varzi, an economist and banker based in Tehran, Pg. 5, lexis, BB
Supply-siders ignore the crucial distinction between, on the one hand, debt employed as an investment vehicle to
enhance competitiveness and, on the other, debt used to pay off current expenses and to create even more debt. The
bottom line is that America is awash in red ink and seeks the wrong solutions to its debt problems. A return to
fiscal responsibility would make America far stronger, both domestically and internationally, than would a
continuation of current policies that falsely project strength through idle protectionist threats and failed
military aggression. Current tensions between the United States and the rest of the world will continue as long
as America's military bark is louder than its economic bite. A solution to the U.S. debt problem requires
radical measures, including: the elimination of corporate tax loopholes, a reversal of tax breaks for the ultra-rich, a
bipartisan campaign to eliminate budget ''pork,'' imposition of stringent limits on corporate debt and speculative
lending, a vast reduction in military expenditure and, finally, an additional 50 cent per gallon gasoline tax that would
slash the federal deficit, curtail energy waste and spur technological breakthroughs . Let us hope America heeds the
warnings , dispenses with junk-food economics and embraces a crucial diet of fiscal discipline. It remains to be
seen, however, whether America's political leaders have the courage to instigate such reforms, and whether Congress
is finally willing to do something for the future of ordinary, hard-working Americans.
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Debt -> Recession
Deficits Cause a recesision
Melanie Colburn, Mother Jones Staff Writer, June 5, 2006 (Mother Jones is an independent nonprofit whose roots lie in a
commitment to social justice implemented through first rate investigative reporting-“Why Deficits Matter”http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2006/06/deficit_worries.html)
Although the ramifications of persistent and growing federal deficits are not often well-understood by the public, they
will become increasingly relevant in the future. Eventually, all those debts will have to be paid off, in the form of
higher taxes or spending cuts (unless, of course, the United States inflates its way out of debt or defaults—both unnerving,
if far-fetched, possibilities). The country may also face higher borrowing costs in the future, in the form of hikes in
interest rates, which could hamper the American economy and even induce a recession. If that's not bad enough, in
just a few years, budget deficits will grow even bigger as the government faces increasing costs associated with the
retirement of the baby boomer generation. By not preparing for this inevitability, the federal government is essentially
doing what an individual in debt might do—that is, paying off current obligations by taking out additional loans—but instead
of mortgaging a house, the government is borrowing from future economic growth. "By borrowing from abroad to finance
U.S. investment, we our shortchanging our future standard of living," says Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for
a Responsible Federal Budget. "From a generational perspective, throwing a fiscal party and passing along the bill is
extremely unfair."
Deficits undermine economic growth
Gramlich, FRB member, governor, 2/24/04 “the federal reserve board” (http://www.federalreserve.gov/ boarddocs/
speeches/20 04/2 0040624/default.htm)
Fiscal policy can have important long-run effects on the health of the economy, particularly through its impact on
national saving and the growth of productivity. National savings can be generated privately, by households and business,
or publicly, by government. Although fiscal policy can, in theory, help boost private saving, this has proven difficult, in
practice. Instead, the most important effect of fiscal policy on national saving has been through the direct government budget.
When the government runs deficits, it siphons off private savings (reducing national saving), leaving less available for
capital investment. With less capital investment, less new equipment is provided to workers, and, all else being equal,
future productivity growth rates and levels are lower. Productivity growth is the principal source of improvement in
economic well-being. The faster productivity increases over time, the more rapidly living standards increase. Maintaining a
rapid rate of trend productivity growth is particularly important in light of the coming budgetary pressures associated with the
retirement of the baby boom generation. A more productive economy will ease the financing of Social Security and Medicare
benefits for tomorrow's retirees without placing an undue burden on tomorrow's workers. In contrast, if we allow debt to
build now and in coming years, we will have both lower output to meet future obligations as well as the added burden
of financing a growing amount of debt. Indeed, under numerous scenarios, our current debt path is unsustainable:
Without changes to taxes or spending, we may reach a point where ever-larger amounts of debt must be issued to pay
ever-larger interest charges.
Deficit spending leads to economic downturn
Missourian, ROSEANN MORING AND CATHERINE MCCOMB, Staff Writers, 7/19/2008 , “Ninth District
congressional candidates comment on economy”,
State Rep. Judy Baker also said the government’s expenditures in Iraq are out of control. “When you start
paying private companies’ employees more than our troops, there’s a problem,” she said. But Baker said the
government’s deficit spending is what has caused the economy’s downturn. “We need to take a look at
government spending on all levels. There is still a lot of discretionary spending that is probably irrational and
unnecessary,” she said.
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Debt -> Recession
Debt kills US competitiveness and retards economic growth
J. Randy Forbes, US Rep, The Progress-Index,, 7/20/2008 “Cutting the budget excess”, http://www.progressindex.com/articles/2008/07/20/editorial/pi_progindex.20080720.a.pg5.pi0720forbes_s1.1763623_edi.txt
Right now, our federal government is in debt over $9 trillion dollars. This means that every man, woman, and
child in the U.S. owes the federal government $30,903.41 for expenses the government paid using borrowed dollars,
and that number continues to rise. Growth in federal debt has a significant impact on our economic output and
threatens our economic stability - because the government needs to borrow money, and when a big borrower
like the government enters the credit market, dollars become scarce. The lack of available dollars in the credit
market leads to higher interest rates, and costly loans make it more difficult for businesses to earn a profit. Our
federal debt impacts employment growth and our ability to advance technologically and compete globally. For
families already facing a slowing economy, a struggling housing market, and skyrocketing gas prices, a growing
deficit that they have little control over creates a financial pit in their stomach of the worst kind.
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Debt -> military aggression
High debt levels leads to anti-american military aggression
The International Herald Tribune, August 18, 2007, “A debt culture gone awry; America's handicap”, Hamid
Varzi, an economist and banker based in Tehran, Pg. 5, lexis, BB
The U.S. economy, once the envy of the world, is now viewed across the globe with suspicion. America has
become shackled by an immovable mountain of debt that endangers its prosperity and threatens to bring the
rest of the world economy crashing down with it. The ongoing sub-prime mortgage crisis, a result of irresponsible
lending policies designed to generate commissions for unscrupulous brokers, presages far deeper problems in a U.S.
economy that is beginning to resemble a giant smoke-and-mirrors Ponzi scheme. And this has not been lost on the rest
of the world. This new reality has had unfortunate side effects that go beyond economics. As a banker working in
the heart of the Muslim world, I have been amazed by the depth and breadth of anti-Americanism, even among
U.S. allies, manifested in reactions ranging from fierce anger to stoic fatalism. Muslims outside the United States
interpret America's policies in the Middle East not as an effort to spread democracy but as a blatant neocolonialist
attempt to solve its economic problems by force. Arabs and Persians alike argue that America's fiscal
irresponsibility has forced the nation to seek solutions through military aggression.
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US Deficit -> global econ collapse
An Increase in the deficit threatens global economic collapse
The Guardian, Jeremey Rifkin, Staff Writer, 25 March, 2004 “A Perfect Storm About To Hit”,
http://www.countercurrents.org/eco-rifkin250304.htm, BB
An ever-weaker dollar makes foreign investors less interested in financing the mushrooming US debt. The US
could raise interest rates, making it more attractive for foreign investors, but that would mean higher interest rates for
US companies and consumers, which could dampen the already weak recovery and send us back into a recession in
the US and around the world. So we have all the conditions coming together to create the perfect economic storm:
record oil prices triggering a restriction in US economic growth and an increase in the federal budget deficit,
accompanied by further erosion in the value of the dollar - with increased budget deficits and the diminished
value of the dollar leading in turn to higher interest rates to convince foreign investors to lend the US
additional money, followed by a further retraction of the US economy as rising interest rates lead to a drop in
domestic investment and consumption. The cascade of events touches off a tsunami that engulfs the rest of the
global economy, submerging the world in deep recession.
A rising deficit is the greatest threat to the world economy
C. Fred Bergsten, Director Peterson Institute for International Economics, February 1, 2007, CQ Congressional
Testimony, “CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT AND FOREIGN DEBT OF THE U.S.”,
The huge and growing international trade and current account imbalances, centered on the US external deficits
and net debtor position, represent the single greatest threat to the continued prosperity and stability of the
United States and world economies. They could at any time trigger a large and rapid decline in the exchange
rate of the dollar that would initiate sharp increases in US inflation and interest rates, bringing on stagflation
at a minimum and quite possibly a deep recession. Even in the absence of such a crisis, continued failure to
address the imbalances constructively will inevitably lead to a costly and perhaps wrenching adjustment of the
US and world economies. They could also lead to a disruption of US trade policy, threatening the openness of
the global trading system.
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****Fiscal D Answers
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2AC (1/2)
1. Congress is overriding defenders of fiscal discipline
Belville News-Democrat, James Rosen, staff writer for McClatchy Newspapers 7/19/2008,“Senator who opposed
expanding global AIDS program vows to keep up pressure”,
Before voting 80-16 to pass the AIDS bill, the Senate defeated DeMint's amendments to cut its cost to $35
billion over five years and to prohibit funds from being used for alleged "coercive abortion and forced
sterilization" in China or other countries.
2. No Evidence indicating an increase in earmarks collapses fiscal discipline
3. No Link—Spending Trades-off Pay-go rules are in effect
Increasing Alternative Energy incentives trades-off
John Stephen, Republican candidate for Congress, Union Leader, 7/18/08, “John Stephen: On energy costs, Washington
offers no real answers”,
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=John+Stephen%3A+On+energy+costs%2C+Washington+offers+no+real
+answers&articleId=58250a2c-89b0-4696-925a-977411675a71
You see, extending the tax credits would mean that individuals and businesses would keep $19 billion more of
their money, instead of sending it to Washington. Under the House rules, that money "loss" would have to be
offset by new taxes or spending cuts. Now, no Congress in its right mind would hike taxes in an election year,
so that means that to keep these incentives for renewable energy in place, Washington would have to do what
the rest of America is doing to meet the rising costs of energy prices -- roll up its sleeves and make the tough
decisions on spending.
4. No Link- Alternative Energy can be funded without an increase
States New Service 6/23/2008, “KIRK/BIGGERT: U.S. "MOON SHOT" PROGRAM TO GET OFF FOREIGN OIL
"APOLLO ENERGY INDEPENDENCE ACT" ON SCALE OF NASA'S MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM TO LOWER
GAS PRICES, BOOST ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES AND IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY”, lexis
With Chicagoland leading the nation in gas prices, U.S. Representatives Mark Kirk and Judy Biggert joined with
environmental, business and research leaders today to announce new legislation dramatically boosting the
federal government's commitment to energy independence. With the backdrop of Chicago's premier space
museum, the Adler Planetarium, the legislation is modeled on NASA's $20 billion effort to land an American on the
moon. The "Apollo Energy Independence Act" establishes long-term market incentives to spur breakthroughs
for the development and deployment of alternative energies, vehicles and fuel. Increases in support for
alternative energy are offset by spending reductions in earmark and subsidy programs to ensure the bill does
not require additional borrowing or taxes.
5. Environmental Spending saves the economy
Mark Lynas, a climate change writer and activist, author of the acclaimed book 'High Tide' and fortnightly columnist for the
New Statesman. He was selected by National Geographic as an 'Emerging Explorer' for 2006, 7/17/2008, “A Green New
Deal”, http://www.newstatesman.com/environment/2008/07/lynas-towards-economy-climate,BB
The Green New Deal Group is not talking about incremental changes, however. It is calling for nothing less
than a return to pre-war Keynesianism - complete with big increases in public investment spending and much
tighter controls on international finance - with a "war economy" social mobilisation harnessed, this time not
towards fighting fascism, but towards heading off ecological crisis. What is novel is that this call is directed not
just at stabilising the climate, but also at stabilising the economy - lower interest rates and higher government
spending are aimed at ending the credit crunch as much as tackling the oil and climate crunches.
6. No Threshold- Don’t say how much spending collapses fiscal discipline
120
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
2AC (2/2)
7. Earmarks Happening now, there’s bipartisan love for it.
Huffington Post, The internet newspaper, June 18, 2008, “Bipartisanship Thrives -- At Least When it Comes to Earmarks”
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-bittle-and-jean-johnson/bipartisanship-thrives_b_107667.html)
Earmarks -- the Rasputin of Congressional budget politics - are back on the scene. If you don't remember your late
tsarist Russian history, Rasputin was the "mad monk" with scary eyes, decadent tastes and way too much influence
over Tsarina Alexandra. Eventually he was poisoned, shot, beaten, and finally drowned by a group of dissident
Russian nobles. He drank enough poison to kill multiple humans and had three bullets in his back, but he still led his
killers on a chase through St. Petersburg before they finally caught up with him, clubbed him and threw him in the
Neva River. There were even rumors that he sat up during his cremation. The Congressional earmark industry is
proving equally hardy despite repeated attempts to kill or at least weaken it, according to the Washington Post.
The current House defense authorization bill contains almost $10 billion dollars of earmarks according to
figures compiled by Taxpayers for Common Sense. The Senate bill hasn't been approved yet, but Senators
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) Carl Levin (D-MI), Joe Lieberman (I-CT),
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Mark Pryor (D-AR), and Mel Martinez (R-FL) are among those listed as requesting
earmarks. Okay, so we have members from the House and the Senate, from the liberal northeast and the
conservative south, men and the women, Democrats, Republicans, an Independent, and what can they finally
agree on - the ritual of slipping those tasty little earmarks into the defense budget. And they've agreed to do
this when the country is at war and faces a budget deficit approaching half a trillion dollars for this fiscal year.
8. The United States Economy is really resilient
William B. Bonvillian is Legislative Director and Chief Counsel to Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Issues in
Science and Technology, fall 2004-Meeting the New Challenge to U.S. Economic Competitiveness
In the 1980s, when the United States faced significant competitive challenges from Japan and Germany, U.S.
industry, labor, and government worked out a series of competitiveness policies and approaches that helped
pave the way for the nation’s revitalized economic leadership in the 1990s. In the mid-1980s President Reagan
appointed Hewlett Packard president John Young to head a bipartisan competitiveness commission, which
recommended a practical policy approach designed to defuse ideological squabbling. Although many of its
recommendations were enacted slowly or not at all, the commission created a new focus on public-private
partnerships, on R&D investments (especially in IT), and on successful competition in trade rather than protectionism.
This became the generally accepted response and provided the building blocks for the 1990s boom. The Young
Commission was followed by Congress’s Competitiveness Policy Council through 1997. These efforts were
successful in redefining the economic debate in part because they built on the experiences, well-remembered at
the time, of industry and government collaboration that was so successful in World War II and in responding
to Sputnik. Those are much more distant memories in this new century, but we should revisit the Young Commission
model. The private sector Council on Competitiveness, originally led by Young, has assembled a group of leading
industry, labor, and academic leaders to prepare a National Innovation Initiative, which could provide a blueprint for
action. Legislation has been introduced in the Senate to establish a new bipartisan competitiveness commission that
would have the prestige and leverage to stimulate government action. The U.S. economy is the most flexible and
resilient in the world. The country possesses a highly talented workforce, powerful and efficient capital
markets, the strongest R&D system, and the energy of entrepreneurs and many dynamic companies. That by
itself will not guarantee success in a changing economy, but it gives the country the wherewithal to adapt to an
evolving world. Challenges to U.S. dominance are visible everywhere. Strong economic growth is vital to the
U.S. national mission, and innovation is the key to that growth. The United States needs to fashion a new
competitiveness agenda designed to speed the velocity of innovation to meet the great challenges of the new century.
Once that agenda has been crafted, the nation must find the political will to implement it.
121
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
FISCAL D Low
No Fiscal Discipline—Mortage Giant Bailouts
Sharon Schmickle, Writer for MinnPost, 7/14/2008, “Mortgage giants in crisis -- yet the public seems locked in 'whatever'
mode”, http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2008/07/14/2554/mortgage_giants_in_crisis_-_yet_the_public_seems_locked_in_whatever_mode, BB
Even the toughest critics are saying the government had no choice at this point but to rescue Fannie and Freddie. The
fallout from their failure would have been catastrophic. The anti-serenity piece for this picture is in the background.
The government already is in debt to the tune of nearly $10 trillion, a level that would have been seen as a crisis
in itself when President Bush's father occupied the Oval Office in the early 1990s. Now the White House plans to
ask Congress to raise the debt ceiling for the Fannie-Freddie bailout. It is so '90s, but I'll ask anyway: Where are
the deficit hawks? If they had squawked as loudly during this decade, we would not be suffering such a profound
sense of insecurity over the government's ability to handle the Fannie-Freddie debacle. The deficit-spending issue
surfaced last week at a town-hall meeting the presumed GOP nominee, Sen. John McCain, staged in Denver. "We
must also get government's fiscal house in order," McCain said. "American workers and families pay their bills and
balance their budgets, and I will demand the same of the government. A government that spends wisely and
balances its budget is a catalyst for economic growth and the creation of good and secure jobs."
Federal Spending exceeds Federal Revenue
Steve Chapman, Writer for the Chicago Tribune, 7/10/08, “Obama, McCain and the coming fiscal disaster”, Chicago
Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0710chapmanjul10,0,7110404.column BB
Federal budget policy is a dry subject with far too many numbers and charts, which makes it uninviting to most
Americans. But the theme of the current budget story is one that could have come from a blockbuster summer
movie: We are doomed. There is a fiscal asteroid on course to pulverize us, and no one is coming to the rescue.
The problem is simple and depressingly familiar. This year, federal spending will exceed federal revenue by more
than $400 billion. Given the weak state of the economy, the deficit will get worse before it gets better.
No Fiscal Discipline—Congress is unwilling to cut programs
Gregory Bresiger, managing editor of Traders Magazine and a writer for the Mises Institute, the Free Market and the New
York Post, 7/04/08, “The non-issue that should be an issue”, SmallGovTimes,
http://www.smallgovtimes.com/story/08jul04.non.issues/)
Indeed, Democrats say little or nothing in the federal budget can be cut. The government must expand its
responsibilities. It must provide health care and financial security for all. Also, there must be more spending for
national security. Still, there is little serious discussion about what all this would cost, though sometimes, even in
the heat of partisan battles, some truth emerges. "Our country is in a sinkhole of debt, and it is almost as if we
have adopted a philosophy of 'all you can spend' around here. Spending is out of control," says Senator Mike
Enzi (R-Wyo) in criticizing the Democrats' recently proposed federal budget. Nevertheless, despite making an
effective case that red ink is endless, Enzi should look at his own party. Republicans, who controlled Congress for 12
years until the end of 2006, haven't been much better than Democrats. Republicans used to talk about reducing the
welfare state. I remember when candidate Ronald Reagan in 1980 promised to end the Energy and Education
departments. Some Republicans, who themselves have caught the entitlement-spending/social-engineering bug, now
propose the creation of a federal department of families. Indeed many Republicans, who once said they were
against the welfare state, now brag they are better at running the welfare state than the Democrats. I remember
a speech on this theme given by George Will to the Security Traders Association some two years ago. ("Wonderful
speech," I told Will as he walked out and started to gloat at what he thought was another compliment. "Yes, sir. Now I
know why I'm a libertarian!" Deflated, the Republican welfare statist growled and hurried away.)
122
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
FISCAL D Low
Congress has spent billions on Veteran Entitlement, Emergency Relief, and Unemployment
Gail Russell Chaddock, Staff Writer of the Christian Science Monitor, 6/30/08, “Congress's spending goes unchecked,
with more likely”, Christian Science Monitor, http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0630/p25s01-uspo.html , BB
Washington - Before leaving town last week, Congress wrapped up a $162 billion war-funding bill and expanded
America's entitlement system by giving veterans the biggest boost in college benefits since the World War II GI bill.
Lawmakers also added a 13-week extension to unemployment benefits and approved $2.7 billion in emergency
relief for the storm-lashed Midwest. Despite commitments to fiscal discipline on both sides of the aisle, none of
it is paid for – at least not by today's taxpayers. "There is absolutely no appetite to make hard choices," says
Robert Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, citing the war-funding bill. "There's never been any
attempt to pay for the war, and now that's being used to expand a major entitlement program for veterans,
which might be a good idea, but we ought to pay for it."
Earmarking is great problem in status quo
Dr. James Dobson, Ph.D. Founder and Chairman of Focus on the Family, April 29, 2008 “The Asteroid That is Our
Economy That is to Come” (http://undcr.com/?p=217)
It’s not that the government doesn’t have enough money–it’s that it’s mishandling money and spending the
lion’s share of it in the wrong places. Of prime concern is the issue of “earmarking,” which refers to provisions
in legislation that direct federal funds to be spent on the politician’s pet projects, often in his or her home
district. It is called “bringing home the bacon” and is one of the ways they stay in office. Republicans and
Democrats alike have been guilty of abusing this practice for years now. At the 11th hour, earmarks are quietly
slipped into massive spending bills by members of Congress. Do you remember the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere”
fiasco? Congress tried to fund a $230 million bridge that led to an Alaskan town of 50 people.10 The funding was
ultimately axed–but only after public outrage demanded it.
A few of the saner voices in Congress have called for a serious reform of the earmark system, or even for the
elimination of earmarks altogether. But alas, during its budget proceedings, the Senate failed to implement even a
temporary ban on this wasteful and irresponsible practice. It’s worth noting that the three front-running presidential
contenders did, in fact, vote for the temporary ban, perhaps because they are in the spotlight and know how unpopular
pork-barrel spending is with the American public. Nevertheless, for the majority of Senators in both parties,
earmarks are a sacred cow. Or is that a cash cow? Whatever the case, the effort to end earmarks went down in
flames in a 29-to-71 vote.11 Alas, the asteroid is heading our way!
123
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
FISCAL D Low
Bush is irresponsible, low fiscal discipline and is corrupt. Pork barrels everything?
Richard A. Viguerie, a conservative figure head and writer in American politics. He is the current chairman of
conservativehq.com, August 9, 2006, “Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government
Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause- pages 6,7)
<continues next page>
124
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
FISCAL D Low
CARD CONTINUED FROM
Richard A. Viguerie, a conservative figure head and writer in American politics. He is the current chairman of
conservativehq.com, August 9, 2006, “Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government
Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause- pages 6,7)
125
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
NO SPILLOVER – EARMARKS
Earmarks Happening now, there’s bipartisan love for it.
Huffington Post, The internet newspaper, June 18, 2008, “Bipartisanship Thrives -- At Least When it Comes to Earmarks”
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-bittle-and-jean-johnson/bipartisanship-thrives_b_107667.html)
Earmarks -- the Rasputin of Congressional budget politics - are back on the scene. If you don't remember your late tsarist
Russian history, Rasputin was the "mad monk" with scary eyes, decadent tastes and way too much influence over Tsarina
Alexandra. Eventually he was poisoned, shot, beaten, and finally drowned by a group of dissident Russian nobles. He drank
enough poison to kill multiple humans and had three bullets in his back, but he still led his killers on a chase through St.
Petersburg before they finally caught up with him, clubbed him and threw him in the Neva River. There were even rumors
that he sat up during his cremation. The Congressional earmark industry is proving equally hardy despite repeated
attempts to kill or at least weaken it, according to the Washington Post. The current House defense authorization bill
contains almost $10 billion dollars of earmarks according to figures compiled by Taxpayers for Common Sense. The
Senate bill hasn't been approved yet, but Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
Carl Levin (D-MI), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Mark Pryor (D-AR), and Mel Martinez (R-FL) are
among those listed as requesting earmarks. Okay, so we have members from the House and the Senate, from the
liberal northeast and the conservative south, men and the women, Democrats, Republicans, an Independent, and what
can they finally agree on - the ritual of slipping those tasty little earmarks into the defense budget. And they've agreed
to do this when the country is at war and faces a budget deficit approaching half a trillion dollars for this fiscal year.
126
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
No increase in money
Alternative Energy can funded without an increase
States New Service 6/23/2008, “KIRK/BIGGERT: U.S. "MOON SHOT" PROGRAM TO GET OFF FOREIGN OIL
"APOLLO ENERGY INDEPENDENCE ACT" ON SCALE OF NASA'S MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM TO LOWER
GAS PRICES, BOOST ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES AND IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY”, lexis
With Chicagoland leading the nation in gas prices, U.S. Representatives Mark Kirk and Judy Biggert joined with
environmental, business and research leaders today to announce new legislation dramatically boosting the
federal government's commitment to energy independence. With the backdrop of Chicago's premier space
museum, the Adler Planetarium, the legislation is modeled on NASA's $20 billion effort to land an American on the
moon. The "Apollo Energy Independence Act" establishes long-term market incentives to spur breakthroughs
for the development and deployment of alternative energies, vehicles and fuel. Increases in support for
alternative energy are offset by spending reductions in earmark and subsidy programs to ensure the bill does
not require additional borrowing or taxes.
127
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
McCain & Obama Fiscal D low
Obama and Mccain will both be fiscally irresponsible.
Steve Chapman, He attended Harvard University, where he was on the staff of The Harvard Crimson, and graduated with
honors in 1976. He has been a fellow at the American Academy in Berlin and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University,
July 10, 2008, “Obama, McCain and the coming fiscal disaster” http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chioped0710chapmanjul10,0,7110404.column
The problem is simple and depressingly familiar. This year, federal spending will exceed federal revenue by
more than $400 billion. Given the weak state of the economy, the deficit will get worse before it gets better.
Actually, it may never get better, because the current shortfall coincides with the start of the most dreaded
fiscal event of all time: the retirement of the Baby Boomers, who will soon consume eye-popping amounts in
Social Security and Medicare. The latest proof came when McCain unveiled his economic plan, in which he
vows to eliminate the deficit in four years. His plan to balance the budget is simple: He plans to balance the
budget. Exactly which programs he will trim to reach that goal are anyone's guess. For someone with a reputation as
a fearless foe of congressional earmarks and pork-barrel waste, McCain is amazingly timid in taking on the rest of the
budget. About his only specific proposal is a one-year freeze in those discretionary programs that don't involve
defense or veterans. McCain doesn't say how much that would save, but it wouldn't be a lot. Those expenditures
amount to only 17 percent of all federal outlays. Eighty-three percent of the budget would keep on growing.
After a year, so would the other 17 percent. He vows to follow up with "comprehensive spending controls." But
promising to control spending in general means promising to control nothing in particular. Just because voters
will go along with a vague limit on total outlays doesn't mean they are willing to surrender funds going to them
or their favorite causes. It's one thing to inform a toddler that he shouldn't eat too much candy. It's another to
take the Tootsie Roll Pop out of his hand. The Republican standard-bearer, however, acts as though the task will be
easy. Among the methods offered in this plan: "Eliminate broken programs. The federal government itself admits that
one in five programs do not perform." How about naming one? How about promising to pound a stake through its
heart? When it comes to spending, though, Obama is even worse. The National Taxpayers Union Foundation
added up all the promises made by the two candidates and found that McCain's would cost taxpayers an extra
$68 billion a year. Obama's add up to $344 billion a year. The Illinois senator's pledge to get tough on
unnecessary expenditures is as solid as cotton candy. Among his vows is to "slash earmarks to no greater than
what they were in 2001," but earmarks make up less than 2 percent of the budget. Trying to restore fiscal
discipline by cutting earmarks is like trying to lose weight by adopting an exercise program for your left index
finger. Obama claims he'll pay for all his new spending with new revenues and spending cuts. But like McCain, he
has been hazy on the details. And it will be far easier for him to get Congress to approve new spending than to enact
the measures needed to pay for it. Unless Obama is willing to take on his own party with the veto pen, we should
expect four more years of irresponsible budgeting. His only defense is that he would not have to make up as much
lost revenue as his rival. The Tax Policy Center says his tax plan would cut federal receipts by $2.7 trillion over the
next decade, compared with $3.6 trillion for McCain. The details differ, but the basic picture is the same regardless of
who wins: Washington will spend more, red ink will roll down like a mighty river, and we as a nation will continue to
dodge the critical choices we face.
Obama will have low fiscal discipline, calculations prove
Washington Times, a full-service, general interest daily newspaper in the nation's capital, September 30, 20 07
(http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/sep/30/obamas-flawed-fiscal-plan/)
After spending his first two and a half years in the Senate blasting the Bush administration for its irresponsible budget
policies, Sen. Barack Obama has been busy devising his own fiscal train wreck. First came the low-ball estimate for his
universal health-insurance proposal, the annual cost he calculated to be between $50 billion and $65 billion. Mr.
Obama said he could pay for his plan by reinstating Clinton-era income-tax rates (20 percent on capital gains and 39.6
percent on salary and dividend income) on those earning more than $250,000 a year. Mr. Obama's middle-class tax
proposal offers no relief for the alternative minimum tax, which threatens to cost taxpayers (most of whom are in the
middle- and upper-middle-class ranges) more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years. Yet he clearly intends to cancel
those pending tax increases, although his plan fails to provide a dime toward that end. Mr. Obama's fiscal policy
doesn't add up.
128
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Spending -> boost econ
Environmental Spending is key to saving the economy
Mark Lynas, a climate change writer and activist, author of the acclaimed book 'High Tide' and fortnightly columnist for the
New Statesman. He was selected by National Geographic as an 'Emerging Explorer' for 2006, 7/17/2008, “A Green New
Deal”, http://www.newstatesman.com/environment/2008/07/lynas-towards-economy-climate,BB
The Green New Deal Group is not talking about incremental changes, however. It is calling for nothing less
than a return to pre-war Keynesianism - complete with big increases in public investment spending and much
tighter controls on international finance - with a "war economy" social mobilisation harnessed, this time not
towards fighting fascism, but towards heading off ecological crisis. What is novel is that this call is directed not
just at stabilising the climate, but also at stabilising the economy - lower interest rates and higher government
spending are aimed at ending the credit crunch as much as tackling the oil and climate crunches.
Increasing Environmental spending solves the economic crisis
Andrew Simms, policy director of nef (the new economics foundation) the award-winning UK think-and-do tank, and head
of nef's Climate Change Programme, The Guardian, 7/4/08,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/04/greenpolitics.climatechange
For all their bluster, the architects of environmental backlash seem utterly bereft of their own ideas about what to do
differently. The green movement, on the other hand, overflows with proposals. One initiative, soon to be
launched, is the call for a "Green New Deal". Organised by a group of environmentalists and experts in
finance, it proposes joined-up policies to tackle the triple crunch. At its heart is an acknowledgement of the
profoundly distorting role of footloose and feckless finance. The Green New Deal will call for the re-regulation
of finance and taxation, linked to a transformational economic programme to substantially reduce fossil fuel
use. In the process, it will create countless green-collar jobs to tackle the unemployment and decline in demand
caused by the credit crunch. The Green New Deal is a modern translation of the politics of hope and pragmatism
employed by Roosevelt in the 1930s. Then, as now, someone needed to pick up the pieces of a system failed by shorttermism and unenlightened self-interest.
129
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
*** Congressional Trade Off
130
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DDI 2008
Serrano
CongTrade-Off – 1NC F-22
Military spending is on the chopping block; the plan will trade off with nuclear subs, F-22s, and
space weapons.
Richard Sammon, Senior Associate Editor at the Kiplinger Business Resource Center 6/24/08
http://www.kiplinger.com/businessresource/forecast/archive/No_More_Big_Spending_Hikes_080624.ht
ml
While either McCain or Obama will look for savings, their priorities are different. The missile defense program would
be trimmed if Obama wins, less so under McCain, although he, too, would give it more scrutiny than has been the case
with the Bush administration. Roughly $8 billion is allocated each year for research and development. Initial
construction and installation of antimissile silos and radars has started, but the project is rife with engineering
complexities and also political considerations about where segments ultimately will be placed, especially in Europe.
The missile defense budget will be a prime target for freeing up some funds for other purposes.
Also on the chopping block, although neither McCain nor Obama has gone into specifics, are nuclear subs, nextgeneration Navy surface ships, plus the F-22 and Joint Strike Fighter jet programs. They'll be trimmed in
scope and multiyear acquisition levels. Another area that will come under review is research into potential
space-based defense weapons, such as space-based lasers.
We must control our spending in order to prevent cuts on the military, which would be devastating
and embolden terrorists.
Jim Saxton, Representative from New Jersey. 7/14/08 Shortchanging our defenses over budget
problems creates more problems. http://thehill.com/op-eds/shortchanging-our-defenses-overbudget-problems-creates-more-problems-2008-07-14.html
Finally, we must continue to find ways to control mandatory spending. Increases in mandatory spending, as well
as our necessary commitments to Medicare and Social Security, are squeezing our discretionary accounts, including
defense. The projections are staggering. Between 2008 and 2018, mandatory spending is projected to jump from $1.6
trillion to $2.7 trillion, or 68.8 percent.
Hormats is right. Like generations before us, we must face the fiscal challenges of today. We must dismiss the false
belief that raising taxes and cutting military spending will solve problems. In the long term, they weaken the
nation. Our enemies are highly motivated and capable; we must continue to invest in a strong military to meet
their threat.
We must find ways to increase the international partnership in the war on terror. Most importantly Congress
must control mandatory spending. If we have the courage and conviction to follow this path, our nation will stay
strong and continue to prosper.
131
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
CongTrade-Off – 1NC F-22
F-22s are unprecedented at establishing air dominance, and have the capabilities to deal with new
threats.
Todd Lopez, Staff Writer at Air Force Print News. 6/23/06 “F-22 excels at establishing air dominance”
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123022371
"Even without stealth, this is the world's best fighter," General Lewis said. "The F-22, its ability with speed and
maneuverability, is unprecedented. The problem with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in establishing air dominance is
that you have to buy two or three to replace the F-22, because it only has half the weapons load, and it doesn't have the
speed. You can't replace (the F-22) one-for-one with an F-35 or any other legacy fighter such as the F-15E."
During Exercise Northern Edge 2006 in Alaska in early June, the F-22 proved its mettle against as many as 40
"enemy aircraft" during simulated battles. The Raptor achieved a 108-to-zero kill ratio at that exercise. But the
capabilities of the F-22 go beyond what it can do. It is also able to help other aircraft do better.
"When you are outnumbered on the battlefield -- the F-22 helps the F-18 and the F-15s increase their
performance," General Lewis said. "It gives them more situational awareness, and allows them to get their
expenditures because you can't kill all these airplanes with just the weapons aboard the F-22. It takes the F-15's and F18's weapons. It was very successful, (in its) ability to get everybody to integrate."
One role the F-22 is particularly good at, General Lewis said, is establishing air dominance. This means making
airspace above an area safe for other aircraft to come in do their mission. The F-22 is superb at performing air-toair combat and eliminating surface-to-air missiles. In fact, the F-22 is capable of dealing with both of those
threats at the same time.
"Because of its stealth and its speed, it is unique in that category, in that it allows us to establish air dominance,"
General Lewis said. "It goes after the aircraft, the SAMs, and the cruise missiles. And it can do it all at the same
time. The legacy (aircraft) can do any one of those, kind of okay, but they can't survive in contested airspace. They
can first try to take care of the aircraft, then they can work on the SAMs. But the F-22 has demonstrated, last year in
(final operational testing and evaluation), that we can do that simultaneously."
Of particular interest to the Air Force is the F-22's ability to deal with "double digit SAMs." A double digit
SAM, Air Force parlance for Russian-designed mobile surface-to-air missiles, is so named for the two digit designator
in their NATO reporting name. The Russian-designed S-300P Angara, for instance, is designated "SA-10" by NATO
countries. The "S-300PMU Favorit" is designated the "SA-20." Both Russia and China manufacture these
weapons systems, and they are readily available on the market. These weapons are highly mobile and pose a
threat to Air Force legacy aircraft such as the F-15 and F-16.
132
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
CongTrade-Off – 1NC NMD
Military spending is on the chopping block; the plan will trade off with nuclear subs, F-22s, and
space weapons.
Richard Sammon, Senior Associate Editor at the Kiplinger Business Resource Center 6/24/08
http://www.kiplinger.com/businessresource/forecast/archive/No_More_Big_Spending_Hikes_080624.ht
ml
While either McCain or Obama will look for savings, their priorities are different. The missile defense program would
be trimmed if Obama wins, less so under McCain, although he, too, would give it more scrutiny than has been the case
with the Bush administration. Roughly $8 billion is allocated each year for research and development. Initial
construction and installation of antimissile silos and radars has started, but the project is rife with engineering
complexities and also political considerations about where segments ultimately will be placed, especially in Europe.
The missile defense budget will be a prime target for freeing up some funds for other purposes.
Also on the chopping block, although neither McCain nor Obama has gone into specifics, are nuclear subs, nextgeneration Navy surface ships, plus the F-22 and Joint Strike Fighter jet programs. They'll be trimmed in
scope and multiyear acquisition levels. Another area that will come under review is research into potential
space-based defense weapons, such as space-based lasers.
We must control our spending in order to prevent cuts on the military, which would be devastating
and embolden terrorists.
Jim Saxton, Representative from New Jersey. 7/14/08 Shortchanging our defenses over budget
problems creates more problems. http://thehill.com/op-eds/shortchanging-our-defenses-overbudget-problems-creates-more-problems-2008-07-14.html
Finally, we must continue to find ways to control mandatory spending. Increases in mandatory spending, as well
as our necessary commitments to Medicare and Social Security, are squeezing our discretionary accounts, including
defense. The projections are staggering. Between 2008 and 2018, mandatory spending is projected to jump from $1.6
trillion to $2.7 trillion, or 68.8 percent.
Hormats is right. Like generations before us, we must face the fiscal challenges of today. We must dismiss the false
belief that raising taxes and cutting military spending will solve problems. In the long term, they weaken the
nation. Our enemies are highly motivated and capable; we must continue to invest in a strong military to meet
their threat.
We must find ways to increase the international partnership in the war on terror. Most importantly Congress
must control mandatory spending. If we have the courage and conviction to follow this path, our nation will stay
strong and continue to prosper.
133
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
CongTrade-Off – 1NC NMD
The missile defense system is key to prevent a war with Iran and promote stability in the Middle
East.
Riki Ellison, President and Founder of Missile Defense Advocacy Allience. 7/10/08 “Clear and
Present Danger” http://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org/news.aspx?news_id=1242
Iran's firing of 9 ballistic missiles yesterday and more missiles today as an escalatory response to military
exercises and political rhetoric is unequivocally a Clear and Present Danger to the United States of America
and its allies in the Middle East. Our nation and the international community need real options to forgo
preemptive military action and or direct escalatory military action by the United States and its allies that would
most likely lead to war with Iran. Currently, the U.S. has fully operational, deployed missile defense systems
that can stabilize the region, whereby strengthening the deterrent and decreasing the threat by non-lethal
means without escalating an already dynamic situation. Missile defense in this situation can stabilize and offer
valuable positioning for diplomatic efforts to ease down the intensity and work for a solution.
Currently to bring to bear in the Middle East region, the United States Army has multiple PAC -3 battalions and the
United States Navy has 15 missile defense equipped Aegis Ships, equipped with tracking radars and missile defense
interceptors of Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-2s. The country of Israel has deployed Arrow and PAC-3
missile defense systems. Though some of these systems are already in the region and more should follow, the
inventory of interceptors is very limited. Having these systems in the Middle East region cannot guarantee full
protection from Iran's missiles but it can offer more deterrence and some limited protection to our American and
Allied citizens as well as armed forces in the region.
This demonstrated use of multiple launches on the world stage coupled with Iran's nuclear intentions and their stated
political intent amplifies and validates the reasoning of why our nation through 11 Congresses and 4 United States
Presidents have fully supported and funded the development, deployment and continued evolution of missile defense.
It is the reason why the 26 countries of NATO have fully endorsed missile defense and the third site in Europe. It is
the reason why the country of Israel has developed and deployed missile defense systems and other countries in the
Middle East region have reached out to the United States for missile defense. It validates the Czech Republic
agreement on missile defense earlier this week, and it adds to the necessity of protecting Europe from ballistic
missiles.
It is of vital importance to global peace and security for the United States and the international community to
continue to develop and deploy future missile defenses for the threat our world faces today and in the future.
134
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
CongTrade-Off – 1NC NMD
Increased instability in the Middle East will quickly break down to chaos and plunge the world into
war.
Cetron, Marvin J.; Davies, Owen. Writers for The Futurist. 9/1/07 “Worst-case scenario: the Middle
East: current trends indicate that a Middle Eastern war might last for decades. Here is an overview of the
most critical potential impacts”
There is more to come. After all, this is the most volatile region in the world. Sunnis and Shi'ites have carried on an
intermittent religious and ethnic power struggle there for some 1,400 years. Worse, after World War I the victors
deliberately broke the Middle East into artificial states that could never be stable, and thus could not easily be
united under the banner of Pan Arabism. As Sesh Velamoor of the Foundation For the Future points out, if the West is
unhappy with conditions in the Middle East, it has itself largely to blame. But the important point is that mere
instability soon could break down into general chaos.
Here is one possible course of events: Hezbollah's current protests in Lebanon and the government's reactive
crackdown may result in a larger war. Saudi Arabia could intervene here, too, as it has been actively supporting
the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. At the same time, Hezbollah and Hamas, in the Occupied
Territories, will be encouraged to expand their struggle against Israel. In Egypt, the banned but still powerful
Muslim Brotherhood would be encouraged to resume the battle for a fundamentalist Islamic state, endangering
Western access to the Suez Canal. Extremists from distant reaches of the Muslim world will flood into the Middle
East. Saudi Arabia, a land of Sunni Arabs, and Iran, the home of Persian Shi'ites, already on opposite sides in Iraq,
might expand their conflict to do battle across the Persian Gulf, with fallout in Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab
Emirates. One way or another, it all spins out of control. Everyone in the Middle East fights everyone else for
decades.
135
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Trade off with F22
Military spending is on the chopping block; the plan will trade off with nuclear subs, F-22s, and
space weapons.
Richard Sammon, Senior Associate Editor at the Kiplinger Business Resource Center 6/24/08
http://www.kiplinger.com/businessresource/forecast/archive/No_More_Big_Spending_Hikes_080624.ht
ml
While either McCain or Obama will look for savings, their priorities are different. The missile defense program would
be trimmed if Obama wins, less so under McCain, although he, too, would give it more scrutiny than has been the case
with the Bush administration. Roughly $8 billion is allocated each year for research and development. Initial
construction and installation of antimissile silos and radars has started, but the project is rife with engineering
complexities and also political considerations about where segments ultimately will be placed, especially in Europe.
The missile defense budget will be a prime target for freeing up some funds for other purposes.
Also on the chopping block, although neither McCain nor Obama has gone into specifics, are nuclear subs, nextgeneration Navy surface ships, plus the F-22 and Joint Strike Fighter jet programs. They'll be trimmed in
scope and multiyear acquisition levels. Another area that will come under review is research into potential
space-based defense weapons, such as space-based lasers.
We must control our spending in order to prevent cuts on the military, which would be devastating
and embolden terrorists.
Jim Saxton, Representative from New Jersey. 7/14/08 Shortchanging our defenses over budget
problems creates more problems. http://thehill.com/op-eds/shortchanging-our-defenses-overbudget-problems-creates-more-problems-2008-07-14.html
Finally, we must continue to find ways to control mandatory spending. Increases in mandatory spending, as well
as our necessary commitments to Medicare and Social Security, are squeezing our discretionary accounts, including
defense. The projections are staggering. Between 2008 and 2018, mandatory spending is projected to jump from $1.6
trillion to $2.7 trillion, or 68.8 percent.
Hormats is right. Like generations before us, we must face the fiscal challenges of today. We must dismiss the false
belief that raising taxes and cutting military spending will solve problems. In the long term, they weaken the
nation. Our enemies are highly motivated and capable; we must continue to invest in a strong military to meet
their threat.
We must find ways to increase the international partnership in the war on terror. Most importantly Congress
must control mandatory spending. If we have the courage and conviction to follow this path, our nation will stay
strong and continue to prosper.
136
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Chopping block
Funding for F-22s will be reallocated towards funding for new renewable technology companies
Donald E. Vandergriff, US Army Major, 6/18/08, “Chuck Spinney on Obama’s Politics of Change”,
http://donvandergriff.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/chuck-spinney-on-obamas-politics-of-change-afghanistan-gorestransformative-vision/
Meanwhile, to make matters even worse, Obama just knee-jerked and endorsed Gore’s absurd call to end US
dependency on carbon for electrical power (i.e., coal, oil, gas) in 10 years by throwing money at the renewable
energy programs in a crash program patterned after John F. Kennedy’s Apollo program in the so-called Moon
race — which, by the way, is a ridiculous analogy. Going to the moon was a far simpler, far more narrow,
engineering problem which involved only a comparatively miniscule investment in production/infrastructure facilities.
Repoweringall the carbon-fired power plants withsolar, wind, and water generators in the United States would be a
gargantuan effort requiring development of new technologies, particularly energy storage technologies, and massive
investments in all sorts of infrastructure. The only near term energy technology that could be used on such a massive
scale is nuclear power, and even that would be impossible to do in ten years, particularly given the problems of storing
radioactive waste, location, and safety. Bear in mindthat Gore’s colossal feat would take place in a country that can
not muster the political will to solve the comparatively simple problem of rebuilding New Orleans.
Of course, Gore packaged his transformative vision under the umbrella of national security (the politics of fear,
again) Gore’s proposal, if it ever gets traction, will result in a colossal boondoggle for same hi-tech
companies that now take 20+ years to move an airplane like F-22 or a weapon system that doesn’t work like
missile defense from R&D to anything like operational status.
Now I am all for developing solar and wind technologies, etc, but a transformation of the nation’s entire
electrical production capabilities in 10 years is preposterous on its face.
Gore’s top-down (I know what is best) proposal, which Obama (who claims to be a bottom-up politician) endorsed, is
really a formula for looting the taxpayer, particularly when you consider that the techno-defense giants, like Boeing &
Lockheed, are certain cash in on the Gore’s golden cornucopia, should it occur. The horrors of the ethanol scam will
be welcome by comparison.
Surely, high speed rail, mandating better fuel economy in cars, subsidizing more insulation in houses and office
buildings, wearing sweaters, subsidizing population movements from suburbs to cities, and other proven technologies
would yield far larger energy benefits in the short term.
137
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Chopping block
The purchase of more F-22 jets are questioned in congress
Mark Thompson, staff writer, 2/22/08, TIME, “The Air Force reaches for the Sky”,
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1715482,00.html
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have worn down the nation's ground forces, stretching those serving in the Army
and Marines and wearing out their gear at an unprecedented rate. So, it's no surprise that the nation's ground-pounders
would be seeking the most from the ever-cooperative members of the House Armed Services Committee. For years,
that Pentagon-pleasing panel has asked the services to send it a wish list — lawmakers prefer to call it an "unfunded
requirements list" — of budget items they desire but which have not been approved by their penny-pinching civilian
overseers, i.e. the Defense Secretary and the President.
Earlier this month, the Army stepped up to the plate and asked for $4 billion more than the $141 billion it is slated to
receive in 2009. The Marines asked for $3 billion more than their proposed ration of $25 billion. The Navy asked for
$5 billion to be added to its bottom line of $124 billion. But all those sums added together don't equal the — hold
your breath, dear taxpayer — $19 billion that the Air Force wants over and above its $144 billion request.
A quick flip through the 11-page list turns up a $13 million "requirement" for dorm furniture — an item that may
justify the other services dubbing it the "Chair Force" because so many of its people are behind desks. In response to
questions from TIME on the list's contents and cost, the Air Force issued a statement Thursday saying the list
contains only its "most critical needs." Lieutenant General Dave Deptula, the Air Force's top intel officer, says
his service's needs "are severe and getting worse," and that the list reflects the gap "between where we are and
where we need to be."
Highlighting the huge request is a proposal by the Air Force to trump its civilian leaders and buy twice as
many F-22 jets as now planned, while hyping the threats to justify the buy. China and India are, in the Air
Force's eyes, the 21st century equivalent of the Soviet Union, requiring billions in new aircraft that even a
hawkish Republican President doesn't think are needed. More critically, every dollar spent on supersonic aircraft is a
dollar that isn't spent on the kind of troops and materiel needed to wage the two irregular wars the nation is now
fighting, and which many experts predict will be the kinds of wars fought for the next generation or two.
The military is hardly starving. The Pentagon's proposed 2009 Defense Budget is twice the size of the budget
President Bush inherited from Bill Clinton. Even without the nearly $200 billion for the wars, the $515 billion tab is
on par with the defense budgets of World War II. "Today, free-flowing funding has fundamentally undermined all
budget discipline in the Pentagon," says Gordon Adams, who oversaw military spending from a senior post in the
Clinton White House.
Take the fight over the F-22. The Pentagon has declared it wants to cap procurement at 183 planes, for $65
billion. But the Air Force wants 380 of them. "We think that [183] is the wrong number," General Bruce
Carlson, the Air Force's top weapons buyer, told reporters at a Feb. 13 industry gathering. "We're committed
to funding 380," he added. "We're building a program right now to do that." Defense Secretary Robert Gates
called Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne after reading Carlson's comments in Aerospace Daily, a trade paper, and
told him to remind Carlson who's the boss. (Wynne did, and issued a statement saying the Air Force "wholeheartedly
supports" the Administration's proposal.)
Days earlier, Carlson said that today's U.S. Air Force "simply cannot fight and win against the fleet of
airplanes that have been developed and are flying in India, China, and so forth," a claim questioned by many
experts. But his view has been reinforced by the companies employing 25,000 workers in 44 states building the
F-22 — the prime contractor is aerospace giant Lockheed Martin — and their allies in Congress. That is what
is so insidious about these lists: once Congress gets a hold of them, they're used as pile drivers to pound extra
billions into the Pentagon budget, generally by lawmakers seeking to fund jobs in their districts.
138
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Serrano
Chopping block
Sales of F-22 Jets have become political spending issues
Leslie Wayne, staff writer, 9/12/06, International Herald Tribune, “Washington Battles over costly F-22 Jet”,
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/11/business/plane.php?page=1
The F-22 fighter jet, now being delivered to Air Force bases around the country, is the Maserati of the skies. Intended
to take on a military opponent that no longer exists - the Soviet Union - it has a cruising speed of Mach 2, twice the
speed of sound; its top speed is a Pentagon secret. And with radar-evading stealth technology, it can attack its enemies
almost invisibly.
But the F-22's only real battles these days are taking place in the corridors of power in Washington. F-22
supporters have been taking on the Bush administration and Washington budget-cutters who want to limit
production to 183 planes because the cost to taxpayers has risen to $350 million per plane.
But the Air Force and Lockheed Martin, the plane's maker, arguing that the plane provides global aerial dominance,
say they need to build more F-22s, potentially hundreds more. And that is why they have gone around their ostensible
bosses in the Pentagon and White House to push Congress to open the door so they can sell more of them.
One measure, passed by the House in July on a voice vote after only 11 minutes of discussion, would end a ban on F22 sales abroad.
The ban was put in place to prevent sensitive F-22 technology from leaking to other countries. But F-22 backers are
hoping to make the program's $65 billion overall cost more palatable by spreading its costs over more planes and
more countries.
The other legislation, passed by the Senate 70 to 28 over the strong objections of the Armed Services
Committee, directed the Pentagon to enter into a multiyear contract to extend the F-22's production run
beyond its current 2011 termination date and reduce annual congressional oversight. Negotiating committees
will take up the two measures later this month.
"Congress is firmly in the Air Force corner on this one," said Loren Thompson, a military expert at the
Lexington Institute. "My best judgment is, the Air Force will get all the F-22s it wants. You are talking about
an Air Force dominated by fighter pilots, and past experience shows that if a military service really wants a
weapon, it gets it."
Both measures provide a bird's eye view of what Washington calls "the Iron Triangle" - a politically powerful
combination of military contractors and their allies inside the Pentagon and in Congress. The Senate language in the
multiyear contract measure, for instance, is word-for-word identical to a proposal drafted by the lobbyist for
Lockheed.
"Please vote 'yes' on the proposed Chambliss Amendment," said an e-mail circulated by Lockheed to Senate members
before the measure had even been introduced by Senator Saxby Chambliss, the Georgia Republican whose district
includes an F-22 assembly plant.
The House effort to lift the ban on foreign sales was offered by Representative Kay Granger, the Texas Republican
whose district includes the Lockheed factory that makes the F-22's midsection and employs 2,640 people.
The Air Force, which has made the F- 22 its top priority, has taken possession of 74 F-22s, with six others now in
production. Lockheed plans to make 20 to 25 a year.
The F-22 was conceived two decades ago to take on the Soviets. Even though that threat disappeared, the F-22
program dragged on for years as the plane's design was altered to take advantage of the latest technologies. As result,
the number of planes the Pentagon could afford dropped and the price tag rose.
The F-22 has also suffered from a number of embarrassing glitches. Earlier this year, an F-22 pilot got trapped in the
jet and had to be rescued from his cockpit with chainsaws. Landing gear failed in another instance, causing the aircraft
to fall on its nose. Structural cracks have also been reported.
Originally, the Air Force wanted 750 F-22s. But while the Bush Administration and Donald Rumsfeld, the
Defense Secretary, say that cost constraints have limited the program to 183 planes, the Air Force has said it
needs 381, or more.
139
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Airpower Impact
F-22s are crucial for the US to maintain control over the airways
Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D, 7/16/08, Heritage Foundation, Lexington Institute Issue Brief, “Further F-22 Production is
crucial to winning Future Wars”, http://blog.nationalsecurity.org/2008/07/further-f-22-pr.html#52768886
Today, the Pentagon doesn't have a coherent plan for how it will sustain global air dominance over the next 30
years without a sufficient number of F-22s, because it has convinced itself that unconventional warfare is the
wave of the future. In other words, it doesn't think U.S. air dominance will be challenged. Not surprisingly,
some potential adversaries like Russia see this as an invitation to begin competing again for command of the
skies. The next administration needs to step back from all the trendy ideas of the past eight years and focus on some
basic facts about military preparedness...
1. Air dominance -- the ability to control airspace -- is the most important capability U.S. forces have. Without it,
soldiers and sailors on the surface are constantly in danger from hostile aircraft, and friendly aircraft cannot safely
accomplish missions like bombing and airlift.
2. U.S. air dominance is at risk today around the world from new surface-to-air missiles that can shoot down
any plane that is not stealthy or shielded from detection by electronic jamming. Additional danger comes from
new foreign fighters that match or surpass the F-15.
3. Even without these new threats, the current fleet of cold-war fighters is so old that it cannot be counted on to
provide air dominance in the future. Many Air Force fighters operate on flight restriction due to metal fatigue,
corrosion and other age-related maladies.
4. The F-22 is the only fighter the U.S. is building that was designed mainly as an air dominance aircraft rather
than as a tradeoff of competing roles. It can conduct bombing, intelligence gathering and information warfare,
but these do not detract from the air dominance mission.
5. Most of the money required to build 381 F-22s has already been spent, and cannot be recovered -- including $24
billion spent by five administrations to develop the plane. So the real question today is whether warfighters will get a
good return on that investment by buying enough planes.
F-22s are critical in fighting in future wars
John Gapper, journalist, 7/16/08, Financial Times, “America’s air force misses the Target”,
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d7d3b01c-535f-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.html
What impresses the US air force, however, is not what pleases the US government. The F-22 has become a symbol of
what Robert Gates, the defence secretary, has dubbed " 'next-war-itis' - the propensity of much of the defence
establishment to be in favour of what might be needed in a future conflict".
Mr Gates wants the US military instead to focus on the "war on terror" and asymmetric conflicts in which it has to
work with allies to combat suicide bombers and insurgents in hot, dusty countries. The kind of air support that such
campaigns require is helicopters and cargo aircraft, not a 21st-century stealth fighter jet.
As a result, he has stood firm against the USAF's wish to have 381 F-22s to replace its ageing fleet of F-15s, a
Vietnam-era fighter that has been repeatedly patched and upgraded. The US will buy only 183 and intends to
make do instead with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a forthcoming stealth aircraft that is cheaper and more
versatile.
Mr Gates may be right that the F-22 will prove an unnecessary precaution in the world as we know it and that
five squadrons is "a reasonable buy". But there are two difficulties with his obstinate position, one military and
the second financial.
The military problem is that air superiority is something the US takes for granted but is not inevitable. Mr
Gates clearly believes the USAF is stuck in the past but he could equally be accused of being stuck in the
present. While terrorism is the immediate threat, China's military rise and Russia's military resurgence are
worries for the future.
If it came to a "peer" battle with another military power, the US would have sheer numbers on its side. But
Russian-built Sukhoi Su-27s, which have been acquired by countries including China, could match the US's
"fourth generation" aircraft - F-15s and the like - in a fight.
It would require a "fifth generation" stealth fighter - either an F-22 or an F-35 - to see them off. The US should
have plenty of Joint Strike Fighters: it has ordered about 2,400 for its air force, marines and navy, which are due to
enter service in 2011.
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Airpower Impact
F-22s are unprecedented at establishing air dominance, and have the capabilities to deal with new
threats.
Todd Lopez, Staff Writer at Air Force Print News. 6/23/06 “F-22 excels at establishing air dominance”
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123022371
"Even without stealth, this is the world's best fighter," General Lewis said. "The F-22, its ability with speed and
maneuverability, is unprecedented. The problem with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in establishing air dominance is
that you have to buy two or three to replace the F-22, because it only has half the weapons load, and it doesn't have the
speed. You can't replace (the F-22) one-for-one with an F-35 or any other legacy fighter such as the F-15E."
During Exercise Northern Edge 2006 in Alaska in early June, the F-22 proved its mettle against as many as 40
"enemy aircraft" during simulated battles. The Raptor achieved a 108-to-zero kill ratio at that exercise. But the
capabilities of the F-22 go beyond what it can do. It is also able to help other aircraft do better.
"When you are outnumbered on the battlefield -- the F-22 helps the F-18 and the F-15s increase their
performance," General Lewis said. "It gives them more situational awareness, and allows them to get their
expenditures because you can't kill all these airplanes with just the weapons aboard the F-22. It takes the F-15's and F18's weapons. It was very successful, (in its) ability to get everybody to integrate."
One role the F-22 is particularly good at, General Lewis said, is establishing air dominance. This means making
airspace above an area safe for other aircraft to come in do their mission. The F-22 is superb at performing air-toair combat and eliminating surface-to-air missiles. In fact, the F-22 is capable of dealing with both of those
threats at the same time.
"Because of its stealth and its speed, it is unique in that category, in that it allows us to establish air dominance,"
General Lewis said. "It goes after the aircraft, the SAMs, and the cruise missiles. And it can do it all at the same
time. The legacy (aircraft) can do any one of those, kind of okay, but they can't survive in contested airspace. They
can first try to take care of the aircraft, then they can work on the SAMs. But the F-22 has demonstrated, last year in
(final operational testing and evaluation), that we can do that simultaneously."
Of particular interest to the Air Force is the F-22's ability to deal with "double digit SAMs." A double digit
SAM, Air Force parlance for Russian-designed mobile surface-to-air missiles, is so named for the two digit designator
in their NATO reporting name. The Russian-designed S-300P Angara, for instance, is designated "SA-10" by NATO
countries. The "S-300PMU Favorit" is designated the "SA-20." Both Russia and China manufacture these
weapons systems, and they are readily available on the market. These weapons are highly mobile and pose a
threat to Air Force legacy aircraft such as the F-15 and F-16.
141
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Airpower Impact
F-22 Jets face funding woes at Washington despite its necessity to US security
August Cole, staff writer, 7/14/08, Wall Street Journal, “Fate of Lockeheed’s F-22 Raptor in Air”,
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121599581309149673.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
The F-22 Raptor, capable of aerobatic feats unimaginable for earlier-generation jets, is expected to be the star
attraction Monday when it flies at the prestigious Farnborough International Airshow in England. But Lockheed
Martin Corp. is set to end production of the fighter when it delivers its final F-22 to the Air Force in 2011. It is
a Catch-22 of military contracting: The fighter is so advanced that, under law, not even U.S. allies are allowed
to buy it. At the same time, the Defense Department does not want to order any more because senior leaders
believe it is not the right weapon for current missions, which command a growing slice of the Pentagon budget.
That is a blow for Lockheed, which stands to miss out on revenue from its premier fighter. The plane, with a $143
million price tag, is rolling off the assembly line problem-free, and last year the Air Force declared it combatready. Australia and Japan have expressed interest in buying it, and many in the industry consider it the best
fighter ever made. But currently, Lockheed has orders for only 183 of them.
"The F-22 is clearly an icon of American power projection," says Tom Ehrhard, senior fellow at the Center for
Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and a former Air Force officer.
One of the plane's biggest vulnerabilities has been not in the air, but in Washington. The F-22 fighter program
has been in development since before the end of the Cold War. The Air Force wanted to buy 381 of the aircraft,
arguing that any less would leave gaps in their capabilities. But the current defense secretary, Robert Gates, has
said the plane is not relevant to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. He neither funded more fighters nor funded a
line shutdown.
The curtailing of the F-22 has come to symbolize the tension in the Defense Department between future threats and
today's fights. Mr. Gates wants the Pentagon to focus on weaponry that serves ground forces, like those in
Afghanistan and Iraq, and he does not believe the F-22, which is geared more toward fighting a conventional foe, is
needed.
The Air Force is concerned that even if the U.S. does not face any real rivals in battle today, China or Russia
could still emerge as adversaries. In addition, it argues that nations with small defense budgets can assemble
dangerous air-defense systems using an increasingly sophisticated and accessible array of antiaircraft weapons
that can shoot down lesser fighters.
Late last year, several lawmakers and the chief executives of the big defense companies involved in F-22
production wrote Mr. Gates, arguing for funding for 20 more jets in the 2009 budget. That failed. It will be up
to the next White House whether the F-22 will be included in future defense budgets.
Despite the high stakes for Lockheed, based in Bethesda, Md., the company must be careful about lobbying for more
sales. It cannot afford to get publicly dragged into a feud between the Pentagon and the Air Force over the jet.
Lockheed said it supports the Pentagon's decision to let the next White House weigh in on the plane's fate. "We don't
expect this administration to make a particular judgment ... whether there will be more F-22s or not," Lockheed
Chairman Robert Stevens told reporters in London. Mr. Stevens said Lockheed later this year must tell some suppliers
whether there will be any follow-on orders.
Lockheed is developing a new fighter that is not caught in the same crossfire. Called the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike
Fighter, it will cost almost $300 billion to develop and buy. Eight U.S. allies, including the U.K. and Australia, are
involved in producing the plane and plan to order it, as well. Other countries, such as Israel, may also sign up. But the
F-35, which costs less than half the price of the F-22, is not ready yet, and Air Force officials think the F-22 is a
superior jet.
The single-seat F-22 can cruise at faster than the speed of sound, a feat other fighters cannot pull off, and it
carries an assortment of cutting-edge weapons. The plane's stealth and electronic warfare systems make it
ideally suited to leading missions into heavily defended areas.
At Farnborough, the 15-minute demonstration will likely include a highly anticipated back flip made possible by the
plane's unique ability to angle the thrust from its engines. "Anybody can drive a fighter aircraft fast, but to see it go
slowly and just hang in the air is really something," said Vic Johnston, a spokesman for 1st Fighter Wing at Langley
Air Force Base in Virginia.
Showing the fighter at a high-profile venue like Farnborough will allow the Air Force to parade one of its most
advanced fighters before an audience that includes defense officials from around the globe
142
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Airpower Impact
F-22 Jets are necessary for preparation against future enemies
Daniel Collins and Trish Choate, staff writers, 7/13/08, Times Record News Washington Bureau, “Signs of Things to
Come”, http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2008/jul/13/sign-things-come/
If Iran’s missile tests are a sign of things to come, short-range fighting capabilities nurtured at Sheppard Air
Force Base should be among priorities for U.S. national defense.
But the base’s mission to train fighter pilots shouldn’t be the only priority, as far as Wichita Falls’ congressman is
concerned.
“If this missile test reminds us of anything, it’s that we can’t afford to neglect any part of our capability,” Mac
Thornberry, R-Clarendon, of the 13th Congressional District said.
Iran conducted its second day of long-range weapon tests Wednesday in the Persian Gulf. The country’s military has
fired at least one rocket capable of reaching Israel. The tests raise the possibility of armed conflict.
Thornberry, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, said Iran’s missile tests show the need for a
full range of defense.
Long-range bombers and unmanned aerial vehicles, short-range fighter jets, missile defense and intelligence are key,
he said.
The Department of Defense has emphasized investing in short-range fighter planes such as the F-35 and the F22, another new fighter jet. Sheppard might someday become home to an F-35 mission — not for pilot training
but for maintenance training. The base already has a mission to educate maintainers for the F-22.
But some argue long-range strike capabilities will be more important in future wars.
“There’s concern, even in the case of Iran, that getting short-range aviation in is not so easy and you might actually be
better off investing in long-range aviation,” Steve Kosiak, a military and budget analyst in Washington, said. “If
you’re spending $300 billion on the F-35 program, what does that say about your potential for investing in
modernizing your long-range aviation capabilities?”
Bombers such as the 36 B-1Bs assigned to Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene have become workhorses in wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan. They’ve won commanders over for their long-range strike capacity, ability to loiter in airspace, high
payload space and maneuverability.
Some question how relevant short-range fighters such as the F-35 and the F-22 will be in future wars similar to the
one in Iraq or in conflict with worrisome nations like China or Russia, said Kosiak of the Center for Strategic and
Budgetary Assessments.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Air Force had about one-third less short-range aircraft than a decade before in
Desert Storm, he said.
“There’s no right or wrong answer,” Kosiak said. “If you think the future threats are in the Pacific theater where
distances are so great that short-range aircraft are of very limited value then you might not think (short-range planes)
are that relevant.”
The Government Accountability Office has found fault with how the Pentagon prioritizes weapons development.
A GAO report released this month said the Department of Defense will need about $1.6 trillion to complete major
weapons systems already in development.
“The funding process doesn’t properly prioritize what gets started and what doesn’t, so you get too many programs
going,” Michael Sullivan, a GAO analyst, said.
The report said the DOD does not fully commit funding to develop programs, despite a department mandate.
The department accepts unrealistic cost estimates for projects. When the tab becomes much larger than expected —
many times doubling or tripling — officials scale back considerably.
143
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*** CONGTRADE OFF AFF ANSWERS
144
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CongTrade-Off – 2AC F-22
1.) A trade-off with military spending is overdue; the F-22 is ineffective and expensive.
Ethan Heitner, Staff writer for Tom Paine Common Sense. 7/27/06 “The Other F-22 Problem”
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/07/27/the_f22s_other_problem.php
What do you do when you've got the world's most expensive fighter jet and its canopy won't open correctly so
you have to chainsaw free the hapless pilot?
If you're the U.S. government, you sign up for an extended three-year contract to ensure you get even more of
them than you originally wanted
Retired Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan elucidates the cost of the Pentagon's outdated thinking about defense spending
today in an article on TomPaine.com about the bloated and unloved F-22 Raptor fighter jet:
Political leaders in Washington are so scared of being labeled “weak on defense” that they rarely object at all
to defense expenditures, even ones like the F-22 that are widely regarded as wasteful. In fact, it’s an open secret
in Washington that tens of billions of dollars are going down the drain at the Pentagon.
At the same time, it’s also an open secret that millions of American kids lack health insurance, public schools
around the country are falling down, and our nation continues to rely on petroleum—a national vulnerability that
could set us up for a serious economic collapse.
And how much is the federal government spending on renewable energy research? About as much as we’re
spending on the F-22 fighter jet. And less than a third as much as we spend on national missile defense.
2.) No Impact – Current fighter planes would be able to make up for the lack of F-22s.
3.) Investing in alternative energy is a more effective way to promote security. The neg authors
don’t assume the new type of war being fought.
Frida Berrigan, s a senior research associate at the World Policy Institute’s Arms Trade Resource
Center. 5/18/06 “Smart Defense” http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/05/18/smart_defense.php
The U.S. should align its spending with approaches that have real promise for achieving security. The task
force suggests a $10 billion increase in spending for overseas economic development; a $1 billion increase in U.S.
contributions to international organizations, $1.8 billion in additional funds for diplomatic operations; tripling what is
allocated for proven nonproliferation programs like those designed to lock down or destroy excess nuclear weapons
and bomb-making materials around the world; $8.8 billion more for alternative energy sources; and a $10 billion
increase in spending on the nation’s basic public health infrastructure.
They assert that this diversification can be accomplished by reallocating money already in the Pentagon
budget. Among the systems they propose trimming or eliminating are: the F-22 combat aircraft, the Virginiaclass submarine, the DD(X) destroyer, and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. These Cold War-era systems eat up
billions in the Pentagon budget and are irrelevant to the threats posed in the 21st century. Additionally, the
task force proposes cutting the unnecessary and unworkable Star Wars program from $10.4 to $2.4 billion per
year, and reducing nuclear weapons spending from $18 billion per year to $5 billion per year.
In an era of war that pits the $3 million Bradley fighting vehicle against a $3 improvised-explosive device, the project
to expand the definition of security (and increase number of tools we have to build it) could not be more timely. At a
time when the Democratic leadership is too timid to propose cuts in our bloated military budget, the USB report—
which humbly suggests that reallocating some of that funding will be a more judicious use of taxpayer money and a
more effective defense of the homeland—deserves as large an audience as possible.
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CongTrade-Off – 2AC F-22
4.) Turn –
a.) Fermilab, a key particle lab, is on the edge; the plan will trade off.
Scientific American 7/7/08 “Fermilab Saved from Chopping Block--For Now”
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fermilab-saved-from-chopp
A spending package signed into law last week by President Bush will provide enough cash to stave off the
sacking of 90 employees at financially strapped Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Ill.,
the nation's leading particle physics lab.
Acting Deputy Secretary of Energy Jeffrey Kupfer told Fermilab it will receive a $29.5-million infusion, including
$9.5 million for a key neutrino experiment planned to be completed in 2014.
But it remains to be seen whether Congress will dole out enough funds to keep the lab operating at its current
capacity in fiscal year 2009.
The emergency spending measure was passed after Fermilab offered employee buyouts to ease a nearly sixmonth budget crunch triggered when lawmakers cut its funding by $20 million from the year before.
Judy Jackson, a lab spokesperson, said that 50 workers took the buyout two weeks ago, even though the Senate had
passed the bill and the president had signaled he would sign it. But she notes that Fermilab would have had to ax
another 90 employees if the new funds, part of $62.5 million forked over to the U.S. Department of Energy's
Office of Science, had not been approved.
Despite a huge sense of relief, Jackson says there is still concern about next year's budget, although there are
promising signs: The House Appropriations Committee approved a budget of $805 million for particle physics in FY
2009, nearly $117 million more than this year's allocation. "This is the most encouraging thing, because this is where
we came to grief last year, in the House appropriations process," Jackson said.
The proposal may yet fizzle, however, as it did in December when Congress cut physics funding to meet a
spending cap imposed by the president.
Fermilab became more vulnerable when its most vocal congressional booster, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert
(R.–Ill.), who represented Fermilab's Congressional district, stepped down in November.
Jackson said the lab is "very encouraged" by support from Illinois congressional Democrats, Sen. Richard Durbin and
Rep. Bill Foster, a former Fermilab physicist who won Hastert's seat in a special election in March.
Another positive sign, she says: the appropriations committee used language in its budget proposal from a May report
by the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5), which laid out a strategy for the coming decade to ensure the
U.S. "maintain[s] a leadership role in worldwide particle physics."
"We don't feel our challenges are over," Jackson said. "But we feel our challenges have fundamentally shifted."
146
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Serrano
CongTrade-Off – 2AC F-22
b.) Particle accelerators will create strange matter; which will consume the entire earth into a mass
of strange matter killing everybody.
Richard J. Wagner, Ph. D. in Engineering and Science. 3/8/2000 “The Strange Matter of Planetary
Destruction” http://chess.captain.at/strangelets-matter.html
Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) have started to operate the new Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in order to investigate
the deepest nature of matter. The RHIC, in colliding gold ions with gold ions, will generate temperatures not seen in the universe anywhere since
the expansion of the initial singularity (the "Big Bang") except in supernovas. These temperatures occur neither in thermal-nuclear explosions nor in
the interior of a normal star. BNL scientists project that a sufficiently energetic gold-gold collision will produce a quark-gluon plasma. Matter is
composed of hadrons (protons and neutrons) which in turn are composed of quarks. Quarks come in several varieties, including up, down,
top, bottom, charm, and strange. The quark-gluon plasma created in the collision will recondense, with the
material composition somewhat randomized, with the possible creation of "strange-matter" (particles of which
are called strangelets) which has an excess of strange quarks.
Strange matter was probably also created along with normal matter at the time of the expansion of the initial
singularity, but because small strangelets (the kind that would have been created then, and now here at the RHIC) are
unstable, they would have rapidly decayed (radioactively) into hadrons (normal matter), so that's why they are not
normally found in nature. Hadron nuclei have a narrow regime of stability, with iron nuclei being the most stable.
Energy can be obtained by fusing smaller nuclei (nuclear fusion) or by splitting heavier nuclei (nuclear fission).
Strange matter, however, becomes more stable the bigger it gets, with small strangelets (the kind that would be
produced in the RHIC) having a short half-life on the order of microseconds to milliseconds. Because it gets more
stable as it grows (becoming fully stable at a mass of about 1000 protons), it will generate more energy as it fuses with
normal matter. The normal matter will be absorbed by the strangelet and become part of the strange mass.
Safety Review
The BNL commissioned a Review of the strangelet issue. The BNL Review uses several failing arguments in attempting to assert the safety of the
RHIC. The first is that the only kind of strangelet that could fuse with ordinary matter would be a negatively charged strangelet and that they are
very unlikely to be produced. No number was assigned to that probability in the BNL Review, but it is not zero. It has been shown that because
strangelet-hadron fusion is more exothermic (releases more energy) than hadron-hadron fusion, even positively charged strangelets can fuse with
low mass hadronic matter (such as the helium in the cooling jacket of the superconducting magnets of the RHIC).
This possible disaster scenario was actually described in the BNL Review: a negatively charged strangelet condenses out of the quark-gluon plasma
with a half-life more than a nano-second (10-9 second). That's enough time for the strangelet to traverse the vacuum in the RHIC, penetrate the iron
wall (being slowed to thermal velocity in the process) and mingle with the helium atoms in the super-conducting magnet
cooling jacket. Spontaneous fusion would take place and the strangelet would grow as it consumed helium
nuclei, giving off large amounts of radiation. At some point it would grow so large that it would fall through the
helium containment-wall (consuming every atom it encounters on the way), fall out of the device, and penetrate
the concrete floor, tunneling down to the center of the Earth. The result will be the eventual (a period of days or
months) conversion of every atom in the Earth to become part of one massive hot strange-matter nucleus. The
Moon and a set of artificial satellites will orbit a white-hot strange Earth only about 100 meters in diameter but
with approximately the original mass of the Earth (some mass will be lost to radiated heat). Once the strangelet is
created, no power on Earth can stop it. Let me repeat: the above disaster scenario is well-described in the BNL
Review.
Recognizing that it is insufficient (in the face of the potential devastation that could result) to have as their argument that dangerous strangelet
production is unlikely (but possible), the Review authors turn to cosmic ray arguments. The first of two arguments is that the Moon has been
bombarded by cosmic rays for millions of years and it still exists as normal matter. The second argument is that cosmic rays collide head on in deep
space and have not caused any problems. Both arguments fail so obviously it invites belief that the Review authors are either incompetent or subject
to a strong pre-existing bias.
First, let's examine the lunar argument: some cosmic rays have the mass and equivalent energy of a gold atom flying around in the RHIC. However,
the Moon is a stationary target, so the center-of-mass (COM) energy is far below that of a collision in the RHIC. Fully acknowledging that this
argument fails, the Review authors turn (in apparent desperation) to the head-on cosmic ray collision argument.
Deep space cosmic ray head-on collisions could generate small strangelets. If the strangelets are stable, (long-lived)
they could be swept up in the course of years in new star development. If so, they would cause supernovas at a much
higher rate than observed; hence stable strangelets are not being created. However, that argument does not speak to
the RHIC disaster scenario, which only requires metastable strangelets (not stable ones), so it also fails.
147
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CongTrade-Off – 2AC NMD
1.) Russia is prepared to respond militarily to increased US military presence in Eastern Europe.
Julian Borger, Staff writer for Mail and Guardian. 4/16/07 Moscow: The era of US hegemony is
now over. http://www.mg.co.za/article/2007-04-16-moscow-the-era-of-us-hegemony-is-now-over
Russia is preparing its own military response to the United States's controversial plans to build a new missile
defence system in Eastern Europe, according to Kremlin officials, in a move likely to increase fears of a Cold
War-style arms race, writes Luke Harding.
The Kremlin is considering active counter-measures in response to Washington's decision to base interceptor
missiles and radar installations in Poland and the Czech Republic, a move Russia says will change "the world's
strategic stability".
The Kremlin has not publicly spelt out its plans. But defence experts said its response is likely to include upgrading
its nuclear missile arsenal so that it is harder to shoot down, putting more missiles on mobile launchers, and
moving its fleet of nuclear submarines to the North Pole, where they are virtually undetectable.
Russia could also bring the new US silos within the range of its Iskander missiles, launched potentially from the
nearby Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, they add.
According to the Kremlin's chief spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, Moscow felt betrayed by the Pentagon's move.
"We were never informed in advance about these plans ... We feel ourselves deceived."
2.) The missile defense program is unrealistic and will waste billions of dollars.
International Herald Tribune 4/17/08 Scientists, “critics say projected US missile defense
system cannot work” http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/16/america/NA-GEN-US-MissileDefense.php
A group of prominent scientists who have been critical of missile defense plans told lawmakers Wednesday that
a system being built by the United States cannot protect the country.
They also questioned whether the U.S. Defense Department has misled the public and European allies about
the system's capabilities.
"The (global missile defense) program offers no prospect of defending the United States from a real-world
missile attack and undermines efforts to eliminate the real nuclear threats to the United States," Lisbeth
Gronlund, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told lawmakers at a House of Representatives
oversight hearing on the missile defense program, according to prepared testimony. Gronlund's group has long
expressed skepticism about missile defense.
The hearing was called by the panel's chairman, Democratic Rep. John Tierney, who has sought to step up oversight
of the missile defense program since the Democrats took control of the House last year. Missile defense traditionally
has drawn more support from Republicans.
Tierney said the testimony from the witnesses raises questions about current missile defense spending levels. He
pointed to congressional projections of $213-$277 billion (€133.7-€173.9 billion) for the program between now and
2025.
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CongTrade-Off – 2AC NMD
3.) Turn –
a.) Fermilab, a key particle lab, is on the edge; the plan will trade off.
Scientific American 7/7/08 “Fermilab Saved from Chopping Block--For Now”
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fermilab-saved-from-chopp
A spending package signed into law last week by President Bush will provide enough cash to stave off the
sacking of 90 employees at financially strapped Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Ill.,
the nation's leading particle physics lab.
Acting Deputy Secretary of Energy Jeffrey Kupfer told Fermilab it will receive a $29.5-million infusion, including
$9.5 million for a key neutrino experiment planned to be completed in 2014.
But it remains to be seen whether Congress will dole out enough funds to keep the lab operating at its current
capacity in fiscal year 2009.
The emergency spending measure was passed after Fermilab offered employee buyouts to ease a nearly sixmonth budget crunch triggered when lawmakers cut its funding by $20 million from the year before.
Judy Jackson, a lab spokesperson, said that 50 workers took the buyout two weeks ago, even though the Senate had
passed the bill and the president had signaled he would sign it. But she notes that Fermilab would have had to ax
another 90 employees if the new funds, part of $62.5 million forked over to the U.S. Department of Energy's
Office of Science, had not been approved.
Despite a huge sense of relief, Jackson says there is still concern about next year's budget, although there are
promising signs: The House Appropriations Committee approved a budget of $805 million for particle physics in FY
2009, nearly $117 million more than this year's allocation. "This is the most encouraging thing, because this is where
we came to grief last year, in the House appropriations process," Jackson said.
The proposal may yet fizzle, however, as it did in December when Congress cut physics funding to meet a
spending cap imposed by the president.
Fermilab became more vulnerable when its most vocal congressional booster, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert
(R.–Ill.), who represented Fermilab's Congressional district, stepped down in November.
Jackson said the lab is "very encouraged" by support from Illinois congressional Democrats, Sen. Richard Durbin and
Rep. Bill Foster, a former Fermilab physicist who won Hastert's seat in a special election in March.
Another positive sign, she says: the appropriations committee used language in its budget proposal from a May report
by the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5), which laid out a strategy for the coming decade to ensure the
U.S. "maintain[s] a leadership role in worldwide particle physics."
"We don't feel our challenges are over," Jackson said. "But we feel our challenges have fundamentally shifted."
149
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
CongTrade-Off – 2AC NMD
b.) Particle accelerators will create strange matter; which will consume the entire earth into a mass
of strange matter killing everybody.
Richard J. Wagner, Ph. D. in Engineering and Science. 3/8/2000 “The Strange Matter of Planetary
Destruction” http://chess.captain.at/strangelets-matter.html
Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) have started to operate the new Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in order to investigate
the deepest nature of matter. The RHIC, in colliding gold ions with gold ions, will generate temperatures not seen in the universe anywhere since
the expansion of the initial singularity (the "Big Bang") except in supernovas. These temperatures occur neither in thermal-nuclear explosions nor in
the interior of a normal star. BNL scientists project that a sufficiently energetic gold-gold collision will produce a quark-gluon plasma. Matter is
composed of hadrons (protons and neutrons) which in turn are composed of quarks. Quarks come in several varieties,
including up, down, top, bottom, charm, and strange. The quark-gluon plasma created in the collision will
recondense, with the material composition somewhat randomized, with the possible creation of "strangematter" (particles of which are called strangelets) which has an excess of strange quarks.
Strange matter was probably also created along with normal matter at the time of the expansion of the initial
singularity, but because small strangelets (the kind that would have been created then, and now here at the RHIC) are
unstable, they would have rapidly decayed (radioactively) into hadrons (normal matter), so that's why they are not
normally found in nature. Hadron nuclei have a narrow regime of stability, with iron nuclei being the most stable. Energy can be obtained by fusing
smaller nuclei (nuclear fusion) or by splitting heavier nuclei (nuclear fission). Strange matter, however, becomes more stable the
bigger it gets, with small strangelets (the kind that would be produced in the RHIC) having a short half-life on the
order of microseconds to milliseconds. Because it gets more stable as it grows (becoming fully stable at a mass of
about 1000 protons), it will generate more energy as it fuses with normal matter. The normal matter will be
absorbed by the strangelet and become part of the strange mass.
Safety Review
The BNL commissioned a Review of the strangelet issue. The BNL Review uses several failing arguments in attempting
to assert the safety of the RHIC. The first is that the only kind of strangelet that could fuse with ordinary matter would be a negatively charged
strangelet and that they are very unlikely to be produced. No number was assigned to that probability in the BNL Review, but it is not zero. It has
been shown that because strangelet-hadron fusion is more exothermic (releases more energy) than hadron-hadron fusion, even positively charged
strangelets can fuse with low mass hadronic matter (such as the helium in the cooling jacket of the superconducting magnets of the RHIC).
This possible disaster scenario was actually described in the BNL Review: a negatively charged strangelet condenses out of the quark-gluon plasma
with a half-life more than a nano-second (10-9 second). That's enough time for the strangelet to traverse the vacuum in the RHIC, penetrate the iron
wall (being slowed to thermal velocity in the process) and mingle with the helium atoms in the super-conducting magnet
cooling jacket. Spontaneous fusion would take place and the strangelet would grow as it consumed helium
nuclei, giving off large amounts of radiation. At some point it would grow so large that it would fall through the
helium containment-wall (consuming every atom it encounters on the way), fall out of the device, and penetrate
the concrete floor, tunneling down to the center of the Earth. The result will be the eventual (a period of days or
months) conversion of every atom in the Earth to become part of one massive hot strange-matter nucleus. The
Moon and a set of artificial satellites will orbit a white-hot strange Earth only about 100 meters in diameter but
with approximately the original mass of the Earth (some mass will be lost to radiated heat). Once the strangelet is
created, no power on Earth can stop it. Let me repeat: the above disaster scenario is well-described in the BNL
Review.
Recognizing that it is insufficient (in the face of the potential devastation that could result) to have as their argument
that dangerous strangelet production is unlikely (but possible), the Review authors turn to cosmic ray arguments. The first of two arguments is that
the Moon has been bombarded by cosmic rays for millions of years and it still exists as normal matter. The second argument is that cosmic rays
collide head on in deep space and have not caused any problems. Both arguments fail so obviously it invites belief that the Review authors are
either incompetent or subject to a strong pre-existing bias.
First, let's examine the lunar argument: some cosmic rays have the mass and equivalent energy of a gold atom flying around in the RHIC. However,
the Moon is a stationary target, so the center-of-mass (COM) energy is far below that of a collision in the RHIC. Fully acknowledging that this
argument fails, the Review authors turn (in apparent desperation) to the head-on cosmic ray collision argument.
Deep space cosmic ray head-on collisions could generate small strangelets. If the strangelets are stable, (long-lived) they could be swept up in the
course of years in new star development. If so, they would cause supernovas at a much higher rate than observed; hence stable strangelets are not
being created. However, that argument does not speak to the RHIC disaster scenario, which only requires metastable strangelets (not stable ones),
so it also fails.
150
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Serrano
No forced trade-off
The navy will be able to withstand any cuts, as it is already pushing for them on the DDG
destroyer.
Christopher P. Cavas, Staff Writer at Navy Times. 7/15/08 “DDG Destroyer Facing Major Cuts”
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/07/defense_ddg100_071408/
On the record, Navy officials are mum about their plans. Service support for the DDG 1000 program has been
lukewarm at best, and while publicly supporting the ships, Navy leaders behind the scenes have worked halt
further production.
The move still awaits blessing from on high, sources said, including approval from Defense Secretary Robert Gates
and the White House.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead “holds his cards real close,” said one Congressional source. “But
read the body language. He knows he’s in trouble with the DDG 1000s. That ship is going to cost anywhere from $1.5
billion to $3 billion more than advertised. And when that happens there’s no slush fund. The only billpayer is Navy
shipbuilding.”
The Navy, said the congressional source, needs to protect other programs such as submarine and littoral combat
ships from being cut to pay for potential DDG 1000 cost overruns.
Instead of the big destroyer, the Navy also hopes to protect the CG(X) cruiser, a bigger combatant designed to
protect aircraft carrier battle groups and provide ballistic missile defense.
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Serrano
Trade-off with other things
Fermilab, a key particle lab, is on the edge; the plan will trade off.
Scientific American 7/7/08 “Fermilab Saved from Chopping Block--For Now”
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fermilab-saved-from-chopp
A spending package signed into law last week by President Bush will provide enough cash to stave off the
sacking of 90 employees at financially strapped Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Ill.,
the nation's leading particle physics lab.
Acting Deputy Secretary of Energy Jeffrey Kupfer told Fermilab it will receive a $29.5-million infusion, including
$9.5 million for a key neutrino experiment planned to be completed in 2014.
But it remains to be seen whether Congress will dole out enough funds to keep the lab operating at its current
capacity in fiscal year 2009.
The emergency spending measure was passed after Fermilab offered employee buyouts to ease a nearly sixmonth budget crunch triggered when lawmakers cut its funding by $20 million from the year before.
Judy Jackson, a lab spokesperson, said that 50 workers took the buyout two weeks ago, even though the Senate had
passed the bill and the president had signaled he would sign it. But she notes that Fermilab would have had to ax
another 90 employees if the new funds, part of $62.5 million forked over to the U.S. Department of Energy's
Office of Science, had not been approved.
Despite a huge sense of relief, Jackson says there is still concern about next year's budget, although there are
promising signs: The House Appropriations Committee approved a budget of $805 million for particle physics in FY
2009, nearly $117 million more than this year's allocation. "This is the most encouraging thing, because this is where
we came to grief last year, in the House appropriations process," Jackson said.
The proposal may yet fizzle, however, as it did in December when Congress cut physics funding to meet a
spending cap imposed by the president.
Fermilab became more vulnerable when its most vocal congressional booster, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert
(R.–Ill.), who represented Fermilab's Congressional district, stepped down in November.
Jackson said the lab is "very encouraged" by support from Illinois congressional Democrats, Sen. Richard Durbin and
Rep. Bill Foster, a former Fermilab physicist who won Hastert's seat in a special election in March.
Another positive sign, she says: the appropriations committee used language in its budget proposal from a May report
by the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5), which laid out a strategy for the coming decade to ensure the
U.S. "maintain[s] a leadership role in worldwide particle physics."
"We don't feel our challenges are over," Jackson said. "But we feel our challenges have fundamentally shifted."
152
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
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F22 Trade Off inevit
Air Force is being forced to scrap its F-22 proposals
Ivan Eland, Director of Center of Peace and Liberty, 6/28/08, The Independent Institute, “Can the Air Force be Reformed?”,
http://www.antiwar.com/eland/?articleid=13059
During the tenure of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the Army was the military service in the doghouse.
Under his successor, Robert Gates, it appears to be the Air Force. Recently, Secretary Gates took the unprecedented
step of firing the top civilian and military leaders of the service for its snafus with nuclear weapons and components.
And then there was also the Air Force's favoritism in contracting and its failure to be a team player in the
counterinsurgency wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the Secretary's dramatic actions, vested interests will
probably thwart his desire to reform the service.
Since the Vietnam War, the "essence" of the Air Force has been promoting and flying high performance tactical
fighter aircraft. The service's concentration on heavy bombers that could deliver nuclear weapons waned as the Cold
War dragged on, and its attention to nuclear delivery systems fell into oblivion after the Berlin Wall fell. The Air
Force's de-emphasis of its nuclear mission is in part responsible for bomber crews carrying nuclear weapons across
the country without knowing it and mistakenly sending fuses for nuclear weapons to Taiwan. Yet despite the firings,
and most likely to compensate the Air Force for them, Secretary Gates promised to reward failure by increasing the
service's budget for nuclear activities.
Also much to Secretary Gates's stated annoyance, the service has been neglecting remotely piloted surveillance
drones, which have proven invaluable in the counterinsurgency wars being waged in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has also
shortchanged the mission of transporting troops, equipment, fuel, and food for ground troops in such theaters, while
lobbying to buy more stealth F-22 stealth fighters to counter future possible adversaries. The drones are neglected
because they don't require pilots – the people who run the Air Force. Resembling giant toy airplanes, they are piloted
remotely using a joystick.
The transport mission is shortchanged because cargo planes are much less sexy to fly than new high tech fighter jets.
The problem is that the Air Force, even without having bought any F-22s, has existing aircraft, pilots, and weapons
that, when used together, would vastly dominate any future conventional opponent, including China, India, or and
Russia. The F-22 was originally designed during the Cold War to counter Soviet fighters that were never built.
Another problem is that unmanned surveillance drones don't cost as much as high tech fighters. In addition to pilots
being a powerful interest group within the service, the military-industrial-congressional complex would probably
thwart an increased emphasis on drones even if the pilots didn't. Lucrative contracts on the F-22, which usually go to
industrial concerns heavily dependent on defense business in key congressional districts, have kept the unneeded
fighter alive, at the expense of increased funding for badly needed drones. Members of Congress who have such
defense industries in their districts and states usually become powerful members of congressional committees that
authorize and appropriate funds for such projects.
Firing the civilian and military leaders of the service with only 7 months to go in the Bush administration will do
virtually nothing to bust the vested interests that have led to the present state of affairs. Although the new military
chief will stay on into the next administration and is, for once, a military transport person, the fighter mafia, because
of its glamour, is still likely to remain in control of the service. Supporting losing counterinsurgencies on the ground
will never be as alluring as dreams of dogfights with non-existent enemy superfighters.
The one thing that could be done to at least loosen the grip of the military-industrial-congressional complex is to
require the Air Force to drop excessively unique military specifications for components of weapon systems and
instead use commercial components or slight variations thereof. Letting commercial non-defense companies – which
are not part of the dedicated defense industry dependent on government largesse – compete for defense subcontracts
would lessen the pressure to buy unneeded weapon systems. If subcontractors had commercial business to fall back on
when defense procurement was slow, there would be less pressure for the Air Force and Congress to buy unneeded
systems to keep the welfare queens of the dedicated defense subcontracting industry aloft.
However, this reform, even if adopted, would have an effect only over the long-term. Thus, despite the secretary's
dramatic personnel changes, don't expect to see a different Air Force soon.
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NMD stuff
154
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Missile Defense Key to Stability
The missile defense system is key to prevent a war with Iran and promote stability in the Middle
East.
Riki Ellison, President and Founder of Missile Defense Advocacy Allience. 7/10/08 “Clear and
Present Danger” http://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org/news.aspx?news_id=1242
Iran's firing of 9 ballistic missiles yesterday and more missiles today as an escalatory response to military
exercises and political rhetoric is unequivocally a Clear and Present Danger to the United States of America
and its allies in the Middle East. Our nation and the international community need real options to forgo
preemptive military action and or direct escalatory military action by the United States and its allies that would
most likely lead to war with Iran. Currently, the U.S. has fully operational, deployed missile defense systems
that can stabilize the region, whereby strengthening the deterrent and decreasing the threat by non-lethal
means without escalating an already dynamic situation. Missile defense in this situation can stabilize and offer
valuable positioning for diplomatic efforts to ease down the intensity and work for a solution.
Currently to bring to bear in the Middle East region, the United States Army has multiple PAC -3 battalions and the
United States Navy has 15 missile defense equipped Aegis Ships, equipped with tracking radars and missile defense
interceptors of Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-2s. The country of Israel has deployed Arrow and PAC-3
missile defense systems. Though some of these systems are already in the region and more should follow, the
inventory of interceptors is very limited. Having these systems in the Middle East region cannot guarantee full
protection from Iran's missiles but it can offer more deterrence and some limited protection to our American and
Allied citizens as well as armed forces in the region.
This demonstrated use of multiple launches on the world stage coupled with Iran's nuclear intentions and their stated
political intent amplifies and validates the reasoning of why our nation through 11 Congresses and 4 United States
Presidents have fully supported and funded the development, deployment and continued evolution of missile defense.
It is the reason why the 26 countries of NATO have fully endorsed missile defense and the third site in Europe. It is
the reason why the country of Israel has developed and deployed missile defense systems and other countries in the
Middle East region have reached out to the United States for missile defense. It validates the Czech Republic
agreement on missile defense earlier this week, and it adds to the necessity of protecting Europe from ballistic
missiles.
It is of vital importance to global peace and security for the United States and the international community to
continue to develop and deploy future missile defenses for the threat our world faces today and in the future.
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Missile Defense May Get Cut
The missile defense system has proven it’s worth, but is facing cuts.
International Herald Tribune 7/11/08 “Reagan's vision for missile defense shield remains just as
contentious in post-Cold War world” http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/11/business/NA-USMissile-Defense-Outlook.php
Washington: The government breathed a sigh of relief in February when the Pentagon used a sea-based missile
defense system to shoot down a dying spy satellite loaded with a tank of toxic fuel hurtling around the globe at
17,000 miles (27,357 kilometers) an hour.
The mission was a critical test of the "hit-to-kill" technology at the heart of the U.S. missile defense program,
an idea born at the height of the Cold War when Ronald Reagan outlined his vision for a network of missiles that
could shoot enemy weapons out of the sky or space. Back then, skeptics dismissed the proposal as pure fantasy,
nicknaming it Star Wars.
Twenty-five years later, the satellite operation — which used a Navy cruiser equipped with Lockheed Martin Corp.
technology and Raytheon Co. missiles and radar systems — showed the world it could be done.
But behind the hoopla, a fierce debate rages over the ability of the missile defense system to defend the nation
from an actual attack and the billions of dollars that President Bush has devoted to the program — funding
levels that could be cut in half under the next administration.
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Mid-East Impact
Increased instability in the Middle East will quickly break down to chaos and plunge the world into
war.
Cetron, Marvin J.; Davies, Owen. Writers for The Futurist. 9/1/07 “Worst-case scenario: the Middle
East: current trends indicate that a Middle Eastern war might last for decades. Here is an overview of the
most critical potential impacts”
There is more to come. After all, this is the most volatile region in the world. Sunnis and Shi'ites have carried on an
intermittent religious and ethnic power struggle there for some 1,400 years. Worse, after World War I the victors
deliberately broke the Middle East into artificial states that could never be stable, and thus could not easily be
united under the banner of Pan Arabism. As Sesh Velamoor of the Foundation For the Future points out, if the West is
unhappy with conditions in the Middle East, it has itself largely to blame. But the important point is that mere
instability soon could break down into general chaos.
Here is one possible course of events: Hezbollah's current protests in Lebanon and the government's reactive
crackdown may result in a larger war. Saudi Arabia could intervene here, too, as it has been actively supporting
the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. At the same time, Hezbollah and Hamas, in the Occupied
Territories, will be encouraged to expand their struggle against Israel. In Egypt, the banned but still powerful
Muslim Brotherhood would be encouraged to resume the battle for a fundamentalist Islamic state, endangering
Western access to the Suez Canal. Extremists from distant reaches of the Muslim world will flood into the Middle
East. Saudi Arabia, a land of Sunni Arabs, and Iran, the home of Persian Shi'ites, already on opposite sides in Iraq,
might expand their conflict to do battle across the Persian Gulf, with fallout in Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab
Emirates. One way or another, it all spins out of control. Everyone in the Middle East fights everyone else for
decades.
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NMD Good
Missile defense can effectively deter an attack from rogue nations and allow American soldiers to
operate effectively.
John McCain, Senator for Arizona. 2008 “A Strong Military in a Dangerous World”
http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/issues/054184f4-6b51-40dd-8964-54fcf66a1e68.htm
John McCain strongly supports the development and deployment of theater and national missile defenses. Effective
missile defenses are critical to protect America from rogue regimes like North Korea that possess the capability
to target America with intercontinental ballistic missiles, from outlaw states like Iran that threaten American
forces and American allies with ballistic missiles, and to hedge against potential threats from possible strategic
competitors like Russia and China. Effective missile defenses are also necessary to allow American military
forces to operate overseas without being deterred by the threat of missile attack from a regional adversary.
John McCain is committed to deploying effective missile defenses to reduce the possibility of strategic blackmail
by rogue regimes and to secure our homeland from the very real prospect of missile attack by present or future
adversaries. America should never again have to live in the shadow of missile and nuclear attack. As President, John
McCain will not trust in the "balance of terror" to protect America, but will work to deploy effective missile defenses
to safeguard our people and our homeland.
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NMD Bad
The missile defense program is unrealistic and will waste billions of dollars.
International Herald Tribune 4/17/08 Scientists, “critics say projected US missile defense
system cannot work” http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/16/america/NA-GEN-US-MissileDefense.php
A group of prominent scientists who have been critical of missile defense plans told lawmakers Wednesday that
a system being built by the United States cannot protect the country.
They also questioned whether the U.S. Defense Department has misled the public and European allies about
the system's capabilities.
"The (global missile defense) program offers no prospect of defending the United States from a real-world
missile attack and undermines efforts to eliminate the real nuclear threats to the United States," Lisbeth
Gronlund, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told lawmakers at a House of Representatives
oversight hearing on the missile defense program, according to prepared testimony. Gronlund's group has long
expressed skepticism about missile defense.
The hearing was called by the panel's chairman, Democratic Rep. John Tierney, who has sought to step up oversight
of the missile defense program since the Democrats took control of the House last year. Missile defense traditionally
has drawn more support from Republicans.
Tierney said the testimony from the witnesses raises questions about current missile defense spending levels. He
pointed to congressional projections of $213-$277 billion (€133.7-€173.9 billion) for the program between now and
2025.
Russia is prepared to respond militarily to increased US military presence in Eastern Europe.
Julian Borger, Staff writer for Mail and Guardian. 4/16/07 Moscow: The era of US hegemony is
now over. http://www.mg.co.za/article/2007-04-16-moscow-the-era-of-us-hegemony-is-now-over
Russia is preparing its own military response to the United States's controversial plans to build a new missile
defence system in Eastern Europe, according to Kremlin officials, in a move likely to increase fears of a Cold
War-style arms race, writes Luke Harding.
The Kremlin is considering active counter-measures in response to Washington's decision to base interceptor
missiles and radar installations in Poland and the Czech Republic, a move Russia says will change "the world's
strategic stability".
The Kremlin has not publicly spelt out its plans. But defence experts said its response is likely to include upgrading
its nuclear missile arsenal so that it is harder to shoot down, putting more missiles on mobile launchers, and
moving its fleet of nuclear submarines to the North Pole, where they are virtually undetectable.
Russia could also bring the new US silos within the range of its Iskander missiles, launched potentially from the
nearby Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, they add.
According to the Kremlin's chief spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, Moscow felt betrayed by the Pentagon's move.
"We were never informed in advance about these plans ... We feel ourselves deceived."
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NMD Bad
The presence of missile defense is leading to a cold war style arms race, the only way to avoid
another cold war is to abandom the NMD program.
Luke Harding, Staff Writer for The Guardian. 4/11/07 “Russia threatening new cold war over missile
defence” http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/11/usa.topstories3
The Bush administration says the bases are designed to shoot down rogue missiles fired by Iran or North Korea. Its
proposed system would be helpless against Russia's vast nuclear arsenal, it says.
But this claim has been greeted with widespread incredulity, not just in Russia but also among some of the US's
nervous Nato allies. They include Germany, where the Social Democrat leader, Kurt Beck, warned last month that
the US and Russia were on the brink of another arms race "on European soil".
Defence experts say there is little doubt that the real target of the shield is Russia. "The geography of the
deployment doesn't give any doubt the main targets are Russian and Chinese nuclear forces," General Vladimir
Belous, Russia's leading expert on anti-ballistic weaponry, told the Guardian. "The US bases represent a real threat
to our strategic nuclear forces."
The threat of a new arms race comes at a time when relations between Russia and the US are at their worst for
a decade. In February Mr Putin accused the Bush administration during a speech in Munich of seeking a "world of
one master, one sovereign". On Friday Russia's duma, or lower house or parliament, warned that the US's plans
could ignite a second cold war. "Such decisions, which are useless in terms of preventing potential or imaginary
threats from countries of the middle and far-east, are already bringing about a new split in Europe and
unleashing another arms race," the declaration - passed unanimously by Russian MPs - said.
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***DOD Trade off
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1NC
Uniqueness: Lockheed’s F-22 Jets have been cut back because of spending restraints
Elizabeth Becker, staff writer, 7/23/1999, New York Times, “Critics Catch up to a 21st – Century Jet”,
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9401EFD9153EF930A15754C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=al
l
This picture of outsized industrial self-confidence survived years of questioning from Congress about cost
overruns and delays in the $70 billion project intended to build the Air Force's state-of-the-art fighter jet.
Throughout those years, the program enjoyed the powerful protection of Georgia politicians like Newt
Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House whose district included this Lockheed plant, and Sam Nunn, the
former head of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Without them, Lockheed finds itself on the defensive with Congress, with the House yesterday approving the
deletion of $1.8 billion earmarked to manufacture the first six jets to be used in combat as it went ahead and
overwhelmingly approved the military spending bill for the next fiscal year.
It was a defeat for the Pentagon and the manufacturer, which rarely had encountered a Congress opposed to a
military program on the verge of production.
Critics in the House have said the F-22 suffers from a number of technical difficulties, including problems with the
plane's wings, brakes, fuselage, fuel lines and engines, and that its computer systems remain untested. According to
Government auditors, the F-22 has passed only 5 percent of its flight tests and its manufacturers are having trouble
connecting the plane's wings to its body and perfecting the cockpit computers that drive its navigation and warfighting systems.
''Maybe we should have seen it coming but nobody did,'' said Tom Burbage, the president of Lockheed Martin
Aeronautical Systems. ''We thought this would be the first year we wouldn't have a battle and instead we have the
biggest we've ever had.''
Lockheed Martin has been lobbying heavily to save this program and remains confident that it can win the battle when
the House and the Senate meet in conference on the measure . It does have the support of several prominent Senators
who are ardent loyalists of the next-generation jet.
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1NC
Link – Plan would cause a trade off with F-22s
Bob Cox, staff writer, 6/17/08, Star-Telegram, “What’s up next for F-35, F-22?”, http://www.startelegram.com/business/story/704902.html
Clear air, politically speaking, appears to lie ahead for the F-35 joint strike fighter program in the wake of Lockheed
Martin’s successful flight test last week of the first redesigned version of the aircraft.
The same probably can’t be said for Lockheed’s F-22 jet after its most vocal proponents in the U.S. Air Force
leadership were sacked recently by Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
The successful test flight of the F-35B Lightning II short takeoff-vertical landing model on Wednesday prompted a
vote of confidence from one senior civilian Pentagon official.
John Young, undersecretary of defense for weapons development and acquisition, said in a statement that the flight
“makes a strong statement” about the progress on the F-35 program despite well publicized delays and technical
issues.
Young said “the JSF program is ahead of similar programs in terms of quality, software, testing, and manufacturing
readiness. The JSF program has many more steps ahead, but today’s flight demonstrates the maturity and progress
being made on JSF.”
The F-35B is the short takeoff-vertical landing, or “STOVL,” model of the three versions and is the most challenging
technically. In April, Young had approved funds to produce six F-35A conventional-takeoff-and-landing models, but
withheld funds for six STOVL models until after the first flight.
Young will receive a further briefing by program and Lockheed officials, probably within the next month, including a
review of plans for resolving problems discovered in tests of F-35B engines. But barring any new technical issues
with the engine, Young is expected to release funds for the other six aircraft approved in the 2008 budget.
Politically, “the joint strike fighter is in very good shape,” said Loren Thompson, defense analyst with the Lexington
Institute and a consultant to several aerospace and defense companies, including Lockheed.
The same can’t be said for the F-22. The June 5 firings of Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff
Gen. Michael Moseley, Thompson said, were in large part due to the increasingly angry debate between the Air
Force and senior Pentagon leaders over whether to buy more F-22s.
The tone of the discussions between Moseley and, particularly, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England
over the F-22 had grown increasingly tense.
“The absence of any strong advocates for the F-22, with Moseley and Wynne gone, will be detrimental for the
program,” Thompson said.
Both programs are important to Lockheed’s Fort Worth operation. About 1,800 workers assemble the mid-fuselage of
the F-22, while about 4,000 are working on the F-35 with production work just beginning to have an impact on
staffing.
The F-22 still has strong supporters in Congress who will probably maintain some funding for additional
planes beyond the 183 now on order in the 2009 budget, but the likelihood of long-term production is dim.
Both Gates and England are firmly opposed to future orders. And Thompson said it is unlikely, given their past
positions, that either Sen. John McCain or Sen. Barack Obama will be champion of the program if elected
president.
In a note sent to investors Monday, analysts for Sanford Bernstein said the F-22 “appears to have sound Democratic
support for extending the line beyond the planned 183 airplanes” and that a final decision on its fate will “be
determined by the next administration and Congress.”
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Impact Airpower - The F-22 Jets necessary for US security in the skies
Elizabeth Becker, staff writer, 7/23/1999, New York Times, “Critics Catch up to a 21st – Century Jet”,
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9401EFD9153EF930A15754C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=al
l
On the outside, the flat, almost blunt silhouette of the F-22 has little of the futuristic look of the B-2 stealth
bomber.
Inside, in the cockpit, however, it has the feel of a video game in which approaching enemy aircraft are tracked on a
computer screen as red triangles, easily distinguishable from the green squares representing the ''friendlies'' and the
pale yellow oblongs indicating planes with unknown loyalties.
''Use the cursor like a mouse and see who he is,'' said C. L. Buzze, a former Air Force pilot and now the F-22
advanced product representative, as he manipulated the levers of a facsimile of an F-22 cockpit.
The cursor slid over the triangle and immediately identified the enemy plane as a fighter jet from the Russian fleet.
When the plane came in range, the command ''Shoot'' appeared on the screen, and with a flick of a switch, a white tail
slithered across the screen hitting a dot that exploded into a small fiery ball.
But if the plane passes all of its tests during the next three to four years, officials say that the expensive stealth
features built into nearly every part of the plane will insure that the F-22 image on an enemy radar is so
reduced that it is unlikely to be detected before the it attacks. And according to Lockheed officials, the F-22's
supersonic cruising speed, and technical advances will enable the F-22 pilot to take the first shot in an aerial
duel.
The aviation electronic system in the cockpit, where data are collected, integrated and instantly compiled on
the screen, is one of fighter jet's biggest selling points. Many modern fighter jets have the F22's capabilities but
none compile it and integrate it on one single screen.
The House Appropriations Committee cited these ''ambitious technical goals of the F-22,'' especially the electronic
system in the cockpit, as the reason for the delays in the fighter jet's development.
And this advanced technology has come at a cost far in excess of the original $70 million budgeted for each plane.
Lockheed Martin officials admit that the average price per plane, when all costs are included, is $172 million -- not far
from the $180 million and $200 million figure cited by Congress.
They recognize that Congress is convinced that the Pentagon should drop at least one of the three fighter jet programs
under development. Naturally, Lockheed Martin has a different candidate than its own F-22 jet.
''If Congress feels it needs to remove one of the air weapons programs, I'd pick the F-18,'' said Mr. Rearden,
recommending the Navy's refitted fighter jet
<INSERT KHALIZHAD>
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Budget Tight
Military spending is expected to be tight despite the need for funding
Thom Shanker, Staff Writer, 2/4/08, New York Times, “Proposed Military Spending Is Highest Since WWII”,
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/washington/04military.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Pentagon and military officials acknowledge the considerable commitment of money that will be required for
continuing the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as efforts to increase the size of the Army, Marine Corps
and Special Operations forces, to replace weapons worn out in the desert and to assure “quality of life” for those in
uniform so they will remain in the military.
Yet those demands for money do not even include the price of refocusing the military’s attention beyond the
current wars to prepare for other challenges.
Senior Pentagon civilians and the top generals and admirals do not deny the challenge of sustaining military
spending, and they acknowledge that Congress and the American people may turn inward after Iraq.
“I believe that we need to have a broad public discussion about what we should spend on defense,” Adm. Mike
Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Admiral Mullen have said military spending should not drop below 4
percent of the national economy. “I really do believe this 4 percent floor is important,” Admiral Mullen said.
“It’s really important, given the world we’re living in, given the threats that we see out there, the risks that are,
in fact, global, not just in the Middle East.” [continued]
[continued]
Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, said Mr. Gates and the senior Pentagon leadership were well aware that
the large emergency spending bills for the war, over and above the Pentagon base budget, would at some point come
to an end.
“The secretary believes that whenever we transition away from war supplementals, the Congress should
dedicate 4 percent of our G.D.P. to funding national security,” Mr. Morrell said. “That is what he believes to be
a reasonable price to stay free and protect our interests around the world.”
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F-22 Chopping Block
Rifes within the DOD makes F-22’s a vulnerable target for cuts
Bob Cox, staff writer, 6/17/08, Star-Telegram, “What’s up next for F-35, F-22?”, http://www.startelegram.com/business/story/704902.html
Clear air, politically speaking, appears to lie ahead for the F-35 joint strike fighter program in the wake of Lockheed
Martin’s successful flight test last week of the first redesigned version of the aircraft.
The same probably can’t be said for Lockheed’s F-22 jet after its most vocal proponents in the U.S. Air Force
leadership were sacked recently by Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
The successful test flight of the F-35B Lightning II short takeoff-vertical landing model on Wednesday prompted a
vote of confidence from one senior civilian Pentagon official.
John Young, undersecretary of defense for weapons development and acquisition, said in a statement that the flight
“makes a strong statement” about the progress on the F-35 program despite well publicized delays and technical
issues.
Young said “the JSF program is ahead of similar programs in terms of quality, software, testing, and manufacturing
readiness. The JSF program has many more steps ahead, but today’s flight demonstrates the maturity and progress
being made on JSF.”
The F-35B is the short takeoff-vertical landing, or “STOVL,” model of the three versions and is the most challenging
technically. In April, Young had approved funds to produce six F-35A conventional-takeoff-and-landing models, but
withheld funds for six STOVL models until after the first flight.
Young will receive a further briefing by program and Lockheed officials, probably within the next month, including a
review of plans for resolving problems discovered in tests of F-35B engines. But barring any new technical issues
with the engine, Young is expected to release funds for the other six aircraft approved in the 2008 budget.
Politically, “the joint strike fighter is in very good shape,” said Loren Thompson, defense analyst with the Lexington
Institute and a consultant to several aerospace and defense companies, including Lockheed.
The same can’t be said for the F-22. The June 5 firings of Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff
Gen. Michael Moseley, Thompson said, were in large part due to the increasingly angry debate between the Air
Force and senior Pentagon leaders over whether to buy more F-22s.
The tone of the discussions between Moseley and, particularly, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England
over the F-22 had grown increasingly tense.
“The absence of any strong advocates for the F-22, with Moseley and Wynne gone, will be detrimental for the
program,” Thompson said.
Both programs are important to Lockheed’s Fort Worth operation. About 1,800 workers assemble the mid-fuselage of
the F-22, while about 4,000 are working on the F-35 with production work just beginning to have an impact on
staffing.
The F-22 still has strong supporters in Congress who will probably maintain some funding for additional
planes beyond the 183 now on order in the 2009 budget, but the likelihood of long-term production is dim.
Both Gates and England are firmly opposed to future orders. And Thompson said it is unlikely, given their past
positions, that either Sen. John McCain or Sen. Barack Obama will be champion of the program if elected
president.
In a note sent to investors Monday, analysts for Sanford Bernstein said the F-22 “appears to have sound Democratic
support for extending the line beyond the planned 183 airplanes” and that a final decision on its fate will “be
determined by the next administration and Congress.”
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F-22 Chopping Block
Lockheed’s F-22 Jets have been empirically under spending restraints
Elizabeth Becker, staff writer, 7/23/1999, New York Times, “Critics Catch up to a 21st – Century Jet”,
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9401EFD9153EF930A15754C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=al
l
This picture of outsized industrial self-confidence survived years of questioning from Congress about cost
overruns and delays in the $70 billion project intended to build the Air Force's state-of-the-art fighter jet.
Throughout those years, the program enjoyed the powerful protection of Georgia politicians like Newt
Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House whose district included this Lockheed plant, and Sam Nunn, the
former head of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Without them, Lockheed finds itself on the defensive with Congress, with the House yesterday approving the
deletion of $1.8 billion earmarked to manufacture the first six jets to be used in combat as it went ahead and
overwhelmingly approved the military spending bill for the next fiscal year.
It was a defeat for the Pentagon and the manufacturer, which rarely had encountered a Congress opposed to a
military program on the verge of production.
Critics in the House have said the F-22 suffers from a number of technical difficulties, including problems with the
plane's wings, brakes, fuselage, fuel lines and engines, and that its computer systems remain untested. According to
Government auditors, the F-22 has passed only 5 percent of its flight tests and its manufacturers are having trouble
connecting the plane's wings to its body and perfecting the cockpit computers that drive its navigation and warfighting systems.
''Maybe we should have seen it coming but nobody did,'' said Tom Burbage, the president of Lockheed Martin
Aeronautical Systems. ''We thought this would be the first year we wouldn't have a battle and instead we have the
biggest we've ever had.''
Lockheed Martin has been lobbying heavily to save this program and remains confident that it can win the battle when
the House and the Senate meet in conference on the measure . It does have the support of several prominent Senators
who are ardent loyalists of the next-generation jet.
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F-22 Chopping Block
Congress has been willing in the past to scrape F-22 funding
Jack Shanahan, journalist, 5/22/2000, Baltimore Sun,
With the budget clamp squeezing hard, will House Republicans determine that the F-22 is indeed justified this year,
when last year it was not?
PERHAPS THE most unexpected - and intelligent - act by last year's Congress was the vote by the House to cut one
of the largest single items in the federal budget: Construction funds for the Pentagon's F-22 fighter jet. The vote was
overwhelming, 379 to 45.
After the House vote, a highly unusual scenario unfolded as President Clinton joined Senate Republicans in calling for
the full restoration of F-22 funds. The White House threatened to veto the defense appropriations bill over this issue.
In the end, a House-Senate conference committee restored most of the funds for the F-22, with significant restrictions
attached. But fiscally conservative House leaders, led by Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., continued to express their displeasure
with the F-22 program.
Faced with unprecedented budget pressures, what will the House do this year?
The case for funding the F-22 has not improved since last year's vote. The jet was sold to Congress in 1990 as a
replacement for the F-15 fighter because U.S. military experts believed the Soviet Union was designing new, superior
fighter jets. But the Soviet planes never were built. The plans for them collapsed with the Soviet Union.
Thus, the existing 750 active F-15s remain, undeniably, the world's most advanced tactical fighters. And they will
remain so, reports the General Accounting Office, through 2015 or later. With at least a 50-1 advantage in modern
fighter aircraft over Iraq, Iran, China, and other potential adversaries, U.S. air superiority is not in jeopardy.
Yet, the Air Force wants to replace the F-15s (which cost $33 million each) with 339 F-22s at a cost of $63 billion,
about $187 million per plane. It would be by far the most expensive fighter plane ever. And, astonishingly, the F-22 is
only one of three new-generation fighter jets that the Pentagon wants to build in the coming decades, costing a total of
$350 billion.
In addition to serious questions about the need for the F-22, there is evidence that it will not work as advertised - and
anyone in their right mind would expect Congress to pay close attention to these problems in the wake of the recent
tilt-rotor Osprey crash, which killed 19 Marines. The Osprey was needlessly rushed through Congress by porkbarreling politicians.
Fewer than five percent of planned F-22 flight tests have been completed. The GAO, the investigative arm of
Congress - which also objected to the Opsrey - has reported that the F-22 faces design deficiencies, including faulty
brakes, leaky fuel lines and problems connecting the plane's wings to its body. And questions remain about the F-22's
ambitious design, such as its ability to cruise at supersonic speed with unmatched maneuverability.
Despite these problems, lobbying pressure on behalf of the F-22 has been intense, as it was for the Osprey. After the
plane's near-death experience last year, Lockheed Martin - the prime manufacturer of the jet - went on afterburner into
a lobbying frenzy.
Undoubtedly buoyed by the knowledge that parts for the F-22 are made in 46 states, Lockheed lobbyists visited key
lawmakers in their home districts during the congressional recess immediately following the House vote.
Lockheed warned that hundreds of jobs would be lost if Congress did not allocate sufficient tax dollars to build the F22. In four key cities, Lockheed set up a dazzling computer simulation of the plane's cockpit. The display - basically a
video game - promised gee-whiz performance
This year, lobbying pressure will continue to be intense, but so will budget pressure. The Clinton administration has
raised its request for the F-22 from the $2.2 billion allocated last year to an eye-popping $4 billion - enough to build
more than 250 secondary schools across America.
Th F-22 request comes as congressional Republicans are grappling with how to justify their proposal to increase
funding for the Pentagon and education, legislate a tax cut, and - with inflation added - to cut nearly everything else in
the discretionary portion of the budget. And they must deal with this in an election year.
With the budget clamp squeezing hard, will House Republicans determine that the F-22 is indeed justified this year,
when last year it was not?
Or will we see an encore to last year's act, in which brave House Republicans - joined this time by the Clinton
administration and a Senate concerned about a repeat of the Osprey disaster - withstand the lobbying pressure and
recognize that America has much more pressing budget v priorities than the expensive and unnecessary F-22?
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F-22 Impacts
The F-22 Jets are designed from cutting edge technology necessary for US security in the skies
Elizabeth Becker, staff writer, 7/23/1999, New York Times, “Critics Catch up to a 21st – Century Jet”,
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9401EFD9153EF930A15754C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=al
l
On the outside, the flat, almost blunt silhouette of the F-22 has little of the futuristic look of the B-2 stealth
bomber.
Inside, in the cockpit, however, it has the feel of a video game in which approaching enemy aircraft are tracked on a
computer screen as red triangles, easily distinguishable from the green squares representing the ''friendlies'' and the
pale yellow oblongs indicating planes with unknown loyalties.
''Use the cursor like a mouse and see who he is,'' said C. L. Buzze, a former Air Force pilot and now the F-22
advanced product representative, as he manipulated the levers of a facsimile of an F-22 cockpit.
The cursor slid over the triangle and immediately identified the enemy plane as a fighter jet from the Russian fleet.
When the plane came in range, the command ''Shoot'' appeared on the screen, and with a flick of a switch, a white tail
slithered across the screen hitting a dot that exploded into a small fiery ball.
But if the plane passes all of its tests during the next three to four years, officials say that the expensive stealth
features built into nearly every part of the plane will insure that the F-22 image on an enemy radar is so
reduced that it is unlikely to be detected before the it attacks. And according to Lockheed officials, the F-22's
supersonic cruising speed, and technical advances will enable the F-22 pilot to take the first shot in an aerial
duel.
The aviation electronic system in the cockpit, where data are collected, integrated and instantly compiled on
the screen, is one of fighter jet's biggest selling points. Many modern fighter jets have the F22's capabilities but
none compile it and integrate it on one single screen.
The House Appropriations Committee cited these ''ambitious technical goals of the F-22,'' especially the electronic
system in the cockpit, as the reason for the delays in the fighter jet's development.
And this advanced technology has come at a cost far in excess of the original $70 million budgeted for each plane.
Lockheed Martin officials admit that the average price per plane, when all costs are included, is $172 million -- not far
from the $180 million and $200 million figure cited by Congress.
They recognize that Congress is convinced that the Pentagon should drop at least one of the three fighter jet programs
under development. Naturally, Lockheed Martin has a different candidate than its own F-22 jet.
''If Congress feels it needs to remove one of the air weapons programs, I'd pick the F-18,'' said Mr. Rearden,
recommending the Navy's refitted fighter jet.
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***DOD Trade off Answers
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1. NON-UNIQUE, TRADE OFF INEVITABLE
Air Force is being forced to scrap its F-22 proposals
Ivan Eland, Director of Center of Peace and Liberty, 6/28/08, The Independent Institute, “Can the Air Force be Reformed?”,
http://www.antiwar.com/eland/?articleid=13059
During the tenure of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the Army was the military service in the
doghouse. Under his successor, Robert Gates, it appears to be the Air Force. Recently, Secretary Gates took the
unprecedented step of firing the top civilian and military leaders of the service for its snafus with nuclear
weapons and components. And then there was also the Air Force's favoritism in contracting and its failure to
be a team player in the counterinsurgency wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the Secretary's dramatic
actions, vested interests will probably thwart his desire to reform the service.
Since the Vietnam War, the "essence" of the Air Force has been promoting and flying high performance tactical
fighter aircraft. The service's concentration on heavy bombers that could deliver nuclear weapons waned as the Cold
War dragged on, and its attention to nuclear delivery systems fell into oblivion after the Berlin Wall fell. The Air
Force's de-emphasis of its nuclear mission is in part responsible for bomber crews carrying nuclear weapons across
the country without knowing it and mistakenly sending fuses for nuclear weapons to Taiwan. Yet despite the firings,
and most likely to compensate the Air Force for them, Secretary Gates promised to reward failure by increasing the
service's budget for nuclear activities.
Also much to Secretary Gates's stated annoyance, the service has been neglecting remotely piloted surveillance
drones, which have proven invaluable in the counterinsurgency wars being waged in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has also
shortchanged the mission of transporting troops, equipment, fuel, and food for ground troops in such theaters, while
lobbying to buy more stealth F-22 stealth fighters to counter future possible adversaries. The drones are neglected
because they don't require pilots – the people who run the Air Force. Resembling giant toy airplanes, they are piloted
remotely using a joystick.
The transport mission is shortchanged because cargo planes are much less sexy to fly than new high tech fighter jets.
The problem is that the Air Force, even without having bought any F-22s, has existing aircraft, pilots, and weapons
that, when used together, would vastly dominate any future conventional opponent, including China, India, or and
Russia. The F-22 was originally designed during the Cold War to counter Soviet fighters that were never built.
Another problem is that unmanned surveillance drones don't cost as much as high tech fighters. In addition to pilots
being a powerful interest group within the service, the military-industrial-congressional complex would probably
thwart an increased emphasis on drones even if the pilots didn't. Lucrative contracts on the F-22, which usually go to
industrial concerns heavily dependent on defense business in key congressional districts, have kept the unneeded
fighter alive, at the expense of increased funding for badly needed drones. Members of Congress who have such
defense industries in their districts and states usually become powerful members of congressional committees that
authorize and appropriate funds for such projects.
Firing the civilian and military leaders of the service with only 7 months to go in the Bush administration will do
virtually nothing to bust the vested interests that have led to the present state of affairs. Although the new military
chief will stay on into the next administration and is, for once, a military transport person, the fighter mafia, because
of its glamour, is still likely to remain in control of the service. Supporting losing counterinsurgencies on the ground
will never be as alluring as dreams of dogfights with non-existent enemy superfighters.
The one thing that could be done to at least loosen the grip of the military-industrial-congressional complex is
to require the Air Force to drop excessively unique military specifications for components of weapon systems
and instead use commercial components or slight variations thereof. Letting commercial non-defense
companies – which are not part of the dedicated defense industry dependent on government largesse – compete
for defense subcontracts would lessen the pressure to buy unneeded weapon systems. If subcontractors had
commercial business to fall back on when defense procurement was slow, there would be less pressure for the
Air Force and Congress to buy unneeded systems to keep the welfare queens of the dedicated defense
subcontracting industry aloft.
However, this reform, even if adopted, would have an effect only over the long-term. Thus, despite the
secretary's dramatic personnel changes, don't expect to see a different Air Force soon.
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2. F-22 JETS FACE ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS
F-22s faces initial engineering issues
John A. Tirpak, executive editor of Airforce Magazine, 9/2002, Airforce Magazine, “F-22 on the Line”,
http://www.afa.org/magazine/sept2002/0902raptor.asp
Other F-22 problems that have made headlines--a brake overheating issue and wing vortex that threatened to
damage the vertical stabilizers--have been largely resolved, Jabour said.
"We are gathering more data" on the stabilizer issue, but a fix involving a beefed up rudder actuator and some
strengthening of some of the ribs in the rudder should do the trick, he said. The change will not affect the mold line of
the airplane--its external shape--nor will it affect the F-22's stealthiness.
The brake issue has been looked at, and the aircraft has been cleared for hot-pit refueling--meaning that ground crews
are allowed to refuel the airplane when the brakes are still hot, and this is not considered especially dangerous.
An F-22 a few months ago showed its mettle when it absorbed a bird strike, Jabour noted. On takeoff from
Lockheed Martin's Marietta, Ga., plant, he said, the aircraft collided with a "nine-pound bird," but the pilot
reported that he could feel "no change in engine performance" and landed merely as a precaution.
Sofware issues threaten to hurt F-22 jet efficiency and production
John A. Tirpak, executive editor of Airforce Magazine, 9/2002, Airforce Magazine, “F-22 on the Line”,
http://www.afa.org/magazine/sept2002/0902raptor.asp
In another example, Rearden noted that all the power cables, hydraulics, cooling hoses, and other umbilicals that
usually have to be connected to an airplane in assembly will now flow from a single "vault" in the floor beneath each
station, reducing accidents and disconnections and saving time as the line moves.
The F-22's software problems coincided with a brain drain that hit the aerospace industry in the late 1990s,
when the dot-com fever lured away many talented software engineers with stock options and other
compensation, Rearden noted. In the wake of the dot-com crash, he now has all the software engineers he
needs, but the effect of the turbulence is still felt.
A 44-day production strike at Lockheed Martin also affected the program. The reduced time resulted in
slowing the numbers of aircraft available for test, thus slowing the rate at which the Air Force can burn down
the required flight test points, Jabour said.
The Rumsfeld review is likely to have heavy input from Stephen A. Cambone, the Pentagon's new program analysis
and evaluation chief and a Rumsfeld confidante. Cambone explained to reporters in Washington in June that the bigticket systems review is "not a budget-cutting drill" and that good answers are what are being sought. The Air Force,
he said, is welcome to ask for more F-22s or to suggest shifting the aircraft's mission emphasis.
"There's nothing that is prohibited from being presented," Cambone noted.
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3. NO IMPACT, THERE WILL BE NO LOSS OF AIRWAY CONTROL WITHOUT THE F-22
JETS
A trade-off with military spending is overdue; the F-22 is ineffective and expensive.
Ethan Heitner, Staff writer for Tom Paine Common Sense. 7/27/06 “The Other F-22 Problem”
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/07/27/the_f22s_other_problem.php
What do you do when you've got the world's most expensive fighter jet and its canopy won't open correctly so
you have to chainsaw free the hapless pilot?
If you're the U.S. government, you sign up for an extended three-year contract to ensure you get even more of
them than you originally wanted
Retired Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan elucidates the cost of the Pentagon's outdated thinking about defense spending
today in an article on TomPaine.com about the bloated and unloved F-22 Raptor fighter jet:
Political leaders in Washington are so scared of being labeled “weak on defense” that they rarely object at all
to defense expenditures, even ones like the F-22 that are widely regarded as wasteful. In fact, it’s an open secret
in Washington that tens of billions of dollars are going down the drain at the Pentagon.
At the same time, it’s also an open secret that millions of American kids lack health insurance, public schools
around the country are falling down, and our nation continues to rely on petroleum—a national vulnerability that
could set us up for a serious economic collapse.
And how much is the federal government spending on renewable energy research? About as much as we’re
spending on the F-22 fighter jet. And less than a third as much as we spend on national missile defense.
F-22s unnecessary for US security
Victoria Samson, staff writer, 2/26/08, Asheville Citizen-Times, “How many guns are enough?”,
http://www.cdi.org/program/issue/document.cfm?DocumentID=4223&IssueID=214&StartRow=1&ListRows=10&appendU
RL=&Orderby=DateLastUpdated&ProgramID=37&issueID=214
To put this request into proper perspective: When the United States was preparing for nuclear war with a peer
competitor, as it was commonly thought to be doing during the five decades of the Cold War, it still asked for less
funding (corrected for inflation) than the Pentagon is seeking now. The real question is whether this current
stratospheric level of funding is warranted. And if it is, are we spending our money on the actual threats we face, or
are we throwing money after programs that have been rendered obsolete?
One case in point is the F-22 Raptor plane. Originally intended for air-to-air combat, this aircraft now has a
questionable role in determining U.S. security. Whom exactly this fighter would be fighting is unclear. As
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recently pointed out, “The reality is, we are fighting two wars, in Iraq and
Afghanistan, and the F-22 has not performed a single mission in either theater.”
Even so, the Pentagon wishes to limit its purchases of the F-22 to “just” 183 of them, at a cost of $140 million…each.
This is still not enough for the Air Force, which vehemently insists that 381 are still needed as initially planned. The
Air Force as a service is trying to find direction in a time when the chance of aerial dogfights is slim to none, and it is
understandable that some old procurement inclinations reassert themselves from time to time. But it is inexcusable to
put this sort of funding into a program that does little to strengthen U.S. security when so many other more
pressing needs for the military go unmet.
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Military purchases must be made in light of longevity of the weapons, F-22s are not strategic buys
Sydney J. Freedberg Jr., staff writer, 3/20/2008, National Journal, “On the sea and in the air, military bills come due”,
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0308/032008nj1.htm
The air and sea services certainly make the case for their own relevance. Besides an increasing number of air strikes
since the beginning of the 2007 "surge" of troops into Iraq, "what you see is Air Force airplanes providing
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in direct support of ground forces," said Maj. Gen. Paul Selva, the
service's director of strategic planning. With land vehicles vulnerable to roadside bombs, Selva added, Air Force
transports shuttle an average of 2,000 troops a day around Iraq and Afghanistan. But even Selva puts the case for
high-tech, high-cost systems in terms of future conflicts, not the current low-tech war."The question with the F22 is the long-term strategic horizon," Selva said, "because whatever number we end up [buying] with the F22, that's the number we're going to have for the next 20 years." The Navy, likewise, emphasizes that the ships it
builds today must last for decades in a world where lethal technologies are proliferating rapidly. Whether these longterm arguments will shake an extra $40 billion out of Congress is an open question. And whether the services'
planned purchases are the right investments for the future is another question altogether."My main concern is
readiness for the unexpected, for what's around the corner," said Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., chairman of the
House Armed Services Committee. "You do your best to have high-technology systems to deter and prevail in
the unexpected [future] -- but the need to bolster the ground forces is highly important today. We have to do
our very best to balance them out."
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F-22’s suck
A trade-off with military spending is overdue; the F-22 is ineffective and expensive.
Ethan Heitner, Staff writer for Tom Paine Common Sense. 7/27/06 “The Other F-22 Problem”
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/07/27/the_f22s_other_problem.php
What do you do when you've got the world's most expensive fighter jet and its canopy won't open correctly so
you have to chainsaw free the hapless pilot?
If you're the U.S. government, you sign up for an extended three-year contract to ensure you get even more of
them than you originally wanted
Retired Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan elucidates the cost of the Pentagon's outdated thinking about defense spending
today in an article on TomPaine.com about the bloated and unloved F-22 Raptor fighter jet:
Political leaders in Washington are so scared of being labeled “weak on defense” that they rarely object at all
to defense expenditures, even ones like the F-22 that are widely regarded as wasteful. In fact, it’s an open secret
in Washington that tens of billions of dollars are going down the drain at the Pentagon.
At the same time, it’s also an open secret that millions of American kids lack health insurance, public schools
around the country are falling down, and our nation continues to rely on petroleum—a national vulnerability that
could set us up for a serious economic collapse.
And how much is the federal government spending on renewable energy research? About as much as we’re
spending on the F-22 fighter jet. And less than a third as much as we spend on national missile defense.
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***DOE Trade OFF
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Renewable energies will trade off with ITER
Space Ref, 1/31/08
http://www.iterfan.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=358&Itemid=2
Energy Under Secretary Orbach: "We Are Now at a Perilous Moment in the History of Funding for Science in the
United States"
In remarks delivered yesterday to the Universities Research Association, Energy Under Secretary for Science Raymond L. Orbach was clear:
"Though you have heard this phrase before, we are now at a perilous moment in the history of funding for science in the United States."
Orbach's comments made it clear that legislative actions have real-world consequences: failure to enact the President's
FY 2008 request for the Office of Science will be felt keenly in the research programs that the Office of Science
supports. Reduced budgets will result in the elimination of funding for more than 4,300 Ph.D.'s, graduate students, and
others from what was envisioned in the FY 2008 request.
Selections from Orbach's presentation follow; his entire speech may be read at
http://www.er.doe.gov/News_Information/speeches/speeches/08/SC08.htm Note that his presentation on this site includes two figures: the first,
"Office of Science; FY 2008 Appropriation", the other, with new information, entitled "Office of Science; FY 2006 - FY 2008;Impact on Scientific
Employment" Headings have been added to the below excerpts:
FY 2008 OUTCOME:
"Though you have heard this phrase before, we are now at a perilous moment in the history of funding for science in
the United States. I speak from the perspective of the Director of the Department of Energy Office of Science, and as
Under Secretary for Science, but I believe I also represent the views of other leaders of the federal agencies that
support science.
"I refer you to the consequences for the funding for science of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Omnibus Bill, and the
preceding year-long FY 2007 Continuing Resolution. Both failed to provide adequate funding for the physical
sciences in the United States and for many other fields of science. The President's Budget Request for FY 2009, in the
context of the American Competitive Initiative, or ACI, will again be a vote of confidence for the three federal
agencies that are the primary supporters of the physical sciences: the Office of Science within the Department of
Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the core research component of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology. The President's commitment to support of long-term basic research continues to be evident in this budget
request, as it has been in previous requests. Indeed, in his State of the Union Address on Monday, the President
devoted some of his precious time to state:
"'To keep America competitive into the future, we must trust in the skill of our scientists and engineers and empower them to pursue the
breakthroughs of tomorrow. Last year, Congress passed legislation supporting the American Competitiveness Initiative, but never followed through
with the funding. This funding is essential to keeping our scientific edge. So I ask Congress to double federal support for critical basic research in
the physical sciences and ensure America remains the most dynamic nation on Earth.'
"I have never heard before such support for the physical sciences from a President of the United States. But if the FY 09 enacted budget proves
similar to FY 07 and FY 08, a "three-peat," the future of the physical sciences will be in jeopardy. Opportunities will be lost forever: for science,
and our country."
[At this point, Orbach quoted an op-ed by Intel Chairman Craig Barrett]
"I needn't remind this group what happened in the FY 2008 Omnibus Bill . . . . The President's request for the ACI, a trajectory that would have led
to a doubling of the budgets of the NSF, the DOE Office of Science, and NIST, was, with a few exceptions, at best ignored. For the Office of
Science, the budget without earmarks was reduced by $500 million from the President's request, and is only 2.6% above FY 07, which itself was
down by $300 million from the President's FY 07 request. The loss of more than three quarters of a billion dollars for the physical sciences for the
Office of Science will never be recovered. Worse, specific areas of science within the physical sciences were marked for major reductions from the
President's request. I speak of High Energy Physics for which the enacted FY 08 budget was $63.5 million less than enacted in FY 07, and by $94
million from the President's request for FY 08. Fusion Energy Sciences was reduced by $32.4 million from FY 07, and by $141 million from the
President's request for FY 08, zeroing our Nation's contribution to ITER construction. Nuclear Physics was slightly increased by $10 million from
FY 07, but cut by $38.6 million from the President's request for FY 08. Finally, the budget for Basic Energy Sciences was increased by $19.7
million from FY 07, but cut by $229 million from the President's request, eliminating funding for basic research energy initiatives such as solar and
electrical energy storage. To be fair, the budgets for Biological and Environmental Research and Advanced Scientific Computing Research were
augmented above the President's request.
"Nevertheless, the consequences of the FY 2008 Omnibus Bill for the U.S. scientific workforce are substantial. . . .
Office of Science funding for Ph.D.'s, graduate students, and others was decreased from the President's Request by
over 4,300. This at a time when other nations around the world are increasing their scientific workforce.
<<CONTINUES NEXT PAGE
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"The budget decisions that led to these consequences were carefully drawn. They were not the result of hasty lastminute actions. They represent the will of the people, as expressed through their elected representatives."
FY 2009 BUDGET REQUEST:
"But enough of the past. What's done is done, and we need to move on. The President's request for FY 09 will be
wonderful, again, for the physical sciences. While I can't go into details here, I can say that it will continue the
funding request consistent with the American Competitiveness Initiative and the America COMPETES Act. The
problem for all of us is that, faced with essentially flat funding for the physical sciences in FY 08, the President's
Request for FY 09 will appear as a very large percentage increase for the three ACI agencies. The danger is that basic
research in the physical sciences will again be 'donors' to other programs.
FAILED ATTITUDE:
"Compounding this danger is that we scientists tend to regard the proposed increases for the physical sciences under
the American Competitiveness Initiative and the America COMPETES Act as an entitlement. That attitude has failed
us. Our lawmakers have clearly signaled where they want to put taxpayer dollars. If we are to avoid a repeat in FY 09
of what happened in FY 08, we need to actively make the case for the support of long-term basic research across those
fields that have historically represented U.S. world leadership. Our fellow citizens must understand that these
investments in basic research have held the key to America's prosperity and strength in modern times. As Vannevar
Bush wrote to President Truman more than half a century ago: '.without scientific progress no amount of achievement
in other directions can insure our health, prosperity, and security as a nation in the modern world.'
FURTHER DETAILS ON THE FY 2009 REQUEST:
"The President's FY 09 request for the Office of Science will continue to support the full spectrum of physical science
basic research. It will restore the ACI funding trajectory for High Energy Physics, for Nuclear Physics, for Basic
Energy Sciences, and for Fusion Energy Sciences, including major support for ITER construction.
NEW APPROACH NEEDED THIS YEAR:
"But the President's vote of confidence in us will go for naught if we regard his Budget Request as 'a done deal' The
final congressional action on the FY 09 budget will not be a free ride. Our community must make clear to Congress
why it is critical for the Nation's future that the physical sciences be supported at least at the level of the President's
request. Failure to do so will yield more of the same we experienced in FY 07 and FY 08, and the 'three-peat' will
have the potential of continuing the flat-to-declining trajectory into the indefinite future.
"The message of this year's appropriation is unmistakable. The American public, through its duly elected Congress,
has made its priorities clear: short-term applied research wins over the full spectrum of long-term basic research. It is
our job to make clear to the American people that our country will 'run out of gas' if the latter is not supported. In the
absence of breakthroughs in fundamental science, current technologies will simply not be able to meet the energy and
environmental challenges that loom ahead for our Nation. Progress in basic science is essential to America's continued
prosperity and strength in the twenty-first century.
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The U.S. will probably desert ITER
David Pace (Masters at University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA Department of
Physics and Astronomy, Doctorate Candidate in Experimental Plasma Physics, M.Sc., Physics,
2003, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA Department of Physics, B.S., magna
cum laude Physics, 2002, Honorary Teaching Award, UCLA Department of Physics and
Astronomy, 2006-2007, Research Mentorship Fellowship, UCLA, 2004-2005, Outstanding
Teaching Assistant Award, UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy, 2004, Cota Robles
Fellowship, UCLA, 2002-2003, Most Outstanding Senior, U. Pacific Department of Physics, 2002,
DOE Energy Research Undergraduate Laboratory Research Fellowship, 2001, Dean’s Honor
Roll, U. Pacific, 1998-2001) , 1/5/08
http://www.davidpace.com/physics/graduate-school/us-leave-iter.htm
Finding and understanding the actual congressional material regarding this cut is difficult. It is easy to find media
coverage of the results but they will not say much about the ITER issue. A collection of the House Amendments to the
bill provides the best overview. With respect to ITER, the Joint Explanatory Statement says (emphasis added),
Funding under this heading in the amended bill includes $289,180,000 for Fusion Energy Sciences. Within Fusion
Energy Sciences, $162,910,000 is provided for Science, $93,504,000 for U.S. Facility Operations, an increase of
$6,000,000 to be used to increase facility operations at the three U.S. user facilities (i.e., the DIII-D, Alcator C-Mod,
and National Spherical Torus Experiment) $22,042,000 for Enabling R&D, an increase of $1,225,000 for materials
research, $0 for the U.S. contribution to ITER, and $10,724,000 for Enabling R&D for ITER. Funding under this
heading in the amended bill includes $12,281,000 for High Energy Density Physics. Funding may not be
reprogrammed from other activities within Fusion Energy Sciences to restore the U.S. contribution to ITER.
The removal of funds for our ITER contribution might normally be considered a temporary technicality if not for the
final line stating that money may not be transferred from other funds to pay the contribution. This suggests that the
bill's intent is to completely reacquire the $160 million originally reserved for ITER. I have not determined what is
included as “Enabling R&D” though I suspect that this money will allow those already being paid through U.S. ITER
support to continue receiving their wage.
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DOE TRADE OFF 1NC
Loss of ITER kills U.S. heg
David Pace (Masters at University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA Department of
Physics and Astronomy, Doctorate Candidate in Experimental Plasma Physics, M.Sc., Physics,
2003, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA Department of Physics, B.S., magna
cum laude Physics, 2002, Honorary Teaching Award, UCLA Department of Physics and
Astronomy, 2006-2007, Research Mentorship Fellowship, UCLA, 2004-2005, Outstanding
Teaching Assistant Award, UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy, 2004, Cota Robles
Fellowship, UCLA, 2002-2003, Most Outstanding Senior, U. Pacific Department of Physics, 2002,
DOE Energy Research Undergraduate Laboratory Research Fellowship, 2001, Dean’s Honor
Roll, U. Pacific, 1998-2001) , 1/5/08
http://www.davidpace.com/physics/graduate-school/us-leave-iter.htm
The collection of circumstances now present do not bode well for ITER and they encourage renewed concern over
U.S. fusion and plasma research in general. It seems that history is repeating itself with regard to our role in ITER. An
unwilling Congress, the lack of powerful supporters, and economic pressures are aligned against a U.S. presence in
ITER. The Government Accountability Office has highlighted both the need for more fusion Ph.D.'s in the workforce
and the fact that as many of half of all plasma science and engineering Ph.D.'s leave the field (plain text, pdf). As a
member of the group of graduate students in this field I can positively state that our discussions focus on events like
this ITER cut and the uncertainty in funding for this type of research is a major motivation for moving to other sectors
and very different careers. Supporting ITER encourages a new generation of plasma scientists as much as cutting it
leads these same people to other fields.
A broader issue remains: what happens if ITER is a rousing success and we were not involved? For a comparison,
imagine that the methods of AC and DC electricity generation and transmission had not been developed in the United
States. The negative impact on our industrialization and technological prowess is unimaginable. A successful ITER
project with no U.S. assistance will be very similar. The rest of the industrialized world will have a wealth of
knowledge and ability in the field of fusion driven electricity production@, along with the desire to feed their own
national corporate interests with the first commercial applications.
Loss of Heg leads to nuclear war
Khalilzad ’95 (Washington Quarterly)
http://www.lexisnexis.com:80/us/lnacademic/search/homesubmitForm.do
Under the third option, the United States would seek to retain global leadership and to preclude the rise of a global rival or a
return to multipolarity for the indefinite future. On balance, this is the best long-term guiding principle and vision. Such a
vision is desirable not as an end in itself, but because a world in which the United States exercises leadership would have
tremendous advantages. First, the global environment would be more open and more receptive to American values -democracy, free markets, and the rule of law. Second, such a world would have a better chance of dealing cooperatively with
the world's major problems, such as nuclear proliferation, threats of regional hegemony by renegade states, and low-level
conflicts. Finally, U.S. leadership would help preclude the rise of another hostile global rival, enabling the United States and
the world to avoid another global cold or hot war and all the attendant dangers, including a global nuclear exchange. U.S.
leadership would therefore be more conducive to global stability than a bipolar or a multipolar balance of power system.
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Nuclear Energy funding key
Funding for nuclear energy is key because current containment units are already malfunctioning
Energy News Service, 7/14/08 http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2008/2008-07-14-095.asp
The U.S. Department of Energy doesn't know enough about the condition and contents of millions of gallons of radioactive
and hazardous wastes stored in tanks at its Hanford Site in Washington state to make good decisions about cleanup and costs,
according to a new report by Congress's investigative agency.
The findings issued by the U.S. General Accountability Office are the latest in a string of critiques finding fault with the way
the Department of Energy is handling Hanford, which GAO natural resources and development director Gene Aloise called
"one of the most contaminated places on Earth."
Situated on 586 square miles along the Columbia River in southeastern Washington, upstream from the cities of Richland,
Pasco and Kennewick, the Hanford Site was established in 1943 to produce plutonium for atomic bombs, as part of the
government's top-secret Manhattan Project.
Hanford manufactured nuclear materials through 1989, a mission that left in its wake the world's largest environmental
cleanup project.
Now, the Department of Energy is responsible for managing more than 56 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous waste
stored in 149 single-shell and 28 double-shell underground tanks.
Of those, 67 are confirmed or presumed to have already leaked about one million gallons of waste into the ground. In 2000,
the estimated cost of tank waste cleanup was estimated at nearly $50 billion.
One of the agency's plans is to convert some of the most perilous radioactive waste into glass, a process called vitrification.
But the process of conversion is stymied by the fact that some of the radioactive elements have formed "unknown
compounds" while in storage.
The Energy Deparment has an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state of Washington's
Department of Ecology to remove waste from single-shelled tanks by the fall of 2018 and "immobilize" all tank waste by the
end of 2028.
But the department is far behind schedule. By its latest estimate, according to the GAO report, waste treatment will not begin
until late 2019 and it could continue to 2050 and beyond.
In its report issued June 30, the GAO recommended that the Department of Energy give priority to assessing the integrity of
single-shelled tanks; quantify specific risks of continuing to use the tanks; and work with state and federal agencies on a
realistic cleanup schedule.
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ITER Brink/Internal Link
ITER is on the Brink now, any trade-off will cut its funding
Peter Fairley, Contributing Editor Peter Fairley has reported for IEEE Spectrum from Bolivia,
Beijing, and Paris., 2/14/08 http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/feb08/5980 The 2004 report “Burning Plasma:
Bringing a Star to Earth,” from the U.S. National Research Council, sold Washington on the International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor (ITER), a massive R&D project that proponents predict will be the breakthrough project for fusion
energy. In its fiscal 2008 budget, however, Congress drove the United States’ role in ITER right into the ground, slashing US
$160 million promised for this year to $10.7 million. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) officials are expected to provide an
update on how the United States plans to work around the budget shortfall at a meeting of the agency’s Fusion Energy
Sciences Advisory Committee next Tuesday. But the United States’ paltry participation has some wondering if fusion
research, considered since the 1960s one of the great long shots for a sustainable and relatively clean energy supply, has run
out of time. ITER, set to begin construction in Cadarache, near Marseilles in southern France, aspires to produce the first selfsustaining fusion reaction. Like most fusion experiments to date, ITER will use formidable electric currents and magnetic
fields to induce fusion in isotopes of hydrogen (deuterium and tritium) and to contain the resulting burning plasma—akin to a
tiny star and exceeding 100 million ˚C. But where existing fusion reactors have produced heat equivalent to just a few
megawatts of power for fractions of a second, ITER should put out 500 megawatts—10 times as much as the external power
delivered—for several minutes. Getting there requires a scale of investment that only international consortia can support.
The 27-meter-high magnetic confinement chamber required will take a decade to build and cost an estimated $2.76 billion.
Including design, administration, and 20 years of operation, the project’s total expenses will be nearly $15 billion. The
European Union has agreed to cover half that cost, with the other half shared by the United States, China, India, Japan,
Russia, and the Republic of Korea. U.S. support has waxed and waned before. In 1998, Congress pulled the United States
out of ITER, judging the design too pricey. ITER got Congress back on board in 2005 with a redesign that cut the cost in
half, only to see the United States trim the cap on its contribution for ITER the next year from $1.4 billion to $1.1 billion.
This year’s budget cut will prevent the DOE from lining up contractors for the design and assembly of the hardware that it
committed to supply, which includes conductors for the magnets, a pellet injector to deliver solid deuterium fuel, and an
exhaust system for tritium gas. The $10.7 million provided by Congress will cover only U.S. personnel posted to ITER in
France and a skeleton staff in the States. ITER supporters say the setback is temporary. They note that congressional
committees fully funded ITER in draft legislation last fall, only to see the funds shed in the course of a larger budget battle
between President Bush and Congress. At the last minute, Congress slashed $22 billion to avoid a threatened veto, and ITER
was an obvious target as a new and nondomestic project. “It’s just one of those things that happen because of this financial
mess we’re in,” says Stephen Dean, president of Fusion Power Associates, a nonprofit research and educational outfit based
in Gaithersburg, Md. Dean says that slowdowns at ITER, as officials grapple with more than 200 proposed design changes,
will blunt the effect of U.S. delays. “The impact is going to be relatively small, provided that it doesn’t happen again next
year,” says Dean. But some observers say it could happen again if the “financial mess” endures, because ITER—the core of
the U.S. fusion program—appears to be low on Congress’s list of priorities. James Decker, a principal with Alexandria, Va.,
lobbying firm Decker Garman Sullivan and former director of the DOE’s Office of Science, notes that Congress instead
provided extra funding for shorter-term energy solutions. For example, Congress gave a 23 percent raise to the DOE’s energy
R&D programs, covering such areas as carbon sequestration and solar energy. If the United States does drop out of ITER,
that could weaken support among other ITER players. Britain pulled its funding for another international R&D megaproject,
the $6.7 billion International Linear Collider, after Congress effectively froze U.S. participation in the project. The
International Linear Collider is the successor to the CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) Large Hadron
Collider, which is to begin operations this year. Proponents of renewable energy would shed no tears if ITER came apart. Ed
Lyman, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says governments today must determine if energy
technologies—including fusion—are “going to be realistic large-scale energy sources on a timeframe needed to mitigate
global warming.” Lyman says fusion, which even supporters agree is still several decades from fruition, flunks that test and
has no place in tight budgets: “R&D resources just aren’t there to support projects that are so expensive and have shown so
little potential for promise in the near term.”
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ITER Brink/Internal Link
AT: Bush says new money/ Normal Means is trade off Ignore cards based on what Bush will do,
the budget reflects his intentions to cut renewable energy
Center For American Progress 2/8/08
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/02/energy_budget.html
President Bush has repeatedly said in recent months that he would lead the United States in taking steps to reduce oil
consumption, combat global warming and expand the production of renewable fuels. Bush signed the Energy
Independence and Security Act in December, and in his State of the Union address just last week, he said that we must
continue to invest in renewable fuels and that the United States is committed to strengthening our energy security and
confronting global climate change. Yet a quick look at the president's FY 2009 budget proposals for the Department
of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency programs show cuts in critical areas, including climate protection,
tribal energy, and solar energy, while funding for fossil and nuclear energy was increased. And some programs, such
as Weatherization Assistance Grants, and the Renewable Energy Production Incentive, were zeroed out entirely.
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ITER Brink/Internal Link
ITER is on the brink of getting funding, prominent scientists are pushing for it, but a spending trade off could drain
funds
Richard M. Jones (Media and Government Relations Division) 1/17/08
http://www.iterfan.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=352&Itemid=2)
An unexpected outcome in the FY 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act was the appropriators' decision to provide no money for
the U.S. contribution to ITER. In addition, the Explanatory Statement directed that "Funding may not be reprogrammed from other
activities within Fusion Energy Sciences to restore the U.S. contribution to ITER." The Administration requested $160.0 million.
As reported in FYI #2, appropriators provided "$10,724,000 for Enabling R&D for ITER."
Twenty leaders in the U.S. fusion community have sent a letter to OSTP Director John Marburger, Energy Secretary Samuel
Bodman, Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and House
Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Peter Visclosky (D-IN). (Visclosky and Dorgan have
jurisdiction over funding for the Office of Science.) "We most respectfully urge that funding be provided for continued U.S.
participation in ITER," the letter states, continuing, "We also ask that funding be restored to the other areas of the Department of
Energy's Office of Science."
The Administration sends its FY 2009 budget to Congress on February 4. Senior Department of Energy officials will describe their
request that day, and may comment on the FY 2008 outcome.
Copies of this letter were also sent to Energy Under Secretary for Science Raymond Orbach, and the leadership and members of
relevant House and Senate appropriations and authorization committees. The full text of the January 4 letter follows:
"Dear Dr. Marburger, Secretary Bodman, Chairman Dorgan and Chairman Visclosky:
"Despite being fully funded in the President’s and in the House and Senate Appropriations measures, the Fiscal Year 2008 omnibus
funding measure contains $0 for the U.S. contribution to the ITER Project. ITER is the key breakthrough project for magnetic
fusion energy. The purpose of the ITER Project is to 'demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy for
peaceful purposes.' If the United States cannot participate in ITER, the U.S. will lose a centerpiece of its own fusion program, a key
scientific tool for understanding a fundamental process in the universe (burning plasmas like those in the sun and stars) and the
pathway to the future of fusion energy.
"ITER is a joint project of the China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States. Congress authorized
U.S. participation in this project in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the President committed the United States to its
approximately 10% share of the ITER construction just a few months ago. Failure by the United States to sustain its international
commitments to ITER seems certain to establish the United States as an unreliable partner not only in the ITER project, but in
many other areas of science. This comes at a time when the expense and scope of many critically important scientific activities
suggest international partnership and cooperation.
"Therefore, for the sake of the international and domestic fusion effort and for the sake of the U.S. reputation in the international
scientific community, we most respectfully urge that funding be provided for continued U.S. participation in ITER.
"Finally, as scientists concerned about the whole U.S. scientific enterprise, we also ask that funding be restored to the other areas of
the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. There is no doubt that scientific progress on a broad variety of fronts is essential for
our nation’s future. These areas of science also represent essential fronts in our understanding of the universe and the basic
functioning of the world around us. We therefore urge that these budgets also be made whole.
"Thank you in advance for your attention to this important matter."
The letter was signed by:
Mohamed Abdou; University of California, Los Angeles
Charles Baker; University of California, San Diego
Michael Brown; Swarthmore College
John Cary; University of Colorado
Steven Cowley; University of California, Los Angeles
Stephen Dean; Fusion Power Associates
Robert Goldston; Princeton University
Adil Hassam; University of Maryland, College Park
Richard Hazeltine; University of Texas at Austin
Thomas Jarboe; University of Washington
Arnold Kritz; Lehigh University
Stanley Milora; Fellow, American Physical Society
Gerald Navatril; Columbia University
Miklos Porkolab; MIT
Stewart Prager; University of Wisconsin
Ned Sauthoff
Ron Stambaugh; General Atomics
George Tynan; University of California, San Diego
James Van Dam; University of Texas at Austin
Glen Wurden; Los Alamos National Laboratory
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ITER Brink/Internal Link
ITER currently has funding requested, but it could be cut
Alan Boyle (winner of the AAAS Science Journalism Award, the NASW Science-in-Society
Award and other honors; a contributor to "A Field Guide for Science Writers"; and a member of
the board of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing.) 2/4/08
http://www.iterfan.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=361&Itemid=2%3C/span
%3E)
President Bush’s final budget proposal puts America’s biggest science projects back on track, as expected, but the big
question is whether Congress will gut those projects like it did last year.
For the scientific community, one of the biggest disappointments in the budget compromise rushed through Congress
late last year was the $400 million reduction in support for projects on the cutting edge of physics through the Energy
Department's Office of Science. Hundreds of physicists are facing layoffs, and America's promised contribution of
$160 million for international nuclear fusion research was cut to zero.
All this led the Energy Department's under secretary for science, Ray Orbach, to remark over the weekend that "we
are now at a perilous moment in the history of funding for science in the United States."
The Energy Department's newly proposed $4.7 billion science budget for the 2009 fiscal year, beginning in October,
is in some ways a case of "back to the future." The request represents an 18.8 percent increase over the current year's
appropriation.
Support for the fusion project known as ITER is set at $214.5 million, with officials ruefully noting that last year's
budget reversal "will impact the schedule and increase the U.S. costs." Funding is restored as well for Fermilab's
NOvA detector and preparations for the International Linear Collider - two projects that went into limbo due to last
year's congressional cuts.
Kei Koizumi, who analyzes science policy issues for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, said
the broad strokes appeared to follow through on Bush's State of the Union pledge to beef up support for the physical
sciences. He cautioned, however, that Fermilab and the Energy Department's other national laboratories will still have
to weather some tough months ahead..
"If those labs can get through this year, and appropriations follow the requests, then starting next year, those labs and
those physical programs will be in much better shape," Koizumi told me.
That's a big if. Over the past seven years, Bush has repeatedly faced criticism for his approach to scientific issues such
as global warming and stem cells - but on this issue, he's the one who looks like the champion of science, while
members of Congress come off looking like Neanderthals.
Big science could still lose out to congressional tinkering, driven by the desire to make up for cuts elsewhere. For
example, this Reuters story notes that while proposed spending on high-energy physics, nuclear physics and basic
energy sciences rose 19 percent to $1.57 billion, the budget for low-income energy assistance (through Health and
Human Services) was reduced 22 percent to $2 billion.
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ITER Brink/Internal Link
Although ITER funding was cut last year, this year they have gained funding, but the program will shut down if the funds are
not received
American Institute of Physics, 2/11/08
http://www.aip.org/fyi/2008/019.html
In an attempt to get the Department of Energy's Office of Science budget back on track, the Administration has requested an
18.8 percent increase for the fiscal year starting November 1. Under this request, funding for the Office of Science would
increase by $748.8 million, from $3,973.1 million to $4,722.0 million. The Office of Science is one of the three components
of the American Competitiveness Initiative.
The Department of Energy's budget would see the largest increase in five years under this proposal. Departmental funding
would increase by $1.13 billion to $25.0 billion. Funding for all of the department's primary functions - science, energy,
defense, environment, and management - would increase. Of note is the final exhibit in a department-wide overview of the
budget which included the statement, "Budget Proposal is Focused on Our Priorities." Above other priorities, such as
"expanding nuclear power" and the transformation of the nuclear weapons complex was "Investing in American
Competitiveness in the 21st century by continuing to focus on the physical sciences."
Components of the FY 2009 request for the Office of Science follow, with additional comments from a briefing by Under
Secretary for Science Raymond Orbach. For detailed information on the request for each program see
http://www.science.doe.gov/obp/FY_09_Budget/FY_09_Budget.htm
BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES: Up 23.5 percent, or $298.3 million, from the FY 2008 appropriation of $1,269.9 million to
the FY 2009 request of $1,568.2 million. In commenting on this program, Orbach said "we listen to Congress," announcing a
$100 million request for a new program, "Energy Frontier Research Centers." The request fully funds the department's light
sources.
FUSION ENERGY SCIENCES: Up 72.1% or $206.5 million, from $286.6 million to $493.1 million. Orbach commented on
the "bitter blow" to the program when ITER funding for this year was zeroed, adding that program officials were "doing our
best to stay alive." The request does not make-up for the loss of ITER funding this year, Orbach saying "the money is lost."
HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS: Up 16.8 percent or $115.6 million, from $689.3 million to $805.0 million. Orbach spoke of this
being a "very difficult year" for the program with "significant layoffs" because of funding reductions. The proposed budget,
he said, "gets us back on track."
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ITER Brink/Internal Link
ITER is on the chopping block, elections and the current economic situation make it likely to get
cut
David Pace (Masters at University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA Department of
Physics and Astronomy, Doctorate Candidate in Experimental Plasma Physics, M.Sc., Physics,
2003, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA Department of Physics, B.S., magna
cum laude Physics, 2002, Honorary Teaching Award, UCLA Department of Physics and
Astronomy, 2006-2007, Research Mentorship Fellowship, UCLA, 2004-2005, Outstanding
Teaching Assistant Award, UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy, 2004, Cota Robles
Fellowship, UCLA, 2002-2003, Most Outstanding Senior, U. Pacific Department of Physics, 2002,
DOE Energy Research Undergraduate Laboratory Research Fellowship, 2001, Dean’s Honor
Roll, U. Pacific, 1998-2001) , 1/5/08
http://www.davidpace.com/physics/graduate-school/us-leave-iter.htm
Instead of honoring our international promises we have decided, through congressional action, to leave our partners
millions of dollars short. If we truly leave ITER completely, then we will keep over one billion dollars from the
project. It should be noted that Boehlert was not talking about earmarks and pork-barrel projects in his speech, he
actually suggested that ITER might be the unnecessary project. Still, even though not all earmarks have to be wasteful
just a small percentage of the $10 billion set aside for these projects could have fulfilled our role in something to
which we have already agreed. In fact, in an era where the U.S. does not always engender a favorable image in the
international community we could have taken a slightly larger portion of this pot and over-contributed to the project as
a sign of our desire to participate in cooperative endeavors. This is an election year, however, so no one should expect
a politician to willingly divert funds away from their local districts.
The combined effects of a downward moving economy, incredible financial burden of multiple military exercises, and
the coming election leaves it incredibly unlikely that ITER will be funded. Congress is ending our involvement in the
project as they did previously.
Who Wants the U.S. to Support ITER?
In 2003 the Secretary of Energy was encouraged to bring the U.S. back to ITER. Representative Zach Wamp also
encouraged participation, along with most of Tennessee which stands to benefit through the involvement of Oak
Ridge National Laboratory and its Fusion Energy Development program. Other endorsements remain enthusiastic but
cautious. President Bush includes fusion research, and ITER specifically, as part of the response to climate change and
the quest for energy independence. His administration expected this year's commitment to ITER to proceed as
planned. The cooperation even extended to India as their participation in ITER has been considered part of a welcome
partnership between the U.S. and India with regard to energy affairs.
An argument can be made that the Bush Administration is not entirely supportive of a true fusion research program.
Their Advanced Energy Initiative calls for the fusion research budget to be nearly equivalent to the amount spent on
coal research (pdf). The differences between a world powered entirely by coal and one powered entirely by fusion are
dramatic. Coal, however abundant, is still analogous to collecting a big pile of firewood for our national energy needs.
Burning coal is never a zero emissions process. Using coal for energy always produces carbon products, the claimed
lack of emission comes from capturing and storing these compounds. The method involves burying carbon products
underground. Zero emissions coal factories are simply underground garbage dumps. People of the late 21st century
will surely come to view this type of plan with the same disdain we presently exhibit towards the ignorant
environmental practices of the early 20th century.
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Link – General
Increasing Alternative Energy incentives trades-off
John Stephen, Republican candidate for Congress, Union Leader, 7/18/08, “John Stephen: On energy costs, Washington
offers no real answers”,
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=John+Stephen%3A+On+energy+costs%2C+Washington+offers+no+real
+answers&articleId=58250a2c-89b0-4696-925a-977411675a71
Actually, they wouldn't. The House of Representatives is prepared to let tax credits for these renewable energy
sources expire. These tax credits give businesses like Foss Manufacturing in Hampton the incentive to look for
opportunities to use wind power for 60 percent of their electricity. Foss has high energy needs as it transforms
recycled water bottles into high-end fabrics. Without these incentives, companies like Foss have a more difficult
time making the transition to cleaner energy. You would think that with the rising price of energy, the House
would at least extend these tax credits to give the appearance that it cares about doing something to increase
supply. However, these credits are doomed by a more powerful force than the need to cut energy costs:
Washington's insatiable appetite for spending. You see, extending the tax credits would mean that individuals
and businesses would keep $19 billion more of their money, instead of sending it to Washington. Under the
House rules, that money "loss" would have to be offset by new taxes or spending cuts. Now, no Congress in its
right mind would hike taxes in an election year, so that means that to keep these incentives for renewable
energy in place, Washington would have to do what the rest of America is doing to meet the rising costs of
energy prices -- roll up its sleeves and make the tough decisions on spending.
Any type of federally funded research will draw from DOE funds
Michael S. Lubell, American Physical Society 2008
http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/08pch8.htm
Today, the Department of Energy is one of the principal investors in federal R&D. Among the government agencies, it
ranks first in supporting physical sciences research and first in supporting national facilities. It ranks second in
mathematics and computer science. Its research programs play an extraordinarily important role in training the next
generation of scientists and engineers. University researchers, for example, receive slightly more than 15 percent of
the Office of Science budget directly, and in many fields, including the life sciences, they rely heavily on the facilities
DOE operates at its national laboratories.
Traditionally, about half of DOE's R&D budget is allocated to developing, building and operating federally funded
research and development centers (FFRDCs), including multipurpose, specialized civilian and national weapons
laboratories. These centers, long regarded as jewels in the nation's R&D enterprise, contain many large facilities, such
as synchrotron light sources, neutron reactors, specialized accelerators and super computers, which are used by
scientists and engineers in universities, industry and other federal research agencies.
The FFRDCs also provide excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary activities. Today, for example, biomedical
researchers constitute more than 40 percent of the users of the synchrotron-radiation facilities, developed and
maintained by accelerator physicists, optical scientists, vacuum engineers and computer scientists. And teams of
scientists at FFRDCs, drawn from different fields, tackle complex problems ranging from the environment to nuclear
safeguards.
The missions of the FFRDCs also evolve over time to meet changing needs and to take advantage of technological
advances. The Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), for example, developed for high-energy physics in the
1960's, today devotes an increasing fraction of its resources to the material sciences, biological sciences and
cosmology.
Some research fields could not survive in the United States without the FFRDCs. The particle accelerator at Fermi
National Laboratory, for example, is the center of American experiments in high-energy physics, while the
Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Continuous Electron Beam
Accelerator at Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory represent a major focus of the nuclear physics community.
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The DOE will lose funding to any renewable energy affs
DOE, No Date
http://www.doe.gov/organization/index.htm
The DOE is principally a national security agency and all of its missions flow from this core mission to support
national security. These various missions are managed by Program Offices at DOE.
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
The mission of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management is to manage and dispose of high-level
radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel in a manner that protects health, safety and the environment; enhances
national and energy security; and merits public confidence.
Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
The mission of the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability is to lead national efforts to modernize the
electric grid, enhance the security and reliability of the energy infrastructure, and facilitate recovery from disruptions
to the energy supply.
Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is working to provide a prosperous future where energy is
clean, abundant, reliable, and affordable.
Office of Environmental Management
The Office of Environmental Management (EM) works to mitigate the risks and hazards posed by the legacy of
nuclear weapons production and research.
Office of Fossil Energy
Ensuring that we can continue to rely on clean, affordable energy from our traditional fuel resources is the primary
mission of DOE's Office of Fossil Energy.
Office of Legacy Management
The Office of Legacy Management (LM) manages the Department’s post-closure responsibilities and ensures the
future protection of human health and the environment.
Office of Nuclear Energy
The Office of Nuclear Energy mission is to support the nation’s diverse nuclear energy programs.
Office of Science
The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States,
providing more than 40 percent of total funding for this vital area of national importance.
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Funding for gas and oil R&D would be the first to go because the DOE is already trying cut these
programs despite funding increases due to a focus ACI
Kei Koizumi, (Kei Koizumi is director of the R&D Budget and Policy Program at the American
Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), M.A. from the Center for International Science,
Technology, and Public Policy program at George Washington University and received his B.A. from
Boston University in Political Science and Economics.) American Association for the Advancement of
Science 2008,
http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/rd09main.htm
The Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science would be a clear winner in the 2009 budget among R&D
agencies because of its key role in the President's American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI). R&D in DOE Science
would climb 21 percent from the final 2008 appropriation to $4.3 billion, the largest percentage increase among the
R&D funding agencies, in an effort to keep the office on track to double its budget between 2006 and 2016 after
appropriations setbacks the last two years (see Table II-11). Most Science programs would receive substantial
increases to hit historic highs, but these gains depend crucially on the outcomes of 2009 appropriations.
- The total DOE R&D portfolio would soar 8.9 percent or $858 million to $10.5 billion because of the large Science
increase, and smaller increases for DOE's energy and defense R&D portfolios.
- DOE's energy-related R&D would total $2.4 billion, a slight increase after enormous increases in 2007 and 2008.
Investments in renewables such as biomass and nuclear energy would show strong gains. In fossil fuels, coal R&D
would soar 26 percent to $624 million, including a 25 percent boost to $149 million for carbon sequestration research
and a doubling of funding for the recently restructured FutureGen project to $156 million. But DOE once again
proposes to eliminate funding for gas and oil technology R&D, and to cancel $50 million in mandatory funding for a
deepwater oil and gas exploration R&D program.
DOE R&D IN THE FY 2009 BUDGET
President Bush's American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) and Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI), both set for their
third years in 2009, have made the Department of Energy's (DOE) R&D programs a high priority within an
increasingly tight domestic budget. DOE's Office of Science is the largest federal sponsor of physical sciences
research and is thus one of three federal agencies (the other two are the National Science Foundation and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology laboratories) that would receive substantial increases to fulfill the ACI's goal of
increasing federal investments in basic physical sciences research. DOE's energy R&D portfolio is a key
Administration and congressional priority that received enormous increases in 2007 and 2008.
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Natives specific link
Funding for native Americans cuts into DOE funding
DOE, 9/14/07
http://www.doe.gov/news/5493.htm
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced the appointment of Steven J.
Morello to be Director of DOE’s newly formed Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs. As Director of this
office, Mr. Morello will work to implement and manage energy planning, education and efficiency for American
Indian tribes.
Also today, the Secretary announced that DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy would make
available a total of up to $2 million for 15 Native American tribes and Alaskan villages that have been selected for
negotiation of awards that support the advancement of renewable energy technologies on tribal lands and rural
Alaskan villages.
“The creation of the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs will further assist the Department in reaching all
Americans in promoting clean, reliable and affordable energy,” Secretary Bodman said. “I look forward to working
with Steve to advance and promote clean energy, changing the way we power this nation.”
The Indian Energy Policy and Program Office will reside within DOE’s Office of Congressional and
Intergovernmental Affairs where Mr. Morello will also continue to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Intergovernmental and External Affairs. Most recently, Mr. Morello founded Native Insurance Agency LLC (NIA), a
Small Business Association-certified, minority-owned small disadvantaged business, where he served as its Managing
Member. Prior to NIA, Mr. Morello worked in his own law firm, Native Law Group PC, representing his tribe, the
Sault Saint Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, among others.
In 2001, Mr. Morello was nominated by President George W. Bush, and later confirmed by the Senate, to be the
General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Army. In that position, he served as the legal advisor to the Secretary
of the Army and the Army’s Chief Legal Officer. A Georgetown University graduate, Mr. Morello received his law
degree from the University of Detroit Law School, and earned a Master of Science in Business Administration degree
from Boston University. Mr. Morello also earned a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Sacred Heart Major
Seminary in Detroit, Michigan.
As part of DOE’s ongoing commitment to work with Native American tribes and Alaskan villages, the $2 million
Secretary Bodman announced today will be invested, subject to negotiations, in renewable energy and energy
efficiency projects on tribal lands that support President Bush’s Advanced Energy Initiative, which challenges
Americans to change the way we power our homes, offices, and vehicles.
“The Department of Energy is committed to encouraging and helping groups develop and deploy clean energy
sources,” Secretary Bodman said. “Providing support for Native Americans to explore and employ clean, renewable
energy technologies will help increase efficiency and provide for a cleaner environment.”
Of the 15 Native American tribes and villages whose projects have been selected for negotiation, six will study the
feasibility of utilizing renewable energy technologies on tribal lands; and nine projects will take initial steps toward
implementing renewable energy and energy efficiency projects on tribal lands. The selected projects will receive both
financial and technical assistance from DOE. Since 2001, DOE has provided $12.4 million for 76 tribal energy
projects, with tribes contributing an additional $3.6 million. Read more on DOE's Tribal Energy Program.
191
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Renewable energy trade-off
Funding for renewable energy will be traded off with because they are already losing funding to other areas
Green Car Congress, 2/4/08
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/02/proposed-depart.html
The proposed budget for the US Department of Energy (DOE) in the President’s 2009 Budget outlines discretionary
program spending of about $26 billion, up 3.2% from the estimated spending for FY 2008.
The proposed budget significantly boosts spending on coal and nuclear technologies and the DOE Science program,
with a smaller increase for biomass and biorefinery R&D. However, funding within the Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy (EERE) program is cut by 28%, down to $1.256 billion, with the reductions coming mainly from
funding for hydrogen technology, solar energy, vehicle technologies, facilities and infrastructure, and the
weatherization program.
Coal and carbon capture. Overall, the Fossil Energy Research and Development program’s funding jumps 25% to
$997 million, the bulk of that coming from the President’s coal research initiative, which increases is funding by 41%
to $818 million.
The budget allocates $400 million to research and $241 million to demonstrate technologies for cost-effective carbon
capture and storage for coal-fired power plants through a restructured carbon capture and storage program. This is the
“restructured” lower-cost FutureGen program. (Earlier post.)
Nuclear. The budget promotes licensing of new nuclear plants and researches an advanced nuclear fuel cycle. $242
million is allocated for Nuclear Power 2010, an industry cost-shared effort to bring new nuclear plant technologies to
market and demonstrate streamlined regulatory processes. $302 million focuses the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative on
innovative transmutation and separations research and development.
Science. The overall Science budget increases 18% to $4.7 billion, with increases in all major program activities. The
Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program within the Science budget funding increases 13.6% to $568
million.
BER funds research in global climate change; environmental remediation; molecular, cellular, and systemic studies on
the biological effects of radiation; structural biology; radiochemisty and instrumentation; and DNA sequencing. The
program also supports science related to carbon sequestration.
The program works in conjunction with the advanced scientific computing research program to accelerate progress in
coupled general circulation model development through use of enhanced computer simulation and modeling.
This program also includes the Genomics: GTL activity that is developing the science, technology, and knowledge
base to harness microbial and plant systems for cost-effective renewable energy production, carbon sequestration, and
environmental remediation. The request includes $75 million for Genomics: GTL Bioenergy Research Centers.
Research at the Centers will focus on developing the science underpinning biofuel production.
Biomass and Biorefinery Systems R&D. Funding for this program which is part of the EERE activities, increases
8% to $225 million. This program funds research, development, and technology validation on advanced technologies
that could enable future biorefineries to sustainably and economically convert cellulosic biomass to fuels, chemical,
heat, and power. The program’s goal is to help make cellulosic ethanol cost competitive by 2012 using a wide array of
regionally available biomass sources.
Hydrogen technology. Funding for the EERE hydrogen technology program drops 31% in the 09 Budget to $146
million. The hydrogen technology program is tasked with developing hydrogen production, storage, and delivery and
fuel cell technologies. Current research aims to enable industry to commercialize a hydrogen infrastructure and fuel
cell vehicles by 2020.
Solar. Funding for the Solar America Initiative via EERE is cut 7.1% to $156 million in the 09 Budget.
Vehicle Technologies. Funding for the EERE Vehicle Technologies program is cut a slight 0.9% to $221 million. The
Vehicle Technologies program supports the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership and the 21st Century Truck
Partnership with industry. Program activities encompass a suite of technologies needed for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and
fuel cell vehicles, including lightweight materials, electronic power control and electric drive motors, and advanced
energy storage devices.
This program also supports research to improve the efficiency of advanced combustion engines, using fuels with
formulations developed for such engines, and incorporating non-petroleum based components.
The program also includes community-based outreach via Clean Cities coalitions, competitive awards, and other
activities to facilitate the market adoption of alternative fuels and highly efficient automotive technologies.
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Renewable energies will trade off with ITER
Space Ref, 1/31/08
http://www.iterfan.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=358&Itemid=2
Energy Under Secretary Orbach: "We Are Now at a Perilous Moment in the History of Funding for Science in the
United States"
In remarks delivered yesterday to the Universities Research Association, Energy Under Secretary for Science
Raymond L. Orbach was clear: "Though you have heard this phrase before, we are now at a perilous moment in the
history of funding for science in the United States."
rbach's comments made it clear that legislative actions have real-world consequences: failure to enact the President's
FY 2008 request for the Office of Science will be felt keenly in the research programs that the Office of Science
supports. Reduced budgets will result in the elimination of funding for more than 4,300 Ph.D.'s, graduate students, and
others from what was envisioned in the FY 2008 request.
Selections from Orbach's presentation follow; his entire speech may be read at
http://www.er.doe.gov/News_Information/speeches/speeches/08/SC08.htm Note that his presentation on this site
includes two figures: the first, "Office of Science; FY 2008 Appropriation", the other, with new information, entitled
"Office of Science; FY 2006 - FY 2008;Impact on Scientific Employment" Headings have been added to the below
excerpts:
FY 2008 OUTCOME:
"Though you have heard this phrase before, we are now at a perilous moment in the history of funding for science in
the United States. I speak from the perspective of the Director of the Department of Energy Office of Science, and as
Under Secretary for Science, but I believe I also represent the views of other leaders of the federal agencies that
support science.
"I refer you to the consequences for the funding for science of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Omnibus Bill, and the
preceding year-long FY 2007 Continuing Resolution. Both failed to provide adequate funding for the physical
sciences in the United States and for many other fields of science. The President's Budget Request for FY 2009, in the
context of the American Competitive Initiative, or ACI, will again be a vote of confidence for the three federal
agencies that are the primary supporters of the physical sciences: the Office of Science within the Department of
Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the core research component of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology. The President's commitment to support of long-term basic research continues to be evident in this budget
request, as it has been in previous requests. Indeed, in his State of the Union Address on Monday, the President
devoted some of his precious time to state:
"'To keep America competitive into the future, we must trust in the skill of our scientists and engineers and empower
them to pursue the breakthroughs of tomorrow. Last year, Congress passed legislation supporting the American
Competitiveness Initiative, but never followed through with the funding. This funding is essential to keeping our
scientific edge. So I ask Congress to double federal support for critical basic research in the physical sciences and
ensure America remains the most dynamic nation on Earth.'
"I have never heard before such support for the physical sciences from a President of the United States. But if the FY
09 enacted budget proves similar to FY 07 and FY 08, a "three-peat," the future of the physical sciences will be in
jeopardy. Opportunities will be lost forever: for science, and our country."
[At this point, Orbach quoted an op-ed by Intel Chairman Craig Barrett]
"I needn't remind this group what happened in the FY 2008 Omnibus Bill . . . . The President's request for the ACI, a
trajectory that would have led to a doubling of the budgets of the NSF, the DOE Office of Science, and NIST, was,
with a few exceptions, at best ignored. For the Office of Science, the budget without earmarks was reduced by $500
million from the President's request, and is only 2.6% above FY 07, which itself was down by $300 million from the
President's FY 07 request. The loss of more than three quarters of a billion dollars for the physical sciences for the
Office of Science will never be recovered. Worse, specific areas of science within the physical sciences were marked
for major reductions from the President's request. I speak of High Energy Physics for which the enacted FY 08 budget
was $63.5 million less than enacted in FY 07, and by $94 million from the President's request for FY 08. Fusion
Energy Sciences was reduced by $32.4 million from FY 07, and by $141 million from the President's request for FY
08, zeroing our Nation's contribution to ITER construction. Nuclear Physics was slightly increased by $10 million
from FY 07, but cut by $38.6 million from the President's request for FY 08. Finally, the budget for Basic Energy
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<<continued from last page>>
Space Ref, 1/31/08
http://www.iterfan.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=358&Itemid=2
Sciences was increased by $19.7 million from FY 07, but cut by $229 million from the President's request, eliminating
funding for basic research energy initiatives such as solar and electrical energy storage. To be fair, the budgets for
Biological and Environmental Research and Advanced Scientific Computing Research were augmented above the
President's request.
"Nevertheless, the consequences of the FY 2008 Omnibus Bill for the U.S. scientific workforce are substantial. . . .
Office of Science funding for Ph.D.'s, graduate students, and others was decreased from the President's Request by
over 4,300. This at a time when other nations around the world are increasing their scientific workforce.
"The budget decisions that led to these consequences were carefully drawn. They were not the result of hasty lastminute actions. They represent the will of the people, as expressed through their elected representatives."
FY 2009 BUDGET REQUEST:
"But enough of the past. What's done is done, and we need to move on. The President's request for FY 09 will be
wonderful, again, for the physical sciences. While I can't go into details here, I can say that it will continue the
funding request consistent with the American Competitiveness Initiative and the America COMPETES Act. The
problem for all of us is that, faced with essentially flat funding for the physical sciences in FY 08, the President's
Request for FY 09 will appear as a very large percentage increase for the three ACI agencies. The danger is that basic
research in the physical sciences will again be 'donors' to other programs.
FAILED ATTITUDE:
"Compounding this danger is that we scientists tend to regard the proposed increases for the physical sciences under
the American Competitiveness Initiative and the America COMPETES Act as an entitlement. That attitude has failed
us. Our lawmakers have clearly signaled where they want to put taxpayer dollars. If we are to avoid a repeat in FY 09
of what happened in FY 08, we need to actively make the case for the support of long-term basic research across those
fields that have historically represented U.S. world leadership. Our fellow citizens must understand that these
investments in basic research have held the key to America's prosperity and strength in modern times. As Vannevar
Bush wrote to President Truman more than half a century ago: '.without scientific progress no amount of achievement
in other directions can insure our health, prosperity, and security as a nation in the modern world.'
FURTHER DETAILS ON THE FY 2009 REQUEST:
"The President's FY 09 request for the Office of Science will continue to support the full spectrum of physical science
basic research. It will restore the ACI funding trajectory for High Energy Physics, for Nuclear Physics, for Basic
Energy Sciences, and for Fusion Energy Sciences, including major support for ITER construction.
NEW APPROACH NEEDED THIS YEAR:
"But the President's vote of confidence in us will go for naught if we regard his Budget Request as 'a done deal' The
final congressional action on the FY 09 budget will not be a free ride. Our community must make clear to Congress
why it is critical for the Nation's future that the physical sciences be supported at least at the level of the President's
request. Failure to do so will yield more of the same we experienced in FY 07 and FY 08, and the 'three-peat' will
have the potential of continuing the flat-to-declining trajectory into the indefinite future.
"The message of this year's appropriation is unmistakable. The American public, through its duly elected Congress,
has made its priorities clear: short-term applied research wins over the full spectrum of long-term basic research. It is
our job to make clear to the American people that our country will 'run out of gas' if the latter is not supported. In the
absence of breakthroughs in fundamental science, current technologies will simply not be able to meet the energy and
environmental challenges that loom ahead for our Nation. Progress in basic science is essential to America's continued
prosperity and strength in the twenty-first century.
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Scientific Innovation Impact
Pulling ITER funding kills U.S. soft power and scientific innovation
American Physical Society, December 19, 2007, Press Release, “APS Urges Congress and White House
to Revisit Fiscal Year 2008 Science Funding in January”,
http://www.aps.org/about/pressreleases/funding-fy08.cfm
Finally, apart from its failings on global competitiveness and energy, the omnibus legislation also places
at grave risk committed U.S. participation in two large international scientific collaborations. Just one
year ago, the United States made a major commitment to the construction of the International
Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Today, Congress has pulled the plug. In so doing, it
critically damages American credibility as a reliable scientific partner throughout the world and
compromises the nation's standing as a host of future international scientific facilities. Congress has also
cut the lifeline of the International Linear Collider, which represents the future of American highenergy physics. This action sends a strong message to the world: The U.S. is prepared to jettison support
for one of our flagship areas of science that probes fundamental laws of the universe.
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Every dollar Key
New ITER funding will only keep it going for 2008, new funding in 2009 is key
Frank Munger, 7/2/08
http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/munger/2008/07/sustenance_for_iter.html
A Dept. of Energy spokesman confirmed today that $15.5 million of the supplemental appropriations for
the Office of Science will support the U.S. ITER office (based in Oak Ridge).
The money, of course, will help sustain activities for ITER after the U.S. effort got mangled in the fiscal
2008 budget, raising doubts about the continued participation in the international fusion project. I've
written on this topic on multiple occasions, including a late-April post based on a talk with U.S. project
chief Ned Sauthoff.
Jeff Sherwood of DOE also said there's $2 million to boost spending levels for the Spallation Neutron
Souce.
I talked earlier in the day to ORNL Director Thom Mason, who at the time said he didn't know how
much money was coming for ITER but indicated some amount was likely to keep the team intact and
help bridge the project until the 2009 budget is in place. More than $200 million is proposed for U.S.
spending on ITER in '09, although that's uncertain to say the least.
Mason said it was particularly important to get some additional funding this year because of the
likelihood that a continuing resolution could be in effect for the first six months of fiscal 2009.
Here's what the legislation said about the supplemental funding for DOE's Office of Science: "The
Department of Energy is instructed to utilize this funding to eliminate all furloughs and reductions in
force which are a direct result of budgetary constraints. Workforce reductions which are a result of
completed work or realignment of mission should proceed as planned. This funding is intended to
maintain technical expertise and capability at the Office of Science, and may be used for National
Laboratory Research and Development including research related to new neutrino initiatives. Funding
for research efforts shall not be allocated until the Office of Science has fully funded all personnel
requirements."
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French relations
u.s. French relations are key to counter terrorism
Marc Perelman, Fri. Feb 13, 2004, “French Judge Sees Growing Cooperation With U.S. Against
Terrorism”
http://www.forward.com/articles/6303/
Despite their public sparring over Iraq and other issues, America and France have stepped up their cooperation against
terrorism during the past three years.
French and American police, intelligence and judicial officials involved in tracking radical Muslim groups and
individuals have been exchanging information and tips on an unprecedented scale since the attacks of September 11,
2001, officials say.
Even President Bush, who has expressed frustration over France’s prominent role in opposing the American-led war
in Iraq, has praised the anti-terrorism cooperation with France.
France’s top judge investigating terrorism for the past 20 years, Jean-Louis Bruguiere, in an exclusive interview with
the Forward last month, pointed to the recent spate of flight cancellations and to the 40% jump in the number of
judicial aid requests between both countries since the 9/11 attacks as evidence of the trend.
“The bilateral cooperation is excellent,” he said.
The French authorities have been dealing with Islamic terrorism since the 1990s, when the civil war in Algeria spilled
over the Mediterranean in a series of deadly bombings and a plane hijacking foreshadowing the 9/11 plot.
In response, the French accumulated a trove of information that Washington was eager to tap after the September 11
attacks made fighting radical Islamic groups the top American priority. By all accounts, Paris has obliged.
“I am not saying we are smarter than others, I am just saying we have more experience,” said Bruguiere, who started
his terrorist-hunting career investigating a fatal 1982 machine-gun attack on a famous Jewish restaurant in Paris and
has since handled high-profile cases involving Iran, Libya, “Carlos the Jackal” and Al Qaeda. “We feel we have to
cooperate with the U.S. because the threat is global and the response has to be global,” he said.
Bruguiere is widely respected for his intimate knowledge of Islamic networks. He also enjoys privileged access to
sensitive information thanks to the creation of investigative teams mixing judicial, police and intelligence officers that
report to the centralized pool of anti-terrorist judges he heads.
After suffering a series of Iranian and Libyan-backed terrorist strikes in the 1980s, France faced terrorism from the socalled Algerian Armed Islamic Group a decade later. The group, known by its French acronym, GIA, is the most
radical of the Islamic factions locked in a vicious war with the Algerian army after the military suspended the electoral
process in 1991, just as the main Islamic party was on the cusp of a major victory.
The ensuing war claimed more than 30,000 lives and still is not over, even though the army seems to have gained the
upper hand in recent years. In the early 1990s, the GIA accused France of backing the Algerian military and decided
to expand its fight to the former colonial power.
“We were the first European country to invest itself totally to the fight against Islamic radicalism,” Bruguiere recalled.
“When I spoke of the Islamic threat in 1994, people from other countries were smiling. They saw it as a political
problem between France and Algeria and believed France was paying the price of colonization. But the GIA was a
detonator for Al Qaeda.”
A watershed event took place in December 1994, when GIA militants hijacked an Air France plane in Algiers and
forced it to land in Marseilles. After a tense standoff, a French elite police force stormed the plane and killed all the
hostage-takers without incurring any casualties among the passengers.
Investigators quickly realized that this was not just a standard hijacking by a group trying to make a point. It was, in
retrospect, a chilling preview of the September 11 plot.
“The Airbus affair is important because it was the first clear signal of the exportation of violence outside Algeria and
of the globalization of the terrorist threat,” said Bruguiere, who handled the investigation and contends he was able to
establish that the ringleader had planned to plow the plane into the Eiffel Tower in Paris. “It was also the first time a
civil jetliner was being used as a terrorist weapon…. So there was a big precedent.”
A few months later, the GIA planted bombs in the Paris subway and several other public places.
Bruguiere said those events did not only prompt investigations to catch the immediate culprits. They also marked the
beginning of an in-depth plunge into the complicated web of Islamist terrorist networks.
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French relations
<<CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE>>
Marc Perelman, Fri. Feb 13, 2004, “French Judge Sees Growing Cooperation With U.S. Against
Terrorism”
http://www.forward.com/articles/6303/
The best example is the investigation of an Algerian man named Ahmed Ressam. He was arrested by chance in
December 1999 at the United States-Canada border near Seattle with a cache of explosives in his car. Investigators
then said he was planning to bomb the Los Angeles airport to mark the millennium.
Bruguiere had opened an investigation on Ressam back in 1996 because of his role in a group trafficking false
Moroccan passports. The judge discovered that the main members of the group were actually involved in much more
serious operations. The investigation eventually linked the men, who were mostly North African immigrants, to Al
Qaeda leaders such as Abu Zubaydah.
“This helped us understand Al Qaeda and realize the United States [including U.S. territory] was their prime target,”
Bruguiere said, noting that many of his probes started with a simple discovery of false passports. “This analysis was
not shared by others, including the United States and the United Kingdom.”
But after Ressam was arrested on his way from Canada and his plot was uncovered, American officials realized the
threat was real, their knowledge was poor and border controls were largely ineffective.
The French authorities provided the prosecution team with tons of documents. The Justice Department even took the
highly unusual step of asking Bruguiere to testify as an expert witness.
Although the Seattle judge in charge of Ressam’s case eventually decided against having Bruguiere testify in public
because he was himself conducting an investigation of Ressam, the French expert nevertheless briefed the parties and
helped land a guilty verdict and a life sentence.
Ressam entered a plea bargain and has provided a wealth of intelligence on terrorist networks operating in the United
States and in Canada. French officials were allowed to attend his debriefing sessions as a reward for their assistance.
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US-INDIAN Relations
ITER is key to U.S. Indian relations
Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi-based think tank aims to inform, analyze, and
nurture debates on crucial strategic choices affecting South Asia., Special Report 19, May 2006
“INDO-US RELATIONS”, www.ipcs.org/countSpecialReport.jsp?x=19)
Experimental Reactor (ITER) energy project
India’s inclusion as a full partner in the ambitious multinational ‘International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor’
(ITER) energy project was an acknowledgement of being a responsible nuclear state with advanced nuclear
technology. The decision was taken by six partner countries -US, European Union, Russia, China, Japan and South
Korea. "The decision recognizes that India can significantly contribute to such endeavours and also is recognition that
India is a country with advanced nuclear technology, including in the field of fusion research," said a spokesman for the External Affairs Ministry.
ITER is the experimental step between the latest studies of plasma physics and future electricity – producing fusion power plants. The main ITER
facility will be built in Cadarache in France by 2016 and all partners will participate in its construction, development and research. 13
Bush visit to India and the Nuclear agreement of March 2006
The Indo-US relationship proceeded at a furious pace in President Bush’s second term. It started with Condoleezza Rice's visit to New Delhi in
March 2005, when she expressed the American desire to help India achieve major world power status and stressed the need for an energy dialogue.
This was followed by the new framework for the US-India defense relationship agreement signed on June 28 2005, the completion of the Next
Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP), and the finalization of the George Bush-Manmohan Singh joint agreement on July 18 2005. The joint pact
included the nuclear deal that is now the focus of controversy in both countries. This was followed by India's surprise vote in the IAEA where,
along with western nations, it envisaged that Iran would be referred to the Security Council if it did not satisfactorily account for its suspect nuclear
activities. The US Administration was determined to implement the July 2005 civilian nuclear deal it had entered into with India. US Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice made it clear, once again, that the US was committed to helping India with advanced technology and equipment to produce
sufficient nuclear energy for its fast growing economy. She obviously 13 Editorial “India becomes partner in nuclear reactor project” Daily Times, 8
December 2005 wanted to tell the skeptics in the US that India's search for nuclear energy, which is cheaper and cleaner, deserved all-out American
support as India has had a clean track record so far, as nuclear non-proliferation is concerned, despite not being a signatory to the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty. What Dr Rice said in Washington, while interacting with journalists, was also aimed at convincing the detractors of the IndoUS nuclear agreement, in India , that there was nothing sinister about the deal. 14 India and the United States remained engaged in intensive
negotiations to try and clinch a civilian nuclear deal, even as U.S. President George.W.Bush landed in New Delhi on March 1st.It was the fifth visit
by an American President to India. Interestingly, during a stop over in Kabul, Mr. Bush said that officials had been talking to the Indians even from
his special aircraft, and these discussions would continue in New Delhi. Reiterating that it was a difficult issue for both governments, the President
said that the two sides would continue to have a dialogue and work towards an agreement.15 President Bush andPrime Minister Manmohan Singh
were involved in lengthy discussions, shortly after the arrival of President Bush. The meetings revolved around
the common values that bind India and the United States together: the commitment to democracy, to the institutions of freedom -- free press,
freedom of religion, independent judiciary, and the like -- and the important message that the United States and India had to stand together as
advocates for these institutions, and subsequently provide the world with a living example of the strength of such institutions. The discussion also
included issues like the War on Terror, trade issues especially the impending entry of Indian mangoes in to American markets, the Doha round
conclusions and the agriculture knowledge initiative.16 The special emphasis, though, lay on energy issues. The discussion largely concentrated
around India's need for energy, its plans to dramatically enhance its ability to provide secure energy to its people, and its desire to do so in a way
that avoided proliferation risks and did not create environmental problems. The American President talked about his advanced energy initiative and
his hope that technologies arising from
initiative could be shared with India and other countries. The meeting of the two leaders with the CEO forum, soon
after, once again reemphasised to them that energy issues were the crucial cog in the wheel of relations between the
two countries. President Bush’s visit to India also included visits to an American funded agricultural institute and the
business school in Hyderabad. He cleverly avoided any visits to American outsourcing multi national companies, a topic of hot debate and
controversy back in the US.17 Under the historic nuclear agreement signed on March 2, 2006, India has agreed to classify 14 of its 22 nuclear
facilities as civilian, and put these under the permanent supervision of the IAEA. This should, then end a 30- year long moratorium on the sale of
nuclear fuel and reactor components by the US to India. The export of nuclear material, reactors, and their major components from the US, would
require a Section 123 amendment of the Atomic Energy Act. Technically, India is a non- nuclear weapon state and does not have the full scope of
safeguards. Under the terms of the Atomic Energy Act, Congress has to approve an agreement for cooperation and needs to pass a joint resolution
of approval. The Administration, alternatively, may seek to amend certain portions of the Atomic Energy Act, in particular Sections 128 and 129,
both of which includes non proliferation criteria. 18 The nuclear deal, though, accords acceptance to the military and the security component of the
Indian nuclear program, by the sole superpower and torchbearer of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, the US. The Indo-US deal also makes
India's nuclear weapons program acceptable, legitimate and nonthreatening to the existing nuclear order unlike those of Iraq, North Korea and Iran.
The nuclear deal envisages an alliance, albeit informal, between the US and India deriving from a real convergence of mutual security interests. The
nuclear deal also seeks to enhance India's nuclear security via nuclear arms control. By agreeing to separate its large
civilian and small military nuclear programs, India has acknowledged its commitment to minimum nuclear deterrence, which provides for its
nuclear security interests vis-à-vis China and Pakistan. India has readily agreed to continue its voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing and agreed
to participate in future negotiations on the FMCT. India has also committed to prevent the spread of nuclear technologies by strict export control
laws, which are already in place.19
<<CONTINUES NEXT PAGE>>
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<<CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE>>
Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi-based think tank aims to inform, analyze, and
nurture debates on crucial strategic choices affecting South Asia., Special Report 19, May 2006
“INDO-US RELATIONS”, www.ipcs.org/countSpecialReport.jsp?x=19)
Space Launch Agreement in the Offing
India and United States are also poised to take their strategic relationship a notch higher. They will soon sign a crucial
space launch agreement to allow India to launch US-made satellites, not just from US, but from other countries that
use American components in their satellites. The understanding will help the country's premier space body, Indian
Space Research Organization (ISRO), boost its earnings. It will also help the once estranged democracies get into a
tighter strategic partnership. Some last-minute refinements in the agreement, relating to the pre-launch treatment of
US satellites on Indian rockets are being worked out. But, these are procedural issues which both sides expect to be
sorted out at the next meeting of the space working group. India has already accepted two US payloads for the
‘Chandrayaan’ mission. Many such joint endeavours are now expected, and together with these, a closer exchange of strategic space
technologies.20
Conclusion
One of the major objectives of the United States in entering into the Indo-US nuclear cooperation agreement is to bring about an early freezing of
the Indian weapon-usable nuclear materials stock at the minimum possible level. India, in turn, obviously wants to retain all the accumulated
inventory of such materials, as well as the facilities to produce the additional material we consider essential for a minimum credible deterrence, in
compliance with IAEA safeguards. Obviously, each country wants to maneuver the separation plan to suit its specific objective. Despite the façade
that the deal is progressing well, it is clear that most of the originally perceived differences between the two sides are very much present even now.
It appears that the US side feels that certain facilities, especially reactors, which India has proposed to retain in the strategic group, really belong to
the civilian list. In addition, it is clear that the US considers India's time schedule for bringing these facilities in phases into the civilian list as too
stretched out, and that India should indeed place them under safeguards at a more rapid pace. The nuclear deal, though, will improve India's global
standing. India's deal with the US for transfer of nuclear technology will help it in a big way. As non-NPT states, or nonnuclear weapons states with
nuclear weapons, India, Pakistan and Israel – a strange trio, indeed - have much to defend to the rest of the world. They have no choice but to stick
together whenever questions of comprehensive safeguards come up. There was even an occasion when Pakistan changed its vote to join India and
Israel. When the Arab world gangs up every year to call upon states to accept comprehensive safeguards, essentially to focus attention on Israel, it
has to contend with Indian diplomatic skills as Israel hides behind us. These strange maneuvers could stop if the India-US nuclear deal is approved
by the US Congress, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group, and comes to fruition. India will then cross over from the group of nuclear mavericks to join
the designated nuclear weapon states in its new capacity as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology.
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ITER is key to U.S. India relations
Victor M. Gobarev, security policy analyst and former scholar at GWU, September 11, 2000,
“India as a World Power” CATO Policy Report,
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=1240)
American interest in and concerns about India rose sharply after that country carried out underground nuclear tests in
May 1998. Clinton administration officials belatedly acknowledged that developing a good working relationship with
India should be one of America's top foreign policy priorities. President Clinton's visit to South Asia in March 2000
was an important symbolic step.
That initiative, however, does not constitute a major breakthrough in relations between India and the United States.
Paying greater attention to India, although long overdue, cannot by itself dramatically improve uneasy U.S.-Indian
relations and turn India into a de facto strategic partner. The fundamental mistake made by U.S. leaders has been to
underestimate India and its economic and military potential. How India uses its growing power can either enhance or
seriously undermine U.S. interests. Continued insistence by the United States that India liquidate its nuclear arsenal
will only cause major problems in relations between Washington and New Delhi.
Washington's overemphasis on the proliferation issue illustrates the tendency of U.S. policymakers to treat India as a
potential adversary rather than a potential friend. U.S. leaders should not insist on improvement in New Delhi's human
rights record in Kashmir, or set other preconditions, for the U.S.-Indian relationship. Pursuing the current course may
well extend the impasse in relations to the point of irrevocably "losing" India.
Mistakes in U.S. policy have contributed to India's drifting toward a Russia-India-China nexus aimed at preventing
U.S. global domination. The likelihood of India's participation in an anti-U.S. alliance will depend on what New Delhi
thinks about American geopolitical designs toward India and its national security interests.
A long-range strategy needs to be based on Washington's willingness to accept India's world power status. That means
accepting India into the club of nuclear weapons states and enthusiastically endorsing New Delhi's bid for permanent
membership in the UN Security Council. The main benefit to the United States of such a breakthrough in U.S.-Indian
relations would be to prevent a dramatic adverse change in the current global geopolitical situation, which currently
favors the United States. An assertive India could help stabilize the Persian Gulf and Central Asian regions. Even
more important, India could become a strategic counterweight to China and a crucial part of a stable balance of power
in both East Asia and South Asia.
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U.S. india relations can solve for terrorism and the conflict over Kashmir
Bruce Riedel, 12/18/2006, Senior Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution, “India and the
United States: A New Era,” http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/fellows/riedel20061218.htm
Now that President Bush has built on this foundation, he should use the new strategic partnership to move beyond crisis
management between India and Pakistan to try to help the two countries resolve the underlying issue that has brought them
repeatedly to conflict: Kashmir. America has avoided dealing with the Kashmir issue for decades, both because of its
complexities and because India opposed outside involvement, preferring to deal bilaterally with Pakistan. This approach has
not worked; the problem has gotten worse and has repeatedly taken the subcontinent to the brink of disaster.
Now is the time for quiet American diplomacy to exploit our stronger ties with India and our improved relations with
Pakistan since 9/11 to try to resolve the Kashmir quarrel. It is in the self interest of all three nations to do so. The timing is
particularly fortuitous since India and Pakistan have begun their own bilateral dialogue to improve relations since they were
last at the brink of war in 2003. That dialogue has already produced some modest confidence-building measures in Kashmir
but has not really engaged the underlying issues.
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf says he is ready to engage India on Kashmir and has put some interesting ideas on the
table. He should be tested now by both the U.S. and India. Helping him resolve Kashmir would also help him end Pakistan's
long relationship with jihadist terror groups which have dangerous relationships with al-Qaeda. If Kashmir moved toward
peace, Pakistan could more easily put those groups out of business and isolate al-Qaeda. A deal should not threaten India's
territorial integrity; rather it should focus on improving the Kashmiri's lives.
Now that the nuclear deal is done, President Bush should make Kashmir a major part of his dialogue with India and Pakistan.
Nudging them both toward a deal on Kashmir will not be easy, but the time may be ripe to try. Preventive diplomacy in
South Asia in the next two years would be an enduring legacy for George W. Bush.
U.S. Indian nuclear co-operation improves relations
Bruce Riedel, 12/18/2006, Senior Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution, “India and the
United States: A New Era,” http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/fellows/riedel20061218.htm
President George W. Bush has signed legislation allowing the U.S. to sell civilian nuclear technology to India. In July, the
relationship between the U.S. and India was bolstered when President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced
the framework for this landmark deal. The new year offers an opportunity for a new era in U.S. relations with India and a
new agenda in the "strategic dialogue" that has been underway between Washington and Delhi for nearly nine years. While
the agreement has its downside—it could prompt other countries to seek similar exceptions to the nuclear Nonproliferation
Treaty—it helps remove a 25-year-old obstacle to furthering U.S.-Indian relations: disagreement over India's decision to
become a nuclear-weapons state. For decades this one issue has dominated U.S. and Indian diplomacy and prevented the
world's oldest and largest democracies from dealing adequately with a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues.
Ironically, it was the Indian nuclear tests in 1998 that began the process of change. Following India's tests, President Clinton
initiated an intensive dialogue—led by then-deputy secretary of state Strobe Talbott—to restrain its nuclear program.
Talbott's discussions with then-foreign minister Jaswant Singh began with a limited focus on proliferation, but expanded to
crisis management during the 1999 Kargil war and then into a broad opening of the relationship that culminated in Clinton's
watershed visit to India in 2000.
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ITER k heg
Loss of ITER kills U.S. heg
David Pace (Masters at University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA Department of
Physics and Astronomy, Doctorate Candidate in Experimental Plasma Physics, M.Sc., Physics,
2003, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA Department of Physics, B.S., magna
cum laude Physics, 2002, Honorary Teaching Award, UCLA Department of Physics and
Astronomy, 2006-2007, Research Mentorship Fellowship, UCLA, 2004-2005, Outstanding
Teaching Assistant Award, UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy, 2004, Cota Robles
Fellowship, UCLA, 2002-2003, Most Outstanding Senior, U. Pacific Department of Physics, 2002,
DOE Energy Research Undergraduate Laboratory Research Fellowship, 2001, Dean’s Honor
Roll, U. Pacific, 1998-2001) , 1/5/08
http://www.davidpace.com/physics/graduate-school/us-leave-iter.htm
The collection of circumstances now present do not bode well for ITER and they encourage renewed concern over
U.S. fusion and plasma research in general. It seems that history is repeating itself with regard to our role in ITER. An
unwilling Congress, the lack of powerful supporters, and economic pressures are aligned against a U.S. presence in
ITER. The Government Accountability Office has highlighted both the need for more fusion Ph.D.'s in the workforce
and the fact that as many of half of all plasma science and engineering Ph.D.'s leave the field (plain text, pdf). As a
member of the group of graduate students in this field I can positively state that our discussions focus on events like
this ITER cut and the uncertainty in funding for this type of research is a major motivation for moving to other sectors
and very different careers. Supporting ITER encourages a new generation of plasma scientists as much as cutting it
leads these same people to other fields.
A broader issue remains: what happens if ITER is a rousing success and we were not involved? For a comparison,
imagine that the methods of AC and DC electricity generation and transmission had not been developed in the United
States. The negative impact on our industrialization and technological prowess is unimaginable. A successful ITER
project with no U.S. assistance will be very similar. The rest of the industrialized world will have a wealth of
knowledge and ability in the field of fusion driven electricity production@, along with the desire to feed their own
national corporate interests with the first commercial applications.
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ITER Solves All Energy
ITER solves for all energy demands
China Daily, May 26, 2006, “Scientists to play key role in global fusion reactor”,
http://www.iterfan.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=184&Itemid=2)
China will be involved in the development of all the core technologies needed to build the world's biggest
experimental nuclear fusion reactor.
On Wednesday China signed a historic deal with the European Union, the United States, Russia, India, Japan and the
Republic of Korea to build the US$14 billion International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).
The project is believed to be the most expensive science experiment ever, with China contributing 10 per cent of the
funding.
Scientists hope ITER will unlock the secrets of nuclear fusion, which could solve the world's energy crisis and bring
an end to global warming caused by burning fossil fuels.
Last night Yang Changchun, an engineer with China's ITER office, told China Daily that Chinese scientists will be
involved in 12 of the project's key programmes, including manufacturing superconductors and power supply sets.
"China will take part in the research and development of all core technologies in this project," said Yang.
All participants are expected to ratify the agreement to build ITER by the end of the year, with construction beginning
in Cadarache, France, in 2007, said the Xinhua News Agency.
Under the new accord, which was signed in Brussels on Wednesday after three years of talks, the EU will pay 50 per
cent of ITER's total cost with the rest divided amongst the other participants.
The entire project is expected to last 30 years, with the first 10 years spent constructing the facilities.
The finished reactor will have a power capacity of 500 megawatts.
Experts predict that by the end of the century 10 to 20 per cent of the world's energy could come from nuclear fusion.
Huo Yuping, the leading scientist in China's ITER Office, said it was ITER's significance in solving the energy
problems confronted by all humanity that had encouraged China to lend it's scientists to the project.
He added that the nation could also take advantage of ITER to develop related advanced technologies.
Although fusion experiments have only taken place in a few countries around the world, they could hold the key to
unlocking vast untapped supplies of energy.
Theoretically, a fusion power plant could generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity from only 1 kilogram of deuterium
and 10 kilograms of lithium.
A conventional nuclear fission power station would need 500 kilograms of highly radioactive uranium to generate the
same amount of power, while a coal power station would need 10,000 tons of coal.
As scientists are able to extract deuterium from sea water, with fusion power the world's oceans would contain enough
energy to meet human use for the next 6 billion years.
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ITER Solves All Energy
ITER is feasible and entirely safe
Environmental News Service, May 24, 2006 , Seven Governments Sign Nuclear Fusion Agreement, http://www.ensnewswire.com/ens/may2006/2006-05-24-04.asp</span>)
Coming after the designation in November 2005 of Ambassador Kaname Ikeda of Japan as the nominee directorgeneral, this means that the core of the management team of the prospective ITER organization is now in place.
ITER is an experimental reactor which will reproduce the physical reaction of fusing the nuclei of atoms that occurs in
the Sun and stars. Existing experiments have shown that it is possible to replicate this process on Earth. ITER aims to
do this at a scale and in conditions that will demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion as a
practical energy source.
All of today's nuclear power plants split heavy uranium atoms to generate power. ITER will use fusion, which
involves heating very lightweight atoms to above 100 million degrees Celsius - or 10 times the temperature of the
Sun.
This creates a plasma gas in which particles that usually repel one another combine, and thereby yield enormous
quantities of energy. By caging the hot plasma with powerful magnets, scientists aim to keep the process going in
much the same way that the Sun, confined by gravity, burns on and on.
The development of the science and technology involved in this process is the basis of the European fusion program.
ITER scientists explain that nuclear fusion is safe for workers and for the population surrounding the ITER facility in
France's Cadarache forest.
A fusion reactor is like a gas burner, they say, the fuel which is injected into the system is burned off. There is very
little fuel in the reaction chamber at any given moment (about 1g in a volume of 1000 m3) and if the fuel supply is
interrupted, the reactions only continue for a few seconds.
Any malfunction of the device would cause the reactor to cool and the reactions would stop, they say.
The basic fuels - deuterium and lithium – and the reaction product - helium - are not radioactive.
The intermediate fuel – tritium – is radioactive and decays very quickly, producing a very low energy electron - Beta
radiation.
In air, this electron can only travel a few millimeters and does not have the power to penetrate a piece of paper.
Nevertheless, the scientists explain, tritium would be harmful if it entered the body, so the facility will have very
thorough safety facilities and procedures for the handling and storage of tritium.
As the tritium is produced in the reactor chamber itself, there are no issues regarding the transport of radioactive
materials.
Extensive safety and environmental studies have led to the conclusion that a fusion reactor could be designed in such a
way to ensure that any in-plant incident would not require the evacuation of the local population.
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ITER Solves All Energy
ITER will use more energy than it provides
Environmental News Service, May 24, 2006 , Seven Governments Sign Nuclear Fusion Agreement, http://www.ensnewswire.com/ens/may2006/2006-05-24-04.asp</span>)
Still, critics are uneasy. Some say ITER will draw more power from the French electricity grid than it will produce.
Others say it discourages conservation.
The French group Sortir du Nucléaire (Get Out of Nuclear) is the main French antinuclear coalition with a
membership of over 700 organizations and more than 14,000 individuals. Spokesman Stéphane Lhomme told the
"International Herald Tribune" last August, "There's a hidden message behind the ITER project. That message is,
'Don't change any of your consumption patterns because you'll soon have unlimited amounts of free power.' That's a
big gamble."
Hermann of Friends of the Earth Europe sayd, "Even if fusion does come through as an option, it will still carry risks
of proliferation and radioactive contamination."
Friends of the Earth Europe is calling upon the European Commission to withdraw from the fusion project. The group
says funding should be channeled into EU research and development programs to develop sustainable and
environmentally-friendly energy technologies, like solar, wind and biomass.
This proposal has yet to be approved by the European Council and the European Parliament, and Friends of the Earth
Europe is calling on these institutions to reject the Euratom budget proposal.
In fiscal year 2006, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) allocated $25 million to ITER. President George W. Bush
has requested $60 million for the project in fiscal year 2007.
"As partners in ITER," said U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman today, "we are pursuing the promise of unlimited,
clean, safe, renewable and commercially available energy from nuclear fusion, which has the potential to significantly
strengthen energy security at home and abroad."
Raymond Orbach, who signed the agreement as director of the DOE Office of Science, said, "Initialing this agreement
brings us one step closer to a viable source of fusion power, with the potential to free the quickly growing global
economy and population from the looming constraints of conventional energy supplies and their associated
environmental effects."
Orbach called ITER "the first stand-alone, truly international, large-scale scientific research effort in the history of the
world." The seven parties to the agreement represent more than half of the world's population, he notes.
Michael Mariotte, executive director of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service based in Washington, DC, has
said, "The ITER fusion reactor is a big-science boondoggle that has no energy payback. ITER will divert billions of
dollars away from real green energy solutions to the world's climate change crisis."
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ITER SAFE
The U.S. will probably desert ITER
David Pace (Masters at University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA Department of
Physics and Astronomy, Doctorate Candidate in Experimental Plasma Physics, M.Sc., Physics,
2003, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA Department of Physics, B.S., magna
cum laude Physics, 2002, Honorary Teaching Award, UCLA Department of Physics and
Astronomy, 2006-2007, Research Mentorship Fellowship, UCLA, 2004-2005, Outstanding
Teaching Assistant Award, UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy, 2004, Cota Robles
Fellowship, UCLA, 2002-2003, Most Outstanding Senior, U. Pacific Department of Physics, 2002,
DOE Energy Research Undergraduate Laboratory Research Fellowship, 2001, Dean’s Honor
Roll, U. Pacific, 1998-2001) , 1/5/08
http://www.davidpace.com/physics/graduate-school/us-leave-iter.htm
Finding and understanding the actual congressional material regarding this cut is difficult. It is easy to find media
coverage of the results but they will not say much about the ITER issue. A collection of the House Amendments to the
bill provides the best overview. With respect to ITER, the Joint Explanatory Statement says (emphasis added),
Funding under this heading in the amended bill includes $289,180,000 for Fusion Energy Sciences. Within Fusion
Energy Sciences, $162,910,000 is provided for Science, $93,504,000 for U.S. Facility Operations, an increase of
$6,000,000 to be used to increase facility operations at the three U.S. user facilities (i.e., the DIII-D, Alcator C-Mod,
and National Spherical Torus Experiment) $22,042,000 for Enabling R&D, an increase of $1,225,000 for materials
research, $0 for the U.S. contribution to ITER, and $10,724,000 for Enabling R&D for ITER. Funding under this
heading in the amended bill includes $12,281,000 for High Energy Density Physics. Funding may not be
reprogrammed from other activities within Fusion Energy Sciences to restore the U.S. contribution to ITER.
The removal of funds for our ITER contribution might normally be considered a temporary technicality if not for the
final line stating that money may not be transferred from other funds to pay the contribution. This suggests that the
bill's intent is to completely reacquire the $160 million originally reserved for ITER. I have not determined what is
included as “Enabling R&D” though I suspect that this money will allow those already being paid through U.S. ITER
support to continue receiving their wage.
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FUNDING KEY TO US INVOLVEMENT IN ITER
ITER funding now is key or U.S. participation can disappear
Frank Munger, 7/3/08
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/jul/03/175m-to-support-or-based-work/
About $15.5 million of a special midyear appropriations package for science will go to support Oak
Ridge-based work on an international fusion project, and another $2 million will supplement the funding
at the Spallation Neutron Source.
Jeff Sherwood, a Department of Energy spokesman in Washington, confirmed the numbers Wednesday
and said the money is part of the $62.5 million approved by Congress to ease a funding crunch in DOE's
Office of Science. "The intent is to eliminate the need for furloughs," Sherwood said.
Oak Ridge is home to the U.S. effort on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, a huge
project that's being built in France. Besides the United States, the partners include Europe, China, Japan,
Russia, Korea and India.
The fiscal 2008 budget approved earlier by Congress slashed the spending for ITER - allotting only
$10.7 million, instead of the proposed $160 million - and endangered U.S. participation in the project.
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., called the budget cuts an "embarrassing mistake" by Congress.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Thom Mason said Wednesday the supplemental funding will
be used to keep the U.S. team together and sustain operations until the 2009 budget is approved. More
than $200 million is being sought for the ITER project in 2009.
Additional funds for this year were particularly important because the government may operate under a
continuing budget resolution for the first six months of fiscal 2009 and freeze spending levels or impose
other restrictions.
The money for the SNS will support operations at the Oak Ridge science facility, which also had a
funding shortfall in this year's budget.
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ITER SAFE/FEASIBLE
Fusion is entirely safe
ITER, 10/14/04
http://www.iter.org/safety_process.htm
The following explanation focusses on magnetic confinement of deuterium-tritium-fuelled plasmas, such as those in
ITER, but similar or even stronger arguments apply also to other fuel combinations and to laser fusion.
The fusion process is inherently safe.
Leak-tight confinement barriers are essential to produce fusion reactions. Equipment failure quickly leads to plasma
extinguishment.
No chain reaction is involved and the reaction is thermally self-limiting.
There is no danger of a large jump in plasma power output, since normal operation is close to pressure limits which
already maximise the number of fusion reactions that will occur. In ITER, because of experimental uncertainty, it is
possible for the plasma to operate at somewhat (<1.2) higher power levels than planned, but these can be easily
brought under control in a matter of seconds.
The fusion process is limited to a few seconds burn, without continuous refuelling.
Achieving low loss burn conditions is a delicate matter and requires many conditions to be satisfied - the failure or
change of a single one enhances plasma energy losses and terminates the burn. Halting the fuelling quickly
extinguishes the plasma. In ITER about 0.5 g of fuel is in the machine at any time, and the fuelling/exhaust rate is also
about 0.5 g/s. Even if the exhaust fails, the plasma is quickly poisoned by impurities, and extinguishes.
The power and energy densities in the reactor and plasma are low.
The main sources of energy which can damage ITER are pressurised coolant, chemical reactions (e.g. of leaking
coolant and hot materials, or of hydrogen and air), heat from the fusion reaction in the plasma, and magnetic energy in
the coils. There are no large stores of chemicals or other energy sources able to cause powerful explosions. ITER is
designed such that its hardware avoids the unexpected release from energy sources or mitigates the consequences of
any such release to acceptable levels not only for the general public, to ensure the ultimate safety of the plant, but also
for plant operators, to protect their investment. To help in these respects, ITER has large heat transfer surfaces and
heat sinks which transfer and absorb energy, maintaining low temperatures and avoiding melting of components. The
same will be true in a power reactor, but the margins needed for ITER should be able to be reduced, and the overall
power density should be able to be increased.
The reaction products are either absorbed in surrounding structural or tritium-breeding materials (neutrons),
or are non-radioactive (helium).
In ITER nearly all materials around the plasma are to shield the surrounding equipment, whereas in a power reactor
the bulk will breed tritium from lithium-containing materials, ready to burn it in the plasma.
Activated structural materials from neutron irradiation are not mobile except dust and corrosion products
which form only a small fraction.
The neutrons produce activated waste materials. Dust is formed by sputtering from high energy particles in the plasma
hitting the surrounding material surfaces. Although not necessarily a problem itself, this dust can become
contaminated with tritium. Coolant channels can become corroded, especially in high nuclear radiation fields, and the
corrosion can dislodge and be freed if a coolant pipe breaks. In ITER the coolant chemical control system is capable
of maintaining coatings of activated corrosion products well below 10 kg per loop, with less than 60 g as loose
material or ions in the coolant (these limits are used in accident analysis). In a power reactor this aspect will be further
optimised.
Negligible operational environmental impact.
The potential risk to the local environment is limited and is reduced as low as judged reasonably achievable by the
independent nuclear regulator in the country concerned.
Negligible long term environmental impact.
Neither the provision of fuel or plant hardware, nor its removal after use, places an intolerable and uncertain burden
on current or future generations.
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***DOE Trade off Answers
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No trade off
Renewable Energies and Nuclear power won’t get cut, Bush has requested additional funding for
both in his budget request
Department of Energy, 2/4/08
http://www.doe.gov/news/5920.htm
U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman today announced President Bush’s $25 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2009
budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE), an increase of $1.073 billion over the FY 2008 appropriation.
This request will continue investments to meet growing energy demand with clean, safe, affordable, reliable and
diverse supplies of energy; support the development of climate change technologies; advance environmental cleanup;
and ensure the reliability of our nuclear weapons stockpile. The President’s budget for DOE directly supports the
development of cutting-edge carbon capture and storage technologies (CCS); begins to transform the weapons
complex to address 21st century challenges; and accelerates technological breakthroughs to further the President’s
Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI), and scientific leadership through the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI).
“This budget furthers President Bush’s comprehensive strategy to increase energy, economic, and national security by
focusing on accelerating technological breakthroughs, expanding traditional and renewable sources of energy, and
increasing investment in scientific discovery and development,” Secretary Bodman said. “From transforming the
weapons complex to maintain the utmost safety and reliability of our nuclear weapons stockpile, to issuing
solicitations for loan guarantees to spur innovation in advanced energy technologies, this budget enables the
Department to continue to lay the foundation for a clean, safe, secure and reliable energy future for all Americans.”
Among the President’s priorities funded in the FY 2009 budget request includes $1.4 billion to promote the expansion
of safe, emissions free nuclear power. DOE continues to actively work with industry partners to promote the nearterm licensing and deployment of America’s first new nuclear plants in more than 30 years. This budget also requests
$648 million, the largest budget request in over 25 years, for increased research in clean coal technology and
demonstration of carbon capture and storage for coal-fired power plants, an important component of the
Administration’s Climate Change Technology Program.
Another key priority in the Department’s budget includes support of its Loan Guarantee program, which requests
$19.9 million for administrative expenses, and would be offset by collections in the same amount as authorized under
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct). In addition, DOE requests an extension of its authorization to issue loan
guarantees through FY 2010 and FY 2011, enabling commitments to guarantee loans under Title XVII of EPAct to
total more than $38 billion from FY 2008 through FY 2011. These efforts, combined with plans to further expand the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve to an ultimate capacity of 1.5 billion barrels by 2029, will help achieve a more secure and
reliable energy future for the nation.
The budget also continues to significantly invest in the President’s Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI) and the
American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), both unveiled in President Bush’s 2006 State of the Union Address.
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ITER = nuke power
ITER would create large amounts of waste that could be used for nuclear weapons
Green Peace 6/28/05
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/ITERprojectFrance
Greenpeace deplores the agreement by the Representatives of the Parties to the International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor (ITER) (1) to construct one of the world's largest nuclear fusion experiments in Cadarache,
Southern France. The project, estimated to cost 10bn euros, will not generate any electricity, instead it will need
massive amounts of energy to heat up.
"With 10 billion, we could build 10,000MW offshore windfarms, delivering electricity for 7.5
million European households," said Jan Vande Putte of Greenpeace International. Advocates of
fusion research predict that the first commercial fusion electricity might be delivered in 50 to 80
years from now. But most likely, it will lead to a dead end, as the technical barriers to be
overcome are enormous.
Today, the nuclear industry presents itself as the solution to climate change in a massive greenwashing drive. Far from being a solution, the nuclear option stalls real action to combat dangerous
climate change. It is taking away the money for real solutions that are ready and economically
available at a large scale, such as wind energy.
Fusion energy - if it would ever operate - would create a serious waste problem, would emit large
amounts of radioactive material and could be used to produce materials for nuclear weapons. A
whole new set of nuclear risks would thus be created.
"Governments should not waste our money on a dangerous toy which will never deliver any useful
energy," said Jan Vande Putte of Greenpeace International. Instead, they should invest in
renewable energy which is abundantly available, not in 2080 but today"
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ITER -> Prolif
ITER would create large amounts of waste that could be used for nuclear weapons
Green Peace 6/28/05
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/ITERprojectFrance
Greenpeace deplores the agreement by the Representatives of the Parties to the International Thermonuclear Experimental
Reactor (ITER) (1) to construct one of the world's largest nuclear fusion experiments in Cadarache, Southern France. The
project, estimated to cost 10bn euros, will not generate any electricity, instead it will need massive amounts of energy to heat
up.
"With 10 billion, we could build 10,000MW offshore windfarms, delivering electricity for 7.5 million
European households," said Jan Vande Putte of Greenpeace International. Advocates of fusion research
predict that the first commercial fusion electricity might be delivered in 50 to 80 years from now. But
most likely, it will lead to a dead end, as the technical barriers to be overcome are enormous.
Today, the nuclear industry presents itself as the solution to climate change in a massive green-washing
drive. Far from being a solution, the nuclear option stalls real action to combat dangerous climate
change. It is taking away the money for real solutions that are ready and economically available at a
large scale, such as wind energy.
Fusion energy - if it would ever operate - would create a serious waste problem, would emit large
amounts of radioactive material and could be used to produce materials for nuclear weapons. A whole
new set of nuclear risks would thus be created.
"Governments should not waste our money on a dangerous toy which will never deliver any useful
energy," said Jan Vande Putte of Greenpeace International. Instead, they should invest in renewable
energy which is abundantly available, not in 2080 but today"
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ITER -> Prolif
UNCHECKED, PROLIFERATION CAUSES NUCLEAR WAR AND EXTINCTION.
UTGOFF IN 2K2 [Victor A., Deputy Director of the Strategy, Forces, and Resources Division of the Institute for
Defense Analysis, Survival, “Proliferation, Missile Defence and American Ambitions” 2002 p. 87-90]
Further, the large number of states that became capable of building nuclear weapons over the years, but chose not to,
can be reasonably well explained by the fact that most were formally allied with either the United States or the Soviet
Union. Both these superpowers had strong nuclear forces and put great pressure on their allies not to build nuclear
weapons. Since the Cold War, the US has retained all its allies. In addition, NATO has extended its protection to some
of the previous allies of the Soviet Union and plans on taking in more. Nuclear proliferation by India and Pakistan,
and proliferation programmes by North Korea, Iran and Iraq, all involve states in the opposite situation: all judged that
they faced serious military opposition and had little prospect of establishing a reliable supporting alliance with a
suitably strong, nuclear-armed state. What would await the world if strong protectors, especially the United States,
were [was] no longer seen as willing to protect states from nuclear-backed aggression? At least a few additional states
would begin to build their own nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to distant targets, and these initiatives
would spur increasing numbers of the world’s capable states to follow suit. Restraint would seem ever less necessary
and ever more dangerous. Meanwhile, more states are becoming capable of building nuclear weapons and long-range
missiles. Many, perhaps most, of the world’s states are becoming sufficiently wealthy, and the technology for building
nuclear forces continues to improve and spread. Finally, it seems highly likely that at some point, halting proliferation
will come to be seen as a lost cause and the restraints on it will disappear. Once that happens, the transition to a highly
proliferated world would probably be very rapid. While some regions might be able to hold the line for a time, the
threats posed by wildfire proliferation in most other areas could create pressures that would finally overcome all
restraint. Many readers are probably willing to accept that nuclear proliferation is such a grave threat to world peace
that every effort should be made to avoid it. However, every effort has not been made in the past, and we are talking
about much more substantial efforts now. For new and substantially more burdensome efforts to be made to slow or
stop nuclear proliferation, it needs to be established that the highly proliferated nuclear world that would sooner or
later evolve without such efforts is not going to be acceptable. And, for many reasons, it is not. First, the dynamics of
getting to a highly proliferated world could be very dangerous. Proliferating states will feel great pressures to obtain
nuclear weapons and delivery systems before any potential opponent does. Those who succeed in outracing an
opponent may consider preemptive nuclear war before the opponent becomes capable of nuclear retaliation. Those
who lag behind might try to preempt their opponent’s nuclear programme or defeat the opponent using conventional
forces. And those who feel threatened but are incapable of building nuclear weapons may still be able to join in this
arms race by building other types of weapons of mass destruction, such as biological weapons. [The article
continues…] The war between Iran and Iraq during the 1980s led to the use of chemical weapons on both sides and
exchanges of missiles against each other’s cities. And more recently, violence in the Middle East escalated in a few
months from rocks and small arms to heavy weapons on one side, and from police actions to air strikes and armoured
attacks on the other. Escalation of violence is also basic human nature. Once the violence starts, retaliatory exchanges
of violent acts can escalate to levels unimagined by the participants before hand. Intense and blinding anger is a
common response to fear or humiliation or abuse. And such anger can lead us to impose on our opponents whatever
levels of violence are readily accessible. In sum, widespread proliferation is likely to lead to an occasional shoot-out
with nuclear weapons, and that such shoot-outs will have a substantial probability of escalating to the maximum
destruction possible with the weapons at hand. Unless nuclear proliferation is stopped, we are headed toward a world
that will mirror the American Wild West of the late 1800s. With most, if not all, nations wearing nuclear 'six-shooters'
on their hips, the world may even be a more polite place than it is today, but every once in a while we will all gather
on a hill to bury the bodies of dead cities or even whole nations.
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*** EPA DA
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*EPA 1NC*
A. EPA funding is strained—budget cuts.
Andrew Schneider senior national correspondent for investigations, P-I, Two Time Pulitzer Winner, John B. Oakes Award
for Distinguished Environmental Journalism 4/16/08 Seattle PI “White House is widely perceived to be running roughshod
over EPA's scientists and lawyers.” http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/secretingredients/archives/136634.asp [ev]
When Steve Johnson was tapped to head the EPA, many of my friends in the agency said they were proud that one of their
own - a real environmental scientist - was pulled from their ranks to be the boss. But the glow of Johnson's appointment
quickly waned in the messy political realities of being the country's environmental protector. Many of the same scientists and
investigators told me that they were worried that Johnson was anointed to the position because he would be even more
susceptible to the ever-present pressure from the White House and industry lobbyists. Even more susceptiible then George
Bush's two previous administrators, Christine Todd Whitman and Mike Leavitt? Hell yes, says a cover story in the National
Journal. Reporter Margaret Kriz wrote that "Johnson's EPA is regularly pushed around by politically powerful advisers at the
White House and in other departments. And that congressional Democrats aren't making the administrator's life any easier.
"There's a sense that the agency has not stood up for itself and has been run over by other interests in the executive branch -and that it's happened under Steve Johnson's stewardship," Richard Lazarus, an environmental law professor at Georgetown,
told Kriz. The NJ reported that EPA is failing to live up to its name these days. At a time when the nation's top environmental
regulators face increasingly complex pollution problems, President Bush is pushing for dramatic cuts in EPA's budget, his
administration's strained, pro-industry interpretations of environmental laws have repeatedly been laughed out of court, and
the White House is widely perceived to be running roughshod over agency scientists and lawyers.
B. Enforcing regulations drains EPA resources.
Nathaneal Greene, Senior Policy Analyst for Natural Resources Defense Council, 5/6/08 Testimony before House and
Energy Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, CQ Congressional Testimony, “Renewable Fuels
Standard” Lexis [ev]
The RFS's environmental safeguards must be effectively implemented by EPA While Congress deserves much credit for
carefully crafting the standards, safeguards, and study provisions of the RFS, none of these will amount of a fill of beans
unless they are aggressively and effectively implemented by EPA. EPA's task is complex. Tracking and enforcing the law's
environmental safeguards will be challenging. EPA is up to the task but will require significant resources. Congress
must make sure EPA is fully funded to both develop the implementing regulations and then carry out the enforcement
and studies.
C. EPA key to prevent devastating terror attacks on water infrastructure.
US EPA 2008 “FY 2008 Annual Plan” http://www.epa.gov/budget/2008/2008ap/2008_annual_plan.pdf pg 18 [ev]
Homeland Security EPA has a major role in supporting the protection of the nation’s critical water infrastructure from
terrorist threats. In FY 2008, EPA will continue to support the Water Security Initiative (formerly known as Water Sentinel)
pilot program and water sector-specific agency responsibilities, including the Water Alliance for Threat Reduction (WATR),
to protect the nation’s critical water infrastructure. The FY 2008 budget provides $22 million for the Water Security Initiative
completing deployment of final pilot systems. In FY 2008, the Agency in collaboration with our water sector security
stakeholders will continue our efforts to develop, implement and initiate tracking of national measures related to homeland
security critical infrastructure protection activities.
D. Terrorism risks extinction
Yonah Alexander, professor and director of the Inter-University for Terrorism Studies, 8/28/03 (Washington Times)
Last week's brutal suicide bombings in Baghdad and Jerusalem have once again illustrated dramatically that the
international community failed, thus far at least, to understand the magnitude and implications of the terrorist threats
to the very survival of civilization itself. Even the United States and Israel have for decades tended to regard terrorism
as a mere tactical nuisance or irritant rather than a critical strategic challenge to their national security concerns. It is
not surprising, therefore, that on September 11, 2001, Americans were stunned by the unprecedented tragedy of 19 al
Qaeda terrorists striking a devastating blow at the center of the nation's commercial and military powers. Likewise,
Israel and its citizens, despite the collapse of the Oslo Agreements of 1993 and numerous acts of terrorism triggered
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by the second intifada that began almost three years ago, are still "shocked" by each suicide attack at a time of
intensive diplomatic efforts to revive the moribund peace process through the now revoked cease-fire arrangements
[hudna]. Why are the United States and Israel, as well as scores of other countries affected by the universal
nightmare of modern terrorism surprised by new terrorist "surprises"? There are many reasons, including
misunderstanding of the manifold specific factors that contribute to terrorism's expansion, such as lack of a universal
definition of terrorism, the religionization of politics, double standards of morality, weak punishment of terrorists, and
the exploitation of the media by terrorist propaganda and psychological warfare. Unlike their historical counterparts,
contemporary terrorists have introduced a new scale of violence in terms of conventional and unconventional threats
and impact. The internationalization and brutalization of current and future terrorism make it clear we have entered an
Age of Super Terrorism [e.g. biological, chemical, radiological, nuclear and cyber] with its serious implications
concerning national, regional and global security concerns.
217
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EPA Budget Tight
EPA budget is tight now
Environmental News Service, 2-5-08 (http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2008/2008-02-0505.asp)[JWu]
Boxer said, "The EPA’s job is to protect the health of our families, but with this budget the president is once again
sending a clear message that cleaning up our environment is not a priority for the Bush administration." EPA
Administrator Stephen Johnson tried to put the best face on the reduction of his agency's budget by recognizing "the
challenge of managing in a time of tight fiscal constraints." EPA research is on brink of collapse from lack
of funding Rebecca Renner, PhD geochemistry, contributing editor, 5-9-07 ("Budget cuts increasingly
damaging to EPA", http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthagw/2007/may/policy/rr_EPA.html)[JWu] Now that Congress has returned from its spring recess, members have
begun drafting the funding bills for federal science agencies. The Bush Administration's $7.2 billion proposed budget for
fiscal year 2008 for the U.S. EPA is a $400 million cut from last year, marking the lowest overall funding request in this
century in real dollars, critics say. The continuing erosion in EPA's budget, including a sharp drop in funds for science
research, is beginning to cripple the agency's ability to do its job. Morale at the agency is at its lowest point in 25 years,
according to several senior EPA scientists who spoke to ES&T on condition of anonymity. Senior researchers at several
EPA labs say that they are struggling to cope with the cuts. Budgets have become so lean that even though these
scientists can keep their labs running, they are having trouble conducting studies that support policy or regulations
because they can't obtain supplies, equipment, laboratory animals, or skilled technicians. Increasingly, they say, they are
turning to regulated industries or industrial consortia to ask for crucial toxicological or engineering data because EPA doesn't
have the money to obtain the information independently. A scientist supervising research directly related to a current
drinking-water study says that thanks to a shortage of full-time agency technicians she has to supervise half a dozen untrained
contractors. Not only do these contractors lack the skills needed for the research, the scientist says, but her own work has
slowed to a crawl because she also has to handle the paperwork for the contractors. Any training and mentoring being done
with the outside workers will be lost when the contractors leave, she adds. The scientists complain that concerns for the
future raised during congressional testimony in March by Granger Morgan, chair of the agency's independent Science
Advisory Board (SAB), are already coming to pass. SAB members fear that the continued decline in financial support
could hurt morale and result in an accelerating loss of outstanding people and increase recruiting difficulties, Morgan
said. He also predicted that as budgets shrink a higher proportion of funds will go to salaries and less to other costs,
such as laboratories, field studies, and computers.
EPA water protection super stretched—budget cuts.
National Journal 4/11/08 “Vanishing Act” http://www.nationaljournal.com/njcover.htm [ev]
Washington insiders say that the Bush White House has significantly altered the way the federal government
approaches environmental protection by quietly changing the way EPA does its job. For one thing, critics charge,
Bush is trying to starve the agency of cash. The White House's proposed fiscal 2009 budget would provide just
$7.1 billion -- fewer actual dollars than EPA has received in any fiscal year since 1997. Bush's plan, when
adjusted for inflation, includes record-low funding levels for community drinking water facilities and for the
Superfund hazardous-waste cleanup program. Lawmakers from both political parties say they'll scrap the budget
proposal and start from scratch.
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EPA Budget Tight
The EPA budget will get cut to it’s lowest level since 1985
AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program, international non-profit organization for promoting science, February 20, 2008
http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/epa09p.htm
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the primary regulatory agency for the U.S. environment, funds a broad
portfolio of R&D to meet the science and technology needs of its regulatory and enforcement responsibilities. The FY 2009
request would continue the trends of recent years by cutting EPA’s R&D funding by $7 million or 1.3 percent
to $541 million (see Table II-17). Nearly all EPA research areas would decline.
EPA’s R&D is managed by its Office of Research and Development (ORD), which funds both R&D at EPA laboratories
around the country and external R&D. Nearly all of EPA’s R&D funding comes from the Science and Technology (S&T)
budget account, which would total $764 million in 2009, up slightly from the final 2008 funding level. R&D funding makes
up two-thirds of the S&T account. Subtracting non-R&D items such as critical infrastructure protection, operating overhead
costs, and clean air standards and certification activities leaves an R&D portfolio of $513 million from S&T, down $7 million
of which $4 million would be from the elimination of 2008 earmarks (see Table II-17). ORD also receives R&D funding
from the Superfund program (up $1 million to $26 million) for hazardous wastes research, and small amounts of funding
from other EPA accounts.
Funding for nearly all EPA research areas would decline in the 2009 budget (see Table II-17). Clean air
research would fall $3 million to $97 million after Congress added funds in 2008 appropriations. EPA’s contribution to
global change research would continue to slide, down to $16 million from a congressionally boosted $20 million. The clean
air portfolio tries to understand the composition and effects of air pollution and to develop technologies for reducing it, and
also funds research on related topics such as the health effects of fine particles in the atmosphere. Human health and
ecosystems research, the largest part of the ORD portfolio, would fall $6 million to $217 million, with an increase in the
computational toxicology program to $15 million offset by cuts in other areas such as endocrine disrupting chemicals and
human health and ecosystems protection. Within this portfolio, fellowships funding would fall $1 million to $9 million.
Homeland security related R&D, a growth area in recent years, would increase from $31 million to $37 million. Some of this
effort is devoted to protecting drinking water supplies against terrorist attack through vulnerability assessments and a
laboratory network for surveillance. This portfolio also funds EPA’s National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC)
to conduct R&D on a wide variety of terrorist threats that may have an impact on the natural environment, such as radiation,
drinking water contamination, and the environmental impacts of cleanup \technologies after a terrorist attack.
The EPA’s budget is an insult and woefully inadequate
Cox News Service, private news media publishing company, Feb. 28, 2008
http://www.wacotrib.com/green/content/shared/green/stories/2008/02/EPA_CONGRESS28_COX.html
Sen. George V. Voinovich sharply criticized EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson Wednesday, telling him that "this budget
you've submitted is an insult."
Voinovich, R-Ohio, said the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed cuts in successful cleanup programs while failing to provide
funds to help economically strapped communities meet required federal pollution-control standards.
"If the federal government is going to impose these costly mandates on struggling state and local governments, then it should provide
funding and flexibility for compliance of those mandates," he said.
At a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Voinovich said the Bush administration's proposed $7.14
billion EPA budget for fiscal year 2009 is "woefully inadequate " in meeting the nation's wastewater infrastructure needs.
He expressed dismay at a proposed decrease in funding for the Great Lakes Legacy Act — down to $35 million from the $49.6 million that
the EPA projected two years ago.
"This program shows results — hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of contaminated sediments have been removed from the Great Lakes
— and I strongly encourage you to work to increase funding for this program," Voinovich told Johnson.
He accused the EPA of operating in a "cocoon," unaware that Ohio's economy is weakening and that the agency's rules are
making matters worse.
"EPA is requiring the city of Fremont, population of 26,000 people — 49 percent are considered low-income — to spend $63 million" on
wastewater treatment, he said. These residents' sewer rate increases will be 150 percent, he said.
"Administrator, we are asking our communities to do the impossible," Voinovich told Johnson. "EPA is simply not stepping up to the plate
to assist the thousands of communities across the country facing substantial costs to comply with EPA rules."
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EPA Budget Tight
The budget cuts funds to the EPA and funds nuclear weapons instead,
Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Ph.D Student,
February 8th, 08
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/bush_budget_cuts_environment.php
Lost amidst the general kerfuffle over the
Bush administration's latest budget - ringing in at a hefty $3.1 trillion - has been a
clear-eyed assessment of its environmental provisions, or, more accurately, lack thereof (unless you're a fan of nuclear
energy). Chief among it are requests to fund the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program, the first such
nuclear weapons program in 2 decades, and to begin construction of a new plutonium pit facility (necessary for
building new bombs) - at the tune of $10m and $100m, respectively.
The DOE is also seeking a 79% increase in funding for its Nuclear Power 2010 program, an industry-government partnership designed to
foster the construction of nuclear power facilities. The budget request would extend the period during which businesses can receive
financial support for new "clean energy" plants under the 2005 energy bill's loan guarantee program - amounting to up to 80% of the
incurred costs.
Unfortunately, most of the country's other environmental initiatives and monitoring programs won't be benefiting from such largess - in
fact, quite the contrary:
"President Bush
of $7.14 billion.
again has cut the budget of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this time by $330 million to a total
The cuts include over $270 million dollars from EPA programs that would clean up and restore lakes, rivers and streams. Global climate
change research comes in at $16 million.
...
The Bush budget eliminates a $5 million EPA program to restore the San Francisco Bay. It cuts air pollution programs, including over $31
million dollars for grants to states, and eliminates a $10 million dollar program that would help clean up the air in some of California’s
most polluted communities.
It eliminates funding for a new national registry to track global warming pollution."
Even Stephen Johnson, EPA Administrator and the administration's willing stooge, had trouble casting the record-cutting budget in a
glowing light. Boasting that it would provide the "largest enforcement budget ever" - thanks to an (anemic) $9m bump to a $563m budget he claimed it would help the EPA "deliver a cleaner, healthier tomorrow" and represented "government at its best" (we're not kidding).
The new budget will provide some modest boosts to nanotechnology research, an international goods tracking system and environmental
reviews for new energy projects. In addition to making cuts to the Department of Interior and other government agencies, Bush's proposal
would also starve funding for infrastructure projects around the country, particularly critically needed water resources infrastructure.
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EPA Budget Tight
The 2009 Budget eliminates 151 programs and cuts EPA funding
White, staff writer for World Socialist Website, FEBhttp://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/feb2008/budg-f05.shtml
President Bush submitted his last budget to the US Congress on Monday outlining his administration’s right-wing proposals of tax cuts for
the wealthy, massive military spending and the further gutting of social programs that the majority of ordinary Americans depend on.
While there is little chance that the budget in its present form will be passed by a lame duck president with a Democratic majority in
Congress, the budget illustrates the social and political priorities shared by both parties and the ruling class as a whole.
The $3.1 trillion budget would make permanent the tax cuts passed during Bush’s first term, while increasing the Pentagon
budget to the highest level in inflation-adjusted terms since World War II. At the same time it would freeze all non-defense
spending and eliminate or sharply cut back 151 programs. Spending for social services, including entitlements such as Medicare and
Medicaid, would be reduced by $23 billion in 2009 and $474 billion over the next five years.
“In my 2009 budget, I have set clear priorities that will help us meet our nation’s most pressing needs while addressing the long-term
challenges ahead. With pro-growth policies and spending discipline, we will balance the budget in 2012, keep the tax burden law and
provide for our national security,” Bush said.
Medicare, the major federal health care program for seniors, would be cut by $178 billion over the next five years. Medicaid, the federal
health care program for low-income people, would lose $18.2 billion over five years. Signaling his determination to cripple the programs,
Bush insisted the cuts were needed to slow “the unsustainable growth in entitlement spending.”
Many of the Medicare and Medicaid cuts will be achieved by reducing payments to doctors and other health care providers, forcing many
to limit the number of elderly and low-income patients they see or drop out of the program entirely. Other cost-cutting will be achieved by
shifting the burden to the states—under conditions in which more than half are already facing severe budget shortfalls due to the collapse of
the housing bubble and the general economic downturn.
In line with the administration’s push to promote private insurers over public health insurance programs, the budget leaves intact more than
$150 billion in subsidies to private insurance companies involved in the Medicare Advantage program, the privatized part of the federal
program.
According to the Center on Budget Priorities, other cuts in the President’s budget include:
* Funding for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) would be cut by $570 million or 22 percent, affecting more than
1 million families and elderly people. Funding for the program remains at the same level as in 2001, even though home energy prices have
risen by 65 percent.
* Child care assistance for low-income families would be frozen for the seventh consecutive year. According the administration’s own
figures, 200,000 fewer children in low-income families would receive federal child care assistance in 2009 than in 2007, under the
president’s budget.
* Reductions in the Section 8 housing voucher program, the nation’s largest low-income rental assistance program, would mean at least
100,000 fewer households would receive assistance.
* Funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be cut by $433 million, even before adjusting for inflation.
* The Environmental Protection Agency’s budget would be cut by $330 million , before adjusting for inflation, falling in 2009 to
more than $1 billion less than the EPA budget in 2004.
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EPA Budget Tight
The government is cutting 15 million from the EPA
Bruce Geiselman, government affairs editor at Waste News, March 3, 20 08, EPA funding fight looms, Waste News,
COVER STORY; Pg. 01, Lexis
Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, accused the EPA of forcing unfunded mandates on local communities
regarding their wastewater treatment systems. ``Continued cuts to the SRF program, when EPA estimates the
nation's need for wastewater treatment and collection at $193.5 billion, makes no sense,'' Voinovich said. ``This
especially concerns me because my state of Ohio has one of the largest needs in the nation at $11.7 billion.''
Voinovich said the EPA is not stepping up to the plate to assist thousands of communities nationwide that are
facing substantial costs to comply with EPA orders.`I must tell you that from my experience as a former mayor,
county commissioner and governor, I consider this to be an unfunded mandate,'' Voinovich said. ``Administrator, we
are asking our communities to do the impossible. If the federal government is going to impose these costly mandates
on struggling state and local governments, then it should provide funding and flexibility for compliance with these
mandates.'' Voinovich also was critical of a nearly $15 million reduction in funding for the Great Lakes Legacy
Act in fiscal year 2009. The program has been paying for removal of contaminated sediment from the Great
Lakes to improve water quality. Boxer listed numerous programs she believes deserve additional funding,
including the Superfund, underground storage tank and diesel emission reduction grant programs.
There are budget cuts to be made within the EPA
Bruce Geiselman, government affairs editor at Waste News, March 3, 20 08, EPA funding fight looms, Waste News,
COVER STORY; Pg. 01, Lexis
Inhofe, while upset about the Clean Water State Revolving Fund cuts, also expressed frustration that other
areas within the EPA budget aren't being cut enough. “After seven years, the Bush administration has failed to
find any meaningful savings or wasteful spending in the EPA budget,'' Inhofe said. ``I find it hard, if not
impossible, to believe there are no programs that should be cut. The only significant cuts the administration
ever proposes are the ever popular and much needed SRFs and Congressional earmarks.''
222
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
U—CO2 CUT NOW
CO2 budget being cut now.
Superfund Report 2/25/08 “Despite Push For New Rule, EPA Budget Seeks Limited Funds For Co2” Lexis [ev]
Despite EPA efforts to quickly develop drinking water rules governing underground injection of carbon dioxide
(CO2), the agency's recently released fiscal year 2009 budget is seeking only limited funds for key agency
programs that are looking to address a future carbon capture and storage (CCS) program. The limited funds
could hamper agency efforts to develop rules and research the impacts of storing large volumes of CO2
underground -- considered an essential element in any future climate change program. For example, a key agency
advisory panel on clean coal technologies recently urged Congress to create a $1 billion fund to finance CCS
demonstration projects. According to the agency's budget justification, the agency is seeking to maintain level
funds for the underground injection control (UIC) program, which is crafting, and will likely implement, any CCS
rule. According to the budget request, the agency is seeking $10.891 million for the UIC program, which will
oversee any future CCS program, a $170,000 increase over FY08 enacted levels. The budget justification is
available on InsideEPA.com. See page 2 for details. While level funding for the regulatory program shows agency
officials have been able to stave off the steep cuts the agency considered as part of its early review for the FY09
request, it still falls significantly short of the $56 million target that some state drinking water officials have
suggested the program needs to address future underground injection of CO2.
The Reduced Greenhouse Gas Intensity Program is being significantly cut by the EPA
Carol Werner, Executive Director of ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY STUDY INSTITUTE, Feburary 5, 2008,
(http://www.eesi.org/publications/Press%20Releases/2008/epa_fy09budget.htm)
Looking at the EPA budget by goals, the Reduced Greenhouse Gas Intensity program within Goal 1 has a FY
2009 budget request of $121 million, which is $9.0 million (6.9%) less than the FY 2008 appropriations of $130
million and $1.7 million (1.4%) less than the FY 2008 budget request of $123 million. Looking at the EPA budget
by program and project, the FY 2009 budget request for Climate Protection programs includes a Science and
Technology component, requested at $11.4 million, and an Environmental Program and Management
component, requested at $87.0 million. Taken together, these were cut $10.3 million (9.5%) from FY 08
appropriations. The Climate Protection Programs include Energy Star, SmartWay Transport, the Methane to Markets
Partnership and Asia-Pacific Partnership. There were a number of cuts, as well as a few increases to the programs, as
illustrated below:
White House JUST CUT Greenhouse Gas programs.
Carol Werner, Executive Director of ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY STUDY INSTITUTE, Feburary 5, 2008,
(http://www.eesi.org/publications/Press%20Releases/2008/epa_fy09budget.htm)
Zeroing out the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Registry (100% cut from $3.4 million in FY 08)
$10.3 million cut overall (9.5% cut from FY 08 appropriations)
$6.9 million cut in Climate Science and Technology program (38% cut from FY 08 appropriations)
$4.0 million cut in Energy STAR (8.3% cut from FY 08 appropriations)
$177,000 increase in Methane to Markets (4.1% increase from FY 08 appropriations)
$5.0 million increase in Asian Pacific Partnership (no previous FY 08 appropriation amount)
Clean Air Rules are a major component of EPA’s Clean Air and Global Climate Change Goal, and include the
Clean Air Interstate Rule, the Clean Air Mercury Rule and the Clean Air Nonroad Diesel Rule. These rules
work towards the improvement of the United State’s air quality. Additionally, reductions on particulate matter
from diesel engines will continue to be addressed through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Grants program of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58), which authorizes $200 million annually (2007-2011). However, the
President requests just $49.2 million for the FY 09 EPA Clean Diesel grant, 25% of the authorized amount.
223
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
U—CO2 CUT NOW
Programs from Climate Change and Climate Protection are being drastically cut
Carol Werner, Executive Director of ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY STUDY INSTITUTE, Feburary 5, 2008,
(http://www.eesi.org/publications/Press%20Releases/2008/epa_fy09budget.htm)
The President’s FY 2009 budget request for Clean Air and Global Climate Change (EPA Goal 1) is $939
million. This is $33 million (3.4%) less than the FY 2008 appropriations. Looking at the EPA budget by goals,
the Reduced Greenhouse Gas Intensity program within Goal 1 has a FY 2009 budget request of $121 million,
which is $9.0 million (6.9%) less than the FY 2008 appropriations of $130 million and $1.7 million (1.4%) less
than the FY 2008 budget request of $123 million. Looking at the EPA budget by program and project, the FY 2009
budget request for Climate Protection programs includes a Science and Technology component, requested at
$11.4 million, and an Environmental Program and Management component, requested at $87.0 million. Taken
together, these were cut $10.3 million (9.5%) from FY 08 appropriations. The Climate Protection Programs
include Energy Star, SmartWay Transport, the Methane to Markets Partnership and Asia-Pacific Partnership. There
were a number of cuts, as well as a few increases to the programs, as illustrated below:
The EPA is being forced to cut its climate programs
EESI, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, February 11, 20 08, Budget Briefing: EPA Clean Air and Global Climate
Change Budget Cut 38%, (http://www.hillheat.com/articles/2008/02/11/budget-briefing-epa-clean-air-and-global-climatechange-budget-cut-38)
The President’s FY 2009 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget request remains relatively flat
compared to the FY 2008 request and is down slightly from FY 2008 appropriations. The FY 2009 budget
request is $7.14 billion, which is $56.9 million (0.80%) less than the FY 2008 budget request and $330 million
(4.4%) less than FY 2008 appropriations. The President’s FY 2009 budget request for Clean Air and Global
Climate Change (EPA Goal 1) is $939 million. This is $33 million (3.4%) less than the FY 2008 appropriations.
Looking at the EPA budget by goals, the Reduced Greenhouse Gas Intensity program within Goal 1 has a FY
2009 budget request of $121 million, which is $9.0 million (6.9%) less than the FY 2008 appropriations of $130
million and $1.7 million (1.4%) less than the FY 2008 budget request of $123 million. Looking at the EPA budget
by program and project, the FY 2009 budget request for Climate Protection programs includes a Science and
Technology component, requested at $11.4 million, and an Environmental Program and Management
component, requested at $87.0 million. Taken together, these were cut $10.3 million (9.5%) from FY 08
appropriations. The Climate Protection Programs include Energy Star, SmartWay Transport, the Methane to Markets
Partnership and Asia-Pacific Partnership. There were a number of cuts, as well as a few increases to the programs, as
illustrated below:
224
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
U—CO2 CUT NOW
The EPA budget cuts funding for global warming research
Sustainablebusiness.com, global news network for the promotion of green business, February 6th, 2008
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/15275
In releasing his agency's 2009 budget, as proposed by the Bush Administration, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator
Stephen L. Johnson said the president's budget request puts the EPA on "a course to deliver a cleaner, healthier tomorrow."
U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), who has recently been at odds with the agency over its refusal to grant California a waver to impose
its own, stricter tailpipe emissions standards, had a different take on the budget, which was cut by roughly $330 million (4.4%).
Boxer, who is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said, " With this budget the President is once
again sending a clear message that cleaning up our environment is not a priority for the Bush Administration."
According to a statement released by Boxer, the budget proposes severe reductions in several key programs for protecting health,
cutting air and water pollution, and restoring the environment .
In addition to cutting funds for clean water protection programs and the clean-up of toxic sites, Boxer's statement said the president's
budget eliminates funding for the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Registry, zeroes out over $9.8 million in funding for California
Emission Reduction programs, and cuts 38% of the funding for programs that seek to use science and technology to address
global warming.
Furthermore, Boxer said normally, EPA provides a detailed "Budget Justification" document with an explanation of all budget
figures, but this year has failed to do so, undermining the transparency of the President's proposed budget .
EPA Administrator, Johnson, did not specifically address any of the budget cuts in his statement, but said the budget proposes to strengthen
EPA's efforts in energy and homeland security.
Johnson noted the following budget items:
 An additional $32 million to protect against terrorist attacks and natural disasters--a total of $170 million
 The largest enforcement budget ever--an increase of $9 million, bringing the total to $563 million
 An additional $14 million to meet the increased permitting and environmental review responsibilities that have come with the
upsurge in proposed energy projects
 $49.2 million for Clean Diesel grants--$15 million specifically targeted to support EPA's Sustainable Ports Initiative
 increased spending on nanotechnology research spending.
Johnson's statement contradicts Boxer's in the area of superfund toxic-site cleanup. Boxer listed roughly $13 million in cuts, while Johnson
says the budget proposes an increase of $10.2 million.
Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, also opposed what he saw as cuts to clean-up
funding.
"Superfund cleanups have fallen dramatically under this Administration, yet the remedial cleanup budget is losing millions again this year
causing the backlog to grow even larger," he said.
Dingell added, "If nothing else, the President is consistent when it comes to the EPA budget. His assault on important
environmental programs continues with the lowest funding request for EPA in eight years. The President's FY09 Budget
request would starve many EPA programs that are vital to protecting the environment and the public health."
The climate is taking a major hit in FY 2009 appropriations
John Neurohr, Deputy Press Secretary, February 8, 2008, Bush’s Energy Budget: Proposals Not Consistent with Claims
(http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/02/energy_budget.html)
$0: Proposed budget for the greenhouse gas reporting registry, an EPA program for voluntary reporting of
greenhouse gas emissions and reductions. This is a 100 percent cut from the $3.4 million allocated in fiscal year 2008.
$6.9 million: Proposed cut to the EPA Climate Science and Technology Program, which focuses on research and
development of energy and sequestration technologies critical to long-term emissions reduction for coal fired power
plants and other sources. This is a 38 percent cut from the fiscal year 2008 appropriations level.
$10.3 million: Proposed cut overall to climate protection programs such as Energy Star, SmartWay Transport,
the Methane to Markets Partnership, and the Asia-Pacific Partnership. This is a 9.5 percent cut from the fiscal
year 2008 appropriations level.
$4.0 million: Proposed cut to Energy STAR, a joint program of the EPA and the DOE helping consumers save
money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. This is an 8.3 percent cut
from the fiscal year 2008 appropriations level.
225
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
U—AE CUT NOW
Bush just cut EPA alternative energy programs.
John Neurohr, Deputy Press Secretary, February 8, 2008, Bush’s Energy Budget: Proposals Not Consistent with Claims
(http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/02/energy_budget.html)
President Bush has repeatedly said in recent months that he would lead the United States in taking steps to
reduce oil consumption, combat global warming and expand the production of renewable fuels. Bush signed
the Energy Independence and Security Act in December, and in his State of the Union address just last week,
he said that we must continue to invest in renewable fuels and that the United States is committed to
strengthening our energy security and confronting global climate change. Yet a quick look at the
president's FY 2009 budget proposals for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency
programs show cuts in critical areas, including climate protection, tribal energy, and solar energy, while
funding for fossil and nuclear energy was increased. And some programs, such as Weatherization Assistance
Grants, and the Renewable Energy Production Incentive, were zeroed out entirely.
Budgets for Renewable Energy are being cut considerably
The climate is taking a major hit in FY 2009 appropriations
John Neurohr, Deputy Press Secretary, February 8, 2008, Bush’s Energy Budget: Proposals Not Consistent with Claims
(http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/02/energy_budget.html)
$0: Proposed budget for the Renewable Energy Production Incentive program, which provides financial
incentive payments for electricity produced and sold by new qualifying renewable energy generation facilities.
This is a 100 percent cut from the $5.0 million allocated in fiscal year 2008.
$6.9 million: Proposed cut to the hydropower program, whose purpose is to develop, conduct, and coordinate
research and development with industry and other federal agencies to improve the technical, societal, and
environmental benefits of hydropower, which includes wave, tidal, and traditional dam hydropower. This is a
70 percent cut from the fiscal year 2008 appropriations level.
$12.3 million: Proposed cut to the solar energy program, which works to accelerate the development of solar
technologies as energy sources for the nation and the world, as well as educate the public about the value of
solar power as an energy choice. This is a 7 percent cut from the fiscal year 2008 appropriations level.
$26.8 million: Increase in biomass and biorefinery systems R&D. This is a 13 percent increase from FY08
appropriations and should be commended as an investment in low-carbon alternatives.
$10.2 million: Increase in geothermal technology. This is a 51 percent increase from FY08 appropriations and
should also be commended as an investment in low-carbon alternatives.
226
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
BRINK—WATER BUDGET
Water safety budget on the brink—major cuts.
Water Policy Report 2/18/08 Vol 17 No 4 “EPA URGES PRIVATE INVESTMENT TO CLOSE CLEAN
WATER SRF FUNDING GAP” Lexis [ev]
EPA is reiterating its call for private investment as a solution to shore up funding for wastewater infrastructure
projects in combination with "sustainability" practices the agency says could save money for municipalities, even
as congressional Democrats are blasting the Bush administration's proposed major cuts to federal infrastructure
funding in fiscal year 2009. The FY09 budget request, released Feb. 4, would fund the clean water state revolving
loan fund (SRF) at $555 million, a $134 million cut from the FY08 omnibus spending law that funded the
program at $689 million. The budget request also renews the administration's contentious push to remove a cap on
the use of private activity bonds (PABs) -- tax exempt bonds used for government partnerships with the private
sector -- in order to increase water infrastructure funding
The latest EPA funding slashed water budget.
Bruce Geiselman, government affairs editor at Waste News, March 3, 20 08, EPA funding fight looms, Waste News,
COVER STORY; Pg. 01, Lexis
It appears President Bush's proposed 2009 EPA budget will face tough challenges in the Senate, as Democrats and
Republicans alike criticized it Feb. 27 during an Environment Committee hearing with agency Administrator Stephen
Johnson. One issue that united both parties was anger over the administration's proposal to cut $134.1 million
from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which loans money to communities to upgrade their wastewater
systems. ``This is another one of the hardest hit programs, and it is heading in the wrong direction,'' said Sen. Barbara
Boxer, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Senate Environment Committee. Her Republican counterpart, Sen. James Inhofe,
R-Okla., who serves as the committee's ranking member, agreed. Inhofe, normally a strong proponent of budget
slashing, said this was one area in which the cuts are unwarranted.
227
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
BRINK—WATER BUDGET
The Budget for the EPA slashes money allocated for water
Bruce Geilsman, staff writer for Waste News, March 3rd, 2008
http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy.lib.utexas.edu/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T4093746364&f
ormat=GNBFI&sort=BOOLEAN&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T4093746367&cisb=22_T4093746366&treeMax=true&treeWidth=
0&csi=224249&docNo=3
It appears President Bush's proposed 2009 EPA budget will face tough challenges in the Senate, as Democrats and
Republicans alike criticized it Feb. 27 during an Environment Committee hearing with agency Administrator Stephen Johnson.
One issue that united both parties was anger over the administration's proposal to cut $134.1 million from the
Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which loans money to communities to upgrade their wastewater systems.
``This is another one of the hardest hit programs, and it is heading in the wrong direction,'' said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., chairwoman
of the Senate Environment Committee.
Her Republican counterpart, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., who serves as the committee's ranking member, agreed. Inhofe, normally a
strong proponent of budget slashing, said this was one area in which the cuts are unwarranted.
``As I have indicated, I will once again be supporting efforts to restore the large cut you proposed to the critical Clean Water SRF
program,'' Inhofe said. ``There is a nationwide crisis and a need for more water infrastructure money that is acknowledged by this
administration.''
Compounding the lack of water infrastructure funding are the many costly new regulations being imposed on localities, Inhofe said.
Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, accused the EPA of forcing unfunded mandates on local communities regarding their wastewater
treatment systems.
``Continued cuts to the SRF program, when EPA estimates the nation's need for wastewater treatment and collection at $193.5 billion,
makes no sense,'' Voinovich said. ``This especially concerns me because my state of Ohio has one of the largest needs in the nation at $11.7
billion.''
Voinovich said the EPA is not stepping up to the plate to assist thousands of communities nationwide that are facing substantial costs to
comply with EPA orders.
``I must tell you that from my experience as a former mayor, county commissioner and governor, I consider this to be an unfunded
mandate,'' Voinovich said. ``Administrator, we are asking our communities to do the impossible. If the federal government is going to
impose these costly mandates on struggling state and local governments, then it should provide funding and flexibility for compliance with
these mandates.''
Voinovich also was critical of a nearly $15 million reduction in funding for the Great Lakes Legacy Act in fiscal year 2009. The program
has been paying for removal of contaminated sediment from the Great Lakes to improve water quality.
Boxer listed numerous programs she believes deserve additional funding, including the Superfund, underground storage tank and diesel
emission reduction grant programs.
Inhofe, while upset about the Clean Water State Revolving Fund cuts, also expressed frustration that other areas within the EPA budget
aren't being cut enough.
``After seven years, the Bush administration has failed to find any meaningful savings or wasteful spending in the EPA budget,'' Inhofe
said. ``I find it hard, if not impossible, to believe there are no programs that should be cut. The only significant cuts the administration ever
proposes are the ever popular and much needed SRFs and Congressional earmarks.''
Johnson, meanwhile, in prepared remarks defended the budget proposal, saying it ``meets the major priorities that I've set for my final year
of service.''
In particular, Johnson said, the budget would advance clean, affordable and safe energy, improve homeland security, improve water
infrastructure programs, and continue Superfund remediation ``of the most highly contaminated hazardous waste sites.''
However, it is important to achieve those goals while also demonstrating fiscal responsibility, Johnson said.
228
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Unique internal link:
No new spending in an election year—funding would trade off from other programs
JOHN STEPHEN, politician, Congressional candidate, Jul. 18, 20 08 ("On energy costs, Washington offers no real
answers" www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=John+Stephen%3A+On+energy+costs%2C+Washington+offers+
no+real+answers&articleId=58250a2c-89b0-4696-925a-977411675a71) [JWu]
Now, no Congress in its right mind would hike taxes in an election year, so that means that to keep these incentives for
renewable energy in place, Washington would have to do what the rest of America is doing to meet the rising costs of
energy prices -- roll up its sleeves and make the tough decisions on spending.
EPA’s budget is stretched to the limit—nanotech has filled any surplus.
Risk Policy report 7/1/08 Vol 15 No 27 “Amid Criticism Of EPA Nano Efforts, Cleanup R&D Program Wins
Praise Risk Policy Report July 1, 2008” Lexis [ev]
In its draft report, the BOSC subcommittee says the members "recognize that EPA's budget is constrained and that
the agency must stretch to meet the needs of its clients," adding that despite this budgetary limitation the program
"demonstrated an ability to respond to an emerging issue -- addressing potential materials management issues
associated with nanotechnology."
229
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Water Protection – uniqueness/brink
EPA BUDGET IS TIGHT—WATER PROTECTION MAY BE CUT
POLICY NEWS, 2-22-06 http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthagw/2006/feb/policy/cc_newfunding.html
Overall funding for EPA’s clean air and climate change programs would increase by $8 million to total $932 million.
Programs related to science and research would be cut by $10 million, to $119 million, and funds related to reducing
greenhouse-gas intensity would drop slightly to $110 million, according to EPA’s budget summary.
Bush has proposed a $200 million, or 23%, reduction from the $886 million Congress approved in FY ’06 for the
Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), a loan program for localities seeking to prevent sewage overflows
and to implement other storm-water-related improvements. Johnson says the CWSRF funding would provide
“sufficient annual capitalization” to make $3.4 billion available each year, enough to pay for the local projects that
request funding. Congress normally restores some of the presidential cuts to the SRF, although the federal share of
CWSRF funding has been shrinking.
Because of numerous budget reductions, such as the CWSRF cut, state regulators are not happy with the budget.
Steve Brown, executive director of the Environmental Council of the States notes that mandatory state-run
programs—including monitoring air and water, developing plans to protect water bodies, and even
enforcement—would be cut by $416 million. This exceeds the $390 million Bush proposes to cut from the entire
EPA budget, Brown adds. —CATHERINE M. COONEY
EPA's environmental enforcement is on the brink of collapse—under Bush, it's low priority
Eric Schaeffer, ex-director of EPA's Office of Regulatory Enforcement, director of the Environmental Integrity
Project at the Rockefeller Family Fund, July/August 2002 "Clearing the air", washingtonmonthly.com/features
/2001/0207.schaeffer.html [JWu]
In a matter of weeks, the Bush administration was able to undo the environmental progress we had worked
years to secure. Millions of tons of unnecessary pollution continue to pour from these power plants each year as a
result. Adding insult to injury, the White House sought to slash the EPA's enforcement budget, making it harder
for us to pursue cases we'd already launched against other polluters that had run afoul of the law, from auto
manufacturers to refineries, large industrial hog feedlots, and paper companies. It became clear that Bush had little
regard for the environment--and even less for enforcing the laws that protect it. So last spring, after 12 years at
the agency, I resigned, stating my reasons in a very public letter to Administrator Whitman.
Enforcing environmental laws has never been easy. Even in the Clinton administration there were bureaucratic turf
battles, truculent congressmen, and relentless industry lobbyists to contend with. But hard work yielded progress; the
job was sometimes a headache, but I never doubted that we were having a positive effect. Under Bush, the balance has
shifted, to a degree few outside the bureaucracy may realize.
The administration's most obvious assaults on the environment have drawn fire. The press and environmental groups
attacked recent EPA rule changes that allow coal-mining companies to dump waste in valleys and streams, and when
the EPA last year overturned Clinton-era regulations to reduce arsenic in drinking water, the public reaction was so
intensely negative that Whitman eventually backed off. But these public efforts to roll back regulations are only half
the story. Behind the scenes, in complicated ways that attract less media attention (and therefore may be politically
safer), the administration and its allies in Congress are crippling the EPA's ability to enforce laws and
regulations already on the books. As a result, some of the worst pollution continues unchecked.
230
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
LWCF BRINK
The Land and Water Conservation Fund is on the brink of collapse
Environmental News Service, 2-5-08 (http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2008/2008-02-0505.asp)[JWu]
"The president's final budget deals a huge blow to the agencies and
programs charged with safeguarding our nation's natural resources," she
said. "The next administration will be burdened with mending the damage
caused by President Bush's disastrous policies. "For example, the Land
and Water Conservation Fund, the principal source of funds for acquisition
of lands for parks and wildlife refuges, would be crippled by a budget cut
of nearly $104 million, wiping out more than 67 percent of its funding,"
Clark warned."
231
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Air Pollution Impacts
EPA cuts destroy anti-pollution enforcement
Rena Steinzor. Law at U Maryland Law, Member scholar of the Center for Progressive
Regulation. 3-16, 2005. Center for American Progress.
www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=468713
Bush political appointees, many of them former industry lawyers and lobbyists, have pushed regulatory changes
that undercut our bedrock environmental laws. In its recent proposal to “protect” Americans from mercury
poisoning, for example, the administration offers a plan to allow polluters to trade pollution credits, thus
practically guaranteeing mercury “hotspots” in various pockets of the country where mercury pollution swells far
beyond currently unacceptable levels. (Sorry, Great Lakes region, but you lose the administration’s mercury lottery.
See Professor Catherine O’Neill’s recent article for an explanation.) Lost in the debate over the audacity of the
administration’s plan is a large legal problem: the Clean Air Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency to
adopt the strongest possible controls that are technologically feasible, and this doesn’t mean pollution-credit trading.
The administration simply isn’t following the law.
Another approach has been to take the environmental cops off the beat, turning the EPA into a shadow of its
former self. The administration has simply ratcheted down enforcement efforts through budget cuts and
inactivity, with the result that it’s easier to get away with illegally polluting the nation’s air and water.
232
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Trade Off is Normal means
Bush is looking for any excuse to cut environmental funding
Rena Steinzor. Law at U Maryland Law, Member scholar of the Center for Progressive Regulation. 3-16, 2005.
Center for American Progress. www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=468713
Asked about his environmental record during the second presidential debate this fall, President Bush rattled off a
series of well focus-grouped phrases – “clean coal,” “clear skies,” and “mak[ing] sure our forests aren’t vulnerable to
forest fires” – and touted himself as a “good steward of the land.” The rhetoric ignored reality: during the
president’s first term, the administration took a dive on global climate change, flung open wilderness areas to
drilling and logging, weakened air and water pollution standards, starved cleanup and enforcement programs,
and in a variety of other ways cast its lot with polluters instead of the environment and public health.
EPA is low priority in Bush's budget—he's cut it before
The Washington Post. July 22 2001. http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/Bush-ConquerEPA.htm [JWu]
The Bush administration is advancing a plan to cut federal environmental enforcement operations and to shift
resources to the states, despite mounting evidence that many states are unable or unwilling to enforce federal
environmental laws vigorously.
President Bush has proposed reducing the Environmental Protection Agency's enforcement staff in Washington
and regional offices by 8 percent, or 270 positions, while providing $25 million in new grants to the states for
enforcement activities.
Bush took office promising to provide states and local government with an enhanced role in managing and regulating
natural resources. Rather than seeking to perpetuate the EPA's aggressive enforcement policies under President
Bill Clinton's administration, Bush and his EPA administrator, Christie Todd Whitman, have called for reduced
federal oversight and intervention and have expanded cooperation between state environmental protection agencies
and industry.
233
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Trade Off is Normal means
The EPA budget is scarce; funding for one plan is taken from cuts in lower-priority projects
William Ruckelhaus, EPA Administrator, A.B. (cum laude) from Princeton, L.L.B. from Harvard Law, ex-Deputy
State Attorney General, September 21st, 2007 "Goals v. funding" epa.gov/history/publications/ruck/16.htm [JWu]
MR. RUCKELSHAUS: You have to set priorities and defend them on the grounds of having the greatest social
payoff. Then keep saying, "Here is the money and manpower I have to carry out the responsibilities you insist
on, here is why I get the priorities the way I have. While I recognize my obligations, I don't have the resources
to fulfill them."
Then you have an added complication: even though the administration isn't going to ask for the resources either,
you have to defend the administration's position and its unwillingness to carry out the mandate of the Congress. I used
to combat this by falling back on the game being played, which everybody understands. Congress lays on EPA more
than they are capable of doing. The administration doesn't ask for enough money to accomplish EPA's whole
program because, frankly, there's too much for any single agency to accomplish in the allowed timeframe.
Members of Congress fail to testify on behalf of more money for EPA, making it impossible for the agency to execute
what Congress itself mandated. Then the administrator appears before the committees and is attacked for not doing
what he had no hope of doing in the first instance.
But when you repeat these steps back to the committees and remind them of your warnings of insufficient funding in
previous testimony, they don't say anything; they calm down. They know you understand what's going on, and they
have to be quiet or face further embarrassment from you.
When I returned to EPA after ten years absence, I faced the same thing. I told Congress, "I'll show you the testimony I
gave ten years ago in which I said this was going to happen; and now it has." In the EPA job, you will miss
deadlines and have assignments you can't carry out. It's all just a part of it. You do the best you can. But you are
in a stronger position to do the best you can if you tell Congress ahead of time what you are going to do, what are the
limitations on your capabilities, and then keep pointing back to what you predicted.
CUTS ARE IMMINENT—ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN THE EPA IS LOW PRIORITY
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, February 4, 200 8 ("Wynn blasts Bush EPA
cuts" http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110nr192.shtml)[JWu]
Washington, DC –Congressmen Albert Wynn (D-MD), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and
Hazardous Materials, said today that President Bush’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Budget would make drastic cuts to
important Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs.
“The President’s FY 2009 budget requests $7.1 billion for the EPA. Compared to last year’s funding level enacted by
Congress, the Bush Administration’s budget proposal would dramatically cut spending by $400 million for
environmental programs that are pivotal to the protection of public health and safety,” Wynn said.
This devastating downward spiral in funding for environmental protection is even more significant when
compared to EPA’s authorized budget five years ago. Congress authorized $8.4 billion in spending for the EPA in
Fiscal Year 2004. The President’s budget request represents an incredible $1.3 billion cut from this level.
“National budgets should reflect our national priorities,” said Wynn. “Clearly, President Bush has not made
environmental protection a priority during the course of his Administration.”
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Trade Off is Normal means
FISCAL RESTRAINT MEANS NEW FUNDING COMES FROM EPA'S BUDGET
POLICY NEWS, 2-22-06 http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2006/feb/policy/cc_newfunding.html
President Bush has proposed $7.3 billion for the U.S. EPA’s overall budget for the 2007 fiscal year (FY ’07),
marking a 4% cut from its current funding. Bush asks Congress for $55 million more for the agency’s homelandsecurity efforts and shifts money to expand research in nanotechnology and computational toxicology. Still, the
agency’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) would be cut slightly from what Congress approved last year.
ORD programs have been reduced by 14% over the past 3 years.
When he unveiled the budget to reporters on February 6, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said that all federal
agencies are “being called upon to exercise fiscal restraint.” Nonetheless, he added, the budget “maintains the
goals laid out in EPA’s strategic plan, while spending less.”
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Link – NASA SPENDING
NASA dollars trade off with the EPA
Christopher S. Bond, Senator, 03/10/2004. EPA Budget for FY2005 Hearing.
http://epw.senate.gov/hearing_statements.cfm?id=218919 [JWu]
At the same time we protect the environment and the family budget, we must be mindful of the federal budget. We on
the appropriations subcommittee funding EPA will get into the specifics of EPA's budget later this month. But the
outlook for VA/HUD looks particularly bleak.
• We must remember that EPA competes for dollars within the same appropriations subcommittee as NASA, the VA,
and HUD. Every new dollar spent on the environment is one dollar we cannot spend to provide healthcare to our
veterans or shelter for our homeless. Every time one of our colleagues suggest spending more money for an EPA
program, each of us should think to ourselves whether that is more important than VA medical care or homeless
housing assistance grants.
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EPA=NM
EPA is the normal means actor for enforcing environmental legislation.
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Revised November 06, First Published October 2003,
NIOSH Safety Checklist Program for Schools “Chapter 1. Making Sense of Regulations”
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-101/chap1.html [ev]
The EPA (http://www.epa.gov) is a Federal agency that promulgates and enforces regulations dealing with
protection of the environment and the general public. It covers areas such as collection and disposal of hazardous
waste (including regulated medical waste), air pollution, water pollution, drinking water quality, pesticides, solid
waste, hazardous waste sites, hazardous material releases that threaten the environment, asbestos in public
schools, noise pollution, and many other areas. EPA receives legislative direction from numerous acts or statutes.
The most notable of these include: Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA) Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) Clean Water Act (CWA) Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Emergency Planning and Community Right To Know Act as part of the
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
EPA is the agency charged with enforcing regulations.
US EPA 4/23/08 (Last Updated) “Enforcement Actions Under Title VI of the Clean Air Act”
http://www.epa.gov/Ozone/enforce/index.html [ev]
EPA has issued several regulations under Title VI of the Clean Air Act designed to protect the ozone layer and to
provide for a smooth transition away from ozone-depleting substances. EPA is also charged with enforcing these
regulations. This section of the web site will feature information about enforcement actions, ranging from
civil fines to criminal prosecutions. The Stratospheric Protection Division doesn't actually enforce the
regulations; enforcement is performed within EPA by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
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EPA=NM
Normal means is EPA regulation by field officials.
US EPA 7/1/08 (Last Updated) “Introduction to Enforcement”
http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/enforce.NSF/Our+Office/Introduction+to+Enforcement [ev]
There are many means of determining the compliance status of affected facilities. Direct inspection and testing by
government personnel is often the best, but also may be among the most costly means. Other means include:
Routine self-reporting requirements. Industries can be required to monitor routinely their own emissions or
discharges, and report these to the government. The best known example of such a program is the requirement that all
persons holding a water pollution discharge (NPDES) permit must file periodic Discharge Monitoring Reports with the
federal or state government. A very substantial portion of all water pollution enforcement cases are based upon information
reported in such "DMRs." Under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and subsequent regulatory amendments, many
types of facilities now have to install continuous emissions monitors to keep track of what is coming out of their
smokestacks. They will be obliged to report the data from these monitors, in much the same way as NPDES permittees
submit DMRs. Failure to monitor, or reporting of inaccurate information, are compliance problems which must themselves
be the subject of the overall enforcement strategy. If sanctions for false reporting are severe, and the risk of detection is real,
self-reporting is an effective compliance monitoring tool. A self-reporting program should therefore be combined with a
program of field audits by government personnel. Targeted information gathering. Instead of, or in addition to routine selfmonitoring obligations, EPA may require a business to carry out special self-testing, or to report other relevant information.
EPA may request submission of operating logs and financial records to show when pollution control equipment was
purchased or installed, how much and what type of fuel was used, what materials were utilized, etc. In most of the federal
environmental laws, Congress has granted EPA broad information gathering authorities of this sort, which can be used
whenever noncompliance is suspected. Increasingly, an enforcement case will not be commenced until an information letter
has first been sent, in an effort to get the most accurate information and minimize arguments about the facts. Citizen tips.
Tips from citizens living near a facility, or even workers in a facility, can be very valuable in identifying possible violators.
The likelihood of receiving such tips is enhanced when government publicizes the existence of environmental regulatory
requirements, and makes available telephone "hotlines" for anonymous calls. Some federal environmental statutes also
provide legal job protection for "whistle-blowers," employees who report infractions by their employers. Click here to submit
a tip/complaint in EPA Region 10. Remote sensing. In today's high-tech age, a variety of technological resources are
available which can "stretch" EPA's limited inspection resources. For example, aerial photography or even geophysical
satellite data can disclose potential hazardous waste sites through the presence of distressed vegetation. An aerial photohistory, showing changes over time, can disclose illegal filling of wetlands, or unauthorized landfills. Infrared photography
can yield clues to the location of industrial discharges (including thermal discharges) into waterways. EPA even developed a
mobile laser beam device for precise measurement of the opacity (density) of smoke plumes at night from afar. Self-Policing.
EPA has developed several policies intended to create incentives for regulated entities to identify and report their own
violations. These are discussed further, below, under AMitigation of Penalties to Encourage Self-Policing.@ Nevertheless,
the mainstay of any compliance monitoring effort will be government inspectors in the field. Intelligent targeting
of limited inspection resources is therefore essential.
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EPA=NM
It is the EPA’s job to regulated all aspects of the environment
Michael T. Olexa, Professor in the Department of Food and Resource Economics and Director of the Agricultural Law
Center, 2004, (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FE452#copy)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established as an independent agency in the executive branch of the
U.S. government in 1970. EPA was created to regulate all aspects of the environment, especially the pollution of
natural resources. EPA is empowered to fulfill its purpose through many laws. These laws include RCRA
(regulating the disposal of solid and hazardous waste), CERCLA (providing for the cleanup of sites that pose a
threat to human health and the environment), FIFRA (regulating the use and disposal or pesticides), EPCRA
(regulating planning for spills), the ODA (regulating disposal into U.S. oceans and territorial waters), the CAA
(regulating release of pollutants into the atmosphere), and the CWA (regulating disposal into U.S. water
bodies).
The EPA works with several different agencies to regulate the environment
John Veil, Head of Argonne National Laboratory, October 31, 2000, (http://web.ead.anl.gov/dwm/regs/federal/epa/
index.cfm)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA or the Agency) is entrusted with protecting human health
and safeguarding the natural environment—air, water, and land. The EPA works with other federal agencies,
state and local governments, and Indian tribes to develop and enforce regulations under existing environmental
laws. The EPA, which is responsible for researching and setting national standards for a variety of federal
environmental programs, delegates to states and tribes the responsibilities for issuing permits and monitoring and
enforcing compliance. Where national standards are not met, the EPA can issue sanctions and take other steps to
assist the states and tribes in reaching the desired levels of environmental quality. Programs not delegated to the
states are managed through the EPA's regional offices. In addition to the various Headquarters program offices, the
EPA maintains 10 regional offices and 17 laboratories across the country.
The EPA enforces regulations for air pollution
EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, July 4th, 2008
http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/airairpollution.html
There are many sources of air pollution, including automobiles, power plants, factories, small businesses and household products. Under
the Clean Air Act, the EPA develops and enforces rules and regulations for all entities that emit toxic substances into the air.
The Agency works with state, local and tribal governments, other federal agencies, businesses and community groups to implement and
enforce its regulations. EPA also partners with scientists to study the causes and effects of pollution and to develop environmentally
beneficial alternatives to pollution-generating processes.
The EPA enforces regulations for environmental laws
EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, July 3rd, 2008
http://www.business.gov/guides/environment/environmental-regulations/index.html
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state environmental agencies regulate the impact of businesses
on the environment.The EPA develops and enforces regulations that implement environmental laws enacted
by Congress. Likewise, state agencies enforce regulations that implement laws enacted by the state legislature.
There are dozens of environmental regulations that apply to small businesses. The EPA and other agencies help small
businesses understand their specific requirements by publishing plain language guides that explain actions business
owners must take to comply with federal regulations. Similarly, most state governments provide similar guidance for
laws enforced by state environmental agencies.
This guide provides a collection resources available from the federal government that help business understand their
responsibilities under the nation's environmental laws.
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EPA=NM
EPA enforcement is normal means for environmental law.
Richard Michael Price, Attorney at Nixon Peabody Attorneys at Law, 5/24/2000, “Lead-Based Paint
Enforcement—Federal Regulations” http://www.nixonpeabody.com/publications_detail3.asp?ID=16 [ev]
EPA’s authorization for lead-paint enforcement is primarily contained in Section 16 of the Toxic Substances
Control Act (“TSCA”). See 15 U.S.C. §2615 et seq. HUD’s authority, on the other hand, lies in the Residential
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (the “Lead Paint Act”). See 42 USC §4821 et seq. TSCA and the
Lead Paint Act are enforced by regulations published by EPA and HUD at 40 CFR Part 745 and 24 CFR Part 35,
respectively (collectively, the “Regulations”). The Regulations are nearly identical because the Lead Paint Act
requires EPA and HUD to enforce these overlapping laws jointly. Although neither the TSCA nor the Lead Paint
Act are new, both HUD and the EPA have recently begun significant initiatives aimed at enforcing the
Regulations.
EPA is charged with enforcing environmental regulations.
San Francisco Department of Environmental Health September 06 “Safe Drinking Water Act & EPA
Regulations” http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/phes/water/FactSheets/drinkwater_reg.pdf pg 1
Drinking water standards The EPA produces two sets of standards: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
and National Secondary Water Regulations. Secondary Water Regulations are non‐ enforceable standards that aff
ect the taste, odor, and cosmetic affects of water. Primary Drinking Water Regulations are enforceable standards o
f drinking water quality that are based on public health principes. Many steps are necessary before a standard is fi
nalized. For most contaminants and disinfection byproducts, the EPA sets maximum contaminant goals (MCLG).
These are non‐ enforceable goals that are created by defining the level of a contaminant that would cause no harm
and then adding a margin of afety to level. In some cases the MCLG of a contaminant may be set to zero because
even a tiny amount is enough to cause disease. In other cases the levels are higher. When different populations are
more or less susceptible to the effects of a contaminant, the levels are set to protect the most vulnerable populatio
n. MCLs are enforceable versions of the MCLG, set as close as possible to the MCLG. When setting the MCL the
EPA considers available treatment and detection technology, and the costs and benefits associated with achieving
the goal. Water Quality Monitoring Drinking water standards specify the levels of contaminants, disinfection ag
ents, and disinfection byproducts that are allowed in drinking water. Water utilities are required to monitor their w
ater for chemical and microbial contaminants, and for levels of disinfectant and disinfection byproducts. Monitori
ng results must be reported to the state or to the EPA. The SDWA gives the EPA legal powers to enforce water qu
ality standards. The EPA currently requires drinking water to be monitored for 90 contaminants. The EPA also ke
eps a list of contaminants that may have adverse heath effects and may be regulated in the future. SFPUC water m
eets all current EPA standards.
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LINK: ALTERNATIVE ENERGY INCENTIVES
Energy Incentives Involve Massive Administration Costs
UNEP ‘2 [Reforming Energy Subsidies, http://www.uneptie.org/energy/publications/pdfs/En-SubsidiesReform.pdf]
Practical considerations may mean that a subsidy that looks good on paper is, in fact, a bad idea. There are two aspects
to this. One, the country may simply not be able to afford the subsidy if it involves large financial transfers from the
national treasury. Two, it may not be feasible to administer the subsidy in a way that does not involve large
administration costs including the resources required to monitor, prevent and deal with abuse. Subsidy
programmes involving cash payments to producers or consumers are notoriously expensive to administer, since the
authorities need to verify that each recipient is entitled to the money. Cheating can be commonplace. For example,
subsidized kerosene and LPG have been diverted to transport uses in several countries, including Ecuador and India,
depriving the poor of the fuel and causing safety problems.
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LINK: CAP AND TRADE
Cap and Trade Involves Substantial Administration Costs
ITS Global ‘7 [August, Australian APEC Study Centre, The Development Costs of the Stern Review Findings,
http://www.apec.org.au/docs/07_SR.pdf]
In the case of the SO 2 program, every large emitter has to install a continuous emissions monitoring system (CEMS).
The CEMS provides nearly continuous data (every 15 minutes) on the SO 2 emissions at each emitting facility to the
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The data are transmitted to the EPA automatically in electronic format.
Smaller emitters are allowed to install cheaper monitoring systems but they are less accurate. Their estimated
emissions have to be reported to the EPA via additional equipment and specific software and are subsequently
evaluated by the EPA for accuracy and non-compliance. In both cases the EPA carries out site inspections and annual
performance audits. In the light of this experience, we can be confident that the costs of administration and
compliance for a carbon tax or emissions permit regime are likely to be very substantial compared to the income
transfers that will be generated for governments via carbon tax revenues or sales of emission permits. These costs are
likely to be even more substantial for developing countries that have relatively immature or underdeveloped systems
of public administration, particularly in the areas of environmental monitoring, accounting and enforcement
(Greenspan Bell 2006). . For these reasons, our estimates of the relevant income transfers are likely to underestimate
their associated deadweight losses due to the combination of tax interaction effects, public administration costs and
private compliance costs.
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LINK - GHG REGULATION
EPA is required by law to regulate emissions AND has to divert resources to do so.
National Journal 4/11/08 “Vanishing Act” http://www.nationaljournal.com/njcover.htm [ev]
However, in April 2007, the Supreme Court ruled [PDF] that the Clean Air Act requires EPA to regulate
greenhouse gases emitted by cars and trucks if agency scientists determine that the pollutants are a danger to the
public. Responding to the decision, EPA took seven months trying to pull together a regulatory program. It spent
$5.3 million on contractor services and dedicated 53 EPA employees to the project, which concluded that the
gases are dangerous. The agency then drafted a 300-page proposal to regulate those emissions. In early December,
the documents were sent to the White House and to other federal agencies for review.
Large Transaction and Administrative Costs for GHG Regulation
Edward Vine & Jayant Sathaye, Energy Analysis Program - @ Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ’97 [MERV Issues
and Methodologies, http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/GlobalWarming.nsf/UniqueKeyLookup/SHSU5BUT26/$File/merv-ch4.pdf]
These problems point out the difficulty of establishing a credible baseline. One could broaden the monitoring domain
to include, for example, leakage and off-site baseline changes. Widening the system boundary, however, will most
likely entail greater MERV transaction costs. Transaction costs are the costs incurred by the people responsible for
monitoring, reporting, evaluating, and verifying climate change mitigation projects. These costs include not only outof-pocket expenditures, but also opportunity costs (e.g., the lost time (delay) and resources (e.g., money and
managerial attention) that could have been devoted to the next best opportunity for that participant (Dudek and Weiner
1996). We revisit these issues later in this paper (Section 3.3.1), but warn the reader that these questions may have to
be resolved through an international consensus, rather than addressed through the guidelines or protocols.
Large costs Involved in Creating New Emissions Regulation
Edward Vine & Jayant Sathaye, Energy Analysis Program - @ Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ’97 [MERV Issues
and Methodologies, http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/GlobalWarming.nsf/UniqueKeyLookup/SHSU5BUT26/$File/merv-ch4.pdf]
In DOE’s Voluntary Reporting Program, the guidelines do not discuss institutional issues; however, in the
analysis of the results of the 1995 project data, DOE described some institutional barriers to the evaluation of
projects, such as limited expertise in emissions estimation and the limited availability of data within the reporting
organization: “Organizations rarely collect information on greenhouse gas emissions, and they have no reason to
develop corporate expertise in estimating emissions. Reporters must start from scratch in collecting underlying
operating data and developing expertise in estimating emissions on the basis of operating data.” (DOE 1996a)
Monitoring Involves Clear Costs
Edward Vine & Jayant Sathaye, Energy Analysis Program - @ Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ’97 [MERV Issues
and Methodologies, http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/GlobalWarming.nsf/UniqueKeyLookup/SHSU5BUT26/$File/merv-ch4.pdf]
Conducting MERV activities is not inexpensive. For example, based on the experience of U.S. utilities and energy
service companies, monitoring and evaluation activities can easily account for 5- 10% of a project’s budget (see Meier
and Solomon 1995; Raab and Violette 1994). Similarly, carbon monitoring efforts require specialized equipment,
methods and trained personnel that can be expensive for individual organizations to procure and maintain, and can
result in similar percentage expenditures (MacDicken 1996; Ravindranath and Bhat 1997). The cost will vary by size
of area, scope of project, variation within and between land use types, type of monitoring, and amount of training
required.
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LINK—NUCLEAR POWER
Safety standards make nuclear power MOST expensive to regulate.
Kenneth L. Mossman, Professor of health physics in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University in Tempe,
Environmental Health Perspectives, Jan, 20 03, (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYP/is_1_111/ai_98539769)
Nuclear regulations are a subset of social regulations (laws to control activities that may negatively impact the
environment, health, and safety) that concern control of ionizing radiation from radiation-producing
equipment and from radioactive materials. The impressive safety record among nuclear technologies is
due, in no small part, to the work of radiation safety professionals and to a protection system that has kept
pace with the rapid technologic advancements in electric power generation, engineering, and medicine. The
price of success, however, has led to a regulatory organization and philosophy characterized by complexity,
confusion, public fear, and increasing economic costs. Over the past 20 years, regulatory costs in the nuclear
sector have increased more than 250% in constant 1995 U.S. dollars. Costs of regulatory compliance can be
reduced sharply, particularly when health and environmental benefits of risk reduction are questionable.
Three key regulatory areas should be closely examined and modified to improve regulatory effectiveness
and efficiency: a) radiation protection should be changed from a risk-based to dose-based system; b) the U.S.
government should adopt the modern metric system (International System of Units), and radiation quantities and
units should be simplified to facilitate international communication and public understanding; and c) a single,
independent office is needed to coordinate nuclear regulations established by U.S. federal agencies and
departments. Key words: dose, economic costs, nuclear regulations, radiation quantities, regulatory framework,
risk.
244
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LINK: REBATES
Rebates Involve Substantial Costs
DOE ‘8 [Feb 29, State Energy Alternatives, http://www.eere.energy.gov/states/alternatives/rebates.cfm]
Depending on the size of the rebate program, administrative costs usually run 10%-20%. Public awareness and
advertising expenses tend to be a significant budget item in rebate programs.
Monitoring and evaluation are important in rebate programs. Tracking the number of appliance purchases and the
number of old appliances recycled helps program personnel total the emissions reduced and energy saved. Allowing
consumers the flexibility to use the installers they choose makes the program easier to administer. Creating a list of
approved contractors can be time-consuming and perceived by consumers as restrictive.
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LINK - RPS
RPS Involves Large Administrative Oversight
Jan Hamrin et. al, @ Center For Research Solutions, ‘2 [June, Center for Renewable Energy Development, Renewable
Energy Policy Options for China: A Comparison of Renewable Portfolio Standards, Feed-in Tariffs, and Tendering Policies,
http://www.resource-solutions.org/lib/librarypdfs/IntPolicy-Feed-in_LawsandRPS.pdf]
An RPS is highly compatible with both regulated and competitive electricity markets; whereas feed-in laws are more
appropriate in a regulated setting where absolute competitive parity is not required. Under a competitive electricity
market, feed-in laws are only competitively neutral if applied to regulated elements of the industry or if a cost
recovery and sharing mechanism is developed. Concerns over the compatibility of feed-in tariffs with electricity
liberalization has led several European nations to consider abandoning or phasing out such systems over time in favor
of an RPS. On the other hand, a fully implemented RPS requires a strong and effective administration and
enforcement mechanism to validate trades in renewable energy credits and enforce compliance. Without such an
advanced administrative mechanism, a fully implemented RPS cannot function appropriately. Feed-in tariffs do not
require as complex and sophisticated administration.
RPS Difficulties Requires Complex System For Montioring/Enforcement
Jan Hamrin et. al, @ Center For Research Solutions, ‘2 [June, Center for Renewable Energy Development, Renewable
Energy Policy Options for China: A Comparison of Renewable Portfolio Standards, Feed-in Tariffs, and Tendering Policies,
http://www.resource-solutions.org/lib/librarypdfs/IntPolicy-Feed-in_LawsandRPS.pdf]
The design, administration, and enforcement of feed-in tariffs are relatively simple, and significant experience exists
in other nations from which to garner useful experience. The RPS is a much younger concept. While experience in
the design and administration of an RPS is increasing rapidly throughout the world, there are only a few successful
examples that have more than one year’s experience, making the design, administration, and enforcement task a more
difficult one for countries now developing an RPS. From a contractual and transaction cost perspective, fixed feed-in
tariffs with standardized interconnection requirements, contract terms, and conditions can also simplify negotiations
and speed the development and contracting process for renewable generators relative to an RPS strategy. Tendering
policies can be relatively simple in design, but are usually accompanied by a separate system to collect monies to pay
for the incremental costs of the renewable energy. In addition, tendering policies need to be regularly reviewed and
modified to ensure that they are achieving goals. Overall, tendering and RPS strategies are more complex to
implement than feed-in tariffs.
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LINK: TAX INCENTIVES
Tax Incentives Involve High Administrative Costs - Tracking
David Clement et al., Consultant to the Center for Resource Solutions, ‘5 [June 17, International Tax Incentives for
Renewable Energy, http://www.resource-solutions.org/lib/librarypdfs/IntPolicy-Renewable_Tax_Incentives.pdf]
Investment tax incentives also often apply to smaller, customer-sited applications of renewable energy. These
incentives are typically awarded for renewable energy systems or equipment installed onsite to supply residential or
commercial buildings. Often, the cost of installing the equipment (in addition to the equipment cost itself) is included
in the calculation of the tax incentive. Since installation costs for these systems can be a significant percentage of the
total costs, including installation in the tax credit provides a stronger incentive to consumers and businesses to
purchase these systems. Though some states and countries have considered applying production-based tax incentives
for these smaller systems, it is generally recognized that the administrative costs of tracking production are
significant; as a result, most income tax incentives offered for customer- sited systems have remained investmentbased. Tax incentives are offered for the purchase of renewable energy systems and equipment by many states and
countries.
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TERROR=FIRST TO GO
The EPA’s homeland security program is funded with reallocations.
J.P. Suarez EPA's assistant administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance 4/26/03
Statement in U.S. Newswire, “EPA Statement by Suarez; Correcting the Record: EPA's Role in Homeland
Security, Enforcement and Personal Protection” Lexis [ev]
"Since September 11, 2001 our government has experienced an enormous increase in the need to protect its
citizens from acts of terrorism. Agencies across the government came together and established an effective, strong
homeland security presence. EPA responded immediately and continues to play a critical role in homeland
protection. EPA's strategic plan for homeland security was held up as a model for other Agencies and
Departments. Every EPA program and region has reallocated some of its resources to address
important and essential homeland security functions. "EPA's focus since September 11 has been to support
our nation's effort at combating domestic threats while at the same time ensuring that enforcement of environmental
crimes continues. Homeland security is a critical new aspect of EPA's mission, and we have dedicated
resources to support this essential effort. At the same time we continue to achieve significant success in
prosecuting environmental crimes -- in fact, EPA's enforcement numbers in several categories are at an all time
high.
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REGULATIONS KILL TERROR
Regulations and counter-terrorism draw from the same pool of officials.
J.P. Suarez EPA's assistant administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance 4/26/03
Statement in U.S. Newswire, “EPA Statement by Suarez; Correcting the Record: EPA's Role in Homeland
Security, Enforcement and Personal Protection” Lexis [ev]
"EPA continues to produce significant environmental results for the American people through its enforcement
program, as is evidenced by the more than 674 cases initiated last year alone. At the same time, EPA is proud to
have the many professional enforcement officials who could, did, and are stepping in to fulfill the counterterrorism protection role for the nation following September 11, 2001."
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REGULATIONS COSTLY
Regulations are expensive for the EPA to deal with.
David Schoenbrod Professor of Law at New York Law School and Former-Senior Attorney for the National
Resources Defense Council 2004 Cato Regulation “Why States, Not EPA, Should Set Pollution Standards”
http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/reg19n4a.html [ev]
At its pinnacle is a thick volume of statutes in fine print. Under this volume is a stack more than two-feet high,
also in fine print, of EPA regulations. The EPA regulations are so lengthy, in part, because those who write them
respond more to pressures from the agency to enlarge and protect its power than to the public’s need for clear,
concise rules. The problem is not that the agency is oversolicitous of environmental quality; it is that it is
oversolicitous of itself. So, the regulations construe the agency’s power overbroadly and then react to the obvious
instances of overbreadth by providing narrowly defined exclusions and variances. Thus, under a statute regulating
the handling of hazardous wastes, the agency takes seventeen pages to define the concept of "hazardous waste"—
the definition reads as if written by Monty Python’s John Cleese.
Strict regulations destroy EPA flexibility.
David Schoenbrod Professor of Law at New York Law School and Former-Senior Attorney for the National
Resources Defense Council 2004 Cato Regulation “Why States, Not EPA, Should Set Pollution Standards”
http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/reg19n4a.html [ev]
The Framers of the Constitution envisioned states serving as laboratories in which different policies would be
tried and compared. State-by-state experiment, however, disappears with federal mandates. Yet experiment is
what we need. Scholars from diverse political perspectives have suggested pollution taxes, emissions trading,
greater reliance on the common law, and other radical alternatives to Washington’s command-and-control
approach. Others, such as former EPA administrator William Ruckelshaus, have criticized the federal approach
under which there are separate regulatory schemes for air pollution, water pollution, and so on. They suggest,
instead, that plans be looked at holistically because this approach often can produce better overall environmental
quality at lower costs, implying flexibility at the local level. Such innovation, however, threatens the EPA with its
worst nightmare—loss of control. So, while the EPA feels compelled to experiment, it hedges innovative
programs with so much red tape that flexibility is largely illusory. States, on the other hand, are more open to real
experimentation; and it makes more sense to experiment on the state level.
EPA regulations are costly and expansive.
National Journal 4/11/08 “Vanishing Act” http://www.nationaljournal.com/njcover.htm [ev]
Holmstead notes that EPA is never particularly popular with business. "When I was in the EPA air office, it was
hard to find a U.S. industry that we didn't regulate," he said. "What EPA does is impose very expensive
regulations on the business community. Therefore, EPA is viewed with a little more skepticism perhaps than
some of the other agencies." Every White House keeps a close eye on the agency for fear that its regulators will
ignore the economic costs of environmental protection, Holmstead said, adding, "EPA may not be well suited to
understand the overall picture, so there needs to be a counterbalance within the administration."
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REGULATIONS COSTLY
Regulations cost the EPA.
David Schoenbrod Professor of Law at New York Law School and Former-Senior Attorney for the National
Resources Defense Council 2004 Cato Regulation “Why States, Not EPA, Should Set Pollution Standards”
http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/reg19n4a.html [ev]
Accountability With the national takeover, democratic accountability goes by the boards for three reasons. First,
the massive job of controlling the nation’s environment from Washington encourages Congress to delegate its
policy-making responsibilities to the EPA. As a result, environmental policies are made by bureaucrats rather than
officials who are directly accountable to voters. Second, voters cannot effectively hold national officials
accountable for how they resolved local environmental disputes. Third, federal mandates give federal legislators
and the president the means to take credit for the benefits of environmental programs while placing blame for any
ensuing costs on state and local officials. Popular revulsion at such federal opportunism resulted in the passage of
the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995. The act is an attempt to keep Congress from imposing mandates on
state and local governments without providing the necessary funds to implement them. In other words, if
Washington politicians take credit for the benefits promised by a new mandate, they must also take responsibility
for ensuing costs. But, as is well known, the act leaves in place all preexisting mandates, including the entire
corpus of federal environmental law. The national environmental laws are chiefly regulatory mandates and
sometimes tax mandates. For instance, Title V of the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990, which require airpolluters to secure permits from states, turns out to be a mandate to tax. Under Title V, states must charge permit
fees at a level that the EPA deems sufficient to fund the bulk of the state’s air-pollution control program, not just
the cost of issuing the permit as the EPA suggests. Prior to 1990, most polluters did not have to get permits, yet they still had to comply
with emission limitations. Before the statute, state pollution officials had to get approval for their budgets from state legislators who also had to take
responsibility for the taxes needed to fund the budgets. After the statute, unelected federal officials supplanted much of the budgetary and taxing authority of
elected state officials. The State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators Association and the Association of Local Air Pollution Control
Officials, whose funding comes partly from the EPA, vigorously supported the federal mandate for permits and support federal mandates in general.
Enforcing regulations is hugely expensive.
Lynn Scarlett B.A., M.A. polisci U Cal, Exec Director and VP of Research At Reason Public Policy Institute
1994 Cato Regulation “‘After Environmentalism’ Off Base” www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/reg17n3-scarlett.html
[ev]
First, both command and control and market-based approaches involve centralized, political goal-setting. Under
such decision processes, whether setting centralized standards or specifying fees, central goal-setting produces
"winners" and "losers." And that implies conflict-the sort of "highly adversarial" processes that Mr. Kellogg
seems to suggest are peculiar to command and control. Recent deliberations in California on its tradable emissions
program-regarding what baseline emissions to use for establishing credits, what counts as a credit, etc.demonstrate just how contentious such market-based approaches can be. Second, depending on the particular
policy design and the targeted problem, market-based approaches can also involve as high, or even higher,
monitoring costs than some command and control regulations. Indeed, one of the driving forces behind the
"technology-mandate" approach of command and control measures is that compliance can be easily determined:
either the regulated firm has, or has not, put in place the required technology. By contrast, some market-based
approaches can require complex, ongoing measurement of emission outputs, constant restructuring of fees, and
monitoring of fee compliance (which can involve significant reporting and auditing).
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FUNDING KEY
Massive funding key to ensure safe drinking water.
US EPA 2008 “FY 2008 Annual Plan” http://www.epa.gov/budget/2008/2008ap/2008_annual_plan.pdf pg 17
[ev]
Drinking Water During FY 2008, EPA, the states and community water systems will build on past successes
while working toward the FY 2008 goal of assuring that 90 percent of the population served by community water
systems receives drinking water that meets all applicable health-based standards. To promote compliance with
drinking water standards, states carry out a variety of activities, such as conducting onsite sanitary surveys of
water systems and working with small systems to improve their capabilities. EPA will work to improve
compliance rates by providing guidance, training, and technical assistance; ensuring proper certification of water
system operators; promoting consumer awareness of drinking water safety; maintaining the rate of system
sanitary surveys and onsite reviews; and taking appropriate action for noncompliance. To help ensure that water is
safe to drink, the FY 2008 President’s Budget requests $842 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund.
Funding key to water pollution.
US EPA 2008 “FY 2008 Annual Plan” http://www.epa.gov/budget/2008/2008ap/2008_annual_plan.pdf pg 17
[ev]
Clean Water In FY 2008, EPA will work with states to continue progress toward the clean water goals to
implement core clean water programs, including innovations that apply programs on a watershed basis, and to
accelerate efforts to improve water quality on a watershed basis. Building on the progress toward clean water
achieved over the past 30 years, EPA is working with states and Tribes to implement the Clean Water Act by
focusing on: scientifically sound water quality standards; effective water monitoring; strong programs for
controlling nonpoint sources of pollution; and strong discharge permit programs. The Agency’s request continues
the monitoring initiative begun in 2005 to strengthen the nationwide monitoring network and complete the
baseline water quality assessment of lakes and streams. These efforts will result in scientifically defensible water
quality data and information essential for cleaning up and protecting the nation’s waters. Progress in improving
coastal and ocean waters documented in the National Coastal Condition Report will be maintained by focusing
on: assessing coastal conditions; reducing vessel discharges; implementing coastal nonpoint source pollution
programs; managing dredged material; and supporting international marine pollution control. EPA will continue
to provide annual capitalization to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The FY 2008 President’s
Budget provides $688 million and will allow EPA to meet the Administration’s Federal capitalization target of
$6.8 billion total for 2004-2011 and enable the CWSRF to eventually revolve at a level of $3.4 billion.
252
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Clean Water Trade Off
EPA, key to water security, has a limited budget, and water security is low priority
Brock Meeks, award-winning journalist, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, Oct 23 03, "U.S water supply
vulnerable", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3340643/ [JWu]
The Environmental Protection Agency is the government agency tasked with coordinating the water supply
protection efforts. An EPA representative told a congressional panel last year that the agency is putting together a
manual to help water authorities assess vulnerabilities as well as an emergency operations manual, which is due
sometime in the middle of this year. In addition, more coordinated information sharing networks are being established
to link water officials electronically so that information and warnings can be accessed quickly.
The EPA will spend $90.3 million this fiscal year on water-security issues, as set out in emergency legislation
passed last year. That compares with a scant $2.5 million the agency spent on bio-terrorism efforts in the fiscal year
that ended Oct. 2001.
The National Infrastructure Protection Center run by the FBI sends out warning messages through the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies,
using that organization as the water sector’s Information Sharing and Analysis Center. The ISAC acts as an early-warning system for water officials
throughout the country.
And a promising trend is developing: Jurisdictions are building in redundancy for their water infrastructure, according to Beering, who helped
author an interim report on domestic preparedness to potential terrorist attacks.
Luthy says that water systems should be interconnected to help ensure water quality “through application of
multiple barriers to contaminants in supply, treatment and distribution.” However, because the water distribution
system is so “fragmented” putting such a scheme into practice “has been a low priority unless prompted by
chemical spill or natural disaster,” Luthy wrote in a November editorial.
In addition, Luthy wrote, new technologies should be implemented to help trap contaminates at multiple points. This
would benefit large cities such as New York and San Francisco which currently rely on unfiltered water, which is a
source of great debate and some litigation in the water community. Those cities currently disinfect the water with
chemicals such as chlorine.
The water industry is acting in a heightened state of alert in the post Sept. 11 era. Whether policy makers continue
to provide the funding for repairs, research and upgrades remains to be seen. And whether such efforts can be
accomplished before a major disaster strikes is anyone’s guess.
EPA budget cuts decrease clean drinking water
Christopher S. Bond, Senator, 03/10/2004. EPA Budget for FY2005 Hearing.
http://epw.senate.gov/hearing_statements.cfm?id=218919 [JWu]
Make no mistake, I believe there are vital programs at EPA we must fund to improve the environment. I have been a
long-standing supporter of helping local communities provide safe drinking water and clean their wastewater. The
federal government has imposed national water requirements with an estimated $500 billion funding shortfall. We
cannot abdicate our responsibility to help close this gap.
• So I am disappointed yet again to see the green eyeshades at OMB cutting the Clean Water SRF. I am also
disappointed with cuts to the Section 319 nonpoint source water program. Farms helped with USDA money are not
the only contributors to nonpoint source pollution, so we must also combat this environmental problem through the
EPA budget.
Water security is low priority for policymakers
Brock Meeks, award-winning journalist, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, Oct 23 03, "U.S water supply
vulnerable", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3340643/ [JWu]
The vulnerability of the nation’s water supply isn’t in the headlines, it’s in the details of the country’s 54,065 public and
private water systems. For years, experts have warned about the need to upgrade, repair and thoroughly assess the risk of
terrorists targeting the nation’s water supply and distribution channels. Yet most of those warnings have been ignored,
under-funded or relegated to the back burner as policy-makers addressed “more important” projects.
253
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Ent’l Justice Impact
Environmental relaxation disproportionately hurt minorities and the poor
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, February 4, 2008 ("Wynn blasts Bush EPA
cuts" http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110nr192.shtml)[JWu]
“Minority and low-income populations often live close to industrial zones, power plants and toxic waste sites,”
Wynn said. “These conditions have serious implications for the health and well being of people of color. For
example, people of color are three times more likely to be hospitalized or die from asthma and other respiratory
illnesses linked to air pollution. It is unconscionable for the Administration to shortchange the very programs
aimed at addressing these disparities.”
254
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Pollution trade off
EPA cuts will cause lead air pollution
Larry West, expert newsman, worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET, founding news director at TechTV
12-7-06 ("EPA may abandon health standards for lead air pollution"
http://environment.about.com/od/pollution/a/lead_pollution.htm)[JWu]
The Bush administration may eliminate health standards for lead air pollution that keep the lead out of gasoline—and out of
the air—according to a preliminary staff review released this week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
This is one of the most startling pieces of environmental news to trickle out of Washington, D.C., in this era of jaw-dropping
regulatory pronouncements, because removing lead from gasoline is generally considered one of the most successful cleanair strategies of the past 30 years.
Why Eliminate Lead Air Pollution Health Standards?
The EPA’s rationale for deregulating lead as an air pollutant is like a case study for convoluted logic. Basically, the EPA says
that concentrations of lead in the air have dropped more than 90 percent since 1976, when the agency started regulating the
toxic heavy metal as an air pollutant, and now argues that its success in keeping lead out of the air through regulation may
justify taking lead off the list of air pollutants the agency is required to regulate. Huh?
Instead of the usual “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, the EPA seems to be contemplating the less common “if it’s
working, then break it” strategy.
U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who will take over as chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform when
Congress convenes in January, urged EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson to “renounce this dangerous proposal
immediately” and said “this deregulatory effort cannot be defended.”
EPA key to air quality and decreasing air pollution
Larry West, expert newsman, worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET, founding news director at TechTV
5-19-08 ("EPA rule change would increase air pollution in national parks"
http://environment.about.com/b/2008/05/19/epa-rule-change-would-increase-air-pollution-in-nationalparks.htm)[JWu]
Opponents to change are worried that weakening the rules that govern air quality in national parks and wilderness areas will
increase air pollution and decrease visibility in many places that are already threatened. According to the National Parks
Conservation Association (NPCA), an advocacy group, one in three national park sites has air pollution levels that exceed
health standards set by the EPA, and yet the agency seems determined to implement a rule that will make that situation
worse.
"It's like if you're pulled over by a cop for going 75 miles per hour in a 55 miles-per-hour zone, and you say, 'If you look at
how I've driven all year, I've averaged 55 miles per hour,' " said Mark Wenzler, director of clean-air programs for the NPCA,
in an interview with The Washington Post. "It allows you to vastly underestimate the impact of these emissions."
Jim Renfro, an air resources specialist at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, told The Post that the park no longer meets
federal smog standards, which is a public health issue, and visibility on summer days is 15 miles, down from the previous 80
miles.
"There are some days when it's unhealthy to breathe at the park, so that's a major concern. People come here to get away, and
they can't believe that sometimes they're better off where they came from," Renfro said. "We've got a long way to go."
255
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Pollution trade off
Decreasing EPA funding kills pollution enforcement
The Washington
Post. July 22 2001. http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/Bush-Conquer-EPA.htm [JWu]
Some states, including Arizona, Delaware and Missouri, have aggressive -- and successful -- environmental
enforcement programs. But the EPA's inspector general and analyses of EPA data by the Environmental Working
Group, an advocacy organization, have documented widespread lapses by many other states' enforcement of
federal clean water and clean air laws.
Environmentalists, Democrats in Congress and federal regulators are citing the conclusions to question the Bush
administration's plans to shift responsibilities to the states.
VIOLATIONS UNREPORTED
The EPA's inspector general said in a September 1998 audit that six states failed to report numerous serious
violations of the Clean Air Act, as they are required to do. While performing more than 3,300 inspections, Arkansas,
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Washington state reported only 18 significant violations.
While reviewing a small portion of those 3,300 inspections, the EPA turned up an additional 103 serious
violations.
Other states have failed to report serious violations of federal pollution laws, allowed major industrial polluters
to operate without proper permits and failed to conduct basic emissions tests of industry smokestacks,
according to the studies.
The EPA and the Justice Department can step in if they conclude a state isn't doing an adequate job. But with only
3,537 lawyers, investigators and staff involved in enforcement and oversight activities nationwide, the EPA is
stretched thin.
"The president's cuts take the environmental cop off the beat, and it creates a devastating blow to EPA's ability
to enforce clean air, clean water and hazardous waste laws," said Rep. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., one of several
dozen Democrats in the House of Representatives who are battling the cuts as Congress considers the EPA's budget
for the coming year.
Air pollution causes stroke, heart disease, and death
American Heart Association, 07 (based on newest date in article, "Air pollution, heart disease, and
stroke." http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4419)[JWu]
Exposure to air pollution contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke).
A person’s relative risk due to air pollution is small compared with the impact of established cardiovascular risk
factors such as smoking, obesity, or high blood pressure. However, this is a serious public health problem because
an enormous number of people are exposed over an entire lifetime.
Background
Until May of 2004, the American Heart Association had not issued any expert reviewed statement about the shortterm and long-term effects of chronic exposure to different pollutants. This was due to flaws in research design and
methodology of many pollution studies. During the last decade, however, epidemiological studies conducted
worldwide have shown a consistent, increased risk for cardiovascular events, including heart and stroke deaths,
in relation to short- and long-term exposure to present-day concentrations of pollution, especially particulate matter.
Elderly patients, people with underlying heart or lung disease, lower socioeconomic populations and diabetics may be
at particularly increased risk. More research is needed to find out the differential toxicity of various constituents of air
pollution.
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Toxic Waste
EPA funding cuts from toxic waste cleanup
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, February 4, 200 8 ("Wynn blasts Bush EPA
cuts" http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110nr192.shtml)[JWu]
The Superfund program would also suffer under the President’s FY09 Budget request. At a time when progress
on remediating sites has fallen dramatically, funding for remedial actions at these sites would be cut by $4.5
million. It is well documented that there is not enough funding for sites requiring cleanup.
“By EPA’s own estimation, one in four Americans lives within four miles of a Superfund site,” Wynn added.
“There are numerous toxic waste sites on the National Priorities List where cleanup has been delayed due to a
lack of funds. The cuts to the remedial program proposed in the President’s FY 2009 cuts would exacerbate this
problem.”
Clean water is key to public health
Robert M. Anderson, senior counsel at the law firm of LeBouef, Lamb, Greene, & MacRae LLP;
and Paul C.
Freeman, Esq., an associate at LeBouef, Lamb, Greene, & MacRae, Jan/Feb 05 (Waste and Wastewater Products, Vol 5,
No 1, http://www.wwn-online.com/articles/50916/)[JWu]
Immediately following the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the city of New York and a group of
federal, state, and local authorities took steps to secure and maintain the city's lifeline: its drinking water supply system.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and the state and city of New York
quickly negotiated an agreement to evaluate restrictions on access to the city's drinking water facilities and to strengthen
measures to prevent biological, chemical, and radiological contamination. The swift action taken in the days that
followed 9/11's horror and chaos underscores the critical importance of water resources to public health and our
collective psyche.
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Air Pollution Impacts
Increased air pollution causes thousands of deaths and costs billions
Larry West, expert newsman, worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET, founding news director at
TechTV 10-2-07 (http://environment.about.com/b/2007/10/02/epa-decision-on-air-quality-may-cause-24000deaths-annually.htm)[JWu]
As many as 24,000 Americans could lose their lives every year because of the EPA’s refusal to follow the advice of medical
professionals to tighten U.S. air quality standards that control soot, dust and other particulate matter, by allowing one less
microgram per cubic meter of air annually, according to a cost-benefit analysis released Friday.
The analysis also shows that the estimated $1.9 billion auto manufacturers, power plants, refineries and other companies
would have paid each year to implement tighter standards would have been eclipsed by up to $51 billion in annual savings on
health care costs, work and school attendance, and other benefits.
The EPA is not allowed to consider the cost of a new regulation—even though the agency is required to calculate the costs—
but it is required to consider the health benefits. Many studies have linked exposure to soot, dust and other particulate matter
to respiratory and cardiac disease and premature death.
Pollution is self reinforcing and destroys ecosystems
Michael Jacobs Senior Special Adviser to UK Prime Minister for environment, energy and climate change
policy, head of the Fabian Society, the UK's senior think tank. Ex-ESRC Research Fellow at London School of
Economics and at the Centre for the Study of Environmental Change, Lancaster University. 1991 "The Green
Economy", pg 9 [JWu]
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Air Pollution Impacts
Pollution abatement programs hurt the US economy – reduction in GNP
Dale W. Jorgenson and Peter J. Wilcoxen, Profs – Econ, Harvard University 1990. “Environmental regulation and U.S.
economic growth.” RAND Journal of Economics, Vol. 21 Issue 2, p314-340.
In Section 3 we show that pollution abatement has emerged as a major claimant on the resources of the U.S. economy. The
long-run cost of environmental regulation is a reduction of 2.59% in the level ofthe U.S. gross national product. This is more
than 10% ofthe share of total government purchases of goods and services in the national product during the period 19731985. Over this period, the annual growth rate ofthe U.S. economy has been reduced by .191%. This is several times the
reduction in growth estimated in previous studies.
Lead is very toxic and causes severe nerve damage
Larry West, expert newsman, worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET, founding news director at TechTV
12-7-06 ("EPA may abandon health standards for lead air pollution"
http://environment.about.com/od/pollution/a/lead_pollution.htm)[JWu]
Lead is highly toxic and can cause severe nerve damage and impair physical and mental development, especially in children.
Lead also enters the atmosphere from coal, oil, iron and steel production; lead smelters; battery production; solid waste; and
tobacco smoke. Lead is one of six air pollutants the EPA is required to review every five years to make sure the health
standards are tough enough to protect the public. The other air pollutants are ozone, soot, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide
and nitrous oxides.
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Pollution Enforcement
No EPA enforcement means no environmental regulation, allowing polluters to get off scot free
Eric Schaeffer, ex-director of EPA's Office of Regulatory Enforcement, director of the Environmental Integrity
Project at the Rockefeller Family Fund, July/August 2002 "Clearing the air", washingtonmonthly.com/features
/2001/0207.schaeffer.html [JWu]
SHRINK THE POLICE FORCE. Environmental law, just like any other, is a dead letter if not enforced. The Bush
administration's first step was weakening the government's ability to uncover violations of important requirements like
tailpipe emission standards. Each year, about 25 million tons of smog-causing nitrogen oxide is released into the air, about
half of it from cars, diesel trucks, and construction equipment. For several years, the diesel engines of large long-haul trucks
have been required to meet emission standards with catalytic converters that clean exhaust gases. But manufacturers realized
that they could beat the system by developing catalytic converters that would run properly during EPA tests, but whose
pollution controls could be turned off on the highway. In November 1998, EPA settled with nine diesel engine
manufacturers--practically the entire industry--forcing the companies to spend about $1 billion to phase out these
illegal engines. It was a textbook example of how enforcement is supposed to work: The settlements will eliminate about
1.3 million tons of illegal emissions a year, or about 10 percent of the total nitrogen oxide pollution from mobile sources. But
winning a settlement like that takes thousands of hours of staff time, and Bush's Office of Management and Budget knows it.
Cutting the enforcement budget by 13 percent, as President Bush has proposed, would hobble the EPA's ability to
uncover and stop such malfeasance.
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EPA KEY
EPA key to solve terror
US EPA 2008 “FY 2008 Annual Plan” http://www.epa.gov/budget/2008/2008ap/2008_annual_plan.pdf pg 3 [ev]
The EPA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Annual Performance Plan and the Congressional Justification requests $7.2
billion in discretionary budget authority and 17,324 Full Time Equivalents (FTE). This request reflects the
Agency’s efforts to work with its partners towards protecting air, water, and land, as well as providing for EPA’s
role in safeguarding the nation from terrorist attacks. This request echoes the Administration’s commitment to
setting high environmental protection standards, while focusing on results and performance, and achieving goals
outlined in the President’s Management Agenda. The budget builds on EPA’s long record of accomplishments
since its founding 37 years ago. The agency and nation as a whole has achieved enormous successes. This budget
builds on these successes by strengthening our geographic initiatives, better leveraging our nation’s resources,
strengthening citizen involvement, maintaining our enforcement capabilities, and implementing the President’s
commitment to efficiently manage Federal resources. Homeland Security Following the cleanup and
decontamination efforts of 2001, the Agency has focused on ensuring we have the tools and protocols needed to
detect and recover quickly from deliberate incidents. The emphasis for FY 2008 is on several areas:
decontaminating threat agents, protecting our water and food supplies, and ensuring trained personnel and key lab
capacities are in place to be drawn upon in the event of an emergency. Part of these FY 2008 efforts will continue
to include activities to implement a common identification standard for EPA employees
Even a small water terror attack could devastate America—the EPA is critical to protect us.
Georgetown Law Journal, April 03 “NOTE: A New Instrument in National Security: The Legislative Attempt to
Combat Terrorism via the Safe Drinking Water Act” 91 Geo. L.J. 927 Lexis [ev]
In January 2002, the FBI warned water officials that Osama Bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network had
considered attacking water distribution systems in the United States. 1 Public water systems could be attacked on
multiple fronts, ranging from the intentional contamination of a water supply to a physical attack on a treatment
plant, distribution system, or water source. Any attack on a public water system could be devastating: A strike on
a chlorine disinfectant tank alone, for example, could result in the release of an airborne toxic chlorine cloud
which, depending on exposure levels, could prove fatal for a widespread population. 2A 1998 Presidential
Decision Directive listed our nation's water supply as one of twelve areas critical to the functioning of the country
that remained vulnerable to non-traditional attacks. 3 However, it was not until the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks on American soil that Congress exhibited a tangible interest in protecting public water systems. To this
end, Congress passed the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Response Act of 2002, 4 which,
among other things, made several amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act ("SDWA"). 5 Known as the
"Drinking Water Security and Safety amendments," these additions transformed the Environmental Protection
Agency ("EPA") into a key player in the development and enforcement of national security policies regarding
public water systems.
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EPA KEY
Only the EPA has the authority to comprehensively regulate contaminants.
Georgetown Law Journal, April 03 “NOTE: A New Instrument in National Security: The Legislative Attempt to
Combat Terrorism via the Safe Drinking Water Act” 91 Geo. L.J. 927 Lexis [ev]
The SDWA was enacted in 1974, primarily as a public health statute, "to ensure that every person in this nation,
wherever they are, receives clean, safe drinking water every day." 7 The SDWA regulates both underground
sources of drinking water 8 and public water systems ("PWSs") 9 in order to maintain acceptable drinking water
quality standards. 10 With regard to underground water sources, the SDWA establishes an Underground Injection
Control program 11 to regulate injection wells, 12 which are used by many industries as a way of disposing cheaply
of waste products. The EPA regulates five different classes of injection wells under this program, with varying
levels of control over each class depending upon the type of waste and its proximity to an underground source of
drinking water. 13 With regard to the 168,190 PWSs falling under its jurisdiction, the SDWA requires the EPA to
promulgate National Primary Drinking Water Regulations in order to regulate contaminants that may adversely
affect public health. 14 Consequently, the EPA currently regulates eighty-seven [*929] contaminants 15 by
establishing maximum contaminant levels and by requiring water treatment plants to employ certain treatment
techniques and monitor and report the results of these techniques. 16 The National Primary Drinking Water
Regulations apply to a variety of contaminants in water, including microbial, chemical, and radiological
pollutants. 17 Prior to the Drinking Water Security and Safety amendments, the SDWA contained five major
enforcement mechanisms. 18 First, SDWA section 1414 gives the EPA general authority to issue administrative
orders or pursue injunctive or other civil relief in response to PWS violations of National Primary Drinking Water
Regulations. 19 This provision enables the EPA to enforce maximum contaminant levels and water treatment
methods. 20 Second, section 1432 provides for civil and criminal penalties against any individual who tampers with
or attempts to tamper with a PWS. 21 Third, section 1445 enables the EPA Administrator (the "Administrator") to
require PWSs to maintain records, make reports, conduct monitoring, and provide information to the EPA as is
reasonably required to ensure SDWA compliance. 22 Fourth, section 1449 permits citizens to sue PWSs that
violate the regulations promulgated under the SDWA. 23 Finally, section 1431 provides the EPA unique
emergency authority to pursue civil actions or issue administrative orders in cases where there may be an
imminent and substantial endangerment to public health based on a present or likely contamination of a PWS or
underground source of drinking water. 24 To exercise authority under section 1431, the EPA must conclude that the
relevant state or local authorities have not adequately acted to protect public health and that a contaminant which
is present or likely to enter the system may cause an imminent and substantial endangerment to health. 25 Once the
EPA so concludes, it may use section 1431 to respond to potentially dangerous situations that would otherwise go
unaddressed due to gaps in enforcement authority. 26 [*930] For example, the EPA could use section 1431 to
address contamination caused by new industrial pollutants that are not yet subject to regulations but that may still
cause health problems in the population. 27 Collectively, these five enforcement mechanisms empower the EPA to
protect the public water supply from regulated and, in some cases, unregulated contaminants that could threaten
public health.
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Only the EPA has enough authority to protect water infrastructure.
Georgetown Law Journal, April 03 “NOTE: A New Instrument in National Security: The Legislative Attempt to
Combat Terrorism via the Safe Drinking Water Act” 91 Geo. L.J. 927 Lexis [ev]
The Drinking Water Security and Safety amendments also enhance the SDWA's emergency provision, section
1431, which previously allowed the EPA to protect a water supply only in cases of imminent and substantial
endangerment [*932] to public health based on present or likely contamination. 44 Revised section 1431 now
permits the EPA to act when there is a "threatened or potential terrorist attack" that presents an imminent and
substantial danger to public health. 45 This amendment changes the EPA's preexisting authority by allowing the
EPA to act even when there is no actual "contamination" of a water supply. 46 In essence, the EPA now can act to
protect both the water supply and its physical infrastructure (such as pipes, distribution facilities, water collection,
treatment and storage facilities) from any type of terrorist or other intentional attack, regardless of whether the
attack involves a contaminant or not. 47
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Only the EPA has the regulatory power necessary to protect water systems.
Georgetown Law Journal, April 03 “NOTE: A New Instrument in National Security: The Legislative Attempt to
Combat Terrorism via the Safe Drinking Water Act” 91 Geo. L.J. 927 Lexis [ev]
The EPA also has broad authority under section 1431 to issue administrative orders against states and innocent
third parties, subject to the "arbitrary and capricious" standard of review. 103 This authority becomes relevant
because [*943] terrorism differs from the problems that the EPA has previously addressed using section 1431. It
is doubtful that the EPA would be able to hold a terrorist financially responsible for damages, as it would a typical
respondent, such as an industrial facility that leaked pollutants near a groundwater source. Because it would be
difficult to hold terrorists accountable, it is crucial that the EPA has the authority to reach beyond those parties
that are or would be directly responsible for a public health hazard, and to order other parties, such as the PWS, to
act when necessary. The EPA is not required under section 1431 to demonstrate that the respondent caused or
contributed to an endangerment before issuing an order or taking other action against the respondent. 104 In the
past, the EPA has issued administrative orders to parties mandating that they take initial steps to abate an
environmental danger, such as gathering data, conducting studies, monitoring pollutants, and modifying their
behavior, even before their contribution to the contamination was firmly established. 105 The EPA may even use its
authority over third parties to order state entities to act to protect the public health. Tenth Amendment
jurisprudence provides controlling authority for analyzing "whether the method by which Congress has chosen to
regulate [pursuant to its Article I powers] invades the province of state sovereignty." 106 Although the Tenth
Amendment has generally been read as protecting state sovereignty, 107 the courts have made clear that states are
subject to federal laws and regulations of general applicability, much like private individuals. 108 Therefore, section
1431 would apply to states when states act in a way that renders them a part of the regulated community. 109 Under
the Supreme Court's Tenth Amendment jurisprudence, however, the federal government is constitutionally
prevented from "commandeering the legislative processes of the states by directly compelling them to enact and
enforce a federal regulatory program." 110 The distinction between legitimate regulation and commandeering lies in
the nature of the coerced action. If the state is forced to exercise its governing authority over its citizens, then the
state's sovereignty has been compromised. 111 Consequently, when issuing a section 1431 emergency order, the
EPA could regulate the state in the state's capacity as a PWS, a pollutant discharging entity, [*944] or in any
other relevant capacity other than as a governmental entity. The EPA, for example, could order a state agency to
clean and remove materials the state leaked into an aquifer 112 or require a state-operated PWS to construct a more
secure treatment facility. However, the EPA could not order a state to prosecute its citizens for violating the
SDWA or force a state to create its own set of laws for environmental problems. 113 Under section 1431, then, the
EPA has expansive authority to take remedial measures similar to those found in the common law, and to take
action against third parties when the protection of public health so requires. This broad authority should be
embraced as a valuable mechanism for protecting PWSs from attack.
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EPA is vital to water security.
Faye Anderson, President at Douglass Policy Institute, 2003 “Security and Water”
http://www.gale.com/pdf/samples/sp656113.pdf [ev]
Even prior to the events of September 11, 2001, the security aspects of water resources and water systems were a
national priority. In 1998, President’s Decision Directive 63 established the National Infrastructure
Protection Center, and made the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the lead agency responsible for the
water-supply sector. Large public and privately owned water utilities are required to undergo vulnerability assessments to evaluate their risks and vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks and efforts to prevent them. A national Critical
Infrastructure Protection Advisory Group began meeting early in 2001 and set up an Information Sharing and
Assistance Center to coordinate threat information. Congress has allocated funds to support counterterrorism
efforts in the states and at drinking water and wastewater utilities. The Environmental Protection Agency has
disseminated information on strategies for large, medium, and small utilities to counter terrorism. Training is
being offered in cooperation with research centers and associations to educate utility officials in conducting their
vul-nerability and risk assessments. These efforts will put procedures into place that will help prevent, assess, and
respond to attacks, as is done with natural disaster-preparedness planning. These counterterrorism efforts are vital
to the future security of water systems and water supplies.
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Environmental terrorist attack easy and probable.
Faye Anderson, President at Douglass Policy Institute, 2003 “Security and Water”
http://www.gale.com/pdf/samples/sp656113.pdf [ev]
Environmental terrorism is a concern to the government as it can potentially have even more significant consequences than
conventional terrorism, and it can be carried out with conventional weapons (as opposed to weapons of mass destruction).
The potential for disrupting society and causing human deaths is substantial. Directing conventional weapons against environmental targets can cause greater human health and economic damages with lower risks to those carrying them out. As
environmental scarcities increase, the potential for damage to natural resources takes on even greater importance. Water
resources and water systems are viewed as vulnerable to terrorist attack for several reasons. First, they are vital to everyday
life and economic activity. Thus, if disrupted or altered, the action has a great impact on society and would garnish a great
deal of publicity as a result. Second, they have played a prominent role in military history and terrorists often model their
strategies from military-type operations. Third, water resources and water systems are typically very accessible to the general
public. This is especially true of distribution systems and reservoirs. Many large dams even are tourist attractions. For these
reasons, water resources and water systems can be viewed as both a tool for and target of terrorist actions.
Water sites are most vulnerable site to bioterror.
Faye Anderson, President at Douglass Policy Institute, 2003 “Security and Water”
http://www.gale.com/pdf/samples/sp656113.pdf [ev]
Water can also be used as a tool or weapon of terrorism. Because it is fluid, water can be used as a delivery vehicle to carry
destructive agents throughout the ecosystem, water system, and to human and animal populations. Destructive agents could
include microbiological agents—bioterrorism— or toxic chemicals. For example, terrorists could drop a concentrated watersoluble contaminant, chemical or biological, near an intake pipe. In the best-case scenario, the contaminant would be detected
as it entered the water treatment plant. The plant would be shut down while the contaminant was neutralized, and potable
water service to the area would be interrupted temporarily. In the worst-case scenario, the contaminant would go undetected
and would affect the health of water users, and potentially cause significant health and economic damages. Rivers and water
supply reservoirs are particularly vulnerable to this type of contamination attack. Society also has seen the damages caused
by nonterrorist occurrences involving microorganisms. The 1993 Cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin killed
over a hundred people, affected some 400,000 more, and was estimated to have caused over $37 million in lost wages and
productivity. A larger city with a larger water system could have incurred much greater human and economic losses.
Although attack by aerosol contamination is considered the most serious terrorist threat, the possibility of waterborne
contamination is increasingly feared. The Centers for Disease Control lists the following as Category A biological agents of
high concern: smallpox, anthrax, botulinum toxin, tularemia, and hemorrhagic fever viruses. Under certain circumstances,
these biological agents and toxic chemicals could be considered as weapons of mass destruction
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Water terrorist attack would devastate America.
Faye Anderson, President at Douglass Policy Institute, 2003 “Security and Water”
http://www.gale.com/pdf/samples/sp656113.pdf [ev]
Water resources and water systems are viewed as targets for terrorist attacks for the same reasons they are targets during
periods of war. Water resources are a prime infrastructure target for destruction or compromise by terrorist acts. For
example, terrorists could attempt to blow up a dam to flood a particular area. The psychological impact of such an act would
be very great. However, it would take a very concerted effort to blow up a large dam.
With a relatively small explosive device, terrorists would not be able to cause significant structural damage to an entire
dam. However, they could target the spillway gates to cause significant flooding downstream, or try to flood the dam itself to
interrupt power generation. Pumping stations could also be targeted. Loss of flow and pressure would not only affect water
customers, but wreak havoc with firefighting abilities as well. Chlorine containers, used in water treatment processes, could
also be targeted. Another concern is if terrorists were able to rapidly open or close major valves—an action that would result
in numerous main breaks throughout the system. Backflow also is a serious concern. A public water system has relatively
unprotected access to the distribution system at certain locations. Given sufficient understanding of water systems, a terrorist
could distribute toxic chemicals throughout a neighborhood or pressure zone without detection in most places. These
potential actions would rival natural disasters in the stresses they would place on those responsible for the systems and those
receiving services from them.
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Bioterrorism is a very real threat
Richard Olds, Ph.D in medicine from Case Western Reserve University, 11-14-01 http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1005765305.html
Writing an article on bioterrorism for the popular press is as difficult as it is important. How to be factual, clinically sound and responsive to
widespread anxiety and fear is the task. Events of Sept. 11 form the frame. Bioterrorism is real. We need to be informed,
cautious and alert. At the same time, we need to understand the range, risk and response to the threat and not be
panicked into holing up at home, avoiding the mailbox or loading up on Cipro. Imagination is scarier than fact.
"Biological warfare" can be worse than poison gas or conventional weaponry, but it is also easier for us to limit
casualties. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of things the average person should or could do. Don't buy a gas mask.
The key to an appropriate, quick response is with the professionals. What are the facts? There are four likely
bioterrorist weapons; anthrax (Bacillus anthracis), plague (Yersinia pestis), botulism toxin (Clostridium botulinum)
and smallpox (variola major). Most U.S. physicians have never seen a patient infected with any of these agents, yet
our health facilities will clearly be our first line of defense. The rapid identification of the event and the pathogen
could literally save thousands of lives. In truth, we were not prepared for either the events of Sept. 11 or the
subsequent anthrax letter attacks, but we are closing the gap quickly. In fact, given the potential, the public health
response so far has been very effective and should be reassuring to the public. Anthrax is the bioterrorism agent being
used in the United States today. It has a colorful history, starting with its description as the fifth plague of Egypt in
1491 B.C. It was the first identified "infectious disease" and one of the first targets of an effective vaccine. Anthrax
has been used in warfare since World War I (by the Germans). Japan developed and used anthrax as a biological
weapon in World War II, and the U.S., along with almost all major powers, developed anthrax bombs during World
War II, but did not use them. U.S. biological weapons were destroyed in the 1970s. The Soviet Union, unfortunately,
continued the clandestine development of anthrax, best evidenced by the unfortunate accident in 1979 in Sverdlovsk
where more than 60 workers and local residents died of inhalation anthrax after an explosion in a secret biological
weapons plant. More recently, Iraq used anthrax on Iran and had deployed anthrax-filled SCUD missiles during the
Gulf War. Sophisticated anthrax and related technology is available today on the international black market. Anthrax,
when outside a living being, is generally in an inactive spore form. It can survive in the ground for decades. When
anthrax is used as a bioweapon, it is generally designed to induce inhalation anthrax. To get the spores into the lungs,
the organism needs to be aerosolized. Getting the spores into a powder fine enough to do this is technologically
difficult, but once in the proper form, delivering the aerosol is straightforward using standard commercial dry spraying
equipment. The anthrax being used is very sophisticated and forms a fine aerosol when a letter containing it is opened.
The inhaled organisms land in the air sacs of the lung and are transported to the lymph nodes in the center of the chest.
There, the spores "germinate" and begin to multiply. These now active bacteria produce several toxins that are
primarily responsible for the hemorrhage, edema, tissue necrosis and, ultimately, death of the victims. As a result of
these toxins, patients often die even after appropriate antibiotics are given. This was true of all three of the recent
anthrax deaths. Inhalation anthrax is a two-stage disease. Symptoms first develop one to two days after inhalation. The
initial illness is flu-like and can spontaneously resolve or improve. A chest X-ray may be normal or look like a mild
pneumonia. A few days later, the patient returns extremely ill with high fever, sweating, short of breath and with chest
pains. The chest X-ray at this time is unusual because the middle of the chest is often enlarged (very uncommon in
other types of pneumonia). Half will have an unusual type of bloody meningitis. This is what tipped off doctors to the
first case in Florida. Shock and death occur rapidly. Unfortunately, death of an index case (the first case in any event)
is likely, even if the diagnosis is made. In contrast to recent articles, Ciprofloxacin is not the only drug that can be
used. The current anthrax organism could be effectively treated with amoxicillin or doxycycline. In addition, several
other antibiotics in the family of fluorquinolones could be used. Recognition that one may have inhaled spores is
important since swift action is required. Treatment is continued for 60 days for suspected cases. There is a window of
several days to weeks, as long as the individual stays well, to start treatment. If symptoms start, treatment must be
started immediately. Fortunately, individuals in the first symptomatic phase of this illness also do well with treatment.
If a vaccine were available, it would not be used to treat exposures, but might be used among members of rapid
response teams or people with occupational exposure (such as postal workers). Currently, there are technical problems
with the vaccine, but I believe it will be available again soon. Anthrax contracted through the skin is distinctive and
easier to diagnose. The infected area turns black. In fact, the name anthrax comes from the Greek word for coal
suggested by the characteristic skin color.
<<CONTINUES NEXT PAGE>>
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<<CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE>>
Richard Olds, Ph.D in medicine from Case Western Reserve University, 11-14-01 http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1005765305.html
Anthrax can also cause intestinal illness when eaten with food. Fortunately, both oral and skin anthrax are rarely fatal.
It is also useful to remember that animals, especially cats, are also susceptible to anthrax. Indeed, rapidly dying cats
might be the "canaries in the coal mine" alert that a clandestine attack has occurred. The reason terrorists are using
anthrax is easy to understand. It has a high fatality rate if untreated, a long incubation period and non-specific early
symptoms. All of these facts induce panic. The terrorists have ample time to get out of town and a vaccine exists that
can protect them. The sophisticated powder is easy to disguise or hide and the delivery system can be crude or
sophisticated. The good news is that anthrax is sensitive to antibiotics, person-to-person transmission doesn't occur
and exposure can be readily addressed by a competent health care system and a responsive, vigilant public. ACE
Hardware announced it would begin selling home test kits for anthrax. This is a bad idea. First, these kits (similar to a
home pregnancy kit) have both false positives and false negatives. Non-anthrax bacteria can turn these kits positive,
causing unnecessary panic, while they may not detect very small numbers of anthrax spores that could still make
people sick. The most important reason not to use them is that any potential anthrax exposure is a potential criminal
act. People who think they have been exposed to anthrax need to immediately call the authorities. Would anyone think
it reasonable to have people use "home evidence collection kits" in a murder case, rather than calling the police?
Recently, a report also circulated that suggested that all pneumonia cases in the U.S. should be treated for anthrax.
First, the initial illness from inhalation anthrax may not be pneumonia. One of the postal workers who recently died
went to an emergency room with vague symptoms and was sent home. He did not have pneumonia. The failure of the
system was not recognizing the exposure history. Second, Ciprofloxacin is not a very good antibiotic for communityacquired pneumonia. We should use antibiotics whenever there is a reasonable risk, but the key is identifying the
exposure, not panicking into treating everyone with the flu or pneumonia. Finally, for more than two weeks, people
have asked me about having a supply of Cipro at home "just in case." This powerful antibiotic is not only very
expensive, but potentially dangerous if not monitored by a physician. All antibiotics can cause medical problems
when used incorrectly. Hospitals and the health infrastructure have taken steps to assure adequate local and national
supplies of drugs. They will be available should we need them. If we were worried about being invaded by Canada, I
hope we wouldn't give every man, woman and child in the U.S. an assault rifle. We would let the army, police and
National Guard organize a defense. Bioterrorism is a reality and, as a society, we are having trouble dealing with it.
The events of Sept. 11 will change our society forever. People in England have had to live with civilian terrorism for
some time, as have most of Europe and virtually all developing countries. It is useful to know the facts, but this
particular threat is best handled by professionals. We need to keep this threat and any additional issues in perspective.
We must stay alert, be prudent, and know what to do, but also continue to lead normal lives. What is currently
happening is exactly what the terrorists want. We need to stay rational, get the facts, look out for the profiteers, and,
whatever we do, not panic.
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Bioterrorism risks thousands of deaths
Charles J. Hanley, writer for Associated Press, 11-02-05 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,174323,00.html
They're among Earth's most common germs — clostridia perfringens, a cause of food poisoning, a specimen for research. But this
pathogen can also be a weapon: Iraqi scientists worked for years to mobilize this "Agent G" for Saddam Hussein's wars. In an America
nervous over bioterrorism, new laws clamp controls on clostridia and other "select agents," demanding registrations, reporting, background
checks on scientists. Egypt, in a region roiled by terrorism, has no such laws, although the bacteria at Ain Shams University are kept in a
locked refrigerator, accessible by one authorized technician, in a laboratory protected by foolproof electronic keys, said Nabil Magdoub,
microbe collection director. "We have to be alert," he said, but not "unreasonable." After all, Magdoub said, any hospital is also rife with
dangerous microorganisms. "The American people have become so sensitive towards a lot of normal, ordinary matters," he said, echoing a
sentiment heard increasingly in America, where microbiologists fear that ever-stricter controls might stifle their ability to exchange samples
and conduct research. Four years after the Sept. 11 attacks, terrorist use of disease agents to inflict mass casualties
looms more and more as the bottom line of America's sum of all fears. Tom Ridge former homeland security secretary, has
said authorities don't believe terror groups can build nuclear bombs, and so bioweapons become the greater threat. "Anthrax is a concern,"
said Donald Van Duyn of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. "You could do as much damage with anthrax and other
substances" as with a nuclear bomb, the FBI analyst said in a Washington interview. One attack scenario now used in U.S.
planning sees more than 300,000 people in an American city exposed to aerosolized anthrax bacteria spread by
terrorists via a truck sprayer, with more than 13,000 dying. The fear is reflected in the U.S. budget's bottom line as well:
Spending on civilian "biodefense" has leaped 18-fold since 2001, to $7.6 billion this year. Project Bioshield to develop
bioterrorism countermeasures, awarded its first contract last November, $877 million for 75 million doses of a new anthrax vaccine. The
anthrax scare began when someone mailed anthrax powder through the U.S. postal system in late 2001 and five people died. As a result,
"I'd say we get five white-powder threats a week, people calling saying, 'I found white powder. What do I do?'" said Van Duyn. Because of
the high quality of those 2001 anthrax spores, however, experts believe the perpetrator, still at large, was not linked to foreign terrorists, but
possibly to the U.S. government's own anthrax program. That research began decades back as an offensive weapons program, but is now
considered defensive. Even a terror group as well-financed and educated as Japan's Aum Shinrikyo, whose homemade sarin chemical
agent killed 12 people in 1995, failed to isolate a virulent strain in four years' work on anthrax. Usama bin Laden's Al Qaeda also pursued
anthrax in Afghanistan, captured documents showed. But it turned the job over to a Malaysian with a mere bachelor's degree in biology,
U.S. investigators found. He, too, apparently failed to find a virulent strain — let alone a workable way to "weaponize" anthrax — before
being arrested in 2001 after returning to Malaysia. Drying and refining anthrax spores into particles readily inhaled, and then engineering
equipment to spread them extensively, is a formidable challenge, U.S. congressional researchers noted in a 2004 study. "Even a Ph.D.
microbiologist doesn't know the dark arts of putting microbes into weapons," said Jonathan Tucker, a bioweapons expert with California's
Monterey Institute for International Studies. It took Iraqi scientists five years to weaponize anthrax in the 1980s. Meanwhile, others in
Saddam's secret program were working on "Agent G," U.N. arms inspectors later learned. The toxin-spewing clostridium perfringens,
applied to shrapnel, would kill the wounded by spreading virulent gas gangrene in their shrapnel wounds. The Iraqis apparently never
weaponized Agent G, however, and eventually reported to inspectors they had destroyed all 900 gallons they made. Today clostridium
perfringens is one of 49 microbes on the U.S. list of "select agents" considered potential "severe threats." American laboratories
handling the germ must register with the government, their personnel must undergo background checks, and transfers of cultures must be
reported. That list's length, from the toxin abrin to the plague bacteria yersinia pestis tells some that billions of U.S. dollars won't
go far, since only three on the list — anthrax, smallpox (and botulinum toxin — are being addressed so far in stepped-up
biodefense research programs. And that's not counting any new genetically re-engineered microbes. "What's going to come at you is
impossible to predict," molecular biologist Roger Brent told a U.S. House panel in July. Others question whether anything will come, in
view of what Tucker calls Al Qaeda's "gap in technical sophistication." Milton Leitenberg, a bioweapons authority at the University of
Maryland, contends the threat has been "systematically exaggerated." Few question the need, however, to tighten security at microbe
collections worldwide. Only 500 of the estimated 1,500 major repositories — which maintain, exchange and sell samples for research and
diagnostics — subscribe to the World Federation for Culture Collections' voluntary security guidelines. Magdoub's Egypt Microbial
Culture Collection is one. But a team of Egyptian microbiologists noted in a recent study that smaller collections have proliferated in
Egypt, which has no "biosecurity" laws. Team member Youssef Hamdi told The Associated Press all such resources should be combined in
a single "National Culture Collection" to "insure purity, conservation and security." Internationally, "the problem is the ones you don't
know about," said Barry Kellman, director of the International Weapons Control Center at Chicago's DePaul University. Perhaps onethird of the world's microbe collections are poorly protected, he estimated. The World Health Organization plans a "guidance document"
next year promoting laboratory biosecurity, but only individual governments can enforce restrictions. Kellman, meanwhile, agrees with
those who doubt that Al Qaeda, "in a cave in Afghanistan," poses a bioterrorism threat. He worries more about a homegrown menace,
asking, "What if Ted Kaczynski" — America's notorious Unabomber — "had been a biology professor instead of a math
professor?"
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EPA regulation key to clean water supply.
Georgetown Law Journal, April 03 “NOTE: A New Instrument in National Security: The Legislative Attempt to
Combat Terrorism via the Safe Drinking Water Act” 91 Geo. L.J. 927 Lexis [ev]
Where national security and environmental goals coincide, section 1431's emergency powers could be used to enhance public
health protections. Many of the actions the EPA could take to protect water supplies from terrorism would inherently protect
the water supply from more standard types of contamination as well. For example, several water systems currently store their
treated water supply in uncovered finished water reservoirs. 123 These reservoirs hold the water immediately before direct
distribution to the public. 124 But as their name indicates, they are uncovered and open to the atmosphere. 125 Precautionary
measures, such as requiring PWSs to cover their finished water reservoirs or to construct secure storage tanks, will not only
protect these water supplies from terrorist attacks, but also will protect the water supply from more common contaminants,
such as airborne chemicals, precipitation, insects, and other organic matter. The EPA may not have been previously justified
in using its emergency authority to take such action because of the difficulty of proving that an imminent and substantial
endangerment would likely result from standard atmospheric contamination. In today's circumstances, however, uncovered
finished water reservoirs present an even greater risk because they are readily accessible to intentional contamination. The
EPA could therefore look to the remedies it has sought in previous cases as a comparative model in addressing [*947] these
new situations. For example, the EPA ordered AK Steel Corporation to install water treatment plant equipment because the
current water system was either contaminated or likely to be contaminated. 126 The EPA could now order PWSs with
uncovered finished water reservoirs to take similar remedial measures, by installing closed-storage tanks.
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Contaminated drinking water facilitates disease spread through populations.
US EPA 10/12/06 (last updated) “Proposed Ground Water Rule: Questions and Answers”
http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/disinfection/gwr/regs_proposed-questions.html
What is the action today? EPA is proposing to further protect America's drinking water by requiring, for the first time, action
to protect ground water sources of public drinking water supplies from disease-causing viruses and bacteria, such as E. coli.
The proposal will protect 109 million Americans, and prevent over 115,000 cases of illness and as many as 10 deaths per
year. This rule will require identification of defects in water systems that could lead to contamination and identification of
sources of drinking water that are at risk of being contaminated. The rule requires monitoring for systems with sources at
risk, and actions to remove or inactivate contaminants, if found, to prevent them from reaching drinking water consumers.
Top of page How is this rule related to recent Clinton/Gore Administration drinking water announcements? Since most
Americans drink from public water systems at some point, whether in their home, at school, or at a restaurant, these three
rules together will protect almost all Americans from waterborne diseases. In December 1998, President Clinton announced a
major rule to control Cryptosporidium in large drinking water systems (those serving at least 10,000 people each). In March,
2000, Vice President Gore announced a new rule that extended those protections to persons served by small water systems
(those serving fewer than 10,000 people). Today's rule proposes the first ever requirements that water systems which use
ground water also protect against disease-causing microbial contaminants, including viruses and bacteria. Top of page Why is
EPA proposing this rule? EPA's Science Advisory Board concluded in 1990 that exposure to microbial contaminants such as
bacteria, viruses, and protozoa (e.g., Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium) was likely the greatest remaining health risk
management challenge for drinking water suppliers. Illness can result from exposure to microbial pathogens ranging from
mild to moderate cases lasting only a few days to more severe infections that can last several weeks and may result in death
for those with weakened immune systems Although ground water has historically been considered free of contamination,
Center for Disease Control data shows that 318 waterborne disease outbreaks associated with ground water systems occurred
between 1971 and 1996. Eighty-six percent of these outbreaks were associated with contaminated source waters, and half of
those outbreaks occurred in systems that were already using some kind of disinfection. This data indicated a need to
strengthen monitoring, prevention, inactivation and removal of contaminants from ground water systems. Top of page Does
today's rule protect ground water systems from Cryptosporidium and Giardia? No, because disease-causing microbes such as
Cryptosporidium and Giardia are not found in ground water. They only occur in surface water, and ground water under the
direct influence of surface water, and are covered by the two previous regulations announced by President Clinton and Vice
President Gore. This proposed rule will protect against E. coli, a microscopic bacteria found in animal wastes. Top of page
What causes contamination of ground water? Viral and bacterial pathogens are present in human and animal feces, which
can, in turn, contaminate drinking water. Fecal contamination can reach ground water sources, including drinking water
wells, from failed septic systems, leaking sewer lines, and by passing through the soil and large cracks in the ground. Fecal
contamination from the surface may also get into a drinking water well along its casing or through cracks if the well is not
properly constructed, protected, or maintained. Fecal contamination may also enter the distribution system, such as pipes.
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The terminal impact is human extinction
Frank Ryan, M.D., 1997, virus X, p. 366
How might the human race appear to such an aggressively emerging virus? That teeming, globally intrusive species,
with its transcontinental air travel, massively congested cities, sexual promiscuity, and in the less affluent regions —
where the virus is most likely to first emerge — a vulnerable lack of hygiene with regard to food and water supplies and
hospitality to biting insects' The virus is best seen, in John Hollands excellent analogy, as a swarm of competing mutations,
with each individual strain subjected to furious forces of natural selection for the strain, or strains, most likely to amplify and
evolve in the new ecological habitat.3 With such a promising new opportunity in the invaded species, natural selection must
eventually come to dominate viral behavior. In time the dynamics of infection will select for a more resistant human
population. Such a coevolution takes rather longer in "human" time — too long, given the ease of spread within the
global village. A rapidly lethal and quickly spreading virus simply would not have time to switch from aggression to
coevolution. And there lies the danger. Joshua Lederbergs prediction can now be seen to be an altogether logical one.
Pandemics are inevitable. Our incredibly rapid human evolution, our overwhelming global needs, the advances of our
complex industrial society, all have moved the natural goalposts. The advance of society, the very science of change, has
greatly augmented the potential for the emergence of a pandemic strain. It is hardly surprising that Avrion Mitchison,
scientific director of Deutsches Rheuma Forschungszentrum in Berlin, asks the question: "Will we survive!” We have
invaded every biome on earth and we continue to destroy other species so very rapidly that one eminent scientist foresees
the day when no life exists on earth apart from the human monoculture and the small volume of species useful to it. An
increasing multitude of disturbed viral-host symbiotic cycles are provoked into self-protective counterattacks. This is a
dangerous situation. And we have seen in the previous chapter how ill-prepared the world is to cope with it. It begs the most
frightening question of all: could such a pandemic virus cause the extinction of the human species?
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Just a perception of a water threat kills public confidence
Brock Meeks, award-winning journalist, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, Oct 23 03, "U.S water supply
vulnerable", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3340643/ [JWu]
Electricity comes and goes at the flick of a switch. People get annoyed when the power goes out, blitzing the
cable and making them miss the latest episode of “The Simpsons.” Water is different — it is nearly sacred. In fact,
a terrorist doesn’t even have to actually contaminate water to affect a terrorist act.
“I just have to make you believe the water is contaminated,” Beering said. If the public suddenly lost
confidence in the integrity of the water system, he said, there would be a domino effect. A panic run on
bottled water and alternative water supplies.
Water is key to life—a terrorist attack probability is high
Robert M. Anderson, senior counsel at the law firm of LeBouef, Lamb, Greene, & MacRae LLP;
and Paul C.
Freeman, Esq., an associate at LeBouef, Lamb, Greene, & MacRae, Jan/Feb 05 (Waste and Wastewater Products, Vol 5,
No 1, http://www.wwn-online.com/articles/50916/)[JWu]
Water is essential to human life, an important source of power, and an integral mode of transportation and commerce.
Unfortunately, whether it is a drinking water treatment facility protected only by a fence and padlocks, a dam and its pristine
reservoir located in a remote area, or a bustling port of call handling large amounts of international trade each day, water and
waterborne activities are susceptible to attack. Likewise, legal protections for water resources, particularly drinking water,
and critical water-based activities (i.e., maritime transportation and the generation of hydroelectric power) present unique
challenges for the federal government and affected private sector businesses. These challenges must be overcome, however,
because the stakes for protecting the nation's water resources are unquestionably high. Water's vital role in society and
the magnitude of the consequences that would flow from an attack on water unfortunately make it an attractive medium
through which terrorists may seek to once again strike at the American public. A brief examination of the security
challenges facing the maritime industry provides a useful context for assessing the magnitude of the task confronting
drinking water providers.
Water security affects every American—a terrorist attack would devastate the country
Robert M. Anderson, senior counsel at the law firm of LeBouef, Lamb, Greene, & MacRae LLP;
and Paul C.
Freeman, Esq., an associate at LeBouef, Lamb, Greene, & MacRae, Jan/Feb 05 (Waste and Wastewater Products, Vol 5,
No 1, http://www.wwn-online.com/articles/50916/)[JWu]
Although smaller in size and generally less complex, drinking water facilities in the United States far outnumber America's
ports and, perhaps more importantly, serve as a direct conduit to the health of every American. According to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 160,000 public water systems (serving at least 25 people or 15
service connections at least 60 days per year) provide drinking water to approximately 90 percent of all Americans. 12 While
most of these facilities are quite small, an attack on even the most isolated of systems may accomplish a terrorist's goals.
Consider the nationwide hysteria that flowed from the targeted anthrax attacks perpetrated shortly after 9/11, and then
imagine the serious, widespread and long-lasting damage that would be wrought on our collective psyche and the
public's confidence in the safety of our drinking water supplies across the country if a small, isolated, or even unsuccessful
attack were launched on a water system somewhere in the United States.
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A terrorist water attack would disrupt the economy and national power
Robert M. Anderson, senior counsel at the law firm of LeBouef, Lamb, Greene, & MacRae LLP;
and Paul C.
Freeman, Esq., an associate at LeBouef, Lamb, Greene, & MacRae, Jan/Feb 05 (Waste and Wastewater Products, Vol 5,
No 1, http://www.wwn-online.com/articles/50916/)[JWu]
Because of their locations in natural settings that are often open and remote, dams are accessible in ways that many experts
believe render them vulnerable to attack. Situated within a river complex, dams often may be reached by land, water, or air.
Underwater access also is possible. As a result, imposing effective barriers to access by land, water, and air, as well as
monitoring for intruders, is a complex and challenging task for dam owners and operators. A successful attack at a major
hydropower facility, such as Hoover or Grand Coulee dams, would have the devastating result terrorists seek: significant
loss of human life, massive property destruction and economic loss, long-term economic disruption of a critical part of
the nation's infrastructure, and a serious blow to national symbols of power and pride.
Water is a high probability terrorist target
Brock Meeks, award-winning journalist, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, Oct 23 03, "U.S water supply
vulnerable", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3340643/ [JWu]
Water is the “quintessential target,” Beering said. It’s been a strategic objective in armed conflict throughout history.
The Nazis dumped raw sewage into reservoirs; dead animals were tossed into wells in Kosovo. And the FBI’s J. Edgar
Hoover warned of the potential for attacks on the nation’s water supply prior to the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
Electricity comes and goes at the flick of a switch. People get annoyed when the power goes out, blitzing the cable and
making them miss the latest episode of “The Simpsons.” Water is different — it is nearly sacred. In fact, a terrorist
doesn’t even have to actually contaminate water to affect a terrorist act.
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EPA is key to fighting water terrorism
Faye Anderson, International Water Resources Association. 2003.
http://www.gale.com/pdf/samples/sp656113.pdf
Experts view the physical destruction of a water system’s components as
increasingly more likely than contamination events because explosives are
relatively easier to obtain than sufficient quantities of contaminants. Due
to these potential terrorist threats, resource managers and security officials
are undertaking new ways of protecting natural resources and deterring terrorism.
Even prior to the events of September 11, 2001, the security aspects of
water resources and water systems were a national priority. In 1998, President’s
Decision Directive 63 established the National Infrastructure Protection
Center, and made the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the
lead agency responsible for the water-supply sector. Large public and privately
owned water utilities are required to undergo vulnerability assessments
to evaluate their risks and vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks and efforts
to prevent them.
A national Critical Infrastructure Protection Advisory Group began
meeting early in 2001 and set up an Information Sharing and Assistance
Center to coordinate threat information. Congress has allocated funds to
support counterterrorism efforts in the states and at drinking water and
wastewater utilities. The Environmental Protection Agency has disseminated
information on strategies for large, medium, and small utilities to
counter terrorism. Training is being offered in cooperation with research
centers and associations to educate utility officials in conducting their vulnerability and risk assessments. These efforts will put procedures into place
that will help prevent, assess, and respond to attacks, as is done with natural
disaster-preparedness planning. These counterterrorism efforts are vital
to the future security of water systems and water supplies.
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Water Terrorism
Water shortage problems escalate war and terrorism
Faye Anderson, International Water Resources Association. 2003.
http://www.gale.com/pdf/samples/sp656113.pdf
Complex relationships exist between water and the security of individuals,
communities, nations, and the global community as a whole. The vital role
of water in daily life and economic activity underscores its importance to a
secure and stable world. Water resources and the provision of water services
involve political decision-making, and extreme types of conflict can escalate
into violence, terrorism, or war.
Gleick (2000) provides a timeline of water conflicts throughout history,
categorizing them according to the basis of the conflict and the actors
involved.
• State and non-state parties fight over water supplies or access to water
supplies (control dispute).
• Nations use water resources or water systems as a weapon during a
military action (military tool).
• State and non-state parties use water resources or water systems for
political goals (political tool).
• Non-state parties use water resources or water systems as a target or
tool for violence or coercion (terrorism).
• Nations use water systems as a target for military action (military
target).
• State and non-state parties argue over water resources or water systems
in the context of economic development (development dispute).
Military and terrorist actions are of particular concern to security experts and
those who are responsible for managing water resources and water systems.
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Environmental terrorism is even worse than normal terrorism—it devastates the environment and
economy in addition to loss of lives
Faye Anderson, International Water Resources Association. 2003.
http://www.gale.com/pdf/samples/sp656113.pdf
Environmental terrorism is a concern to the government as it can potentially
have even more significant consequences than conventional terrorism,
and it can be carried out with conventional weapons (as opposed to
weapons of mass destruction). The potential for disrupting society and causing
human deaths is substantial. Directing conventional weapons against environmental
targets can cause greater human health and economic damages
with lower risks to those carrying them out. As environmental scarcities increase,
the potential for damage to natural resources takes on even greater
importance.
Water resources and water systems are viewed as vulnerable to terrorist
attack for several reasons. First, they are vital to everyday life and economic
activity. Thus, if disrupted or altered, the action has a great impact
on society and would garnish a great deal of publicity as a result. Second,
they have played a prominent role in military history and terrorists often
model their strategies from military-type operations. Third, water resources
and water systems are typically very accessible to the general public. This
is especially true of distribution systems and reservoirs. Many large dams
even are tourist attractions. For these reasons, water resources and water
systems can be viewed as both a tool for and target of terrorist actions.
Water is a prime terrorism target
Faye Anderson, International Water Resources Association. 2003.
http://www.gale.com/pdf/samples/sp656113.pdf
Water resources and water systems are viewed as targets for terrorist attacks
for the same reasons they are targets during periods of war. Water resources
are a prime infrastructure target for destruction or compromise by terrorist
acts. For example, terrorists could attempt to blow up a dam to flood a
particular area. The psychological impact of such an act would be very great.
However, it would take a very concerted effort to blow up a large dam.
With a relatively small explosive device, terrorists would not be able to
cause significant structural damage to an entire dam. However, they could
target the spillway gates to cause significant flooding downstream, or try to
flood the dam itself to interrupt power generation. Pumping stations could
also be targeted. Loss of flow and pressure would not only affect water customers,
but wreak havoc with firefighting abilities as well. Chlorine containers,
used in water treatment processes, could also be targeted. Another
concern is if terrorists were able to rapidly open or close major valves—an
action that would result in numerous main breaks throughout the system.
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Water Terrorism
EPA's water terrorism protection is vulnerable
Christopher S. Bond, Senator, 03/10/2004. EPA Budget for FY2005 Hearing.
http://epw.senate.gov/hearing_statements.cfm?id=218919 [JWu]
• One national high risk problem is terrorism. EPA plays a role in critical infrastructure protection as lead agency for
drinking water protection.
EPA also supports the FBI in counter-terrorism and terrorism response activities. It would be nice if EPA could
receive funding out of the homeland security function, but I do not know if that is possible.
• I am concerned that some programs, like the Criminal Enforcement program, are straining under the dual weights of
enforcing environmental crimes and supporting homeland security duties. Also, local drinking water agencies have
received federal funds to assess their vulnerabilities to terrorist attack, but a great need remains to implement physical
protection measures. We need to address these issues.
SPENDING CUT INTO UNDERGROUND LEAKING, WHICH CONTAMINATES WATER
SUPPLIES
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, February 4, 200 8 ("Wynn blasts Bush EPA
cuts" http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110nr192.shtml)[JWu]
Wynn also noted that the President’s budget would shortchange the Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
(LUST) Trust Fund, which helps pay to clean up leaking underground storage tanks that pollute drinking water
supplies. Congress enacted legislation last year that provided $102.1 million for the LUST Trust Fund for Fiscal Year
2008. The President’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget would cut funding by $29.8 million and would provide only $72.3
million for the LUST Trust Fund.
“The Government Accountability Office has found that nationally we will need over $12 billion in public funds to
clean up leaking tanks and the EPA has confirmed that over 108,000 releases from leaking underground storage
tanks have not been addressed,” Wynn said. “Meanwhile, the President proposes further reducing funding for
the LUST Trust Fund.”
Water terrorism is very likely and disruptive
Richard Lancaster-Brooks, environmental engineer, Feb 02 "Water Terrorism: An Overview of Water & Wastewater
Security Problems and Solutions" homelandsecurity.org/newjournal /articles/lancaster-brooks.htm [JWu]
Historically, sabotage to water and wastewater systems has not received much publicity as a viable threat. Safe and
sustainable drinking water has been taken for granted. Today, sabotage has to be considered not only as a viable threat, but a
plausible one. It is important that cities, counties, provinces, and private companies that own or operate water and wastewater
systems consider what weaknesses may exist throughout their systems, what measures should be taken to prevent future acts
of sabotage, vandalism, or terrorism, and be ready with a well-tested emergency response plan.
Two types of water system sabotage—vandalism and terrorism—need to be considered. Vandalism interrupts the supply of
water and reduces its quantity. Terrorism contaminates the water and reduces its quality.
Supply interruptions include the destruction of, or interference with, reservoir dams, water towers or storage facilities,
pumping stations, intakes, valves, treatment plants, the distribution system, or fire hydrants, denying the population drinking
water or firefighting protection. Supply interruptions can be caused by any number of acts, including physical destruction,
interruption of the supervisory control and data acquisition system, or acts that could reduce the water pressure in a system.
Supply interruptions can also occur as an indirect result of contamination. As drinking water is essential to human life,
denying it for any period could cause panic and disrupt society.
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EPA is essential to combating terrorism
Presidential Decision Directives on EPA website, November 8th, 2007 "Critical infrastructure protection—pdd 63"
http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/rert/presidentialdirectives.html [JWu]
PDD-62, issued by President Clinton on May 22, 1998, directs the establishment of an integrated program to increase U.S.
effectiveness in countering terrorist threats and to prepare to manage the consequences of attacks against U.S. citizens or
infrastructures. Lead agencies responsible for supporting the program, such as the EPA, must designate a Senior Program
Coordinator who is responsible for coordinating this effort within the U.S. government. This PDD reaffirms and
complements the directives contained in PDD 39. PDD 62, places specific requirements on EPA:
 support FEMA's consequence management activities involving hazardous materials and environmental concerns
 assist the Department of Defense in training state and local emergency responders
 train emergency emergency responders for hazardous materials and environmental incidents
 assist Department of Justice in providing personal protective equipment and detection and diagnostic instruments, on
a selective basis, to state and local law enforcement agencies.
PDD 62 also requires each agency to maintain a Continuity of Operations Plan as outlined in Executive Order 12656. This
plan must ensure the operation of essential agency functions following an attack that incapacitates headquarters facilities and
key leadership. Finally, the PDD requires EPA to support security operations with specialized units and crisis management
and provide consequence management for national special security events. These types of events include Presidential
Inaugurations, State of the Union Addresses, Presidential Summits, and the Olympics.
EPA is key to checking water terrorism
J.P. Suarez. (EPA's assistant administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance). April 26,
2003. U.S. Newswire. [JWu]
“Since September 11, 2001 our government has experienced an enormous increase in the need to protect its citizens from acts
of terrorism. Agencies across the government came together and established an effective, strong homeland security presence.
EPA responded immediately and continues to play a critical role in homeland protection. EPA’s strategic plan for homeland
security was held up as a model for other Agencies and Departments. Every EPA program and region has reallocated some of
its resources to address important and essential homeland security functions.
"EPA’s focus since September 11 has been to support our nation’s effort at combating domestic threats while at the same
time ensuring that enforcement of environmental crimes continues. Homeland security is a critical new aspect of EPA’s
mission, and we have dedicated resources to support this essential effort. At the same time we continue to achieve significant
success in prosecuting environmental crimes – in fact, EPA’s enforcement numbers in several categories are at an all time
high.
'Some of EPA’s Criminal Investigations Division agents participate on the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the
Department of Justice’s Anti-Terrorism Task Force. Participation on the task forces allows these EPA agents to respond to
any domestic incident that may involve a threat to the nation’s infrastructure, including drinking water supplies, chemical
storage and manufacturing facilities, illegal importation of dangerous or hazardous substances, or other incidents that may
require the expertise of an environmental enforcement agent. In addition to homeland security investigations, agents assigned
to the Terrorism Task Force also carry traditional environmental crime caseloads.
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EPA is key for water counter-terrorism
Claudia Copeland, CRS Report to Congress, Specialist in Resources and Environmental Policy
11-16-07 "Terrorism and Security Issues Facing the Water Infrastructure Sector"
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/RL32189.pdf)[JWu]
Policymakers have been considering a number of initiatives, including enhanced
physical security, better communication and coordination, and research. A key issue
is how additional protections and resources directed at public and private sector
priorities will be funded. In response, Congress has provided $789 million in
appropriations for security at water infrastructure facilities (to assess and protect
federal facilities and support vulnerability assessments by non-federal facilities) and
passed a bill requiring drinking water utilities to conduct security vulnerability
assessments (P.L. 107-188). When Congress created the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) in 2002 (P.L. 107-297), it gave DHS responsibilities to coordinate
information to secure the nation’s critical infrastructure, including the water sector.
Under Homeland Security Presidential Directive-7, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is the lead federal agency for protecting drinking water and
wastewater utility systems.
EPA is the leading water counterterrorist agency
Claudia Copeland, CRS Report to Congress, Specialist in Resources and Environmental Policy
11-16-07 "Terrorism and Security Issues Facing the Water Infrastructure Sector"
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/RL32189.pdf)[JWu]
Water supply was one of eight critical infrastructure systems identified in
President Clinton’s 1998 Presidential Decision Directive 63 (PDD-63)2 as part of a
coordinated national effort to achieve the capability to protect the nation’s critical
infrastructure from intentional acts that would diminish them. These efforts focused
primarily on the 340 large community water supply systems which each serve more
than 100,000 persons. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was identified
as the lead federal agency for liaison with the water supply sector. In response, in
2000, EPA established a partnership with the American Metropolitan Water
Association (AMWA) and American Water Works Association (AWWA) to jointly
undertake measures to safeguard water supplies from terrorist acts. AWWA’s
Research Foundation has contracted with the Department of Energy’s Sandia
National Laboratory to develop a vulnerability assessment tool for water systems (as
an extension of methodology for assessing federal dams). EPA is supporting an
ongoing project with the Sandia Lab to pilot test the physical vulnerability
assessment tool and develop a cyber vulnerability assessment tool. An Information
Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) supported by an EPA grant became operational
under AMWA’s leadership in December 2002. It will allow for dissemination of
alerts to drinking water and wastewater utilities about potential threats or
vulnerabilities to the integrity of their operations that have been detected and viable
resolutions to problems.3
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Water Terrorism
Water is an increasingly prominent target for terrorism
PATRICIA L. MEINHARDT, MD, MPH, MA, American College of Preventive Medicine 08
http://www.waterhealthconnection.org/bt/index.asp [JWu]
Until recently, contamination of water with biological, chemical or radiologic agents generally resulted from
natural, industrial or unintentional man-made accidents. Unfortunately, recent terrorist activity in the US has
forced the medical community, public health agencies, and water utilities to consider the possibility of intentional
contamination of US water supplies as part of an organized effort to disrupt and damage important elements of
our national infrastructure. In his 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush noted that confiscated Al
Qaeda documents included detailed maps of several US municipal drinking water systems. Apprehension
regarding a terrorist assault on drinking water has also been reinforced by news reports and recent arrests of
suspects charged with threatening to poison water supplies in the US. In addition, the National Academy of Sciences
reported to Congress that water supply system contamination and disruption should be considered a possible
terrorist threat in the U.S. As a result of these reports, there continues to be concern that water may represent a
potential target for terrorist activity and that deliberate contamination of water is a potential public health threat.
A water terror attack will kill hundreds and cost billions for the economy
Robert D. Morris, MD, PhD, environmental epidemiologist and a leading researcher in the field of drinking water
and health, July 31, 2007. ("The Blue Death." Page 290)
One evening, while I was attending a meeting in Washington, D.C., I shared dinner with a pair of experts from two major
water utilities. In the course of the discussion, one of them swore me to secrecy, leaned across the table, and explained how
one could contaminate a major portion of an urban water supply with relative ease. On the off chance that diabolical
minds have not figured out the details, I will refrain from offering specifics on how a successful attack might be undertaken,
but it will not require truckloads of poison. If we are to stop men who take down skyscrapers with box cutters, we must
learn to think like them. An attack with the potential to kill hundreds, sicken thousands, and to cause millions if not
billions of dollars in economic damage might require nothing more sophisticated than a small group of men with bags
of manure.
Risk of water terrorism is high
NEWTech, leading Israeli national water technology development program 05 (date based on newest date in
article, "Protecting water and preventing a new kind of threat"
http://www.israelnewtech.gov.il/?CategoryID=173&ArticleID=26&sng=1)[JWu]
Threats to Water Safety
Safety of water systems is increasingly becoming a worldwide concern due to:
Greater awareness to possible terrorism attempts since the September 11, 2001 attacks
Growing frequency and intensity of natural disasters as a result of global warming
Higher risk of technical mishaps as systems become more complex and sophisticated
The terrorist threat is clear. In 2002 US federal officials arrested Al Qaeda suspects who planned to poison the
country’s water supplies. The same year a terrorist plan to poison Rome’s water system was thwarted when the Italian
authorities seized cyanide-based chemicals while detaining four Islamic extremists.
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Water terrorism would devastate the economy and pose dangers to millions
NEWTech, leading Israeli national water technology development program 05 (date based on newest date in
article, "Protecting water and preventing a new kind of threat"
http://www.israelnewtech.gov.il/?CategoryID=173&ArticleID=26&sng=1)[JWu]
The Civic and Economic Implication of Compromised Safety
The potential threat that exists from contamination of water sources can quickly affect an entire region and large
population. As water contamination can rapidly spread, it can endanger millions of people, create mass hysteria and
cause devastating economic impact.
Acute Contamination
The problem with an acute water crisis is that above and beyond the immediate casualties, you do not know how far
the problem has spread. Contaminated water can very soon affect an entire region or small country affecting millions
of people and the economic impact can be devastating even if the number of people hurt is small. This can be seen
when in Israel in 2001 excessive ammonia found its way into the water system and within hours more than 2 million
Israelis found themselves without water as the matter was dealt with. While Israeli experts were able to respond in
real-time, and exposure to contaminated water was prevented, there was an impact including panic-buying of mineral
water in the country’s stores.
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Even small water terrorism damages cost hundreds of millions—empirically proven
H. Court Young, geologist, author, publisher, 2007, ("The Impact of a Water Supply Disruption in a Small
Community" http://www.understandingwaterandterrorism.com/Terrorism_Article4.htm)[JWu]
There are about 170,000 public water systems in the United States according to the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). They are classified as follows:
Very small water systems – 25 to 500 people served
Small water systems – 501 to 3,300 people served
Medium water systems – 3,301 to 10,000 people served
Large water systems – 10,001 to 100,000 people served
Very large water systems – 100,001 + people served
Approximately 45,000 of these water systems are classified as small or very small. These small water suppliers
include towns, small cities, water districts and municipalities. Typically, they are headed by a mayor, director, general
manager, city manager or executive manager. They may be managed by a board of directors or city council. Security
is often provided by the local police department or state patrol. In many cases there are fewer than 10 people involved
in supplying water to the consumer. Often, these people do not have any formal security or media relations training.
One of these small water supply systems, Walkerton, Ontario, Canada faced a crisis in May 2000. This system,
supplying 5,000 people, was contaminated by an E. Coli:O157 and a Campylobacter jejuni epidemic. In less than
a month, 2,300 people were sick and 7 people were dead.
The economic impact on this small community was staggering. The total cost of this tragedy was estimated to be
at least $64.5 million and if the cost of human suffering is factored in an estimated $155 million. Each household
in the town spent about $4,000 on average for system repairs, replacement, cleanup, decontamination and
medical bills as a direct result of the contamination. The entire water system was replaced or rebuilt. It cost the
town of Walkerton more than $9 million to repair the water supply infrastructure.
Additional economic costs included the following items. Real estate values dropped a total of $1.1 million.
Business costs for bottled water and disinfecting or replacing contaminated equipment was estimated at $70,000.
Lost business revenues from May 1, 2000 to April 30, 2001 were estimated at $2.7 million. The Government of
Ontario spent more than $3.5 million in legal fees and another $1.5 million to supply clean water to state
institutions.
But the worst impact may well have been the psychological effect on the public. One of the long term impacts
can be seen in the following comment by a Walkerton resident.
“It could be years before anyone here turns on a tap without wondering if the water is safe.”
Walkerton was a small town where everyone knew everyone else. Many knew those who died or became seriously ill.
Friendships were severely tested and some were destroyed. Lifelong friendships were torn apart by the legal
battles that followed when blame was debated in both the media and the courthouse.
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The impact is huge—a single terrorist can cripple a city
Brock Meeks, award-winning journalist, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, Oct 23 03, "U.S water supply
vulnerable", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3340643/ [JWu]
However, “a single terrorist, or even a small group of terrorists could quite easily cripple an entire city by simply
destroying equipment at the reservoir end of the pipeline, and even by poisoning the reservoir with concentrated
toxins right where the water enters the pipeline,” said James Atkinson, a counter-terrorism consultant and principle of
the Gloucester, Mass.-based Granite Island Group.
Luthy and others are pushing for more research into how bio-agents such as anthrax and smallpox handle being
introduced into the water system. And more research needs to be done on how to implement electronic data collection
devices, says Jerry Gilbert, a water consulting engineer in Orinda, Calif.
“There is a long range concern that we need to develop the kind of sensors and electronic alarms and monitors that
would allow you to [quickly] determine changes in water quality,” Gilbert said. Although all systems do testing of the
water supply, those tests are handled in labs and take time. Gilbert says the industry needs to take advantage of
microchip advancements and get more real-time testing sensors in place. “And not just with regard to terrorism,” he
said, “but any other thing that might adversely affect water quality.”
Gilbert’s right on point: This year close to one million Americans will get sick from something in their water;
about 1,000 of those ultimately result in fatalities, according the Center for Disease Control.
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Internal Link – Tradeoffs general
EPA diverts money to unneeded sources
Michael Lynch, contributing editor to Reason social political commentary magazine, Jul-1-02,
http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-1871043/Green-grants-Bureaucratic-Spending-Spree.html [JWu]
THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency (EPA) is legendary for tangling up businesses in red tape. Yet when it comes
to passing out millions in taxpayer money, it exhibits a casual, devil may-care attitude. In 1999 the agency passed out
$1.3 billion of its $7.5 billion budget in grants and contracts, often in complete disregard of the federal government's
competitive bidding process. A May 2001 report from the EPA'S Office of the Inspector General (QIG) discovered that the
"EPA often awards non-competitive assistance agreements to recipients based on the unsupported belief that those
recipients were the only entities capable of performing the work." That's bureaucratese for, "It gave the money to
friends." To justify the awards, the envirocrats retreat to the boilerplate retort that recipients were "uniquely qualified." In
March 2002 the QIG returned to find that sweetheart deals accounted for "1 out of every 5 dollars of the $1 billion" the EPA
awarded in 1999 and 2000. Suspicious that the agency was using taxpayer money to fund groups that were "uniquely
qualified" to lobby for more money for the EPA, the Landmark Legal Foundation took the agency to court in September 2000
to force it to disclose grant recipients. Some highlights of the $2 billion awarded noncompetitively since 1993 included
$47,000 to help the Seattle Mariners start a recycling program at their new $500 million ballpark, $1,500 for academics
to design a solid waste board game called the "Can Man Game," and $379 million to senior citizen groups to recruit and
pay senior citizens to work for the EPA. The agency even funds its ostensible enemies, providing $2 million in grants to
the National Association of Homebuilders and $4.9 million to the Natural Resources Defense Council, both of which have
sued the agency in the past
No new spending—funding will come from budget shifts
Douglas Peters, former chief economist of the Toronto-Dominion Bank and was secretary of state (finance) in the federal
Liberal government from 1993-97. 7-19-08 http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/463418 [JWu]
On the government side, there is a clear need for fiscal stimulus. But conservatives in both the U.S. and Canada have
been on a rampage to cut taxes, reducing the their governments' fiscal capacity. Thus, as President George W.
Bush confers with his economic advisers, he faces the dramatic problem of an enormous deficit when the economic
stimulus of greater spending is needed. In Canada the Harper Conservatives, having cut the goods and services tax,
face a similar problem but of a smaller dimension.
How did this set of difficulties come about?
It appears that this was exactly what both the U.S. and Canadian conservative governments intended. The purpose of
the tax cuts was to make it more difficult for governments to raise spending or introduce new programs. While
both the Bush administration and the Harper government are victims of their conservative ideology, it is the people of
Canada and the U.S. who will suffer. They face a much more difficult year of slow growth or recession than would
have been the case had taxes remained higher and the fiscal capacity been available to improve economic conditions
in both countries.
286
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
SuperFind
Superfund is low priority in the EPA
Christopher S. Bond, Senator, 03/10/2004. EPA Budget for FY2005 Hearing.
http://epw.senate.gov/hearing_statements.cfm?id=218919 [JWu]
• I agree that we need more funds for the Superfund program. However, we must end this notion that we should clean
up every site immediately. Many of the sites ready for cleanup are protected and stable. They pose no health threat to
their surrounding area. We have higher risk environmental problems we must solve first.
Superfund is key to cleaning hazardous wastes and solving the worst public health threat
TIME 2-21-83 "Superfund, supermess"
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,925874,00.html [JWu]
Jolted by the horror of New York's Love Canal and other revelations of chemical poisons seeping into America's earth
and water, Congress three years ago created a $1.6 billion "Superfund" for cleaning up hazardous wastes. Drawing on
contributions from chemical and oil companies, with costs to be recouped from violators, the measure was hailed as an
important beginning in coping with the worst public health threat of the 1980s. It gave the Environmental Protection
Agency the money and authority to purge the toxic dumps environmentalists called "ticking time bombs."
287
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
***EPA Aff Answers
288
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
2AC Front line - EPA
1. EPA's budget has been decreasing since 1980
UCLA Journal of Environmental Policy and Law, 99 " The risks and the advantages of agency discretion: evidence
from EPA's Project XL." http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-505292_ITM [JWu]
There is also a significant and growing discrepancy between the responsibilities assigned to EPA via statute and the
resources Congress provides the Agency to carry them out. Congress has charged EPA with the implementation of a
complex set of functions. To carry these out, the Agency must administer a collection of laws specifying how pollution is
to be managed within specific "media" or programs. The Agency's task is to design, implement and enforce an enormous
number of regulations. This requires substantial institutional capacity. Yet, EPA's institutional capacity is actually
shrinking. EPA had 7000 employees and a budget of $3.3 billion in 1971; at the time, twelve percent ($512 million) of
this money was spent on program administration. The remainder was used to fund state and local grants. By 1980, the
Agency's employee base had increased to 12,000 and its budget to $5 billion, $1.5 billion was spent on program
administration. The 1989 budget totaled only $4.8 billion, with $1.6 billion set aside for program administration--a drop
in real terms of fifteen percent over the decade. Congress has never restored the resources it cut.(8)
2. Bush just cut EPA's budget by 300 million—non unique
Jeremy Elton Jacquot, getting Ph.D. in Marine Environmental Biology, with an emphasis on environmental policy and
sustainable management, Treehugger.com Staff Writer, 2-08-08 (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/
bush_budget_cuts_environment.php)[JWu]
"President Bush again has cut the budget of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this time by $330 million to a total
of $7.14 billion. The cuts include over $270 million dollars from EPA programs that would clean up and restore lakes,
rivers and streams. Global climate change research comes in at $16 million. ... The Bush budget eliminates a $5
million EPA program to restore the San Francisco Bay. It cuts air pollution programs, including over $31 million
dollars for grants to states, and eliminates a $10 million dollar program that would help clean up the air in some of
California’s most polluted communities. It eliminates funding for a new national registry to track global warming
pollution."
3. EPA enforcement has dropped by 75%
Environmental Integrity Project October 12, 2004
www.environmentalintegrity.org/pubs/lawsuitoct041.doc
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have gotten shy about taking
polluters to court lately. A review of publicly available data shows that civil lawsuits for violation of anti-pollution laws
declined more than 75% in the first three years of the Bush Administration, thanks to White House decisions to rewrite
environmental rules and put the brakes on enforcement actions. This downward trend affects those complaints filed in
federal court by the Justice Department because polluters have refused to settle voluntarily and clean up past violations. The
analysis is limited to civil actions and does not include Superfund.
In the last three years of the prior Administration, the Justice Department filed 152 lawsuits in federal court
against companies for violations of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and federal
hazardous waste laws. But EPA’s own records document only 36 such enforcement actions in the first three years of the
Bush Administration. A complete list of these actions, compiled from public data available from the Environmental
Protection Agency, appears on Attachment 1.
289
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
2AC Front line - EPA
. EPA's enforcement is outdated and fails
UCLA Journal of Environmental Policy and Law, 99 " The risks and the advantages of agency discretion: evidence
from EPA's Project XL." http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-505292_ITM [JWu]
His strategy may well have been correct for its time. It established EPA in the public eye and encouraged the private
sector to internalize costs associated with environmental compliance. However, over the decades, Congress and EPA
have come to rely on enforcement as an end in itself. They stress enforcement numbers ("beans," in Agency
parlance) when measuring the Agency's success.
This emphasis on enforcement helps to explain EPA's difficulty in recognizing that the initial phase of America's
environmental policy has ended.(10) Indeed, EPA's continued reliance on traditional enforcement strategies is
inappropriate given environmental problems the Agency and the country now face. In the words of Malcolm K.
Sparrow, "[l]ining up industrial polluters for prosecution has limited tangible effect on the quality of the environment.
There are too many violators, too many laws to be enforced and not enough resources to get the job done."(11)
New challenges must be approached in a different way. Ideally, it would be best if the Agency could find a way to
encourage all private actors to adopt more environmentally sustainable development behaviors voluntarily. Since the
costs of each additional unit of environmental improvement are going up steadily, it also makes sense to carefully
tailor pollution control and prevention strategies to each situation. Those strategies that take account of the unique
problems facing each regulated actor are likely to be most effective. Collaboration, not confrontation, and a flexible
approach to regulation that emphasizes environmental performance rather than penalties and expensive
litigation, should be the goal.
5. Alternative causalities to water-- crumbling plants and dilution overwhelm contamination effects
Brock Meeks, award-winning journalist, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, Oct 23 03, "U.S water supply
vulnerable", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3340643/ [JWu]
The darker angels of the water security issue are old, crumbling pipelines and treatment plants. The “reality is
that many components of our water systems are aging and need repairs, replacement, or upgrades, ” Luthy told
Congress.
The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies has asked Congress for $57 billion over a five year period targeted
at drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
Experts agree that introducing a toxin into the raw water reservoir would have little impact owing to the dilution
effect several million gallons of water would have on any biohazard.
6. Water terrorism has low probability and has never killed anyone in the US
EPA Dec 2003, "Response Protocol Toolbox: Planning for and Responding to Drinking Water Contamination Threats
and Incidents" epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity /pubs/guide_response_module1.pdf [JWu]
While it is important to consider the range of possibilities associated with a particular threat,
assessments are typically based on the probability of a particular occurrence. Determining
probability is somewhat subjective, and is often based on intelligence and previous incidents.
There are historical accounts of intentional contamination of drinking water supplies with
biological or chemical contaminants, but most have been associated with wartime activities
(http://www.who.int/emc/pdfs/BIOWEAPONS_FULL_TEXT2.pdf). The few documented
accounts of intentional contamination of public water systems in the U.S. have not resulted in
any reported fatalities. The American Water Works Association Research Foundation
(AWWARF) is preparing a report on this subject (AWWARF, 2003). Based on these
accounts, it would appear that the probability of a successful contamination incident on a
drinking water system is relatively low. However, there has been a reported increase in the
interest of various terrorist groups in biological and chemical weapons. Furthermore, some
intelligence information indicates that terrorist organizations have considered water
infrastructure as a possible target. Thus, the potential for such an incident does exist
290
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
2AC Front line - EPA
7. Water infrastructure is too large and complex to fully secure—no impact
Brock Meeks, award-winning journalist, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, Oct 23 03, "U.S water supply
vulnerable", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3340643/ [JWu]
Here’s the brutal truth: The nation’s water infrastructure is impossible to fully secure. The sheer vastness of the
system with its “raw water” reservoirs and tens of thousands of miles of exposed aqueducts and pipeline with
little or minimal security make it logically and fiscally impossible to completely police. To simply put fences
around the three raw water reservoirs that the Indianapolis Water Company uses to feed that city’s water needs
“would bankrupt the company,” says Peter Beering, IWC’s deputy general counsel.
The threat isn’t new. Industry experts have been crying in the wilderness for years trying to get the fractured
water community to take the issue of terrorism more seriously. And in fact, the industry got a pre-September jolt of
adrenalin that raised as many eyebrows as it did awareness.
8. Even if EPA has enough resources, the White House will stop EPA efforts to decrease environmental regulation—
terminally no impact
Felicity Barringer, NYTIMES reporter, June 25 08
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/washington/25epa.html?_r=1&oref=slogin [JWu]
The White House in December refused to accept the Environmental Protection Agency’s conclusion that
greenhouse gases are pollutants that must be controlled, telling agency officials that an e-mail message containing
the document would not be opened, senior E.P.A. officials said last week.
The document, which ended up in e-mail limbo, without official status, was the E.P.A.’s answer to a 2007 Supreme
Court ruling that required it to determine whether greenhouse gases represent a danger to health or the environment,
the officials said.
This week, more than six months later, the E.P.A. is set to respond to that order by releasing a watered-down
version of the original proposal that offers no conclusion. Instead, the document reviews the legal and economic
issues presented by declaring greenhouse gases a pollutant.
Over the past five days, the officials said, the White House successfully put pressure on the E.P.A. to eliminate
large sections of the original analysis that supported regulation, including a finding that tough regulation of motor
vehicle emissions could produce $500 billion to $2 trillion in economic benefits over the next 32 years. The officials
spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.
291
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
BUDGET DEAD NOW
No solvency—budget too low.
Risk Policy Report 2/26/08 “EPA Budget May Limit New Drinking Water Contaminants Risk Research” Lexis
[ev]
EPA's just unveiled plan listing 104 unregulated drinking water contaminants it will research for possible future
regulation if warranted by risk levels appears to set an ambitious research agenda that the agency is unlikely to
complete given its tight budget limits, a drinking water industry source says. The agency Feb. 20 unveiled its draft
Contaminant Candidate List (CCL3), which the Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to develop to identify
contaminants that may require future regulation. Among the chemicals listed for the first time are several widely
used industrial chemicals, including 1,4 Dioxane and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
EPA water budget already overstretched.
Risk Policy Report 2/26/08 “EPA Budget May Limit New Drinking Water Contaminants Risk Research” Lexis
[ev]
But a drinking water source cautions of the draft CCL3, "the number may be a little bit high," saying that the
amount of contaminants on the list is "a lot more than EPA can support," in a research agenda. But the source
also notes that this is "the first time they've been . . . rigorous and systematic" in choosing the potentially harmful
drinking water contaminants to be on the list of potential contaminants. Nevertheless, the drinking water source
says "the idea of developing a list that fits into a realistic research agenda is important, and I don't think
they do that with this list." In the draft list EPA carries over 16 contaminants from CCL2, despite the fact
that the agency has made only determinations on 11 of 51 on the previous list. EPA is scheduled to finalize
those 11 determinations -- each not to regulate -- this summer. An EPA source says that the change in carry-over of
contaminants listed is due to the more rigorous process in creating the CCL3.
292
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
Trade-offs now
Funding for lake restoration and pollution are being cut now
Jeremy Elton Jacquot, getting Ph.D. in Marine Environmental Biology, with an emphasis on environmental policy and
sustainable management, Treehugger.com Staff Writer, 2-08-08 (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/
bush_budget_cuts_environment.php)[JWu] "President Bush again has cut the budget of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, this time by $330 million to a total of $7.14 billion. The cuts include over $270 million dollars from EPA
programs that would clean up and restore lakes, rivers and streams. Global climate change research comes in at $16
million. ... The Bush budget eliminates a $5 million EPA program to restore the San Francisco Bay. It cuts air
pollution programs, including over $31 million dollars for grants to states, and eliminates a $10 million dollar program that
would help clean up the air in some of California’s most polluted communities. It eliminates funding for a new national
registry to track global warming pollution."
293
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
NO LINK—TAXPAYERS
Taxpayers pay for EPA enforcement.
St Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri) 6/4/08 “Sewer bills of $100 a month are on horizon, MSD official warns”
Lexis [ev]
Along with soaring prices for fuel and food, St. Louisans can expect down the road to face another major drain on
their finances: skyrocketing sewer bills. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District executive director Jeff Theerman
told the St. Louis County Council on Tuesday that the district's 440,000 customers can expect to see sewer bills of
at least $100 a month "in the not too distant future." Such an increase would quadruple the bill for the typical
homeowner, who now pays about $25 a month for sanitary sewer service. "Atlanta and Boston have already seen
$100-a-month sewer bills," Theerman said. "We can expect them here, too." He later said the increase could
happen as soon as 10 years from now. Theerman said the sewer district will need the money to comply with a
mandate from the Environmental Protection Agency to eliminate sewage overflows into local waterways. The
grand total could top $4 billion, he said.
Taxing is normal means.
The News-Messenger (Fremont, Ohio) 4/24/08 “Voinovich's fight, if successful, will take sting out of mandate”
Lexis [ev]
The intent of fixing the wastewater problems is right but how to come up with the money to fix the problems is
another thing. The EPA budget does not include funding, so that leaves funding for the mandate painfully
obvious: we, the people or more to the point, the residents will have to pay for it.
294
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
NO LINK—TAXPAYERS
Environmental regulations causes increases in taxes
Michael J. Pompili, assistant commissioner for environmental health for Columbus, Ohio, January 1, 1995, The Rising
Impact of Environmental Mandates on Local Government, Regulation, The Cato Review of Business & Government,
(http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/reg18n1a.html)
As the number of federal mandates was increasing, significant changes in federal funding were also
occurring. In the early 1970s the federal government imposed environmental mandates on local communities and
businesses, but it also allocated significant financial resources to local communities to assist them in achieving
compliance. For example, grants were made to local communities to help with water and sewer projects. In the
mid-1980s, with the ever-increasing pressures on the federal government to balance its budget, grant programs for
state and local environmental efforts were reduced or eliminated. Federal funding for sewer and water
infrastructure peaked between 1977 and 1980, and has generally declined since. Furthermore, federal funding
has been shifting from outright grants to loan programs that are now administered through the state. The
local government share of all of these loans has increased greatly. The Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) dramatically emphasized this point when it documented that future compliance expenditures would
be substantial and the proposed federal funding allocated to achieve the desired result would be minimal.
Table 4 shows the EPA’s presentation of this information. The combined impact of increasing federal
requirements and decreasing federal support could be devastating to local communities. This "double
whammy" on the taxpayer was highlighted in a recent General Accounting Office report: "In recent years, the
responsibility for financing environmental projects has been shifting from federal to state and local
governments. EPA projects that by the year 2000 local government costs will increase from $19 billion a
year to over $32 billion (in 1986 dollars) in order to meet new federal standards for drinking water and
wastewater treatment. Some small communities of less than 2,500 people may find these new costs
especially burdensome, in part because they are less able to expand financial obligations." In effect, the
federal government has been decreasing funding in the environmental area, reallocating those resources to fulfill
other objectives, and then imposing additional controls and mandated costs on state and local governments. Since
this shift has resulted in a shortage of funding in the environmental area, these actions have forced state
and local governments to raise taxes.
295
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
NO LINK—TAXPAYERS
Environmental services lead to significant cost for local community members
Michael J. Pompili, assistant commissioner for environmental health for Columbus, Ohio, January 1, 1995, The Rising
Impact of Environmental Mandates on Local Government, Regulation, The Cato Review of Business & Government,
(http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/reg18n1a.html)
Despite the changing relationship among federal, state, and local governments, the local community
continues to be the main provider of environmental services. Regardless of funding, local governments are
expected to deliver the services in a timely and efficient manner and still stay in compliance with all existing
environmental laws and regulations. Because of these requirements, it is important for local communities to be
able to determine their actual costs of compliance. The city of Columbus was one of the first cities in the
United States to perform a cumulative study of the costs of compliance with these new environmental
mandates. Columbus discovered that it would cost over $1 billion to comply with environmental mandates
enacted as of January 1991. This 10-year cost total amounted to an increase per household of $856 per year
by the year 2000. Because of these increases there were fewer funds available for other city services. Also,
city leaders had fewer options, and, therefore, less freedom to make budgeting decisions. Other cities
throughout the country have performed their own cost studies, generally utilizing the Columbus format.
Their cost estimates were different, but in all cases the costs were significant or, in some cases, even
staggering, as Table 5 illustrates.
296
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
NO LINK—STATES
Normal means is states enforce regulations.
US EPA 7/1/08 (Last Updated) “Introduction to Enforcement”
http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/enforce.NSF/Our+Office/Introduction+to+Enforcement [ev]
How do EPA and the State Agencies work together to enforce environmental laws? Once a law is passed by
Congress, EPA drafts regulations to indicate what actions will be required to comply with it. To ensure
consistency, EPA also develops and uses policies and guidance to interpret and implement the regulations. Many
environmental laws allow EPA to authorize state agencies to conduct enforcement activities. EPA works with
these agencies to help them develop programs that meet certain criteria that are established in the regulations
under a particular law. Once a state program meets the criteria, EPA can approve that program. Upon approval,
the state has the primary role for implementing the environmental program. In certain instances, however, EPA
may become involved in enforcement at a facility even under an state authorized program.
States enforce EPA regulations.
TET Emissions January 06 “Easyriders Are the New EPA Regulations a Threat to Your Livelihood?”
http://www.tetemissions.com/easyriders1.php3 [ev]
Earlier we pointed out that these EPA regulations are “un-funded mandates.” The feds are relying on the already
cash-strapped states to actually enforce them. This means that laws will have to be written into the vehicle codes
defining Kit Bikes and Exempt Custom Motorcycles. Enforcement Officer positions will have to be created to
patrol independent motorcycle shops, and ultimately the states will rebel. They will have to because their budgets
are already strained to the limits. The hallmark of government is over confidence in its ability to accomplish its
aims. Gridlock is what we can expect in respect to these regulations. Some states, particularly California, will
continue to selectively pursue targets while ignoring the vast majority. The motorcycle aftermarket will continue
to flourish, customers will continue to want to customize their bikes and keep buying your parts and services.
EPA relies on states to enforce regulations.
Pennsylvania Bureau of Waste Management 8/10/98 “EPA'S Strategy For Enforcemmnt Of Regulatory
Requirements Applicable To Underground Storage Tank (UST) Facilities”
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/landrecwaste/lib/landrecwaste/storagetanks/files/stac_files/archive/1998/epa_strat.
pdf [ev]
The philosophy that has guided the UST program since its inception is that States have the primary responsibility
for implementation and enforcement of UST regulations (except in Indian Country). EPA therefore has devoted a
major share of its UST resources to supporting and helping strengthen State programs and will continue doing so.
EPA expects States to take the lead in securing compliance with the 1998 UST requirements. EPA recognizes that
States can use various enforcement activities to achieve compliance. These enforcement activities can include
filing administrative or judicial actions or immediately stopping operation of a non-complying tank (e.g., by using
their "red tag" authority). Some States do not have statutory authority to assess and collect penalties
administratively and must initiate a judicial action if penalties are to be assessed. While the judicial process may
be time-consuming, States should use their enforcement authority to demonstrate to UST owners and operators
that they cannot ignore UST requirements with impunity.
297
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
NO LINK—FAILURES.
No enforcement cost—EPA either delegates responsibilities to the states or fails to act at all.
GoVeg.com No Date Given “The EPA: Selling Out the Environment”
http://www.goveg.com/government_epa.asp
The environmental laws that are already on the books are largely toothless, and to make matters worse, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) often fails to enforce the laws or leaves enforcement up to the states.
Like all government agencies, the EPA is increasingly staffed with people who have close ties to the factory-farm
industry or intend to get industry jobs after they leave the public sector. In an expression of gratitude to all its
factory-farm industry donors, the Bush administration has also put pressure on EPA officials not to fully enforce
environmental laws and to create new laws that benefit the farmed-animal industry. Lack of Enforcement Rather
than taking action against factory farms that are polluting the environment, the EPA has a hands-off policy that
has put the polluters in charge of monitoring and controlling pollution. Former EPA attorney Michele Merkel,
who currently works with the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Integrity Project, told reporters that the
agency "hasn't initiated one investigation [into factory-farm pollution] in four years. They're not doing
anything."46 Enforcement of federal environmental laws is largely left up to the states, but many states fail to
enforce these laws because local governments are already overburdened and don’t have the time, money, and
willingness to crack down on factory farmers who often have a lot of sway in local politics. Only half of states
claim to require that large factory farms comply with the EPA’s air-quality standards, and fewer than 10 states
ever bother to enforce EPA regulations on toxic gases emitted from factory farms.47 Sierra Club attorney Barclay
Rogers explains that since neither the EPA nor the states are doing their part to enforce the law, "there are
essentially no pollution controls on these [factory-farming] operations whatsoever. The environment is being
wrecked by these operations."48
298
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
LINK N/U—CLIMATE CHANGE
EPA already focusing on climate change regulations.
US EPA 2008 “FY 2008 Annual Plan” http://www.epa.gov/budget/2008/2008ap/2008_annual_plan.pdf pg 12
[ev]
EPA implements the Clean Air and Global Climate Change goal through national and regional programs designed
to provide healthier outdoor and indoor air for all Americans, protect the stratospheric ozone layer, minimize the
risks from radiation releases, reduce greenhouse gas intensity, and enhance science and research. In implementing
the goal, EPA carries out its responsibilities through programs that include several common elements: setting riskbased priorities; facilitating regulatory reform and market-based approaches; partnering with state, Tribal, and
local governments, non-governmental organizations, and industry; promoting energy efficiency; and using sound
science.
EPA focus on climate change now.
US EPA 2008 “FY 2008 Annual Plan” http://www.epa.gov/budget/2008/2008ap/2008_annual_plan.pdf pg 13-4
[ev]
Climate Protection For more than a decade, businesses and other organizations have partnered with EPA through
voluntary climate protection programs to pursue common sense approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
and meeting the President’s greenhouse gas intensity goal. Voluntary programs such as Energy Star and
SmartWay Transport have increased the use of energy-efficient products and practices and reduced emissions of
carbon dioxide as well as methane and other greenhouse gases with very high global warming potentials. These
partnership programs spur investment in advanced energy technologies and the purchase of energy-efficient
products and create emissions reduction benefits that accrue over the lifetime of the investment or product. In
2008, EPA will invest $4.4 million in the Methane to Markets by assessing the feasibility of methane recovery
and use projects at landfills, coal mines, and natural gas and oil facilities and by identifying and addressing
institutional, legal, regulatory and other barriers to project development in partner countries. In addition EPA
plans to invest $5 million to support the Asia-Pacific Partnership programs. In FY 2008 this partnership between
the United States Australia, China, India, Japan, and South Korea will focus on developing country-specific
strategies to improve energy security and reduce pollution. EPA also will work with the Asia-Pacific region to
develop and deploy new and emerging technologies and tailor programs, such as methane capture and use, to
meet the specific conditions of each area. Both the Methane to Markets program and Asia Pacific Partnerships
will coordinate with other agencies to achieve the goals in these programs.
299
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
EPA=FAIL
EPA’s authority will only continue to weaken as the Bush administration leaves.
National Journal 4/11/08 “Vanishing Act” http://www.nationaljournal.com/njcover.htm [ev]
But the job of EPA administrator has become much less pleasant since the Democrats won control of Congress
and began zeroing in on EPA's actions and on Johnson's relationship with the White House. That scrutiny is
almost certain to intensify as the Bush administration attempts to deepen its imprint on environmental policy
before leaving office in January. In the coming months, EPA is expected to issue some of the most controversial
regulations of the Bush era -- on global warming, pollution from "factory" farms, emissions from coal-fired power
plants, and industrial emissions of lead.
EPA is too weak to achieve anything.
National Journal 4/11/08 “Vanishing Act” http://www.nationaljournal.com/njcover.htm [ev]
Legal experts say that even more than under Bush's two previous administrators, Christine Todd Whitman and
Mike Leavitt, Johnson's EPA is regularly pushed around by politically powerful advisers at the White House and
in other departments. "There's a sense that the agency has not stood up for itself and has been run over by other
interests in the executive branch -- and that it's happened under Steve Johnson's stewardship," said Richard
Lazarus, an environmental law professor at Georgetown. "He has not been a strong administrator, a strong voice
in the administration," Lazarus continued. "In case after case, to the extent that the EPA career and science people
have sought something, the White House has repeatedly trumped his judgment more than has happened in the
past." Critics acknowledge that ever since President Nixon created the supposedly independent agency in 1970,
every EPA administrator has faced conflicts between what the agency's experts recommend and what the White
House demands. "But it seems to me that that tension is now at an acute level," said Jonathan Cannon, director of
the University of Virginia Law School's environmental and land-use program. "It's causing extreme friction
within the agency and institutional damage. It's demoralizing the legal staff, and it's further separating staff from
the political leadership at the agency." Cannon served at EPA during the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton
administrations.
300
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
NO AUTHORITY
EPA can’t act proactively.
Georgetown Law Journal, April 03 “NOTE: A New Instrument in National Security: The Legislative Attempt to
Combat Terrorism via the Safe Drinking Water Act” 91 Geo. L.J. 927 Lexis [ev]
In amending the SDWA, Congress did not explicitly authorize the EPA to take preventative measures to
protect CWSs from terrorism. The new sections of the SDWA (sections 1433, 1434, and 1435) do little to
ensure that CWS vulnerabilities actually are addressed once they are brought to the EPA's attention. The
new language of section 1431, the SDWA's emergency provision, remains ambiguous and conflicted, while the
preexisting enforcement mechanisms in the SDWA cannot proactively solve for the threat of terrorism.
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Pollution Answers
AFF—alternate causalities—crumbling plants and dilution overwhelm contamination effects
Brock Meeks, award-winning journalist, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, Oct 23 03, "U.S water supply
vulnerable", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3340643/ [JWu]
The darker angels of the water security issue are old, crumbling pipelines and treatment plants. The “reality is
that many components of our water systems are aging and need repairs, replacement, or upgrades, ” Luthy told
Congress.
The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies has asked Congress for $57 billion over a five year period targeted
at drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
Experts agree that introducing a toxin into the raw water reservoir would have little impact owing to the dilution
effect several million gallons of water would have on any biohazard.
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Water terrorism answers
AFF: Water terrorism has low probability and has never killed anyone in the US
EPA Dec 2003, "Response Protocol Toolbox: Planning for and Responding to Drinking Water Contamination
Threats and Incidents" epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity /pubs/guide_response_module1.pdf [JWu]
While it is important to consider the range of possibilities associated with a particular threat,
assessments are typically based on the probability of a particular occurrence. Determining
probability is somewhat subjective, and is often based on intelligence and previous incidents.
There are historical accounts of intentional contamination of drinking water supplies with
biological or chemical contaminants, but most have been associated with wartime activities
(http://www.who.int/emc/pdfs/BIOWEAPONS_FULL_TEXT2.pdf). The few documented
accounts of intentional contamination of public water systems in the U.S. have not resulted in
any reported fatalities. The American Water Works Association Research Foundation
(AWWARF) is preparing a report on this subject (AWWARF, 2003). Based on these
accounts, it would appear that the probability of a successful contamination incident on a
drinking water system is relatively low. However, there has been a reported increase in the
interest of various terrorist groups in biological and chemical weapons. Furthermore, some
intelligence information indicates that terrorist organizations have considered water
infrastructure as a possible target. Thus, the potential for such an incident does exist.
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No Enforcement turns the case
Lack of EPA enforcement moots environmental laws
Environmental Integrity Project October 12, 2004 www.environmentalintegrity.org/pubs/lawsuitoct041.doc
Voluntary compliance is the ideal, but what happens when companies just refuse to comply? Both the general
public and regulated industries understand that laws that are not enforced will eventually be ignored. EPA
Administrator Mike Leavitt has said that, “Without consistent and smart enforcement, an environmental standard
becomes an empty vessel.”
Teddy Roosevelt, perhaps our greatest environmental president, understood that, “No man is above the
law…compliance with the law is demanded as a right, not asked as a favor.” William Reilly, who headed EPA under the
first Bush Administration, said, “Enforcement of the environmental laws is at the very heart of the integrity…of our
regulatory programs.” And in his inaugural speech in January this year, Mike Leavitt promised EPA employees that,
“[A]nyone who evades the law should feel the full weight of the law until compliance is met.”
But a 75% decline in lawsuits against violators who refuse to settle speaks louder than words. EPA’s record
suggests that the “full weight of the law” has gotten a lot lighter over the past three years.
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EPA Enforcement Low
EPA enforcement has dropped with the Bush administration
Environmental Integrity Project October 12, 2004
www.environmentalintegrity.org/pubs/lawsuitoct041.doc
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have gotten shy about taking
polluters to court lately. A review of publicly available data shows that civil lawsuits for violation of anti-pollution laws
declined more than 75% in the first three years of the Bush Administration, thanks to White House decisions to rewrite
environmental rules and put the brakes on enforcement actions. This downward trend affects those complaints filed in
federal court by the Justice Department because polluters have refused to settle voluntarily and clean up past violations. The
analysis is limited to civil actions and does not include Superfund.
In the last three years of the prior Administration, the Justice Department filed 152 lawsuits in federal court
against companies for violations of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and federal
hazardous waste laws. But EPA’s own records document only 36 such enforcement actions in the first three years of the
Bush Administration. A complete list of these actions, compiled from public data available from the Environmental
Protection Agency, appears on Attachment 1.
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Ans to Water Terrorism
The threat of terror has been around since forever. Water infrastructure is too large and complex to
secure—means impact inevitable
Brock Meeks, award-winning journalist, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, Oct 23 03, "U.S water supply
vulnerable", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3340643/ [JWu]
Here’s the brutal truth: The nation’s water infrastructure is impossible to fully secure. The sheer vastness of the
system with its “raw water” reservoirs and tens of thousands of miles of exposed aqueducts and pipeline with
little or minimal security make it logically and fiscally impossible to completely police. To simply put fences
around the three raw water reservoirs that the Indianapolis Water Company uses to feed that city’s water needs
“would bankrupt the company,” says Peter Beering, IWC’s deputy general counsel.
The threat isn’t new. Industry experts have been crying in the wilderness for years trying to get the fractured
water community to take the issue of terrorism more seriously. And in fact, the industry got a pre-September jolt of
adrenalin that raised as many eyebrows as it did awareness.
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AFF, against States CP
States have worse enforcement than EPA
Eric Schaeffer, ex-director of EPA's Office of Regulatory Enforcement, director of the Environmental Integrity
Project at the Rockefeller Family Fund, July/August 2002 "Clearing the air", washingtonmonthly.com/features
/2001/0207.schaeffer.html [JWu]
DUMP IT ON THE STATES. According to Bush doctrine, what little environmental enforcement is necessary should
be left to states. In theory, states issue most permits for air and water pollution and waste management because they have
been shown capable of running such programs as required by federal law. In practice, EPA's records are so incomplete that
it has little clue how well most states perform. Some, like New York, driven by Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, have
outstanding enforcement programs. But periodic reviews by the General Accounting Office and the Inspector General
repeatedly expose systematic failures to issue permits, track compliance, find violations, and prosecute them
effectively. In addition to lacking resources, many states, especially in the South and West, are hostile to the very idea
that most environmental laws should be enforced. State officials see red when EPA steps in to take enforcement action
(allowed by federal law) against one of "their" businesses. Some of this is jurisdictional--aren't the local cops on TV always
complaining about the FBI? But the constant and petty turf battles with state political managers were one of my most
dispiriting experiences. On several occasions, state agencies, informed of an EPA investigation, rushed to cut a sweetheart
deal with the target company to obviate the federal case. Once, over drinks, a state enforcement manager confessed to me
that his governor had instructed him to bash the federal EPA, no matter what it did. This has always been a problem, but
Clinton officials were less likely to pretend that states could do everything.
This devolution to state enforcement also serves the administration's corporate sponsors, since states are consistently more
cooperative and lenient than the federal EPA. It's no small irony that Administrator Whitman, when she was governor of
New Jersey, eliminated the state environmental prosecutor and made deep cuts in New Jersey's enforcement budget.
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***Econ Impacts
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US ECON HIGH
Economy may be low now, but is projected to grow
Steven R. Weisman, New York Times Staff Writer, 07/16/2008 “A glimmer of hope for the economy?”
(http://www.contracostatimes.com/financialmarkets/ci_9895825?nclick_check=1)
"The economy has continued to expand, but at a subdued pace," Bernanke said at another point. In one rare note of
optimism, he revised upward the Fed's growth estimate for the year and added that consumer spending had somewhat
exceeded expectations. The Fed chief spent the early morning testifying alone, as part of his twice-per-year appearances
before Congress, and then joined Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Christopher Cox, chairman of the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Sitting with them, he endorsed Paulson's plan, unveiled Sunday, to seek legislation to give the federal
government temporary power to help Fannie and Freddie. Bernanke offered no timetable for improved economic
performance, declaring that while the risks to the overall economy were still "skewed to the downside," inflation "seems
likely to move temporarily higher in the near term." The Fed, he said, needed to guard against higher prices spreading
through the economy. Despite pictures of lines snaking around branches of IndyMac Bank and a report from the chairwoman
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. that more banks were expected to run into trouble, Bernanke said he did not think
there was a significant danger to the consumer and commercial banking sector, most of which he said remained profitable.
"Of course, all banks are being challenged by credit conditions now," the Fed chief said in response to a question from Sen.
Richard Shelby, R-Ala., on the banking panel. "The good news is that the banking system did come into this episode
extremely well-capitalized, extremely profitable." But concerns about the consumer banking system succumbing to the ills of
the credit crisis clearly rattled official Washington, as Bush's citation of the federal government's insurance of bank deposits
made clear. "The bottom line is this: We're going through a tough time," Bush said. "But our economy's continued
growing, consumers are spending, businesses are investing, exports continue increasing and American productivity
remains strong." The main reasons for Bernanke's sober assessment, he told the senators, were rising commodity prices,
especially energy, and continued weakness in the housing sector. He suggested that housing prices might turn around next
year, but that high energy prices were likely to remain because of demand outstripping supply. Overall, he suggested in his
initial comments, economic growth "is projected to pick up gradually over the next two years."
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US ECON HIGH
Economy is dead now, but is increasing and even more in 2009
Jerome Idaszak, Associate Editor, The Kiplinger Letter, July 16, 2008, “No Fed Rate Hikes Until 2009, When Economy
Improves” (http://www.kiplinger.com/businessresource/forecast/archive/No_Fed_Rate_Hike_Until_2009_080715.html)
The Federal Reserve is postponing an inflation fighting hike in short-term interest rates until economic growth picks
up, which likely won’t happen until 2009. Despite seven rate cuts totaling 3.25 percentage points since last September,
mortgage rates are higher and financial markets remain fragile. The latest scare involves the future of virtually insolvent
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which hold or back nearly half of the $11 trillion worth of outstanding mortgages in the U.S.
The jump in consumer prices in May isn't a surprise to the Fed whose chairman, Ben Bernanke, told the Senate Banking
Committee Tuesday that inflation pressures would "intensify" and that "inflation seems likely to move temporarily higher in
the near term." But the Fed is counting on the surge to fade later this year, though it will be watching closely to see whether a
growing number of businesses are able to raise prices. The more likely scenario is that with consumers retreating, business
sales and profits will suffer. In fact, the Fed is counting on growth being weak enough the rest of this year that holding
off on a rate hike won’t be a mistake. But most economists are expecting at least a couple more months of nasty readings
like June. The Labor Department said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.1%, with two-thirds of that coming from higher
energy prices. Bernanke said that the Fed had expected a bump in consumer spending from the government stimulus to be
spread evenly over the second, third and fourth quarters. Instead, most taxpayers appear to have spent their checks within
days or weeks of receiving them. The last of the rebate checks will be delivered in July and consumer spending without that
added stimulus will be flat to slightly negative for the rest of the year. As part of the Bernanke testimony to Congress, the
Fed updated its economic outlook and now sees GDP up between 1% to 1.6% this year and 2% to 2.8% in 2009.
Thanks to the infusion of the rebate checks, we see an increase of about 1.5% in GDP this year. Without a similar
stimulus next year, GDP likely will increase about 1.5%.
Economy is doing fine, organizations prove
Huffington Post, The internet newspaper, July 17, 2008, “getting it backwards” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
gerald-bracey/getting-it-backwards_b_113260.html)
Those who dispense anxiety about America's schools have got it all backwards. Bill Gates, Roy Romer, Bob Wise, Bill
Bennett and many others look at the results of international test-score studies and make dire predictions about the
future of the U. S. economy. Instead, they should brag about the U. S. economy and impugn the quality and validity of
the international test-score comparisons. British economist S. J. Prais put it this way: "That the U. S., the world's top
economic performing country, was found to have schooling attainments that are only middling casts fundamental
doubts about the value and approach of these [international] assessments." Yes, that's the way the causality should go.
As George Washington University's Iris Rotberg recently observed, "The fact is that international test-score comparisons tell
us very little about the quality of education in any country." The Institute for Management Development (IMD) and the
World Economic Forum (WEF), both Swiss organizations, love our economy. The WEF usually ranks the U. S. first in
global competitiveness, never below second, among 131 nations; in the IMD rankings, the U. S. replaced Japan as #1,in
1994 and has enjoyed that position ever since.
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US ECON HIGH
Economy is steadily rising, new policies prove
George W. Bush, President of the United States, July 15, 2008, “PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE PRESIDENT
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room “ (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/presidentbush/2008/07/appearing-relax.html)
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. It's been a difficult time for many American families who are coping with declining
housing values and high gasoline prices. This week my administration took steps to help address both these challenges.
To help address challenges in the housing and financial markets, we announced temporary steps to help stabilize them
and increase confidence in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These two enterprises play a central role in our housing
finance system, so Treasury Paulson has worked with the Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke so that the companies
and the government regulators -- put the companies and the government regulators on a plan to strengthen these
enterprises. We must ensure they can continue providing access to mortgage credit during this time of financial stress.
I appreciate the positive reaction this plan has received from many members of Congress. I urge members to move quickly to
enact the plan in its entirety, along with the good oversight legislation that we have recommended for both Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac. This is a part of a -- should be part of the housing package that is moving its way through the Congress. And I
hope they move quickly. The newly proposed authorities will be temporary and used only if needed. And as we work to
maintain the health of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, we'll work to ensure that they remain shareholder-owned companies.
To help address the pressure on gasoline prices my administration took action this week to clear the way for offshore
exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf. It's what's called OCS. Congress has restricted access to key parts of the OCS
since the early 1980s; I've called on Congress to remove the ban. There was also an executive prohibition on exploration,
offshore exploration. So yesterday, I issued a memorandum to lift this executive prohibition. With this action, the executive
branch's restrictions have been removed, and this means that the only thing standing between the American people and these
vast oil resources is action from the U.S. Congress. Bringing OCS resources online is going to take time, which means that
the need for congressional action is urgent. The sooner Congress lifts the ban, the sooner we can get these resources from the
ocean floor to refineries, to the gas pump.
Democratic leaders have been delaying action on offshore exploration and now
they have an opportunity to show that they finally heard the frustrations of the American people. They should match the
action I have taken, repeal the congressional ban and pass legislation to facilitate responsible offshore exploration.
Congress needs also to pass bills to fund our government in a fiscally responsible way. I was disappointed to learn the
Democratic leaders in the House postponed committee consideration of the defense appropriations bill, and they did so
yesterday. They failed to get a single one of the 12 annual appropriations bills to my desk. In fact, this is the latest that both
the House and the Senate have failed to pass any of their annual spending bills in more than two decades.
There are just
26 legislative days left before the end of the fiscal year. This means that to get their fundamental job done, Congress would
have to pass a spending bill nearly every other day. This is not a record to be proud of, and I think the American people
deserve better.
Our citizens are rightly concerned about the difficulties in the housing markets and high gasoline prices
and the failure of the Democratic Congress to address these and other pressing issues. Yet despite the challenges we face,
our economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience. While the unemployment rate has risen, it remains at 5.5 percent,
which is still low by historical standards. And the economy continued to grow in the first quarter of this year. The growth is
slower than we would have liked, but it was growth nonetheless.
We saw the signs of a slowdown early and enacted a
bipartisan economic stimulus package. We've now delivered more than $91 billion in tax relief to more than 112 million
American households this year. It's going to take some time before we feel the full benefit of the stimulus package, but
the early signs are encouraging. Retails sales were up in May and June, and should contribute, and will contribute, to
economic growth. In the months ahead we expect more Americans to take advantage of these stimulus payments and
inject new energy into our economy.
The bottom line is this: We're going through a tough time, but our economy
has continued growing, consumers are spending, businesses are investing, exports continue increasing, and American
productivity remains strong. We can have confidence in the long-term foundation of our economy, and I believe we
will come through this challenge stronger than ever before.
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A2_economy resilient
Government will refuse to help country, too much pork barreling and corruption
Dr. James Dobson, Ph.D. Founder and Chairman of Focus on the Family, April 29, 2008 “The Asteroid That is Our
Economy That is to Come” (http://undcr.com/?p=217)
By 2019, Medicare becomes completely insolvent. And by 2041, Social Security runs dry. Great. By most estimates,
this is a $53 trillion asteroid. Now, you find one person–if you can find them, I’ll pay you–that’s credible on either
side of the aisle that disputes the size of this threat or how quickly it’s coming. In fact, most would say the dates and
the figures I just gave you are conservative. So, why is it no one’s doing anything about it? If there were a real
asteroid, do you think we’d allow our leaders to keep passing the next buck to the next administration until we could
actually see the flying rock in the sky? … We’re not only letting [our leaders] get away with that, we’re letting
them do something worse. We’re letting them actually go out into space, and they’re [asking] ‘I wonder if we
could make the asteroid bigger?’ I mean, they’re putting prescription drugs on. We’ve got billions in bailouts
and rebate checks … I’m sorry, this is criminal negligence. I don’t know who people think are going to swoop
in and save us from this disaster … I’ve got news for you, it’s not going to be Congress … The president is not
going to do it. And believe me, Bruce Willis and Tommy Lee Jones, are going to be a little too old. They’ll be on
that non-existent Social Security system by then. Like always, we have to save ourselves. And we have to start
right now… ” Glenn Beck is absolutely right. Our political leaders are spending us into oblivion, and guess what?
They plan to raise our taxes exponentially so they can waste even more. One of my personal heroes, Winston
Churchill, once said that “for a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift
himself up by the handle.”1 He was, of course, talking about the economic situation in Great Britain many decades
ago. But his words have striking relevance to the United States today and to the scenario described by Glenn Beck on
CNN. If you’re like most Americans, you filed your income taxes this month. And as you realized just how
much of your hard-earned money will go to support the bloated bureaucracy and to an ever growing catalog of
entitlements, you may have felt as helpless as a man in a bucket trying to lift himself up–or a scientist watching
an asteroid hurtling towards earth while the government leaders did nothing to prepare.
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Dollar collapse -> !
Collapse of the Dollar leads to international economic collapse and world war
Professor Frisco Vigario, Former Professor and head of Managerial Accounting and Finance. at the University of KwazuluNatal, 14 Jun 2007, http://www.moneyweb.co.za/mw/view/mw/en/page100948?oid=141282&sn=Detail, “The shape of the
world economy”, BB
Warren Buffet once said - "It's only when the tide goes out that you learn who's been swimming naked". Is it
possible that the global tide of financial inbalances today will at some point fall like dominoes and expose
governments and ordinary citizens that are financially over-exposed to indeed be naked? In this corner we have
America - the undisputed world superpower The American dollar is the global monetary standard against
which all financial transactions are measured. America is also militarily overextended, finds itself on an
economic decline and is funding it's internal economy and external foreign trade shopping feast through
foreign debt and monetary debasement as it works it's printing presses around the clock. In short the big bully is
stealing from the nerds. America's housing market has seen unprecedented growth which has been funded through
ever increasing housing debt. The ominous signs of a bubble are beginning to show as sub-prime loans (loans made to
financially stressed buyers) are starting to fail and liquidate. The dollar is hugely over-valued as foreign
governments particularly China and Japan export their money to America to finance and stimulate American
shopping for Chinese and Japanese toys, thus keeping their trade partners fully employed. American federal
debt stands at $9trn (it was $16bn in 1929) it is no longer self sufficient in energy and imports over 60% of its
needs. It has a monstrous trade deficit and needs to borrow over $2,5bn a day from foreign sources to balance
it's books. The good ship Titanic is showing signs of strain. In the other corner across the ocean, far, far away we
have China - The undisputed consumer manufacturing champion of the world China today is a lot like America of
the 1920s. Its trade surplus is the stuff that legends are made of and economist hail her as the eighth wonder of the
world. China has a credit boom far greater than America had just prior to the collapse of the stock exchange, built on
the same principles of inflationary money creation by the Central bank which is growing at an annual rate of about
10% (probably much higher). Its money supply in 2001 was 12trn yuan and by 2004 it had grown to 23trn yuan. The
Chinese property market has experienced a growth that is incomprehensible to western minds as it moves millions of
people into new cities. The stock exchange is on a run to the moon at a pace that makes the American stock exchange
of 1929 look like a dwarf. Credit is on the increase and everyone and his dog is in the stock market. Just like the
America of the 1920s, China exports its trade surplus to America and other parts of the world to finance the purchase
of Chinese goods and to feed the dragon of consumption. In other words, there is no reciprocal trade and China is in
effect buying from itself in the belief that it is supporting the export market and keeping employment levels high. It
cannot see the possibility of financial failure from America. The Chinese Reserve bank further pegs its currency
to the American dollar, thus artificially undervaluing its currency as it floats against the dollar. In short, the
manner in which China conducts it's economic affairs is a mirror image of what America was doing in the
1920s. A collapse of the American dollar will lead to a default on the repayment of its mammoth debt to China,
a collapse of the Chinese economy and a global depression far worse than that of the 1930s. A collapse of the
Shanghai stock exchange will cause a financial Tsunami that will lead to the collapse of stock exchanges around
the world. We further need to consider the fact that China, as a global power, carries a tremendous amount of
political baggage. It has not forgotten the 19th century loss in the opium wars to foreigners or the occupation of Hong
Kong by the British until 1997. Then there was the Tian Men Square humiliation of 1989 when Chinese youth
paraded a replica of the Statue of Liberty for the whole world to see. China has also formed a political alliance with
Russia and Iran over future supplies of oil, which could precipitate a world war in the Middle East - the guns
are loaded and ready.
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General
Economic Collapse Causes War
Mead, 1998 [Walter Russell Mead, Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, The Los
Angeles Times, August 23, 1998] http://global.factiva.com/ha/default.aspx
Forget suicide car bombers and Afghan fanatics. It's the financial markets, not the terrorist training camps that pose
the biggest immediate threat to world peace. How can this be? Think about the mother of all global meltdowns: the
Great Depression that started in 1929. U.S. stocks began to collapse in October, staged a rally, then the market headed
south big time. At the bottom, the Dow Jones industrial average had lost 90 percent of its value. Wages plummeted,
thousands of banks and brokerages went bankrupt, millions of people lost their jobs. There were similar horror stories
worldwide. But the biggest impact of the Depression on the United States -- and on world history -- wasn't money. It
was blood: World War II, to be exact. The Depression brought Adolf Hitler to power in Germany, undermined the
ability of moderates to oppose Joseph Stalin's power in Russia, and convinced the Japanese military that the country
had no choice but to build an Asian empire, even if that meant war with the United States and Britain. That's the thing
about depressions. They aren't just bad for your 401(k). Let the world economy crash far enough, and the rules
change. We stop playing "The Price Is Right" and start up a new round of "Saving Private Ryan."
The Collapse of the Dollar is the End of the U.S.
Steve Jones 4-25-05 “Global Economic Collapse”
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/10/2005/1248%29
The coming global economic collapse will turn America into third world "basket-case" economic status as a nation
when it arrives. Even now, its economic infrastructure is being largely gutted and outsourced to other nations such as China.
Down will come the US Dollar, up shall come the European Euro, the new international currency. A shift in geopolitical power to democratic/socialist Europe will, in turn, follow. Europe will become the new global superpower and
eventual center for world government after the fallout of America's Crash into the dust-bin of history. In 2005,
British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that the euro will become the world's premiere currency by 2012 at the latest. The
US dollar has been plunging in value against the euro for years. The globalists now have America right where they want it,
and are eagerly moving in for the kill. The collapse of the US dollar will reduce America to a level of chaos, poverty
and deprivation Americans are woefully unprepared for. It will be a period of tremendous hardship and economic
deprivation. The trucks will no longer be pulling into the Wal-Marts and Safeways. Banks and gas stations will close.
Hoarding, looting and social breakdown will ensue triggering nationwide outages, violence and chaos. Basic goods and
services will most likely be fought over in the streets in the most heavily armed nation on Earth (should make for quite
a war zone). An almost instant depression will seize the entire modern industrialized world as nation-states
breakdown, people frantically seeking means of subsistence; staying warm, obtaining food, water etc... America will
be forced to close its military bases worldwide, there will be no money for government services, education, pensions,
health care, transportation, social security etc... Society will quickly slip into lawless anarchy. Civil rights and liberties
will be suspended. The Constitution will be nullified. The American Police State will go to RED ALERT and declare
Martial Law. It will be the end of the American Global Empire. DOWN will come the SUV's, the motorhomes, palacial
estates and American flags. DOWN will come the fascist ultra right-wing christian fundamentalist theocracy and
psychopathic murderous US military who slaughter the innocent of the world in the name of Jesus. DOWN shall come the
corporate right-wing republican Bush-Cheney vermin/scum and their supporters (that's 1/2 of the country) who make
unlawful gain at the expense and exploitation of the people and the planet. DOWN shalll come the rich- that which they have
shall be taken from them. Into the prisons and gulags they shall go, never to rise again. OFF with their heads!!!
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General
Economic Collapse Leads to War
Mead 1998, "rule 1: don't panic. Rule 2 : panic first", Esquire, October [Walter Russell Mead, Senior Fellow for U.S.
Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations]
The behavior of economic storms is as hard to predict as the course of a hurricane. Still, this storm already has a track
record, and it's pretty damned chilling. If, God forbid, it reaches the United States, watch out. In a blow like this, stock
prices could easily fall by two thirds--that's 6,000 points on the Dow--and it could take stocks a decade or more to
recover. Many investors could be destroyed; mass liquidation of mutual funds in a panic could wipe out some funds
entirely. The carnage among "growth" funds and such high-flying sectors as Internet and technology companies would
be appalling. In a real meltdown, the damage wouldn't be limited to the financial markets. Housing prices would
plummet, leaving millions of highly leveraged home and apartment owners sitting on mortgages that are worth far
more than their homes. Millions of people would lose their jobs, and tens of millions more would watch their wages
drop as employers frantically tried to cut back their payrolls. Many cities would face bankruptcy as their tax revenues
collapsed. All these things and more have already happened in many countries around the world. Thailand, Indonesia,
Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Russia, South Africa--stock markets in these countries have fallen by as
much as 90 percent, unemployment rates are exploding, and countless people face the loss of their businesses, jobs,
and homes. Even starvation. Short or a massive asteroid strike from outer space, no natural disaster could destroy this
much wealth or plunge this many people into misery And more than a year after the crisis began, not one country
where it has struck shows any signs of recovery. With Japan, the world's second-largest economy; and Russia, its
second-largest nuclear power, firmly in its grip, the economic crisis now sweeping the planet may be the most
important event--and the most dangerous--since the Second World War. This isn't just an economic meltdown in a few
emerging markets. It's a full-fledged crisis of the international economic system, one that could plunge the entire
world into a major depression. More than that, it could challenge the strength of the international political system and
test the leadership of the country that widely and imprudently bills itself as "the only global superpower." Well, the
only global superpower has recently made some very stupid mistakes. We put our confidence in two basic ideas that
turned out to be wrong. The first is that rapid deregulation of the international financial system would promote growth
without creating dangerous financial crises.
The U.S. is willing to use its military in order to protect economic interests
DuBoff, 2003 (Richard B. professor of economics at Bryn Mawr College, "U.S. Hegemony: Continuing Decline, Enduring
Danger," December, http://www.monthlyreview.org/1203duboff.htm)
Can America’s military supremacy be used to rebuild economic hegemony? Can it serve the interests of global capital across
the world? For over fifty years the American military establishment has been a source of support for multinational
capital, and for alliances whose logic is to preserve an open trade and investment system throughout the world. The
U.S. military presence still protects economic interests, notably in Saudi Arabia and other oil satrapies, and it may
now allow the United States to control Iraq’s oil fields, but the extent and duration of that control, and whether it will
increase the leverage of the United States over supplies and prices in the world’s oil markets, remain highly problematic. Pax
Americana has always been a mixed blessing for U.S. allies: it has been maintained partly by military power,
undercutting efforts by U.S. allies in Europe and Japan to forge independent foreign policies. With the demise of the
Soviet Union, the United States became “the only superpower still standing” and quickly set about using the new
configuration of power in the world to reassert and expand its dominion over all comers. In 1990–1991 the United
States cobbled together a coalition to wage the first Gulf War (“By God, we’ve kicked the Vietnam syndrome once and for
all,” exclaimed President George Bush the day the war ended), but would not pay for it and complained when its allies started
to renege on pledges of $37 billion. At the same time the United States was searching for ways to keep the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance alive, even though the official rationale for its founding in 1949—the Soviet Union—
had disappeared. According to a 1992 Pentagon Defense Planning document, “It is of fundamental importance to preserve
NATO as the primary instrument of Western defense and security, as well as the channel for U.S. influence and participation
in European security affairs [and] we must seek to prevent the emergence of Europe-only security arrangements....[W]e must
maintain the mechanisms for deterring potential competitors from even aspiring to a larger regional or global role.”
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US K World Econ
The Collapse of the U.S. Economy Causes the Collapse of the World Economy
Chris H. Lewis, growth skeptic, 1998 [The Coming Age of Scarcity, p.56]
A global recession will make the 1929 depression in the US look like a sari-sari store closing down. Global recession will lay
off millions across the planet, and trigger a stoppage of production in all types of industries. Industry-based nations with little
or no agrarian economy, such as Singapore, will be the first to feel the pinch. Moving out of recession takes time and while
the crisis continues, despair will negate further efforts towards growth and induce more crimes and war. In other words, a
protracted recession will make it harder to get out of it and may cause a depression. A global depression can kill more people
at a shorter time than a protracted regional war. The IMF-World Bank bailout of beleaguered Asian economies, especially
South Korea, is urgent since the ongoing regional recession may indeed spread out to affect even the more stable American
economy. An American recession will surely trigger a global recession. The South Korea $50 billion bailout, the biggest
ever, bigger than the Mexican bailout, hints how urgent the situation is.
US Economy is key to the world economy
Scott Champion, Share International Staff Writer, 6/03 (SHARE INTERNATIONAL unites to hovedretninger of
thinking, the political and the spiritual “Will a US dollar collapse end American hegemony?” http://64.233.167.104/search?
q=cache:c7OliQOGgIEJ:shareno.net/dollarcollapse.htm+economic+collapse+and+hegemony&hl=en)
The US is currently running a $600 billion current-account deficit (trade deficit adjusted by unilateral transfers such as
interest earned abroad). This means the US must borrow more than $1.5 billion per day on a net basis from
international lenders. For borrowers such as the US, it is generally easier to pay back loans in a depreciating currency rather
than an appreciating one. Due to the large sums involved and a weak domestic economy, a strong dollar would make it more
difficult for the US to finance its self-appointed role as the “world’s policeman”. The US’s increasingly desperate financial
condition is not good news for the world. With short-term interest rates near zero, there is little additional economic
benefit to be gained from lowering them further. This leaves a cheaper dollar as one of the last levers to stimulate the US
economy. As long as lenders are willing to invest in dollar assets, the US can continue to borrow to maintain its current
lifestyle. However, if foreign lenders begin to shun US markets because of a falling dollar, it could cause serious problems
for the US Government, economy and people. For many years the US has been the economic engine for the world,
standing in as purchaser of last resort for the world’s supply of goods in times of global economic distress. Now the US
itself is in trouble. If the US attempts to fight the rapidly gaining forces of deflation by encouraging a depreciating
dollar, it will export deflation to the rest of the world because foreign currencies will rise relative to the dollar. This
will damage foreign economies and inhibit their ability to buy goods and services, including those from the US. Since
the short-term benefit of a weak dollar to US corporations’ earnings will show up quickly, while the long-term damage to
the global economy will become apparent only with the passage of time, it is a fair assumption that the US will take the
easy route and worry about the global fallout later.
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Heg
Fiscal Discipline is key to Heg, Global Economy
Vancouver Sun, 9/11/2007, “Winning the war on terror requires fiscal discipline in the United States”, lexis, BB
The day before Sept. 11, 2001, the national debt of the United States stood at $5.7 trillion US. By the end of last week,
it was $9 trillion and forecasters see it at $11 trillion by 2010. As a percentage of gross domestic product, U.S. debt is
approaching 70 per cent. It was worse briefly during and just after the Second World War, but the debt-to-GDP
ratio today is at its highest level in four decades. The U.S. was quick to respond to the terrorist attacks that
brought down the World Trade Center twin towers, crashed a plane in a Pennsylvania field, and punched a hole in
the Pentagon, taking a toll of 3,000 lives. The Americans unleashed their intelligence units to track down the culprits
and launched a military assault against Afghanistan, which had been identified as a base and breeding ground for
terrorism. At home, they established the Department of Homeland Security, mandated to prevent, protect against and
respond to acts of terrorism on U.S. soil. But, while the Americans flexed their military muscle, beefed up border
defences and embarked on a diplomatic mission to recruit allies to their cause, the administration has done nothing
to shore up the nation's perilous financial affairs. Enemies of the U.S. know that it cannot be defeated on the
battlefield. There are only two ways to topple the mighty American empire: Break the will of the American
people and disrupt the economy. The World Trade Center was a target not only because it dominated the New
York skyline, but because it was a symbol of U.S. economic power. In the aftermath of the attack, the Dow
Jones Industrial Average suffered its biggest point-drop ever, the unemployment rate jumped and the Federal
Reserve began slashing interest rates to forestall a recession. Fortunately, the economic impact of the attack was
short-lived and robust growth quickly resumed. However, public finances continued to deteriorate --and will
continue to do so unless Washington ends its addiction to deficits. The deficit this year is expected to reach $158
billion and, although it's a $90-billion drop from 2006, the figure is still daunting and unlikely to decline further if the
economy is crippled by the subprime mortgage loan debacle. An ominous sign: The Congressional Budget Office
expects real GDP growth will slow from an average of 3.0 per cent between 2009 and 2012 to 2.6 per cent
between 2013 and 2017. The U.S. government will spend more than $400 billion this year -- or $1 of every $12 it
spends -- just to service the debt. It is the largest single expenditure after defence. Its debt load and deficit
dependence leaves the U.S. vulnerable to economic shocks. Its insatiable appetite for borrowing puts upward
pressure on interest rates, which threatens to drive up interest costs, forcing Washington to borrow even more.
At some point it will have to cut spending or raise taxes -- and probably both -- in order to stop this cycle of fiscal
folly. Meanwhile, the U.S. has been running record trade deficits. Last year, the gap between what the U.S.
sold abroad and what it imported amounted to $763 billion. About one-third of the imbalance was with China, not
the most appealing or reliable trading partner. Trade deficits siphon spending power out of the U.S., further
jeopardizing economic growth. Substituting ethanol for oil will not address this dilemma. With its fiscal house
in disarray, it's no wonder the U.S. dollar has been devalued in international currency markets. For decades,
the greenback has been an icon of economic strength. As its value against other currencies falls, one can't help
wonder whether it marks the decline of American hegemony, not only in the global economy, but in geopolitics.
It would compound the tragedy of 9/11 if the influence of the U.S. government in the international arena was
diminished as a result of the administration's neglect of public finances. U.S. President George W. Bush could
salvage his legacy to some extent by setting a course for solvency. The public accounts are vital to the health of
nations. Ensuring they are in good shape and resistant to economic warfare is as important as secure borders
and military victories. Canada cut its debt-to-GDP ratio from 73 per cent to 38 per cent in a decade. It can be done.
For the sake of global security and prosperity, it must be done.
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Heg
U.S. Leadership and Hegemony is Key To Prevent War
Khalilzad ’95 (Washington Quarterly)
http://www.lexisnexis.com:80/us/lnacademic/search/homesubmitForm.do Under the third option, the
United States would seek to retain global leadership and to preclude the rise of a global rival or a return to multipolarity for
the indefinite future. On balance, this is the best long-term guiding principle and vision. Such a vision is desirable not as an
end in itself, but because a world in which the United States exercises leadership would have tremendous advantages. First,
the global environment would be more open and more receptive to American values -- democracy, free markets, and the rule
of law. Second, such a world would have a better chance of dealing cooperatively with the world's major problems, such as
nuclear proliferation, threats of regional hegemony by renegade states, and low-level conflicts. Finally, U.S. leadership would
help preclude the rise of another hostile global rival, enabling the United States and the world to avoid another global cold or
hot war and all the attendant dangers, including a global nuclear exchange. U.S. leadership would therefore be more
conducive to global stability than a bipolar or a multipolar balance of power system.
US dollar collapse would end US hegemony
Scott Champion, Share International Staff Writer, 6/03 (SHARE INTERNATIONAL unites to hovedretninger of
thinking, the political and the spiritual “Will a US dollar collapse end American hegemony?” http://64.233.167.104/search?
q=cache:c7OliQOGgIEJ:shareno.net/dollarcollapse.htm+economic+collapse+and+hegemony&hl=en)
The problem with this approach for the Bush administration is that there are great risks to a weak dollar policy. The world
economy is awash in dollars, and when there is too much of something the price or value usually drops, sometimes
precipitously. If confidence in the dollar or dollar assets, such as Treasury bonds, declines, the world may, at some
point, reconsider its involvement with US assets. The results of such a reappraisal could be anything from mildly
damaging to catastrophic. Seventy-five per cent of the world’s central-bank assets are held in US dollars (as Treasury
bonds). These bankers do not want their primary asset to suffer a significant decline. Many nations, like Japan, recycle
their trade surpluses into US dollars by purchasing and holding US Treasury bonds. They do this out of self-interest. In
the case of Japan, it helps to weaken the yen relative to the dollar. It is hard to imagine the Japanese reversing this policy, as
it would harm their own corporations. However Japan, together with the rest of the world, holds nearly a third of total US
Treasury debt. If these countries were to stop buying Treasuries, let alone start selling the ones they already own, the
US would be in serious trouble. What should concern the US authorities about a weak dollar policy is that the decline could
spin out of control.
When the global stock-market crash predicted in this magazine occurs, international support for the dollar will likely
evaporate as countries sell dollar assets to shore up their own ailing economies. If this happens, the US will have great
difficulty funding its historically large budget and trade deficits. At a most inopportune time, the US may be forced to
raise interest rates sharply to attract the capital to meet its obligations. This would be a further blow to an ailing
economy. A collapsing US stock market would almost certainly usher in a period of deflation for the American
economy. Recent statements by Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan and New York ‘Fed’ governor Bernacke make
clear that the Fed is concerned about deflation and stands ready to print an unlimited supply of dollars to fight this
eventuality. These statements are unprecedented in the 90-year history of the US Federal Reserve Bank and are tantamount to
a declaration that they stand willing to destroy the value of the dollar in the event of a serious crisis.
Today, many forces are coming together that could lead to a collapse of the US dollar. Among these are its oversupply, low
interest rates, the need to fight deflation, continuing stock-market declines, and a potential derivatives meltdown [see Share
International May 1990] It is highly likely that in the not-too-distant future all of these factors will come into play
simultaneously. In addition, many of the world’s financiers, central bankers, and government officials cannot be pleased with
the economic and foreign policies of the Bush administration. They well know that the continued recycling of capital into US
assets serves, at least in part, to allow the US to dominate the world. If the people who control the world’s capital were to
decide, for whatever reason, to cease buying Treasury securities and to liquidate those they own, the dollar would
collapse and the US would experience an unprecedented economic shock. Were this to happen, the world would
witness the end of American hegemony.
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Extinction
growth is key to prevent extinction
Michael Zey , Professor of Sociology at Rutgers, http://www.zey.com, 1994
However no outside force guarantees the continued progress of the human species, nor does anything mandate
that the human species must even continue to exist. In fact, history is littered with raves and civilizations that have
disappeared without a trace. So too could the human species. There is no guarantee that the human species will
survive even if we posit, as many have, a special purpose to the species’ existence. Therefore, the species innately
comprehends that it must engage in purposive actions in order to maintain its level of growth and progress.
Humanity’s future is conditioned by what I have called the imperative of growth, a principle I will herewith
describe along with its several corollaries. The imperative of growth stat that in order to survive, any nation,
indeed, the human rave, must grow, both materially and intellectually. The macro industrial era represents
growth in the Ares of both technology and human development, a natural stage in the evolution of the species’
continued extension of its control over itself and its environment. Although 5 billion strong, our continued
existence depends on our ability to continue the progress we have been making at higher and higher levels. Systems,
whether organizations, societies, or cell have three basic directions in which to move. They can grow decline, or
temporarily reside in a state of equilibrium. These are the choices. Choosing any alternative to growth for instance,
stabilization of production/consumption thought zero-growth policies could have alarmingly pernicious side effects
including extinction.
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Quality of Life
Economic Downturn Hurts Environmental and Social Efforts
Leonard Silk Winter 1993 (prof. of economics @ Pace U.), Foreign Affairs
Like the Great Depression, the current economic slump has fanned the fires of nationalist, ethnic and religious hatred
around the world. Economic hardship is not the only cause of these social and political pathologies, but it aggravates
all of them, and in turn they feed back on economic development. They also undermine efforts to deal with such
global problems as environmental pollution, the production and trafficking of drugs, crime, sickness, famine, AIDS
and other plagues. Growth will not solve all of these problems by itself. But economic growth – and growth alone –
creates the additional resources that make it possible to achieve such fundamental goals as higher living standards,
national and collective security, a healthier environment, and more liberal and open economies and societies.
Economic Downturn Prevents the U.S. From Solving Poverty
Vasquez - Director, Cato Institute Project on Global Economic Liberty - 2001 (Ian, “Ending Mass Poverty,” Economic
Perspectives, Volume 6, Number 3, September. http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/ites/0901/ijee/vasquez.htm)
Countries have ended mass poverty only by following policies that encourage economic growth. But that growth must be
self-sustaining to translate into enduring increases in wealth. Policies of forced industrialization or state-led development may
produce high growth for a time, but history has shown that such episodes are followed by economic contraction. Economic
freedom, by contrast, shows a strong relationship with prosperity and growth over time. Fortunately, many developing
countries are following that path, producing high and rapid growth and showing that it is good for the poor. Their experience
may create a demonstration effect for the majority of nations that are in many ways still economically unfree. All developing
nations can do more to increase growth. Establishing the rule of law, reducing barriers that hamper entrepreneurship and
competition, and recognizing the property rights of the poor are three reforms that go beyond the liberalization measures that
many countries have already introduced. Those reforms not only contribute to economic growth; they increase the
effectiveness of growth in reducing poverty. Policy-makers in rich and poor countries alike should not lose focus on the
promise of growth. It remains the only path to end mass poverty
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Quality of Life
Poor Economy and Deficits Lower the Quality of life for the Working Class, Destroying American
Society
William K. Tabb 5/11/06 taught economics at Queens College for many years, and economics, political science, and
sociology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His books include Economic Governance in the Age of
Globalization (Columbia University Press, 2004), Unequal Partners: A Primer on Globalization (The New Press, 2002),
http://www.monthlyreview.org/0506tabb.htm Thomas Friedman, the New York Times columnist, argues that Bush is not
good for America. He writes that the country “faces a huge set of challenges if it is going to retain its competitive edge.
As a nation, we have a mounting educational deficit, energy deficit, budget deficit, health care deficit and ambition
deficit. The administration is in denial on this, and Congress is off on Mars.” Friedman asks where are the American
corporate leaders who would benefit from a serious effort to address these deficits. He can point to G.M.’s interest in health
care since its benefit costs have made it noncompetitive and asks if there is any corporation in America that should not be
protesting Bush’s cuts in federally sponsored basic research, a key source of innovation. But he also answers with a different
voice noting that many key U.S.-based industries get most of their profits and increasingly their best talent from abroad. They
are less motivated than in the past to deal with a Congress “catering to people who think ‘intelligent design’ is something
done by God and not by Intel.” There is, however, another way of looking at this. Consider that part of the higher return
enjoyed by American investors results from the power of the U.S. imperial state, power that insures against bad treatment.
U.S. power sets the rules on debt repayment, intellectual property rights, investor security, market access, and so on, things
that no other state can insure for its investors, at least not to the same degree. The difference in the rate of return exists
because foreigners are interested in a safe return and the security of their principal, while Americans investing in risky assets
have some assurance that the global state economic governance institutions such as the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund, or if needed the U.S. Marines or threats by the State Department, will enforce debt collection so that their
debts will be collected. U.S.-based firms charge exorbitantly for intellectual property and collect intellectual property rents,
enforced by the World Trade Organization and the U.S. government, but these go to the bottom line of the companies in
question. This is surely good news for those who own those U.S. assets abroad. Sadly, working-class Americans, who are
experiencing stagnant or falling real wages, do not share this satisfaction. For them, wages, shrinking benefits, and
deteriorating job quality matter more than the external balance position of the United States. In the United States in
which they live, income inequality grows dramatically, health care costs rise beyond the means of families, and secure
retirement is a vanishing prospect. These are the real deficits for most Americans, serious shortfalls from what they have
been led to expect. They are now told that to be competitive, their country must sacrifice its working people’s legitimate
hopes. In the United States where the president talks of creating an ownership society in which workers would “own” their
own health care and retirement through privatized individual accounts, defined-benefit pensions, which guarantee a fixed
amount of money after retirement, are replaced by defined-contribution plans, in which benefits depend upon what a worker
can put in and the uncertainty of the equity market. The basic idea of social insurance, where all contribute and receive
based on need, is canceled as those who can afford more not only get more but receive favored tax treatment for each
dollar they set aside for their own welfare. As part of the program, there are reductions in income tax (paid
disproportionately by the rich), in taxation of corporations, and in capital gains and inheritance taxation that overwhelmingly
benefit the rich. Government deficits created by these regressive tax cuts are partially offset by increases in payroll taxes, and
proposals pour forth in support of consumption and flat-tax ideas—all new tax burdens for workers, with capital exempt.
Instead of unemployment benefits, there are to be personal reemployment and training accounts of limited size. Instead of
well-funded public education, there are unfunded mandated testing and school vouchers. Consumers hurt by defective
products and such are limited in their right to sue, and people who are bankrupted by personal tragedy can no longer
seek bankruptcy relief as they have in the past. Government regulations to protect consumers are seen as inefficient
because they increase the costs of doing business and are repealed or go unenforced, or are enforced by former industry
partisans. Devolution of responsibilities from federal to state government undermines promised benefit levels, since states
cannot afford such burdens and federal help is reduced. This is the Ownership Society as envisioned by George W. Bush and
those around him. It is a package of policies attacking the idea of citizenship rights and follows Margaret Thatcher’s principle
that there is no such thing as society, only individuals. It stands in contrast to the principle unifying working-class
movements everywhere—and at all times—solidarity. The deficits the Bush administration have created are undermining
American society as we have known it.
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Quality of Life
Lack of Economic Growth Causes Nuclear War
Leonard Silk, Professor at Pace University ‘96 (Making Capitalism Work, p. 27-
28)
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Imperialism
Furthering current negative economic trends leads to imperialism
William K. Tabb 5/11/06 taught economics at Queens College for many years, and economics, political science, and
sociology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His books include Economic Governance in the Age of
Globalization (Columbia University Press, 2004), Unequal Partners: A Primer on Globalization (The New Press, 2002),
http://www.monthlyreview.org/0506tabb.htm While mainstream economists dismiss any idea of a race to the bottom, there
is an unquestionable slowing of growth and an emergent underconsumptionist, or rather overaccumulationist, trend.
While global growth has slowed, the reach of transnational capital has dramatically increased, and its power to seek out
lower costs and play workers in one place against workers elsewhere has grown. What we are seeing is a process of
redistributional growth, in which over the ups and downs of the business cycle, capital’s share of the social product is
increasing and labor’s share is diminishing. There is a clear thread that connects domestic developments in the U.S.
income distribution, debt-funded growth, the increased dominance of the rentier capitalists who profit from these
developments, and global ambitions and the projection of imperial dominance. A century ago John A. Hobson argued
that as the power of rentiers grows and taxation becomes more dramatically regressive, a hegemonic power (then Great
Britain) is tempted to engage in imperialism. Hobson urged higher taxation of incomes generated as a result of financial
speculation and government favoritism to produce a more equal distribution of income and higher working-class and middleincome spending, which would encourage domestic investment and make imperialism less attractive. He wrote, The issue in
a word, is between external expansion of markets and of territory on the one hand, and internal social and industrial
reforms upon the other; between a militant imperialism animated by the lust for quantitative growth as a means by
which the governing and possessing classes may retain their monopoly of political power and industrial supremacy,
and a peaceful democracy engaged upon the development of its national resources in order to secure for all members the conditions of improved
comfort, security, and leisure essential for a worthy national life. (John A. Hobson, “Free Trade and Foreign Policy,” Contemporary Review 64 [1898]: 179,
quoted in Leonard Seabrooke, “The Economic Taproot of US Imperialism: The Bush Rentier Shift,” International Politics 41, no. 3 (September 2004): 293–
318. Today the “rentier shift” produces the very conditions Hobson warned of in the context of Great Britain a century ago. The growth of the
rentier economy and the drive for external expansion long evident in U.S. history (and surely under both Clinton and
Bush, albeit with a different policy mix) has been fed by an investor politics that has favored the very rich disproportionately
in both taxation and government spending priorities. The dramatic increases in the upward redistribution of income have
contributed to driving the investor class to look for opportunities abroad as the slower growth, and indeed saturation, of
domestic markets pushes them to do. And this is taking place even as their increased class dominance—with trade unions
and working-class power weakening, and real wages stagnating—allows them to push for a greater degree of regressive
taxation and less progressive redistributive state spending. Along Hobsonian lines, Arjay Kapur, a Citigroup strategist, argues
that the rich are responsible for the low saving rate in Anglo-Saxon economies, which he describes as “plutonomies”—economies driven primarily by the
wealthy as compared to the more egalitarian Japanese and European economies. In the plutonomies, above all the United States, it makes little sense to speak
of the average consumer, since the top one percent of all households has 20 percent of the income, about the same as the bottom 60 percent. Spending in the
United States is driven by the asset inflation of the equity and real estate holdings of the top 10 percent of the income distribution. The wealth effect of such
holdings allows debt- financed spending and results in the negative saving rate. Kapur finds that throughout our history there has been a strong negative
correlation between the share of U.S. income going to the top 1 percent and the overall saving rate—the higher the share, the lower the saving rate.
Economies with low saving rates tend to show current account deficits and the need for foreign borrowing. To this analysis one might add that the power of
the United States to command foreign credit depends in some measure on the power of the U.S. state, the continued use of the dollar as the reserve currency,
and other factors which ultimately rest on U.S. imperial power. This relation is two-way. Harvard’s Linda Bilmes and Columbia’s Joseph Stiglitz estimate
that the eventual cost of the war in Iraq will be more than a trillion dollars and possibly closer to two trillion dollars. So far the Bush administration has
borrowed the money and underestimated the cost, but its policies raise the specter of imperial overstretch and the need for further coercion to keep the
American economy afloat. Past empires have followed the path that the United States seems to be going down, a movement from manufacturing production
as the core activity to financialization and rentier income, and then finally bankruptcy from a loss of competitiveness and the cost of maintaining empire. For
the elite there seems no better alternative, even if this is finally a negative-sum result. Any more positive strategy from the perspective of a democratic
majority would require policies that would weaken the power of the ruling elite. It appears to this elite that it is better to continue to get rich and maintain
power through the period of national decline. To the extent that this class can obtain rents from the familiar sources of state handouts, corrupt dealings, and
tax policies, it stands to gain. In conclusion, the concern over debt levels and bubbles is certainly appropriate. What is essentially a regional and sectoral
disproportionality crisis leading to imbalance in capital flows and the high debt position of the United States is deserving of the attention it is receiving from
all points on the ideological compass. What must be central to such discussions, however, is the class dimension of the accompanying redistribution of
wealth and power and the resultant impact on members of the world’s working classes. Disproportionalities are more than matters of technical economics.
They are manifestations of class struggle. Understood in this way, analysis enables more clear-sighted mobilization addressed at real enemies and
demands for real solutions. Imperialist adventurism today serves the U.S. ruling class. It comes at the expense of
working people everywhere.
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Oil Impact
High Oil Prices and Shocks Cause Economic Recession
Telegraph Herald 4-28- 04
http://www.lexisnexis.com:80/us/lnacademic/search/focusSearch.do?risb=21_T4183683028&pap=results_listview_Listview
&formStateKey=29_T4183683032&format=GNBLIST&returnTo=20_T4183683029
Some economists say things could get worse. "It could cause a recession if oil prices go high enough," David Wyss,
chief economist at Standard & Poor's in New York, told the Associated Press this week. Oil price shocks have played
a role in four of the last five U.S. recessions during the past three decades, according to the Associated Press. The
price of crude, the key component in gasoline, has flirted with a record-smashing $$ @42 per barrel in recent weeks.
While the price has retreated more than $$ @2 since May 17, due in large part to OPEC's reported willingness to step
up production, many analysts worry crude prices could remain high for the remainder of the year. High gas prices act
much like a tax, as consumers forsake some discretionary spending for the necessity of filling up their cars. Since
consumers fuel two-thirds of the nation's economy, spending cutbacks in other areas could hurt an economic recovery
that appears to be picking up steam, analysts say. With diesel prices also on the rise, truckers are living with higher
fuel surcharges, which in turn get passed along to manufacturers and, ultimately, consumers.
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Econ Impacts - Environment
War Hurts the Environment – Imperically Proven
Environmental effects of warfare Page updated Sept Created by S.M. Enzler MSc LENNTECH
2006
// Benson
Afghanistan war – In October 2001, the United States attacked Afghanistan as a starting chapter of the ‘War on
terrorism’, which still continues today. The ultimate goal was to replace the Taliban government, and to find apparent
9/11 mastermind and Al-Qaeda member Osama Bin Laden. Many European countries assisted the US in what was
called ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’.
During the war, extensive damage was done to the environment, and
many people suffered health effects from weapons applied to destroy enemy targets. It is estimated that ten
thousand villages, and their surrounding environments were destroyed. Safe drinking water declined, because
of a destruction of water infrastructure and resulting leaks, bacterial contamination and water theft. Rivers
and groundwater were contaminated by poorly constructed landfills located near the sources.
Afghanistan
once consisted of major forests watered by monsoons. During the war, Taliban members illegally trading timber
in Pakistan destroyed much of the forest cover. US bombings and refugees in need of firewood destroyed much
of what remained. Less than 2% of the country still contains a forest cover today.
Bombs threaten much of
the country’s wildlife. One the world’s important migratory thoroughfare leads through Afghanistan. The number of
birds now flying this route has dropped by 85%. In the mountains many large animals such as leopards found
refuge, but much of the habitat is applied as refuge for military forces now. Additionally, refugees capture
leopards and other large animals are and trade them for safe passage across the border.
Pollution from application
of explosives entered air, soil and water. One example is cyclonite, a toxic substance that may cause cancer.
Rocket propellants deposited perchlorates, which damage the thyroid gland. Numerous landmines left behind
in Afghan soils still cause the deaths of men, women and children today.
War Hurts the Environment – Empirically Proven
Environmental effects of warfare Page updated Sept Created by S.M. Enzler MSc LENNTECH
2006
// Benson
Iraq & Kuwait – The Gulf War was fought between Iraq, Kuwait and a number of western countries in 1991. Kuwait
had been part of Iraq in the past, but was liberated by British imperialism, as the Iraqi government described it. In
August 1990, Iraqi forces claimed that the country was illegally extracting oil from Iraqi territory, and attacked. The
United Nations attempted to liberate Kuwait. Starting January 1991, Operation Desert Storm began, with the purpose
of destroying Iraqi air force and anti-aircraft facilities, and command and control facilities. The battle was fought in
Iraq, Kuwait and the Saudi-Arabian border region. Both aerial and ground artillery was applied. Late January, Iraqi
aircraft were flown to Iran, and Iraqi forces began to flee.
The Gulf War was one of the most environmentally
devastating wars ever fought. Iraq dumped approximately one million tons of crude oil into the Persian Gulf,
thereby causing the largest oil spill in history (see environmental disasters). Approximately 25,000 migratory
birds were killed. The impact on marine life was not as severe as expected, because warm water sped up the natural
breakdown of oil. Local prawn fisheries did experience problems after the war. Crude oil was also spilled into the
desert, forming oil lakes covering 50 square kilometres. In due time the oil percolated into groundwater aquifers.
Fleeing Iraqi troops ignited Kuwaiti oil sources, releasing half a ton of air pollutants into the atmosphere.
Environmental problems caused by the oil fires include smog formation and acid rain. Toxic fumes originating
from the burning oil wells compromised human health, and threatened wildlife. A soot layer was deposited on
the desert, covering plants, and thereby preventing them from breathing. Seawater was applied to extinguish
the oil fires, resulting in increased salinity in areas close to oil wells. It took about nine months to extinguish the
fires.
During the war, many dams and sewage water treatment plants were targeted and destroyed. A lack of
possibilities for water treatment resulting from the attacks caused sewage to flow directly into the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers.
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War Hurts the Environment and Causes Disease – Herbicides
Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) is a monthly journal of peer-reviewed research and news on the impact of the
environment on human health. EHP is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and its content
is free online. Print issues are available by paid subscription. Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 112, Number 17,
December 2004 // Benson
Herbicides as a weapon first came on to the radar during the Vietnam War, when some 19 million gallons of
chemicals were sprayed on Vietnam and Laos to strip away enemy cover and destroy crops. The different herbicide
formulations, known collectively today as Agent Orange, were contaminated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-pdioxin, a known human carcinogen. Decades after spraying ended, a quarter of this persistent toxicant remains
in the Vietnamese environment, and the NIEHS and the Vietnamese government are working together to fully
characterize the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange. Today, herbicides play a major role in the Colombian
drug war, another example of the changed nature of modern war. Several insurgent groups have been battling the
Colombian government in a protracted and bloody civil war. The war has provided narcotics growers and processors
uncontrolled zones in which they can flourish; insurgents and narcotics cartels have formed alliances. According to
the U.S. embassy in Bogotá, most of the cocaine and heroin on the U.S. market comes from Colombia. To stop this
flood, the U.S. and Colombian governments have jointly developed and implemented the Plan Colombia eradication
program.
Crop casualties. Many Colombian farmers believe their crops, like these bananas, are being ruined by drift from
herbicide spraying of illegal poppy and coca crops. Many of the ruined crops were planted at the urging of the
government as alternatives to the illegal plants. image credit: Witness for Peace
A major component of the plan is aerial spraying of herbicide on coca and poppy plants, which began in 2000. The
main ingredient is glyphosate, widely used as a weed killer in several formulations of Monsanto's Roundup and in
other products, and the most commonly used commercial herbicide in the world. According to the National Pesticide
Telecommunications Network, glyphosate causes mild eye and skin irritation and digestive and respiratory
irritation when ingested, and has not been shown to cause reproductive damage or cancer in humans or
wildlife. However, many Colombian farmers in sprayed areas report significant skin problems, headaches,
vomiting, miscarriages, and deaths of small children--effects that they attribute to the spraying. Residents of
the sprayed areas are not told when spraying will occur for security reasons, so they cannot take any steps to
protect themselves, their families, their crops, or their livestock.
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War and Its Preparations Hurt the Environment
Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) is a monthly journal of peer-reviewed research and news on the impact of the
environment on human health. EHP is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and its content
is free online. Print issues are available by paid subscription. Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 112, Number 17,
December 2004 // Benson
Preparing for war is a heavily industrialized mission that generates fuel spills, hazardous waste, and air
pollution. The DOD owns more than 10% of the 1,240 sites currently on the National Priorities List, and has
estimated the cost of cleaning up these sites at approximately $9.7 billion. In addition to lead and a variety of solvents,
training facilities release munitions constituents including perchlorate (a thyroid toxicant), RDX (an explosive
compound and neurotoxicant), and TNT (an explosive compound linked to anemia and altered liver function).
Nearly 1 in 10 Americans live within 10 miles of a DOD Superfund site--a sometimes perilous proximity. The
Massachusetts Military Reservation, for instance, a 34-square-mile multi-use training facility in Cape Cod, is
slowly leaching solvents, jet fuel, RDX, and perchlorate into the area's sole aquifer, a drinking water source for
up to 500,000 people at the height of tourist season. Military aircraft from DOD facilities also generate noise
and air pollution. For instance, in 1996, the most recent year for which data are available, more than 50,000 military
flights contributed to the heavy air traffic over Washington, D.C. According to the Democratic Committee on Energy
and Commerce, these flights emitted 75 tons of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, which generate
smog. In 1999, the Sierra Army Depot, located 55 miles northeast of Reno, was California's leading air polluter,
according to the EPA Toxics Release Inventory. The base released some 5.4 million pounds of toxic chemicals that
year, including aluminum, copper, and zinc fumes. As of this publication, Congress has approved legislation requested
by the DOD amending the Migratory Bird Protection Act, portions of the Endangered Species Act, and the Marine
Mammal Protection Act. Now, the DOD is seeking changes through the RRPI to certain hazardous waste laws-specifically, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and the Clean Air Act (CAA). The DOD acknowledges that these laws have
never been shown to have interfered with specific military training, but says it can't afford to wait until training is shut
down before it acts. As evidence of the need to act now, the DOD points to a number of lawsuits and "close calls,"
including the case at Eagle River Flats and the Navy's 2002 temporary closure of its Farallon de Medinilla live-fire
training range in the Pacific. That closure followed a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity alleging
that bombing at the range was killing protected migratory birds. The DOD argues that even the threat of
interference by hazardous waste litigation justifies its aims. Joe Willging, an environmental lawyer with the DOD
General Counsel's office, says in reference to the Farallon de Medinilla closure, "We don't feel it's wise to wait for that
kind of train wreck to see if we are going to lose in litigation. . . . Our job is to send soldiers, sailors, airmen, and
Marines into combat environments in the absolute best-prepared way we can. You can't do that if you introduce
artificialities into training. We want to maintain the ability to use those ranges in the optimum way based on military
readiness considerations, not on other considerations.
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Econ Impacts – Air pollution
War Causes Sickness– Empirically Proven
Environmental effects of warfare Page updated Sept Created by S.M. Enzler MSc LENNTECH
2006
// Benson
Additionally, pollutants seeped from bombed chemical plants into the rivers. Drinking water extracted from
the river was polluted, resulting in widespread disease. For example, cases of typhoid fever have increased
tenfold since 1991.
Movement of heavy machinery such as tanks through the desert damaged the brittle surface,
causing soil erosion. Sand was uncovered that formed gradually moving sand dunes. These dunes may one day cause
problems for Kuwait City. Tanks fired Depleted Uranium (DU) missiles, which can puncture heavy artillery
structures. DU is a heavy metal that causes kidney damage and is suspected to be teratogenic and carcinogenic.
Post-Gulf War reports state an increase in birth defects for children born to veterans. The impact of Depleted
Uranium could not be thoroughly investigated after the Gulf War, because Saddam Hussein refused to cooperate. Its
true properties were revealed after the Kosovo War in 2001 (description below). DU has now been identified as a
neurotoxin, and birth defects and cancers are attributed to other chemical and nerve agents. However, it is stated
that DU oxides deposited in the lungs of veterans have not been thoroughly researched yet. It was later found that
this may cause kidney and lung infections for highly exposed persons.
After the Gulf War many veterans
suffered from a condition now known as the Gulf War Syndrome. The causes of the illness are subject to
widespread speculation. Examples of possible causes are exposure to DU (see above), chemical weapons (nerve
gas and mustard gas), an anthrax vaccine given to 41% of US soldiers and 60-75% of UK soldiers, smoke from
burning oil wells and parasites. Symptoms of the GWS included chronic fatigue, muscle problems, diarrhoea,
migraine, memory loss, skin problems and shortness of breath. Many Gulf War veterans have died of illnesses
such as brain cancer, now acknowledged as potentially connected to service during the war.
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*** ECON IMPACT ANSWERS
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General Econ Impact 2AC Frontline
1. The United States Economy is Extremely Resilient
William B. Bonvillian is Legislative Director and Chief Counsel to Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Issues in
Science and Technology, fall 2004-Meeting the New Challenge to U.S. Economic Competitiveness
In the 1980s, when the United States faced significant competitive challenges from Japan and Germany, U.S. industry,
labor, and government worked out a series of competitiveness policies and approaches that helped pave the way for
the nation’s revitalized economic leadership in the 1990s. In the mid-1980s President Reagan appointed Hewlett Packard
president John Young to head a bipartisan competitiveness commission, which recommended a practical policy approach
designed to defuse ideological squabbling. Although many of its recommendations were enacted slowly or not at all, the
commission created a new focus on public-private partnerships, on R&D investments (especially in IT), and on successful
competition in trade rather than protectionism. This became the generally accepted response and provided the building blocks
for the 1990s boom. The Young Commission was followed by Congress’s Competitiveness Policy Council through 1997.
These efforts were successful in redefining the economic debate in part because they built on the experiences, wellremembered at the time, of industry and government collaboration that was so successful in World War II and in
responding to Sputnik. Those are much more distant memories in this new century, but we should revisit the Young
Commission model. The private sector Council on Competitiveness, originally led by Young, has assembled a group of
leading industry, labor, and academic leaders to prepare a National Innovation Initiative, which could provide a blueprint for
action. Legislation has been introduced in the Senate to establish a new bipartisan competitiveness commission that would
have the prestige and leverage to stimulate government action. The U.S. economy is the most flexible and resilient in the
world. The country possesses a highly talented workforce, powerful and efficient capital markets, the strongest R&D
system, and the energy of entrepreneurs and many dynamic companies. That by itself will not guarantee success in a
changing economy, but it gives the country the wherewithal to adapt to an evolving world. Challenges to U.S.
dominance are visible everywhere. Strong economic growth is vital to the U.S. national mission, and innovation is the
key to that growth. The United States needs to fashion a new competitiveness agenda designed to speed the velocity of
innovation to meet the great challenges of the new century. Once that agenda has been crafted, the nation must find the
political will to implement it.
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2 . Increasing our debt to other nations isn’t bad – no risk of an impact
William K. Tabb 5/11/06 taught economics at Queens College for many years, and economics, political science, and
sociology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His books include Economic Governance in the Age of Globalization (Columbia
University Press, 2004), Unequal Partners: A Primer on Globalization (The New Press, 2002), http://www.monthlyreview.org/0506tabb.htm // Benson
The questions regarding U.S. macroeconomic policy these days come down to whether the country can keep borrowing. Can consumers keep spending by
increasing their debt level? Can the federal government keep running a large budget deficit without serious problems developing? Can the U.S. current
account deficit keep growing? Will foreigners keep buying government bonds to cover this growing debt? If the answer is no to such questions, we can
expect serious trouble and not just for the United States but for the rest of the world, which has grown used to the United States as the consumer of last
resort. The United States buys 50 percent more than it sells overseas, enough to sink any other economy. In another economy, such a deficit would lead to a
severe devaluation of the currency, sharply inflating the price of imports and forcing the monetary authorities to push interest rates
up considerably. The United States started to run annual trade deficits in 1976 and has done so every year since. In
1985, this country became a net debtor nation, owing more to the rest of the world than is owed to it. By 1987, it became the
world’s largest net debtor nation. The debt has grown and grown since, to the point where economists Nouriel Roubini and
Brad Setser suggest that “The current account deficit will continue to grow on the back of higher and higher payments
of U.S. foreign debt even if the trade deficit stabilizes. That is why sustained trade deficits will set off the kind of
explosive debt dynamics that will lead to financial crises.” However it also seems to be in everybody’s interest to keep the
game going. Asian countries, especially China, want to continue exporting to the United States and keep their currencies
from strengthening, preferring to export to Americans and then to loan the money back to them so that they can buy more.
Much of the foreign savings go into U.S. government bonds, keeping U.S. interest rates down (currently half of U.S.
Treasury bonds are owned by foreigners). The cost of this debt seems manageable, in part because there is slower
growth in most of the world’s countries, and so there is plenty of finance capital looking for a safe place to get positive
returns. And the low interest rates allow American households to borrow more cheaply, using home equity loans on
the seemingly ever-rising value of their homes. The problem is, as Herbert Stein, Nixon’s economic adviser, famously said, “Things that can’t
go on forever, don’t.” Surely a reckoning is coming. U.S. household debt has reached $11.5 trillion, an amount equal to an unprecedented 127 percent of
annual disposable income. The most recent figures by the Federal Reserve show the cost of debt servicing nearing a record high of 14 percent of disposable
income—and interest rates are going up. How long will Asians and others hold U.S. debt when the dollar finally starts to fall and they take losses on their
holdings? Ah, but we have the equally famous retort from Mr. Nixon’s Treasury Secretary, John Connally, “It’s our currency, but it’s your
problem.” America’s creditors can’t let the dollar fall too far without serious costs to themselves (their dollar holdings
will buy less the lower the exchange value of the dollar). They will be drawn to keep lending. And sure enough,
recently the dollar has defied expectations and strengthened, not weakened. The bubbles and all the debt are serious
economic problems and will have political consequences. However, people have been waiting for the dollar to collapse for a
while; if it does, will all the unsustainable debt really be unsustainable? Will the dollar fall this year or next? Maybe. But it is
possible to argue, and many do, that in an era of financial globalization, in which productivity growth in the United
States continues to outpace that in other advanced economies, the United States will continue to be the destination for
investment capital. As foreigners diversify out of their own economies, the United States continues to look good. Why
shouldn’t foreign investment exceed 100 percent of the U.S. GDP? Why would this be a problem? Why would anyone want their money back if returns are
competitive? Why then should the dollar fall? In any case, the big buyers of U.S. treasuries are foreign governments. They are not motivated simply by
financial returns. Political pressure can be exerted by Washington should their view of their own self interest change. But why should it change? As for the
federal deficit, why shouldn’t the Republicans keep enlarging the national debt? This “starves the beast.” It prevents public spending they don’t want on
other grounds. Is there support for such a Panglossian perspective? The “know-how” that U.S. transnationals export when
they invest abroad is a major and uncounted (in the U.S. international financial accounts) export which seems to be
responsible for the higher return on foreign investment enjoyed by U.S. investors compared to the return on foreign
investment made in the United States. Michael Mandel, Business Week’s economics editor, argues that the United States
is really doing far better than the trade and capital flow accounts indicate because of what is going on in the
knowledge economy. Intangibles such as research and development (R&D) and the export of knowledge are poorly tracked by the federal
government’s outmoded statistical gatherers, who still use industrial era categories. According to Business Week calculations, the ten biggest U.S.
companies that report their R&D spending—firms such as ExxonMobil, General Electric, Microsoft, and Intel—have boosted R&D spending by 42 percent
from 2000 to 2005, while over these years their capital spending only increased by 2 percent. What looks like less investment is really less investment in
plant and equipment but not in intangible investments calculated to improve profits. America’s “knowledge-adjusted” GDP is moving right along, and that is
why profits stay high. The decline in nominal investment also reflects the fact that capital goods are becoming less
expensive because of productivity growth in the capital goods sector, capital deepening, and the enhanced efficiency
due to improved information technology . Even conceding that investment in the United States may be somewhat higher than official data show,
it is not doing much to help the United States become more competitive. The nation’s problems are more severe, upsetting not only to its working people but
to some unexpected establishment ideologues who have long celebrated globalization.
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3. Dollar Collapse is inevitable
Steve Jones 4-25- Your Author 05 “Global Economic Collapse”
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/10/2005/1248%29 // Benson
There is now nothing the USA can do to prevent the inevitable collapse of its currency on the world's markets. The US
dollar will soon be sliding into a free-fall, bringing with it a complete, utter and absolute collapse of the American
economy. The crash will throw the entire world into a global depression. The European Union, on the otherhand, will
be able to make the necessary political and economic changes that will enable it to revive, flourish and prosper in the ashes of
the collapse. Europe and the euro will become the bell-weather of the New International Economic Order to be, and the
world's new superpower on Earth. In March 2005, former prime minister Mahathir Mohammed noted that the US
dollar is heading for collapse and urged international businesses to start trading in euros. Mahathir said only the fear of
a global economic catastrophe in the event of a dollar crash is helping the greenback retain its value. But the dollar has
scant real backing and is weighed down with massive US debt and deficit. Mahathir went on to say, "the catastrophe will
come one day because even the most powerful country in the world cannot repay loans amounting to US$7 trillion".
America's days as a superpower are rapidly coming to an end. Isolated by fascist ultra-nationalistic and theocratic
unilateralism (the Neo-Con Bush Administration), America has gained many new enemies in the world. The USA can expect
no sympathy or help from former allies and rising new powers. The final assault will most likely be multi-dimensional and
multi-faceted as nations act in timely coordination and collusion to finially and collectively pull the plug on America and the
US dollar. The point of all of this is that as the dollar is destroyed, the european euro rises to become the dominant world
currency in its place (as planned). The euro actually becomes the sledgehammer through which many impoverished second,
third and fourth world nations will use to smash the arrogant, despotic government and economy of the United States- putting
the final nail in its coffin, so to speak... As the euro gains strength internationally, so will the European Union, as will the
creation and implementation of an eventual world government. The destruction of Babylon is at hand. The American form
of "cutt-throat" capitalism is to be put to death. The rising BEAST government will devour her flesh so that it may
ascend to world power, filling the vacuum created by America's demise. Like the fall of the Roman Empire of old,
America will come crashing to the ground until she is dead, dead, dead... Praise God, Babylon is fallen, she is fallen....
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4 . Turn: Collapse of the Economy Solves Global Warming and Extinction
Economic Collapse And Global Ecology By Dr. Glen Barry 14 January, 2008
Earth Meanders Dr. Glen Barry is the
President and Founder of Ecological Internet (EI). Dr. Barry is recognized internationally by the environmental movement as a leading public intellectual
and global visionary committed to communicating the severity of global ecological crises and actively organizing with others sufficient responses. He is a
conservation biologist and political ecologist, a writer of essays and blogs, and a computer specialist and technology researcher. // Benson
William B. Bonvillian is Legislative Director and Chief Counsel to Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Issues in
Science and Technology, fall 2004-Meeting the New Challenge to U.S. Economic Competitiveness
The United States Economy is really resilient
, With Capitalism As Its Most Virulent Strain. Throw-Away Consumption And Explosive Population Growth Are Made Possible By Using Up Fossil Fuels
And Destroying Ecosystems. Holiday Shopping Numbers Are Covered By Media In The Same Breath As Arctic Ice Melt, Ignoring Their Deep Connection.
Exponential economic growth destroys ecosystems and pushes the biosphere closer to failure. Humanity has proven
itself unwilling and unable to address climate change and other environmental threats with necessary haste and ambition. Action on
coal, forests, population, renewable energy and emission reductions could be taken now at net benefit to the economy. Yet, the losers -- primarily fossil fuel
industries and their bought oligarchy -- successfully resist futures not dependent upon their deadly products . Perpetual economic growth, and
necessary climate and other ecological policies, are fundamentally incompatible. Global ecological sustainability
depends critically upon establishing a steady state economy, whereby production is right-sized to not diminish natural capital.
Whole industries like coal and natural forest logging will be eliminated even as new opportunities emerge in solar
energy and environmental restoration. This critical transition to both economic and ecological sustainability is simply
not happening on any scale. The challenge is how to carry out necessary environmental policies even as economic growth
ends and consumption plunges. The natural response is going to be liquidation of even more life-giving ecosystems, and jettisoning of climate
policies, to vainly try to maintain high growth and personal consumption. We know that humanity must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80%
over coming decades. How will this and other necessary climate mitigation strategies be maintained during years of economic downturns, resource wars,
reasonable demands for equitable consumption, and frankly, the weather being more pleasant in some places? If efforts to reduce emissions
and move to a steady state economy fail; the collapse of ecological, economic and social systems is assured. Bright
greens take the continued existence of a habitable Earth with viable, sustainable populations of all species including humans as the ultimate
truth and the meaning of life. Whether this is possible in a time of economic collapse is crucially dependent upon whether enough ecosystems and resources
remain post collapse to allow humanity to recover and reconstitute sustainable, relocalized societies. It may be better for the Earth and humanity's future that
economic collapse comes sooner rather than later, while more ecosystems and opportunities to return to nature's fold exist. Economic collapse will be deeply
wrenching -- part Great Depression, part African famine. There will be starvation and civil strife, and a long period of suffering and turmoil. Many will be
killed as balance returns to the Earth. Most people have forgotten how to grow food and that their identity is more than what
they own. Yet there is some justice, in that those who have lived most lightly upon the land will have an easier time of
it, even as those super-consumers living in massive cities finally learn where their food comes from and that ecology is
the meaning of life. Economic collapse now means humanity and the Earth ultimately survive to prosper again.
Human suffering -- already the norm for many, but hitting the currently materially affluent -- is inevitable given the
degree to which the planet's carrying capacity has been exceeded. We are a couple decades at most away from societal
strife of a much greater magnitude as the Earth's biosphere fails. Humanity can take the bitter medicine now, and
recover while emerging better for it; or our total collapse can be a final, fatal death swoon. A successful revolutionary
response to imminent global ecosystem collapse would focus upon bringing down the Earth's industrial economy now. As
society continues to fail miserably to implement necessary changes to allow creation to continue, maybe the best
strategy to achieve global ecological sustainability is economic sabotage to hasten the day. It is more fragile than it looks.
Humanity is a marvelous creation. Yet her current dilemma is unprecedented. It is not yet known whether she is able to adapt, at some expense to her
comfort and short-term well-being, to ensure survival. If she can, all futures of economic, social and ecological collapse can be avoided. If not it is better
from a long-term biocentric viewpoint that the economic growth machine collapse now, bringing forth the necessary change, and offering hope for a
planetary and human revival. I wish no harm to anyone, and want desperately to avoid these prophesies foretold by ecological science. I speak for the Earth,
for despite being the giver of life, her natural voice remains largely unheard over the tumult of the end of being.
<<CONTINUES NEXT PAGE>>
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<<CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE>>
Economic Collapse And Global Ecology By Dr. Glen Barry 14 January, 2008
Earth Meanders Dr. Glen Barry is the
President and Founder of Ecological Internet (EI). Dr. Barry is recognized internationally by the environmental movement as a leading public intellectual
and global visionary committed to communicating the severity of global ecological crises and actively organizing with others sufficient responses. He is a
conservation biologist and political ecologist, a writer of essays and blogs, and a computer specialist and technology researcher. // Benson
Econ resilient In the 1980s, when the United States faced significant competitive challenges from Japan and Germany,
U.S. industry, labor, and government worked out a series of competitiveness policies and approaches that helped pave
the way for the nation’s revitalized economic leadership in the 1990s. In the mid-1980s President Reagan appointed
Hewlett Packard president John Young to head a bipartisan competitiveness commission, which recommended a practical
policy approach designed to defuse ideological squabbling. Although many of its recommendations were enacted slowly or
not at all, the commission created a new focus on public-private partnerships, on R&D investments (especially in IT), and on
successful competition in trade rather than protectionism. This became the generally accepted response and provided the
building blocks for the 1990s boom. The Young Commission was followed by Congress’s Competitiveness Policy Council
through 1997. These efforts were successful in redefining the economic debate in part because they built on the
experiences, well-remembered at the time, of industry and government collaboration that was so successful in World
War II and in responding to Sputnik. Those are much more distant memories in this new century, but we should revisit the
Young Commission model. The private sector Council on Competitiveness, originally led by Young, has assembled a group
of leading industry, labor, and academic leaders to prepare a National Innovation Initiative, which could provide a blueprint
for action. Legislation has been introduced in the Senate to establish a new bipartisan competitiveness commission that would
have the prestige and leverage to stimulate government action. The U.S. economy is the most flexible and resilient in the
world. The country possesses a highly talented workforce, powerful and efficient capital markets, the strongest R&D
system, and the energy of entrepreneurs and many dynamic companies. That by itself will not guarantee success in a
changing economy, but it gives the country the wherewithal to adapt to an evolving world. Challenges to U.S.
dominance are visible everywhere. Strong economic growth is vital to the U.S. national mission, and innovation is the
key to that growth. The United States needs to fashion a new competitiveness agenda designed to speed the velocity of
innovation to meet the great challenges of the new century. Once that agenda has been crafted, the nation must find the
political will to implement it.
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Trade Debt ans
Take outs Increasing our debt to other nations isn’t bad – no risk of an impact
William K. Tabb 5/11/06 taught economics at Queens College for many years, and economics,
political science, and sociology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His
books include Economic Governance in the Age of Globalization (Columbia University Press,
2004), Unequal Partners: A Primer on Globalization (The New Press, 2002),
http://www.monthlyreview.org/0506tabb.htm
The questions regarding U.S. macroeconomic policy these days come down to whether the country can keep borrowing. Can
consumers keep spending by increasing their debt level? Can the federal government keep running a large budget deficit without serious
problems developing? Can the U.S. current account deficit keep growing? Will foreigners keep buying government bonds to cover this
growing debt? If the answer is no to such questions, we can expect serious trouble and not just for the United States but for the rest of the
world, which has grown used to the United States as the consumer of last resort. The United States buys 50 percent more than it sells
overseas, enough to sink any other economy. In another economy, such a deficit would lead to a severe devaluation of the currency, sharply
inflating the price of imports and forcing the monetary authorities to push interest rates up considerably. The United States started to run
annual trade deficits in 1976 and has done so every year since. In 1985, this country became a net debtor nation, owing more to the rest of
the world than is owed to it. By 1987, it became the world’s largest net debtor nation. The debt has grown and grown since, to the point
where economists Nouriel Roubini and Brad Setser suggest that “The current account deficit will continue to grow on the back of higher
and higher payments of U.S. foreign debt even if the trade deficit stabilizes. That is why sustained trade deficits will set off the kind of
explosive debt dynamics that will lead to financial crises.” However it also seems to be in everybody’s interest to keep the game going.
Asian countries, especially China, want to continue exporting to the United States and keep their currencies from strengthening, preferring
to export to Americans and then to loan the money back to them so that they can buy more. Much of the foreign savings go into U.S.
government bonds, keeping U.S. interest rates down (currently half of U.S. Treasury bonds are owned by foreigners). The cost of this debt
seems manageable, in part because there is slower growth in most of the world’s countries, and so there is plenty of finance capital looking
for a safe place to get positive returns. And the low interest rates allow American households to borrow more cheaply, using home equity
loans on the seemingly ever-rising value of their homes. The problem is, as Herbert Stein, Nixon’s economic adviser, famously said,
“Things that can’t go on forever, don’t.” Surely a reckoning is coming. U.S. household debt has reached $11.5 trillion, an amount equal to
an unprecedented 127 percent of annual disposable income. The most recent figures by the Federal Reserve show the cost of debt servicing
nearing a record high of 14 percent of disposable income—and interest rates are going up. How long will Asians and others hold U.S. debt
when the dollar finally starts to fall and they take losses on their holdings? Ah, but we have the equally famous retort from Mr. Nixon’s
Treasury Secretary, John Connally, “It’s our currency, but it’s your problem.” America’s creditors can’t let the dollar fall too far without
serious costs to themselves (their dollar holdings will buy less the lower the exchange value of the dollar). They will be drawn to keep
lending. And sure enough, recently the dollar has defied expectations and strengthened, not weakened. The bubbles and all the debt are
serious economic problems and will have political consequences. However, people have been waiting for the dollar to collapse for a while;
if it does, will all the unsustainable debt really be unsustainable? Will the dollar fall this year or next? Maybe. But it is possible to argue,
and many do, that in an era of financial globalization, in which productivity growth in the United States continues to outpace that in other
advanced economies, the United States will continue to be the destination for investment capital. As foreigners diversify out of their own
economies, the United States continues to look good. Why shouldn’t foreign investment exceed 100 percent of the U.S. GDP? Why would
this be a problem? Why would anyone want their money back if returns are competitive? Why then should the dollar fall? In any case, the
big buyers of U.S. treasuries are foreign governments. They are not motivated simply by financial returns. Political pressure can be exerted
by Washington should their view of their own self interest change. But why should it change? As for the federal deficit, why shouldn’t the
Republicans keep enlarging the national debt? This “starves the beast.” It prevents public spending they don’t want on other grounds. Is
there support for such a Panglossian perspective? The “know-how” that U.S. transnationals export when they invest abroad is a major and
uncounted (in the U.S. international financial accounts) export which seems to be responsible for the higher return on foreign investment
enjoyed by U.S. investors compared to the return on foreign investment made in the United States. Michael Mandel, Business Week’s
economics editor, argues that the United States is really doing far better than the trade and capital flow accounts indicate because of what is
going on in the knowledge economy. Intangibles such as research and development (R&D) and the export of knowledge are poorly tracked
by the federal government’s outmoded statistical gatherers, who still use industrial era categories. According to Business Week
calculations, the ten biggest U.S. companies that report their R&D spending—firms such as ExxonMobil, General Electric, Microsoft, and
Intel—have boosted R&D spending by 42 percent from 2000 to 2005, while over these years their capital spending only increased by 2
percent. What looks like less investment is really less investment in plant and equipment but not in intangible investments calculated to
improve profits. America’s “knowledge-adjusted” GDP is moving right along, and that is why profits stay high. The decline in nominal
investment also reflects the fact that capital goods are becoming less expensive because of productivity growth in the capital goods sector,
capital deepening, and the enhanced efficiency due to improved information technology. Even conceding that investment in the United
States may be somewhat higher than official data show, it is not doing much to help the United States become more competitive. The
nation’s problems are more severe, upsetting not only to its working people but to some unexpected establishment ideologues who have
long celebrated globalization.
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Dollar Collapse inevitable
Dollar Collapse is inevitable
Steve Jones 4-25- Your Author 05 “Global Economic Collapse”
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/10/2005/1248%29 There is now nothing the USA can do to prevent the
inevitable collapse of its currency on the world's markets. The US dollar will soon be sliding into a free-fall, bringing
with it a complete, utter and absolute collapse of the American economy. The crash will throw the entire world into a
global depression. The European Union, on the otherhand, will be able to make the necessary political and economic
changes that will enable it to revive, flourish and prosper in the ashes of the collapse. Europe and the euro will become the
bell-weather of the New International Economic Order to be, and the world's new superpower on Earth. In March 2005,
former prime minister Mahathir Mohammed noted that the US dollar is heading for collapse and urged international
businesses to start trading in euros. Mahathir said only the fear of a global economic catastrophe in the event of a dollar
crash is helping the greenback retain its value. But the dollar has scant real backing and is weighed down with massive
US debt and deficit. Mahathir went on to say, "the catastrophe will come one day because even the most powerful country in
the world cannot repay loans amounting to US$7 trillion". America's days as a superpower are rapidly coming to an end.
Isolated by fascist ultra-nationalistic and theocratic unilateralism (the Neo-Con Bush Administration), America has gained
many new enemies in the world. The USA can expect no sympathy or help from former allies and rising new powers. The
final assault will most likely be multi-dimensional and multi-faceted as nations act in timely coordination and collusion to
finially and collectively pull the plug on America and the US dollar. The point of all of this is that as the dollar is destroyed,
the european euro rises to become the dominant world currency in its place (as planned). The euro actually becomes the
sledgehammer through which many impoverished second, third and fourth world nations will use to smash the arrogant,
despotic government and economy of the United States- putting the final nail in its coffin, so to speak... As the euro gains
strength internationally, so will the European Union, as will the creation and implementation of an eventual world
government. The destruction of Babylon is at hand. The American form of "cutt-throat" capitalism is to be put to
death. The rising BEAST government will devour her flesh so that it may ascend to world power, filling the vacuum
created by America's demise. Like the fall of the Roman Empire of old, America will come crashing to the ground until
she is dead, dead, dead... Praise God, Babylon is fallen, she is fallen....
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Aff – low econ solves environment
Turn: Collapse of the Economy Solves Global Warming and Extinction
Economic Collapse And Global Ecology By Dr. Glen Barry 14 January, 2008
Earth Meanders Dr. Glen Barry is the
President and Founder of Ecological Internet (EI). Dr. Barry is recognized internationally by the environmental movement as a leading public intellectual
and global visionary committed to communicating the severity of global ecological crises and actively organizing with others sufficient responses. He is a
conservation biologist and political ecologist, a writer of essays and blogs, and a computer specialist and technology researcher. // Benson
Given widespread failure to pursue policies sufficient to reverse deterioration of the biosphere and avoid ecological
collapse, the best we can hope for may be that the growth-based economic system crashes sooner rather than later
Humanity and the Earth are faced with an enormous conundrum -- sufficient climate policies enjoy political support only in
times of rapid economic growth. Yet this growth is the primary factor driving greenhouse gas emissions and other
environmental ills. The growth machine has pushed the planet well beyond its ecological carrying capacity, and unless
constrained, can only lead to human extinction and an end to complex life. With every economic downturn, like the one
now looming in the United States, it becomes more difficult and less likely that policy sufficient to ensure global ecological
sustainability will be embraced. This essay explores the possibility that from a biocentric viewpoint of needs for longterm global ecological, economic and social sustainability; it would be better for the economic collapse to come now
rather than later. Economic growth is a deadly disease upon the Earth, with capitalism as its most virulent strain. Throwaway consumption and explosive population growth are made possible by using up fossil fuels and destroying ecosystems. Holiday
shopping numbers are covered by media in the same breath as Arctic ice melt, ignoring their deep connection . Exponential economic growth
destroys ecosystems and pushes the biosphere closer to failure. Humanity has proven itself unwilling and unable to address climate
change and other environmental threats with necessary haste and ambition. Action on coal, forests, population, renewable energy and emission reductions
could be taken now at net benefit to the economy. Yet, the losers -- primarily fossil fuel industries and their bought oligarchy -- successfully resist futures not
dependent upon their deadly products. Perpetual economic growth, and necessary climate and other ecological policies, are
fundamentally incompatible. Global ecological sustainability depends critically upon establishing a steady state economy,
whereby production is right-sized to not diminish natural capital. Whole industries like coal and natural forest logging will
be eliminated even as new opportunities emerge in solar energy and environmental restoration. This critical transition
to both economic and ecological sustainability is simply not happening on any scale. The challenge is how to carry out
necessary environmental policies even as economic growth ends and consumption plunges. The natural response is going to be
liquidation of even more life-giving ecosystems, and jettisoning of climate policies, to vainly try to maintain high growth and personal consumption. We
know that humanity must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% over coming decades. How will this and other necessary climate mitigation
strategies be maintained during years of economic downturns, resource wars, reasonable demands for equitable consumption, and frankly, the weather being
more pleasant in some places? If efforts to reduce emissions and move to a steady state economy fail; the collapse of
ecological, economic and social systems is assured. Bright greens take the continued existence of a habitable Earth with viable, sustainable
populations of all species including humans as the ultimate truth and the meaning of life. Whether this is possible in a time of economic collapse is crucially
dependent upon whether enough ecosystems and resources remain post collapse to allow humanity to recover and reconstitute sustainable, relocalized
societies. It may be better for the Earth and humanity's future that economic collapse comes sooner rather than later, while more ecosystems and
opportunities to return to nature's fold exist. Economic collapse will be deeply wrenching -- part Great Depression, part African famine. There will be
starvation and civil strife, and a long period of suffering and turmoil. Many will be killed as balance returns to the Earth.
Most people have forgotten how to grow food and that their identity is more than what they own. Yet there is some
justice, in that those who have lived most lightly upon the land will have an easier time of it, even as those superconsumers living in massive cities finally learn where their food comes from and that ecology is the meaning of life.
Economic collapse now means humanity and the Earth ultimately survive to prosper again. Human suffering -already the norm for many, but hitting the currently materially affluent -- is inevitable given the degree to which the
planet's carrying capacity has been exceeded. We are a couple decades at most away from societal strife of a much
greater magnitude as the Earth's biosphere fails. Humanity can take the bitter medicine now, and recover while
emerging better for it; or our total collapse can be a final, fatal death swoon. A successful revolutionary response to
imminent global ecosystem collapse would focus upon bringing down the Earth's industrial economy now. As society
continues to fail miserably to implement necessary changes to allow creation to continue, maybe the best strategy to
achieve global ecological sustainability is economic sabotage to hasten the day. It is more fragile than it looks. Humanity is a
marvelous creation. Yet her current dilemma is unprecedented. It is not yet known whether she is able to adapt, at some expense to her comfort and shortterm well-being, to ensure survival. If she can, all futures of economic, social and ecological collapse can be avoided. If not it is better from a long-term
biocentric viewpoint that the economic growth machine collapse now, bringing forth the necessary change, and offering hope for a planetary and human
revival. I wish no harm to anyone, and want desperately to avoid these prophesies foretold by ecological science. I speak for the Earth, for despite being the
giver of life, her natural voice remains largely unheard over the tumult of the end of being.
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ECON GENERIC INDEX
******Bizcon ............................................................................................................................................. 1
BIZ CON 1NC ........................................................................................................................................... 2
BIZ CON 1NC ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Bizcon increasing ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Bizcon increasing ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Investor Con Stable................................................................................................................................... 6
Investor Con – Brink ................................................................................................................................ 7
Consumer Confidence High ..................................................................................................................... 8
Investor Confidence - High ...................................................................................................................... 9
Investor Con High – Mortgage Lenders ............................................................................................... 10
LINKS
Link – Investor Con ................................................................................................................................ 11
Link – Regulations .................................................................................................................................. 12
Link – Regulations .................................................................................................................................. 13
Link – Regulations .................................................................................................................................. 14
Link – Regulations .................................................................................................................................. 15
Link – Regulations .................................................................................................................................. 16
Link – Finesregulations .......................................................................................................................... 17
Links- Mandates...................................................................................................................................... 18
Links- Emission Reductions ................................................................................................................... 19
Links- Regulations Cause Blackouts ..................................................................................................... 21
Link – Kills Investment .......................................................................................................................... 22
Link – Kills Investment .......................................................................................................................... 23
Regulations Kill Biz Con ........................................................................................................................ 24
Link - Litigation ...................................................................................................................................... 25
Link - Litigation ...................................................................................................................................... 26
Link - Litigation ...................................................................................................................................... 27
Link – Permits ......................................................................................................................................... 28
Links: Cap and Trade ............................................................................................................................ 29
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Links: Cap and Trade ............................................................................................................................ 30
Litigation Kills Invest Con ..................................................................................................................... 31
Regulations Kill FDI ............................................................................................................................... 32
INTERNAl LINKS
Biz Con s/o - Tech ................................................................................................................................... 33
Biz Con Spillover – Domestic ................................................................................................................. 34
Biz Con Spillover - Global...................................................................................................................... 35
AT: Regulations Help Businesses .......................................................................................................... 37
Flight Bad – Econ/Environment ............................................................................................................ 38
AT: No Flight........................................................................................................................................... 39
Skeptics of industrial flight are wrong – their studies focus on goods flow, not capital flow ......... 39
Consumer Con Key to Econ ................................................................................................................... 40
Biz Con Key to Growth .......................................................................................................................... 41
Investment Key to Econ.......................................................................................................................... 42
Investment Key to Econ.......................................................................................................................... 43
Foreign Investment Internal Link ......................................................................................................... 44
Foreign Investment Internal Link ......................................................................................................... 46
AT: RegulationsCompetitiveness....................................................................................................... 47
Bizcon key to Econ .................................................................................................................................. 48
Indo-Pak war ........................................................................................................................................... 49
****Biz Con Aff Answers ....................................................................................................................... 51
2AC Biz Con Frontline ........................................................................................................................... 52
2AC Biz Con Frontline ........................................................................................................................... 53
2AC Biz Con Frontline ........................................................................................................................... 54
Small business confidence low ............................................................................................................... 55
Election Kills Bizcon ............................................................................................................................... 56
BIZ CON CYCLICAL ........................................................................................................................... 57
Bizcon declining - flooding ..................................................................................................................... 58
Biz Con Low ............................................................................................................................................ 59
Biz Con Low ............................................................................................................................................ 60
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Consumer Confidence Down ................................................................................................................. 61
Investor Confidence Low ....................................................................................................................... 62
Consumer Con Low ................................................................................................................................ 63
Consumer Con Low ................................................................................................................................ 64
Consumer Con Low ................................................................................................................................ 66
Aff – No Effect on Investment................................................................................................................ 67
Regulations Increase FDI ....................................................................................................................... 68
Aff – T/ Increases Productivity .............................................................................................................. 69
Energy prices -> inflation ....................................................................................................................... 70
*** Fiscal Discipline ................................................................................................................................ 71
1NC Shell(1/2).......................................................................................................................................... 72
1NC Shell(2/2).......................................................................................................................................... 73
Fiscal D is High Now ............................................................................................................................... 74
Fiscal D is High Now ............................................................................................................................... 75
Fiscal D is High Now ............................................................................................................................... 76
Link- Emergency Spending.................................................................................................................... 77
Obama Fiscal D ....................................................................................................................................... 78
LINK - EARMARKS .............................................................................................................................. 79
LINK - EARMARKS .............................................................................................................................. 80
Snowball Link.......................................................................................................................................... 81
Snowball Link.......................................................................................................................................... 82
Link-Wind ............................................................................................................................................... 83
Link- Pork Barrel Spending .................................................................................................................. 84
Link – Perception .................................................................................................................................... 85
Link – Ag ................................................................................................................................................. 86
Link – Hydrogen ..................................................................................................................................... 87
Link – Taxes ............................................................................................................................................ 88
Link-Nuclear ........................................................................................................................................... 89
Link-Alternative Energy ........................................................................................................................ 90
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Link-Alternative Energy ........................................................................................................................ 91
Link-Alternative Energy ........................................................................................................................ 92
Link-Alternative Energy ........................................................................................................................ 93
Link-Alternative Energy ........................................................................................................................ 94
Link – Foreign Aid .................................................................................................................................. 95
Link – Military ........................................................................................................................................ 96
Link – Military ........................................................................................................................................ 97
Link – Military ........................................................................................................................................ 98
Link education/health/science ............................................................................................................... 99
Link – development............................................................................................................................... 100
Link – Interior Policies ......................................................................................................................... 101
Link – Terrorism................................................................................................................................... 102
Link – Farm Bills .................................................................................................................................. 103
Link – emergency spending.................................................................................................................. 104
Link – elections cause snowball ........................................................................................................... 105
INTERNAL LINKS
Dollar Key to econ ................................................................................................................................. 106
Fiscal D Key to Econ ............................................................................................................................. 107
Fiscal D Key to Econ ............................................................................................................................. 108
Fiscal D Key to Econ ............................................................................................................................. 109
Fiscal D Key to Econ ............................................................................................................................. 110
Fiscal D Key to check Russia ............................................................................................................... 111
Fiscal D K deficit ................................................................................................................................... 112
Fiscal D K Biz Con ................................................................................................................................ 113
Fiscal D K Heg ....................................................................................................................................... 114
Debt -> Recession .................................................................................................................................. 115
Debt -> Recession .................................................................................................................................. 116
Debt -> military aggression .................................................................................................................. 117
US Deficit -> global econ collapse ........................................................................................................ 118
A rising deficit is the greatest threat to the world economy ............................................................. 118
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****Fiscal D Answers ........................................................................................................................... 119
2AC (1/2) ................................................................................................................................................ 120
2AC (2/2) ................................................................................................................................................ 121
FISCAL D Low ..................................................................................................................................... 122
FISCAL D Low ..................................................................................................................................... 123
FISCAL D Low ..................................................................................................................................... 124
FISCAL D Low ..................................................................................................................................... 125
NO SPILLOVER – EARMARKS ....................................................................................................... 126
No increase in money ............................................................................................................................ 127
McCain & Obama Fiscal D low ........................................................................................................... 128
Spending -> boost econ ......................................................................................................................... 129
*** Congressional Trade Off ............................................................................................................... 130
CongTrade-Off – 1NC F-22 ................................................................................................................. 131
CongTrade-Off – 1NC F-22 ................................................................................................................. 132
CongTrade-Off – 1NC NMD................................................................................................................ 133
CongTrade-Off – 1NC NMD................................................................................................................ 134
CongTrade-Off – 1NC NMD................................................................................................................ 135
Trade off with F22 ................................................................................................................................ 136
Chopping block ..................................................................................................................................... 137
Chopping block ..................................................................................................................................... 138
Chopping block ..................................................................................................................................... 139
Airpower Impact ................................................................................................................................... 140
Airpower Impact ................................................................................................................................... 141
Airpower Impact ................................................................................................................................... 142
Airpower Impact ................................................................................................................................... 143
*** CONGTRADE OFF AFF ANSWERS ......................................................................................... 144
CongTrade-Off – 2AC F-22 ................................................................................................................. 145
CongTrade-Off – 2AC F-22 ................................................................................................................. 146
CongTrade-Off – 2AC F-22 ................................................................................................................. 147
CongTrade-Off – 2AC NMD................................................................................................................ 148
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CongTrade-Off – 2AC NMD................................................................................................................ 149
CongTrade-Off – 2AC NMD................................................................................................................ 150
No forced trade-off ................................................................................................................................ 151
Trade-off with other things .................................................................................................................. 152
F22 Trade Off inevit ............................................................................................................................. 153
Air Force is being forced to scrap its F-22 proposals ........................................................................ 153
NMD stuff .............................................................................................................................................. 154
Missile Defense Key to Stability........................................................................................................... 155
Missile Defense May Get Cut ............................................................................................................... 156
Mid-East Impact ................................................................................................................................... 157
NMD Good ............................................................................................................................................. 158
NMD Bad ............................................................................................................................................... 159
NMD Bad ............................................................................................................................................... 160
***DOD Trade off................................................................................................................................. 161
1NC ......................................................................................................................................................... 162
1NC ......................................................................................................................................................... 163
1NC ......................................................................................................................................................... 164
Budget Tight .......................................................................................................................................... 165
F-22 Chopping Block ............................................................................................................................ 166
F-22 Chopping Block ............................................................................................................................ 167
F-22 Chopping Block ............................................................................................................................ 168
F-22 Impacts .......................................................................................................................................... 169
***DOD Trade off Answers ................................................................................................................. 170
2AC ......................................................................................................................................................... 171
2AC ......................................................................................................................................................... 172
2AC ......................................................................................................................................................... 173
2AC ......................................................................................................................................................... 174
F-22’s suck ............................................................................................................................................. 175
***DOE Trade OFF ............................................................................................................................. 176
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DOE TRADE OFF 1NC ....................................................................................................................... 177
DOE TRADE OFF 1NC ....................................................................................................................... 178
DOE TRADE OFF 1NC ....................................................................................................................... 179
DOE TRADE OFF 1NC ....................................................................................................................... 180
Nuclear Energy funding key ................................................................................................................ 181
ITER Brink/Internal Link ................................................................................................................... 182
ITER Brink/Internal Link ................................................................................................................... 183
ITER Brink/Internal Link ................................................................................................................... 184
ITER Brink/Internal Link ................................................................................................................... 185
ITER Brink/Internal Link ................................................................................................................... 186
ITER Brink/Internal Link ................................................................................................................... 187
Link – General....................................................................................................................................... 188
Link – General....................................................................................................................................... 189
Gas/Oil R&D Trade off ........................................................................................................................ 190
Natives specific link............................................................................................................................... 191
Renewable energy trade-off ................................................................................................................. 192
Renewable energy trade-off ................................................................................................................. 193
Renewable energy trade-off ................................................................................................................. 194
Scientific Innovation Impact ................................................................................................................ 195
Every dollar Key ................................................................................................................................... 196
French relations .................................................................................................................................... 197
French relations .................................................................................................................................... 198
US-INDIAN Relations .......................................................................................................................... 199
US-INDIAN Relations .......................................................................................................................... 200
US-INDIAN Relations .......................................................................................................................... 201
US-INDIAN Relations .......................................................................................................................... 202
ITER k heg............................................................................................................................................. 203
ITER Solves All Energy........................................................................................................................ 204
ITER Solves All Energy........................................................................................................................ 204
ITER Solves All Energy........................................................................................................................ 205
ITER Solves All Energy........................................................................................................................ 206
ITER SAFE............................................................................................................................................ 207
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FUNDING KEY TO US INVOLVEMENT IN ITER ....................................................................... 208
ITER SAFE/FEASIBLE ....................................................................................................................... 209
***DOE Trade off Answers ................................................................................................................. 210
No trade off ............................................................................................................................................ 211
ITER = nuke power .............................................................................................................................. 212
ITER -> Prolif ....................................................................................................................................... 213
ITER -> Prolif ....................................................................................................................................... 214
*** EPA DA ........................................................................................................................................... 215
*EPA 1NC* ............................................................................................................................................ 216
EPA Budget Tight ................................................................................................................................. 218
EPA Budget Tight ................................................................................................................................. 219
EPA Budget Tight ................................................................................................................................. 220
EPA Budget Tight ................................................................................................................................. 221
EPA Budget Tight ................................................................................................................................. 222
U—CO2 CUT NOW ............................................................................................................................. 223
U—CO2 CUT NOW ............................................................................................................................. 224
U—CO2 CUT NOW ............................................................................................................................. 225
U—AE CUT NOW ................................................................................................................................ 226
BRINK—WATER BUDGET .............................................................................................................. 227
BRINK—WATER BUDGET .............................................................................................................. 228
Unique internal link:............................................................................................................................. 229
Water Protection – uniqueness/brink ................................................................................................. 230
LWCF BRINK ...................................................................................................................................... 231
Air Pollution Impacts ........................................................................................................................... 232
Trade Off is Normal means .................................................................................................................. 233
Trade Off is Normal means .................................................................................................................. 234
Trade Off is Normal means .................................................................................................................. 235
Link – NASA SPENDING .................................................................................................................... 236
EPA=NM................................................................................................................................................ 237
EPA=NM................................................................................................................................................ 238
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EPA=NM................................................................................................................................................ 239
EPA=NM................................................................................................................................................ 240
LINK: ALTERNATIVE ENERGY INCENTIVES ........................................................................... 241
LINK: CAP AND TRADE ................................................................................................................... 242
LINK - GHG REGULATION ............................................................................................................. 243
LINK—NUCLEAR POWER .............................................................................................................. 244
LINK: REBATES ................................................................................................................................. 245
LINK - RPS ........................................................................................................................................... 246
LINK: TAX INCENTIVES.................................................................................................................. 247
TERROR=FIRST TO GO ................................................................................................................... 248
REGULATIONS KILL TERROR ...................................................................................................... 249
REGULATIONS COSTLY ................................................................................................................. 250
REGULATIONS COSTLY ................................................................................................................. 251
FUNDING KEY .................................................................................................................................... 252
Clean Water Trade Off ........................................................................................................................ 253
Ent’l Justice Impact .............................................................................................................................. 254
Pollution trade off ................................................................................................................................. 255
Pollution trade off ................................................................................................................................. 256
Toxic Waste ........................................................................................................................................... 257
Clean water is key to public health ..................................................................................................... 257
Air Pollution Impacts ........................................................................................................................... 258
Air Pollution Impacts ........................................................................................................................... 259
Pollution Enforcement .......................................................................................................................... 260
EPA KEY ............................................................................................................................................... 261
EPA KEY ............................................................................................................................................... 262
EPA KEY ............................................................................................................................................... 263
EPA KEY ............................................................................................................................................... 264
EPA KEY ............................................................................................................................................... 265
TERROR IMPACT CALC .................................................................................................................. 266
TERROR IMPACT CALC .................................................................................................................. 267
BIOTERROR! ....................................................................................................................................... 268
BIOTERROR! ....................................................................................................................................... 269
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BIOTERROR! ....................................................................................................................................... 270
DISEASE MODULE ............................................................................................................................ 271
DISEASE MODULE ............................................................................................................................ 272
DISEASE MODULE ............................................................................................................................ 273
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 274
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 275
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 276
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 277
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 278
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 279
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 280
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 281
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 282
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 283
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 284
Water Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 285
Internal Link – Tradeoffs general ....................................................................................................... 286
Internal Link – Tradeoffs general ....................................................................................................... 286
SuperFind .............................................................................................................................................. 287
***EPA Aff Answers ............................................................................................................................ 288
2AC Front line - EPA ........................................................................................................................... 289
2AC Front line - EPA ........................................................................................................................... 290
2AC Front line - EPA ........................................................................................................................... 291
BUDGET DEAD NOW ........................................................................................................................ 292
Trade-offs now ...................................................................................................................................... 293
NO LINK—TAXPAYERS ................................................................................................................... 294
NO LINK—TAXPAYERS ................................................................................................................... 295
NO LINK—TAXPAYERS ................................................................................................................... 296
NO LINK—STATES ............................................................................................................................ 297
NO LINK—FAILURES. ...................................................................................................................... 298
LINK N/U—CLIMATE CHANGE ..................................................................................................... 299
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EPA=FAIL ............................................................................................................................................. 300
NO AUTHORITY ................................................................................................................................. 301
Pollution Answers ................................................................................................................................. 302
Water terrorism answers ..................................................................................................................... 303
No Enforcement turns the case ............................................................................................................ 304
EPA Enforcement Low ......................................................................................................................... 305
Ans to Water Terrorism ....................................................................................................................... 306
AFF, against States CP ......................................................................................................................... 307
***Econ Impacts ................................................................................................................................... 308
US ECON HIGH ................................................................................................................................... 309
US ECON HIGH ................................................................................................................................... 310
US ECON HIGH ................................................................................................................................... 311
A2_economy resilient ............................................................................................................................ 312
Dollar collapse -> ! ................................................................................................................................ 313
General ................................................................................................................................................... 314
General ................................................................................................................................................... 315
US K World Econ.................................................................................................................................. 316
Heg.......................................................................................................................................................... 317
Heg.......................................................................................................................................................... 318
Extinction ............................................................................................................................................... 319
Quality of Life ....................................................................................................................................... 320
Quality of Life ....................................................................................................................................... 321
Quality of Life ....................................................................................................................................... 322
Imperialism ............................................................................................................................................ 323
Oil Impact .............................................................................................................................................. 324
Econ Impacts - Environment ............................................................................................................... 325
Econ Impacts - Environment ............................................................................................................... 326
Econ Impacts - Environment ............................................................................................................... 327
Econ Impacts – Air pollution ............................................................................................................... 328
348
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
*** ECON IMPACT ANSWERS ........................................................................................................ 329
General Econ Impact 2AC Frontline .................................................................................................. 330
General Econ Impact 2AC Frontline .................................................................................................. 331
General Econ Impact 2AC Frontline .................................................................................................. 332
General Econ Impact 2AC Frontline .................................................................................................. 333
General Econ Impact 2AC Frontline .................................................................................................. 334
Trade Debt ans ..................................................................................................................................... 335
Dollar Collapse inevitable .................................................................................................................... 336
Aff – low econ solves environment ...................................................................................................... 337
349
Econ Generic
DDI 2008
Serrano
350