It's Not Easy Being Green - Especially If You're Poor

Frédéric Bastiat, the French economist, once said "Treat all economic questions from the viewpoint of the consumer, for the interests of the consumer are the interests of the human race."

Would that today's politicians read - and understand, AND heed - such words of wisdom. Contrast Bastiat's message urging public policies that encourage the general welfare of the common man with the ongoing parade of legislation and regulation catering to special interests. The latest example: green policies that favor the 1% at the expense of the 99%.

During last year's Occupy Wall Street protests, Obama expressed sympathy with calls for more "green" policies from the self-styled advocates for the 99 percent. So far, however, the environmental agenda has overwhelmingly favored the 1 percent.

Consider the Obama administration's subsidies for electric vehicles. To start with, there is the $7,500 credit for the car itself. Add to that the recently expired $1,000 credit for installation of a 220-volt charger.

And on top of these, the government has thrown more than $3 billion at the Chevrolet Volt alone -- which totals out to $250,000 per vehicle. Not only do these credits go to corporate giants like General Motors, they subsidize cars for the wealthy.

The Volt sells for about $40,000, while the Fisker Karma sells for $100,000 -- well above most Americans' price range. That means that the federal government is again working to benefit the rich so they can drive cars that ease their environmental conscience.

And for what? If 6 million wealthy Americans buy these cars, as the president hopes, it will reduce oil consumption nationwide by less than 1 percent.

OK, so Obama's environmental policies are subsidizing the rich, but they're helping the poor, too, right? Wrong. In fact, nearly every environmental policy hurts the poor the most.

Last year, Americans spent more on gasoline as a percentage of their income than they have for 30 years. Yet that hasn't stopped the president, cheered on by his environmentalist allies, from rejecting the Keystone XL oil pipeline or restricting offshore oil permits.

(H/T Carpe Diem)

So the greenies are either too ignorant to understand the effects their 'save the earth' policies have on the common man (and woman), or they just don't care.

Either way, it's despicable...