Ted Turner's Craziest Scheme Yet: Cap and Trade...With Children
Media mogul Ted Turner, who founded cable networks CNN and TBS, wants a global child-bearing "cap and trade" system to combat climate change. He has thought up a bizarre take on China's one-child policy: set a strict one-child limit, and let poor people sell credits for children they don't have!
At the ongoing climate change summit in Cancun, Mexico, Turner told attendees:
...environmental stress on the Earth requires radical solutions, suggesting countries should follow China’s lead in instituting a one-child policy to reduce global population over time. He added that fertility rights could be sold so that poor people could profit from their decision not to reproduce.
“If we’re going to be here [as a species] 5,000 years from now, we’re not going to do it with seven billion people,” Mr. Turner said.
So the question then becomes, as the Daily Caller's Jim Treacher put it, "which one of Ted Turner's five children he doesn't consider to be a mistake."
But Turner has already thought of that. Under his plan, people with sufficient economic means could purchase "credits" from low-income people, who could save the planet by not having children, and make some money in the process (by selling their unused credits).
So essentially Turner wants a bizarre "cap and trade" childbirth system, in which the number of children is strictly limited, but people can sell the rights to additional offspring.
The whole thing is quite disturbing.
Thankfully, other delegates shot down Turner's harebrained idea.
Former Irish president Mary Robinson warned that radical prescriptions for population control would backfire, ensuring that the subject will remain off the agenda of international climate talks.
This is not Turner's first bizarre claim regarding climate policy. Over the summer, he suggested that the BP oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico was a sign from God that the nation needed to stop drilling offshore. To the surprise of no one, he was not mocked by the "reality-based community" for that statement.
His latest idea seems to be passing by without much media play as well.
*****UPDATE: For those who aren't familiar with Turner's past antics, here's a list of "greatest hits" (with the Gulf oil spill statement linked above):
- Global warming will lead to mass cannibalism and Iraqi insurgents are actually patriots
- "The Russians just pulled out" of Afghanistan (in 2009)
- CNN should air "less fluffy news and more international news"...and more "Captain Planet" reruns
- CNN employees celebrating Ash Wednesday are "a bunch of Jesus freaks"
- "We were friends with just about everyone in the world" until George W. Bush came along
- "Iran does not put us in peril like global warming does"
- "I'm much more worried about our nuclear arsenal than [Iran's]"
- Turner unclear on which side he should take in the war on terror
- U.S. should stop terrorism by giving the terrorists everything they want
- Give North Korea "a break." They're only a threat to Alaskan "sea lions"
- Lachlan Markay's blog
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Comments
Gee, Ted
Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 1:47pm.
Why not just have open season on poor people for 3 months every fall? Maybe we could go ahead an get the start up on those soylent green plants you've been longing for.
I will always hate Jane Fonda, but given a choice between her and Ted, I'd pick her.
Agree with your post,
Submitted by UpNorth on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 1:53pm.
but, I'd just as soon see both of these retards, Ted and Jane, locked in a barrel going over Niagara Falls. Multiple times.
Over Niagara in a barrel?
Submitted by tampamom25 on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 12:41pm.
Let's save a tree and just send them over without the barrel...
TED TURNER = WHAT LITHIUM DOES TO THE BRAIN
Submitted by Sgthulka on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 1:56pm.
Living proof just how far a sick mind and a little initiative can go in this country.
This Guy Is A Loon
Submitted by DaMama on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:00pm.
Obviously, Turner has not seen what the "one child only" policy has done to China. They instituted this policy over 30 years ago. Women aborted their female children so they could have a son. Now there are 5 men for every 1 woman in China.
Turner is certifiable. He is a nut job and should not be taken seriously by anyone on any subject.
Yeah...and I hear that all
Submitted by bassndude on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:16pm.
Yeah...and I hear that all the 30 year old women over there are loving it! LOL....
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
bassndude, that's not a joking matter.
Submitted by motherbelt on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:20pm.
In China, they are reaping the unintended consequence of too many young men without the prospect of marriage and family, and it ain't pretty,.
When there are more men than women, social instability and crime increases in society," Hudson explained. "Psychologists have talked about what they call the pacifying effect of marriage. [ ]
And Zhao Baige admits that China has already begun to see social problems that stem directly from this gender imbalance.
(bolds mine)
But that would never happen here, right?
Im sorry, but it just seems
Submitted by bassndude on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:30pm.
Im sorry, but it just seems so "told ya so". The Chinese, for years went out into the country side and killed the young girl babies. They still do. Now that is no laughing matter. And what makes it worse is there is nothing we can do about it. The Chinese goverment, will, at some point, change directions. But to control the population of males, and this may seem a little dark to you, China needs a war with one of its neighbors. Perhaps North Korea, maybe another. Also, that is one reason they have such a large population of males. To field that 6 million man army.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
Now that is no laughing matter
Submitted by motherbelt on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 4:14pm.
Now that is no laughing matter- bassndude
Did you actually READ my reply to you?
I think not. You must have stopped at the subject line; or you would know that I didn't need to be told that.
In fact you were the one joking about it, and that's what I told YOU.
Yes I read your post. And
Submitted by bassndude on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 10:34am.
Yes I read your post. And just because someone jokes about 30 year old chinese women, that is not to infer that the policy of China is being brought to light.
You need to lite'n up a bit. What makes you think I was not informed on the China child policy?
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
Does this delusion moron KNOW
Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:06pm.
Does this delusion moron KNOW where the overpopulation is coming from??? Hmmmm, let's see..............Mooooooooslem countries - uh, can't touch those........................third world countries - uh, they don't have any money to confiscate.................some other areas where the people and the governments wouldn't give a rat's behind what Ted Turner thought............well, that won't work either.
I guess it's going to have to be US again!!! Yes........we're guilty!!! It's OUR fault!!!
Useless moron...................
So,
Submitted by MissMinPhx on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:09pm.
If the world's poor people sell their fertility rights, what will be left with? An obnoxious elite? I love capitalism and ideas that help the poor, but the thought of fertility rights as a commodity is simply sickening.
Adoption Option
Submitted by misterbee241 on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:12pm.
More kids for Madonna and Angelina Jolie to adopt?
Personally...
Submitted by misterbee241 on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:11pm.
Personally, I'm expecting the Rapture long before that. But I could be wrong. But hopeful nevertheless.
Question
Submitted by misterbee241 on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:18pm.
My question is, why does this blithering idiot get crediblity from the media? Could you see Rush making this statement? Can you say media firestorm?
What would Ted know about a sign from God? He's a vehement atheist. A sign from something he doesnt believe in? How quaint.
Enforcement?
Submitted by Model850 on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:21pm.
How exactly does Ted propose to enforce the reproductive restrictions on (apparently only) poor people?
If a poor family sells its fertility rights and then says the hell with it and produces a few more children, does the government confiscate the "extra" kids? Who then pays to raise those kids? Or does the government force the poor to undergo sterilization upon selling their fertility rights? Hasn't eugenics long since been discredited?
I'm not particularly fond of the term "slippery slope" but I see a pretty big ski jump here. Not to mention that it is of course just a really ridiculous idea.
How to enforce it?
Submitted by motherbelt on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:17pm.
Liberals never think things through.
It's enough for them that they have "good intentions."
Likewise, they completely ignore the Law of Unintended Consequences.
It's eugenics -- not about AGW
Submitted by Galvanic on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 8:41pm.
Turner is a rich guy who's always believed that you can buy anything you want from poor people.
His eugenics scheme achieves (a) subtle wealth redistribution and (b) reductions in undesirable Third World populations. That's because the only way to create a child-credit scheme is to perform hysterectomies on poor women.
The childbirth credits would presumably work like Gore's carbon credits -- the first folks to set up the exchanges reap in the cash while nothing effectively happens as a result.
And just how much is baring children worth, Mr. Turner?
These liberals are demented
Submitted by rbosque on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:30pm.
These liberals are demented would-be tyrants.
Wink Dinkerson
Submitted by Diesel on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:37pm.
"Hi there, groovy guys, groovy gals. Peace love, dove, peace bells, incense, light shows, crash pads, and Hare Krishna, all you groovy freaks."
This fried old hippie needs to be put out to pasture....NOW!
Please, please, please buy
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:45pm.
Please, please, please buy back CNN/HLN Ted. See if you can drive it to the bottom.
So, Ted,
Submitted by HockeyKid on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:53pm.
which 4 of your own 5 kids are you going to kill?
Brain-dead leftie. (But I repeat myself)
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Rhett Butler, Gentleman Cannibal
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 2:58pm.
Let's eat, Prissy... I'll start with that thigh!
This moonbat has about as much credibility on climate change as Hulk Hogan. Maybe less.
You just know all the liberals at CNN start cringing...
Submitted by Phryj1 on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:14pm.
...whenever Ted opens his mouth. All their efforts to try and paint liberal/progressivism as the view of thoughtful and intelligent people all go straight down the drain once Crazy Uncle Ted starts running his yap.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
If you think TT is a nut, read what the UN has in mind...
Submitted by Britpop on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:16pm.
http://sppiblog.org/news/the-abdication-of-the-west#more-3652
The UN was rendered
Submitted by bassndude on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:40pm.
The UN was rendered ineffective in 1937 when, as the "League of Nations" could not stop Hitler or Mussolini from their expansionist movements. Now as the UN, they have demonstrated their ineffectiveness several times. Somolia, Iraq and any number of countries in Africa.
No need to even be in the UN. They do nothing but bloviate and expel green house gasses.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
delete
Submitted by motherbelt on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:22pm.
delete
We need to get out of the UN
Submitted by motherbelt on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:23pm.
We need to get out of the UN NOW!
And to take our money with us!
Finally, an elite liberal who
Submitted by deerjerkydave on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:37pm.
Finally, an elite liberal who is honest about their anti-humanist agenda.
The message from enviro-fear-mongers is that people are raping the earth and that there are too many of us. Ironically they frequently make this charge about the United States where population growth is less than 1% annually. In the mean time population growth explosions are happening around the globe in third world countries. GOOD LUCK GETTING THESE COUNTRIES TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING LIKE A ONE CHILD POLICY. The only real solution to population growth is genocide. But it won't be through the barrel of a gun, it'll be through policies like the banning of DDT which has claimed the lives of untold thousands.
------------------------
"The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the Federal Government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State Governments are numerous and indefinite. -James MadisonA man with
Submitted by Iron Tigers Vet on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:41pm.
that much money and business savy, should not be that ignorant. They say it takes all kinds, but damn Ted, your cranial-rectal syndrome is full on bubbagump. What the hell are you adding to the kool-aid?
Not just Ted Turner who's nuts*
Submitted by cajun2 on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 3:53pm.
http://weaselzippers.us/2010/12/09/top-democratic-fundraisers-help-steer-450-million-in-stimulus-funds-to-china-for-wind-farm/
Should this money have gone to small business loans?
Should this have been to extend unemployment benefits?
How about using it for that universal free day care?
Does this money come out of Obama's "stash"?
He is supporting Mexico, Russia, China, Brazil, and The Palastinians. When does he get around to helping Americans or is this the beginning of our GLOBAL SOCIETY?
Those silver skulls look great on the black SS uniform, Ted.
Submitted by JLin on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 4:04pm.
SS Obersturmbahnfuhrer Turner. Ja mein herr, wir kommen schnell!
cap and trade on children???
Submitted by holeinthehull on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 4:43pm.
I believe Uncle Ted has been smoking buffalo chips again.
If this dufus was not "famous" he would be stopped and handed over to the authorities in white coats
UH-OH!
Submitted by John WI on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 7:36pm.
Looks like Ted need to move to China.
Please do!
Shall we start a NewsBusters'
Submitted by Beukeboom on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 10:23am.
Shall we start a NewsBusters' Commenters Fund to purchase a one-way ticket for the old coot?
I have a much better idea.
Submitted by jdhawk on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 8:26pm.
I have a much better idea. Just cap Ted . . .
An appropriate quote given
Submitted by dscott on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 9:36pm.
An appropriate quote given the season...
"`Spirit,' said Scrooge, with an interest he had never felt before, `tell me if Tiny Tim will live.'
`I see a vacant seat,' replied the Ghost, `in the poor chimney-corner, and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.'
`No, no,' said Scrooge. `Oh, no, kind Spirit. say he will be spared.'
`If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race,' returned the Ghost, `will find him here. What then. If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.'
Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words quoted by the Spirit, and was overcome with penitence and grief. `Man,' said the Ghost, `if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered What the surplus is, and Where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die. It may be, that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child. Oh God. to hear the Insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust.'"
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Merry Christmas Ted, the man with one of the biggest carbon footprints on the earth says to his fellow man, "STOP BREEDING SO I CAN CONTINUE WITH MY LIFESTYLE WHILE I DISPOIL THE EARTH" If you actually believe in AGW, then how can you as a human being begrudge the life of another while you live in luxury at a 100 times or more their consumption? I won't bother with calling you a hypocrite since you would have to have PRINCIPLES to break in the first place.
If anyone ever asks for an
Submitted by Chris Norman on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 11:46pm.
If anyone ever asks for an example of liberal elitism, this psycho-condescending idea will serve as well as any. In fact, it's one of the ultimate examples of liberal elitism. You know if ol' Ted had his druthers, he would have just come out and said we should sterilize a lot of people. This was "the surgeon generals warning" beginning of a push to that end. Some liberals will say, don't be ridiculous, but, from experience, we know this how liberals drive to control the lives of people they consider inferior always start out.
A direct result of too much
Submitted by Richard B. on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 12:16am.
A direct result of too much time with Jane Fonda.
Great, American's will start
Submitted by mostlymoderate on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 12:23am.
Great, American's will start having even LESS children than they do now while all the third-world nations as well as all the muslim countries continue to spawn like fleas. Sounds like a ploy to get rid of anglo-American's to me because we all KNOW that Mexican's won't be pulling up the harness.
sounds
Submitted by amyshulk on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 6:34am.
Sounds like the usual result from from "brain storming" a problem - forgetting they are talking about PEOPLE!!!
Ronald Reagan
Great idea, Ted
Submitted by TheHistorian on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 10:28am.
how about you start it by mandatory sterilization of every illegal alien? Then let's try it for all liberals in MA, VT, NY, and CA as the second tier. If that doesn't drop CO2 enough, maybe you and Jane could put your heads into plastic bags for a few days?
Dennis Prager
Georgia Guide Stones
Submitted by Lorianne_W on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 11:03am.
... just saying
And what, Ted, do you propose
Submitted by Cappmann1962 on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 11:40am.
And what, Ted, do you propose for "poor" folks who have more children than their "quota"? What are you gonna do? Fine them? Sterilize them? Take away their "extra" children (and then maybe the "rich" can do some online shopping instead of having their own kids)
Can "rich" folks sell their unused credits if they don't want to have children?
And if we're going to be here, as a species, 5,000 years from now, I have absolutely no doubt that we will have colonized other planets, so the 7 billion number doesn't have any validity since we won't all be on this planet.
Finally, as with all cap-and-whatever schemes, how does a credit system fix anything? If you pay "poor" people to not have children, but allow "rich" people to pay to have kids, we still have the same "problem" with population growth. Only someone is making coin off the deal (and you can be sure it ain't the poor).
Wing nut
Submitted by tampamom25 on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 12:47pm.
Here's a man who has absolutely no concept of the value of human life, so in his mind it can be bought and sold like cattle. Actually Ted, it would make more sense to rid the world of the elderly who are reaching the end of their years of productivity. Care to volunteer?