Fake "carbon trade" market could boost ag income

The sale of indulgences by early-day Roman Catholic priests and cardinals, allowing one to live and act however he chose, was widely panned and proven of no value over the centuries.

The newly shelved Lieberman-Warner bill would have set up a market to trade carbon credits--in essence, clean industries like agriculture (yeh, cows do fart, but what the hell?), could sell carbon credits to polluters like power plants and other industrial titans, with Uncle Sam harvesting a "boot" off each one.

While this will raise the price of many goods to the consumer, it may prove a great thing for agriculture. If you can't raise corn for some reason, currently at a record $6.50 a bushel, or collect Conservation Reserve payments from Uncle Sam, you could sell indulgences to polluters. What a deal!

Dead for this session of Congress, it is generally conceded that a new Congress and new President, will revisit the issue. With both McCain and Obama on board with Lieberman-Warner, and the likelihood of continued Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, the prospects for carbon trade look rosy indeed.

Of course carbon trade is a fake "market," a socialist contrivance to raise new revenue under the guise of free enterprise. But you lucky farmers and ranchers could be on the front lines of new income. As Robin Hood continues to take from the rich and give to the poor--farmers and ranchers could be on the receiving end.

Like they say, keep your noses clean.