If you're polling sub 10% in the national polls (as Klobuchar certainly is, and Buttigieg is quite close), then you're not going to get many delegates, if any. Then you have zero influence. You're an expired parrot.
If you turn up to Bloomberg or Sanders now, offering your support, then you can pretty much name your cabinet position.
We are getting deep into the primaries now, in just 26 days it will be mostly all over.
There is no incentive for anyone who survived till now, to simply drop out now when the finish line is so close.
There is a massive incentive: a cabinet level position vs obscurity.
But they are then betting on Bloomberg or Sanders. Hmmm...
Keep going and hope for contested. Your leverage is surely way more at the convention.
Unless you are going to have 50 or 100 delegates, then how much leverage do you have?
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
If you're polling sub 10% in the national polls (as Klobuchar certainly is, and Buttigieg is quite close), then you're not going to get many delegates, if any. Then you have zero influence. You're an expired parrot.
If you turn up to Bloomberg or Sanders now, offering your support, then you can pretty much name your cabinet position.
We are getting deep into the primaries now, in just 26 days it will be mostly all over.
There is no incentive for anyone who survived till now, to simply drop out now when the finish line is so close.
There is a massive incentive: a cabinet level position vs obscurity.
But they are then betting on Bloomberg or Sanders. Hmmm...
Keep going and hope for contested. Your leverage is surely way more at the convention.
Unless you are going to have 50 or 100 delegates, then how much leverage do you have?
As a PB Leaver, I am officially happy to declare that Priti Patel should not be given an automatic peerage upon leaving office, until all bullying allegations have been fully investigated.
Noted. I will pause however while you gather together an appropriate slew of insults against her of the type that were deployed against Bercow when those allegations emerged.
Patel, though much derided for many past statements and beliefs, has far fewer rememberable instances of or a public persona focused on belittling people (deservedly or otherwise) which make it easy to believe accusations. That said I can easily believe she is a bully, but for general purposes there is less to go on for a casual observer than with Bercow (though she has other flaws which he does not have as compensation). I hope any bully gets suitable comeuppance and that if she is one that will be her fate, but lacking the lead in time of the Bercow stuff (in addition to the political angle against him and for her) it is not going to be an identical reaction and without a smoking gun will probably take more time to have any effect. After all, there was no effect on Bercow while in office, and its not certain there will be now.
Perhaps unfairly, she reminds me of Ségolène Royal, who also had a reputation as a bit of a bully when she was the Environment Minister in France.
I suspect that Patel is the sort of minister that struggles to convince her officials through argument or evidence and is forced back to relying on pulling rank, which won’t endear her to them and can easily turn toward bullying.
I suspect that Patel is the sort of minister that struggles with a smarmy Sir Humphrey type who says "We don't do things that way here, Minister...."
"YA FOOKIN' DO NOW...."
*Exit Sir Humphrey stage left, with an attack of the vapours....*
Priti Patel is Tory-Not-So-Secret-Weapon No.1: the anti-Abbott, if you will.
I can't wait to find out what limp biscuit the new Labour leadership puts up to shadow her next
As a PB Leaver, I am officially happy to declare that Priti Patel should not be given an automatic peerage upon leaving office, until all bullying allegations have been fully investigated.
Noted. I will pause however while you gather together an appropriate slew of insults against her of the type that were deployed against Bercow when those allegations emerged.
Patel, though much derided for many past statements and beliefs, has far fewer rememberable instances of or a public persona focused on belittling people (deservedly or otherwise) which make it easy to believe accusations. That said I can easily believe she is a bully, but for general purposes there is less to go on for a casual observer than with Bercow (though she has other flaws which he does not have as compensation). I hope any bully gets suitable comeuppance and that if she is one that will be her fate, but lacking the lead in time of the Bercow stuff (in addition to the political angle against him and for her) it is not going to be an identical reaction and without a smoking gun will probably take more time to have any effect. After all, there was no effect on Bercow while in office, and its not certain there will be now.
Perhaps unfairly, she reminds me of Ségolène Royal, who also had a reputation as a bit of a bully when she was the Environment Minister in France.
I suspect that Patel is the sort of minister that struggles to convince her officials through argument or evidence and is forced back to relying on pulling rank, which won’t endear her to them and can easily turn toward bullying.
I suspect that Patel is the sort of minister that struggles with a smarmy Sir Humphrey type who says "We don't do things that way here, Minister...."
"YA FOOKIN' DO NOW...."
*Exit Sir Humphrey stage left, with an attack of the vapours....*
Priti Patel is Tory-Not-So-Secret-Weapon No.1: the anti-Abbott, if you will.
I can't wait to find out what limp biscuit the new Labour leadership puts up to shadow her next
That's a good result for him... but it's also a good Buttigieg result. This could be the third primary in a row where the top two, in terms of raw vote numbers, are Sanders-Buttigieg.
The interesting question is what happens with second preferences, given the hybrid caucus / early voting system.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
There is no good reason for civil disobedience in a democracy.
Swedish police announce that they have solved the 1986 murder of prime minister Olof Palme (Social Democrat) in Stockholm.
34 years! What is the record for solving old criminal mysteries?
At least they got him, Sweden doesn't seem like the kind of place where they would murder politicians.
It is. Anna Lindh was killed too.
When Anna Lindh was murdered, I was dating a Swedish girl and Lindh was her idol. She used to go round Swedish music festivals campaigning for them to join the Euro, and one of the presents she gave me was a ‘Ja Til Euron’ t-shirt!
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Go and help ER dig up some lawn. I mean, what did grass ever do to sequester CO2........
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Daft is the wrong adjective. it suggests a kind of silly harmlessness.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts.
Well I hope they don't complain about getting arrested then if that is indeed the plan.
Well obviously you make it as awkward as possible, to help the protest, but being arrested was exactly what ER wanted.
"“I am here today to be arrested,” Monbiot told crowds under the autumnal sun. “In case the police were of any doubt of that, I’ve even brought a little sign saying ‘I’m assembling with Extinction Rebellion in breach of Section 14’”, referring to the police order that outlawed the group’s ‘Autumn uprising’, which disrupted the city centre for eight days."
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Daft is the wrong adjective. it suggests a kind of silly harmlessness.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
It will be interesting to see how many Cambridge colleges decide to disinvest in fossil fuels.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Daft is the wrong adjective. it suggests a kind of silly harmlessness.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
I think that whenever you try to do something you will make mistakes. I think it is a mistake, in this instance, for you to reduce a large political movement to the merits or otherwise of one action of that movement by a small number of its adherents - but I'll try not to judge you for making that mistake.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Daft is the wrong adjective. it suggests a kind of silly harmlessness.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
It will be interesting to see how many Cambridge colleges decide to disinvest in fossil fuels.
Disinvestment just hands the return to less scrupulous investors. The only things that genuinely hurts fossil fuel companies in a major way is to tax them more and buy less of their products.
I think that whenever you try to do something you will make mistakes. I think it is a mistake, in this instance, for you to reduce a large political movement to the merits or otherwise of one action of that movement by a small number of its adherents - but I'll try not to judge you for making that mistake.
ER blocked several roads in Cambridge. A friend of mine's seven-year old daughter was prevented from getting to her primary school on bike by them. She was not allowed to use the road.
ER then dug up a wild flower lawn.
ER are not making isolated single mistakes. They are making a catalogue of grievous, unforced and systematic blunders that are annoying many people who might instinctively support them and doing the environmental cause huge and possibly irretrievable damage.
I think that whenever you try to do something you will make mistakes. I think it is a mistake, in this instance, for you to reduce a large political movement to the merits or otherwise of one action of that movement by a small number of its adherents - but I'll try not to judge you for making that mistake.
ER blocked several roads in Cambridge. A friend of mine's seven-year old daughter was prevented from getting to her primary school on bike by them. She was not allowed to use the road.
ER then dug up a wild flower lawn.
ER are not making isolated single mistakes. They are making a catalogue of grievous, unforced and systematic blunders that are annoying many people who might instinctively support them and doing the environmental cause huge and possibly irretrievable damage.
And further the attempt by ER to disrupt and hijack the democratically elected Cambridge Council and argue that it should be replaced by a Citizens Assembly is fundamentally despotic.
Cambridge doesn't need citizens' assemblies. It has an elected (Labour) City Council, an elected (Tory) County Council and there is a directly elected mayor (Tory) for the region and a directly elected Labour MP.
Here is a snippet from the local press: "Where we live we are facing chaos and gridlock from the XR blockade. My husband is disabled and has no option but to use a car or taxi if he needs to go out."
Disinvestment just hands the return to less scrupulous investors. The only things that genuinely hurts fossil fuel companies in a major way is to tax them more and buy less of their products.
Yes, if you're doing illegal property damage it seems better just to go straight for the fossil fuel companies and their customers' infrastructure. Every pound of criminal damage increases someone's insurance premiums and raises the cost of using fossil fuels. And they'd probably find it more fun, as much of the relevant infrastructure will explode if ignited.
I think that whenever you try to do something you will make mistakes. I think it is a mistake, in this instance, for you to reduce a large political movement to the merits or otherwise of one action of that movement by a small number of its adherents - but I'll try not to judge you for making that mistake.
ER blocked several roads in Cambridge. A friend of mine's seven-year old daughter was prevented from getting to her primary school on bike by them. She was not allowed to use the road.
ER then dug up a wild flower lawn.
ER are not making isolated single mistakes. They are making a catalogue of grievous, unforced and systematic blunders that are annoying many people who might instinctively support them and doing the environmental cause huge and possibly irretrievable damage.
And further the attempt by ER to disrupt and hijack the democratically elected Cambridge Council and argue that it should be replaced by a Citizens Assembly is fundamentally despotic.
Cambridge doesn't need citizens' assemblies. It has an elected (Labour) City Council, an elected (Tory) County Council and there is a directly elected mayor (Tory) for the region and a directly elected Labour MP.
Here is a snippet from the local press: "Where we live we are facing chaos and gridlock from the XR blockade. My husband is disabled and has no option but to use a car or taxi if he needs to go out."
Here in Oxford we don't need ER causing disruption. The councils are doing it for them. Blocking roads. Cutting off access to vital services. Putting in as many anti car measures they can think of. Whilst also.cutting local bus services and removing key drop off points for taxis.
No joined up thinking at all. Just knee jerk gesture politics.
Disinvestment just hands the return to less scrupulous investors. The only things that genuinely hurts fossil fuel companies in a major way is to tax them more and buy less of their products.
Yes, if you're doing illegal property damage it seems better just to go straight for the fossil fuel companies and their customers' infrastructure. Every pound of criminal damage increases someone's insurance premiums and raises the cost of using fossil fuels. And they'd probably find it more fun, as much of the relevant infrastructure will explode if ignited.
Speaking of insurance, that's actually now looking like one of the more immediate ways to hurt the fossil fuel industries. The number of providers who won't insure coal mines etc is rising steadily, and there aren't too many firms in the market for that kind of thing to begin with.
If they can't insure large new complex projects like mines or factories, then they don't happen.
Disinvestment just hands the return to less scrupulous investors. The only things that genuinely hurts fossil fuel companies in a major way is to tax them more and buy less of their products.
Yes, if you're doing illegal property damage it seems better just to go straight for the fossil fuel companies and their customers' infrastructure. Every pound of criminal damage increases someone's insurance premiums and raises the cost of using fossil fuels. And they'd probably find it more fun, as much of the relevant infrastructure will explode if ignited.
Speaking of insurance, that's actually now looking like one of the more immediate ways to hurt the fossil fuel industries. The number of providers who won't insure coal mines etc is rising steadily, and there aren't too many firms in the market for that kind of thing to begin with.
If they can't insure large new complex projects like mines or factories, then they don't happen.
These people need some kind of anarchist disorganization of direct action economists
I don't think that's particularly clever. But, I do think he can raise $13m in two weeks. He has the third largest donor list, behind Warren and Sanders, and can almost certainly tap them up for more.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Daft is the wrong adjective. it suggests a kind of silly harmlessness.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
It will be interesting to see how many Cambridge colleges decide to disinvest in fossil fuels.
Disinvestment just hands the return to less scrupulous investors. The only things that genuinely hurts fossil fuel companies in a major way is to tax them more and buy less of their products.
Well, technically disinvestment raises the cost of capital for these firms. As they're all capital intensive, it does have an impact.
However, you are absolutely correct that taxation and/or lower demand are much bigger ways to lower fossil fuel use.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Daft is the wrong adjective. it suggests a kind of silly harmlessness.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
It will be interesting to see how many Cambridge colleges decide to disinvest in fossil fuels.
Disinvestment just hands the return to less scrupulous investors. The only things that genuinely hurts fossil fuel companies in a major way is to tax them more and buy less of their products.
Well, technically disinvestment raises the cost of capital for these firms. As they're all capital intensive, it does have an impact.
However, you are absolutely correct that taxation and/or lower demand are much bigger ways to lower fossil fuel use.
I suspect the market is liquid enough that any increase in capital cost is invisibly small.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Daft is the wrong adjective. it suggests a kind of silly harmlessness.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
It will be interesting to see how many Cambridge colleges decide to disinvest in fossil fuels.
Disinvestment just hands the return to less scrupulous investors. The only things that genuinely hurts fossil fuel companies in a major way is to tax them more and buy less of their products.
Well, technically disinvestment raises the cost of capital for these firms. As they're all capital intensive, it does have an impact.
However, you are absolutely correct that taxation and/or lower demand are much bigger ways to lower fossil fuel use.
I suspect the market is liquid enough that any increase in capital cost is invisibly small.
The oil market is more liquid than the coal market. Depending on the temperature and pressure, naturally.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Daft is the wrong adjective. it suggests a kind of silly harmlessness.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
It will be interesting to see how many Cambridge colleges decide to disinvest in fossil fuels.
Disinvestment just hands the return to less scrupulous investors. The only things that genuinely hurts fossil fuel companies in a major way is to tax them more and buy less of their products.
Well, technically disinvestment raises the cost of capital for these firms. As they're all capital intensive, it does have an impact.
However, you are absolutely correct that taxation and/or lower demand are much bigger ways to lower fossil fuel use.
I suspect the market is liquid enough that any increase in capital cost is invisibly small.
The oil market is more liquid than the coal market. Depending on the temperature and pressure, naturally.
Priti Patel's fury at official blocking police from eco mob crackdown as Home Secretary says staff are dragging their feet on tougher action just days after officers let Extinction Rebellion tear up Cambridge lawn
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Digging up the lawn was an exceptionally stupid thing to do.
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
No, I think it was a daft thing for ER to do. There are far better things to protest at, the right to protest being fundamental in a democracy, whether suffragettes or civil rights marchers.
Daft is the wrong adjective. it suggests a kind of silly harmlessness.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
It will be interesting to see how many Cambridge colleges decide to disinvest in fossil fuels.
Disinvestment just hands the return to less scrupulous investors. The only things that genuinely hurts fossil fuel companies in a major way is to tax them more and buy less of their products.
Well, technically disinvestment raises the cost of capital for these firms. As they're all capital intensive, it does have an impact.
However, you are absolutely correct that taxation and/or lower demand are much bigger ways to lower fossil fuel use.
I suspect the market is liquid enough that any increase in capital cost is invisibly small.
The oil market is more liquid than the coal market. Depending on the temperature and pressure, naturally.
I suspect the market is liquid enough that any increase in capital cost is invisibly small.
It depends. If half the world's investment funds refused to invest in oil & gas (and I just made that proportion up), then you would expect that the cost of capital would move a meaningful amount.
Looking at Finbox, it says the Weighted Average Cost of Capital for Shell is 8%. If half the world's investors refused to own Shell, then it would probably rise to 8.25-8.5%. That's not a massive amount, but it would be noticeable to them.
Comments
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8026547/Priti-Patels-fury-official-blocking-police-eco-mob-crackdown.html
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/nevada/
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/02/12/amy-klobuchar-ramps-up-nevada-operation-hopes-to-catch-rivals/
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/feb/20/antibiotic-that-kills-drug-resistant-bacteria-discovered-through-ai
https://twitter.com/Cornish_Damo/status/1230571185487908865
https://twitter.com/RealTimeWWII/status/1230614374437523461
34 years! What is the record for solving old criminal mysteries?
#RegimeOfFlyingStaplerTerror
https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/1230635983261044736
(I know, it's only a local by-election, all in good fun)
The interesting question is what happens with second preferences, given the hybrid caucus / early voting system.
It nearly didn't end as planned...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/06/extinction-rebellion-protesters-set-million-pound-pay-plot-general/
Of course, the whole plan of civil disobedience is to get arrested, and clog up police and courts. Indeed I am rather inclined to have some fun at COP26 myself this autumn.
Must have been August 2003
The lawn was a wild flower lawn. The wild flowers bloom in the spring and summer and cause delight, as well as providing a haven for insects.
Typical of a smirking LibDem to approve such a crass, utterly pointless and nihilistic action.
The lawn was not a typical manicured Cambridge college grass lawn.
It was purposefully kept like a meadow & sown with spring and summer wild flowers.
"“I am here today to be arrested,” Monbiot told crowds under the autumnal sun. “In case the police were of any doubt of that, I’ve even brought a little sign saying ‘I’m assembling with Extinction Rebellion in breach of Section 14’”, referring to the police order that outlawed the group’s ‘Autumn uprising’, which disrupted the city centre for eight days."
From
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2019/10/16/1600-arrests-extinction-rebellion-fights-right-protest-uk/
https://twitter.com/PeteButtigieg/status/1230608324183416832?s=19
https://twitter.com/dick_nixon/status/1230641576843644928?s=19
ER then dug up a wild flower lawn.
ER are not making isolated single mistakes. They are making a catalogue of grievous, unforced and systematic blunders that are annoying many people who might instinctively support them and doing the environmental cause huge and possibly irretrievable damage.
Cambridge doesn't need citizens' assemblies. It has an elected (Labour) City Council, an elected (Tory) County Council and there is a directly elected mayor (Tory) for the region and a directly elected Labour MP.
Here is a snippet from the local press: "Where we live we are facing chaos and gridlock from the XR blockade. My husband is disabled and has no option but to use a car or taxi if he needs to go out."
No joined up thinking at all. Just knee jerk gesture politics.
If they can't insure large new complex projects like mines or factories, then they don't happen.
However, you are absolutely correct that taxation and/or lower demand are much bigger ways to lower fossil fuel use.
Looking at Finbox, it says the Weighted Average Cost of Capital for Shell is 8%. If half the world's investors refused to own Shell, then it would probably rise to 8.25-8.5%. That's not a massive amount, but it would be noticeable to them.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-51580401