What happens when a Moderate is branded a Socialist? Socialism gains ground in a Moderate electorate

Is Rush Limbaugh’s Country Gone? – NYTimes.com http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/is-rush-limbaughs-country-gone/

In fact, the rising American electorate represents a direct threat to the striking array of government benefits for the affluent that the conservative movement has won over the past 40 years. These include the reduction of the top income tax rate from 50 percent in 1986 to 35 percent; the 15 percent tax rate on dividend and capital gains income, which was 39.9 percent in 1977; the lowering of the top estate tax rate from 70 percent in 1981, with just $175,000 exempted from taxation, to a top rate of 35 percent this year with $5.1 million exempted from taxation. At the same time, the Pew survey cited above shows the high levels of skepticism and hostility toward capitalism on the part of the emerging Democratic majority. Insofar as the liberal coalition succeeds in electing senators and representatives who share those views, the business community will have increasing difficulty in winning approval of its deregulated market and free trade agenda.

Lots of good stuff in the link. “Socialism” is a dirty word to the 55+ crowd, as to them it means Totalitarian Communism. To the younger generation hearing Obama being called a Socialist constantly, Socialism looks like moderate policies that engage the free market with a firm hand to help solve big problems. And they *like* that approach.

New Greenhouse Gas Record…What do we win? Oh….a giant hurricane.

BBC News – Greenhouse gases hit record high
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20410942

In its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin released on Tuesday, the organisation said that carbon dioxide levels reached 391 parts per million in 2011.

The report estimates that carbon dioxide accounts for 85% of the “radiative forcing” that leads to global temperature rises.

Other potent greenhouse gases such as methane also reached record highs.

The carbon dioxide levels appear to have been rising at a level of two parts per million each year for the last 10 years – with the latest measure being 40% higher than those at the start of the industrial revolution.