Magic Statistics

The politically incorrect Jeremy Clarkson is being touted for prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  Over 28,000 Britons have signed a Downing Street petition in favour of moving the incorrigibly opinionated automotive critic and The Times of London columnist into Number 10.

The Times has culled Mr Clarkson’s recent columns for his manifesto, “If I ruled the world”.

The Daily Mail offers his platform in 20 planks:

1 Encourage Global Warming
2 Abolish Cricket
3 End The Special Relationship [between Britain and the US]
4 Ban Health & Safety
5 Deal With Youth Crime
6 Remove Speed Cameras
7 Teach British History
8 Get Out Of Iraq
9 Bring Back The Stocks
10 End Recycling Hell
11 Banish Wales
12 And East Anglia
13 Ban Diesel Cars
14 End Human Rights
15 Kick Out Bureaucrats
16 Freedom To Smoke
17 British Independence
18 No More Cool Britannia
19 Crackdown On Cyclists
20 Public Executions

Read the whole thing for the details.

Canadians who support Mark Steyn and free speech will enthusiastically endorse plank #14.

I’d sign the Clarkson for PM petition, but you have to supply a UK address and I am loath to tell lies online—although I am sorely tempted to enter “Lambeth Palace, Lambeth Palace Road, Lambeth, London, SE1 7JU”.

The Jeremy Clarkson for Mayor of London campaign didn’t get very far, perhaps because he was ambivalent about the post.  He does seem more interested in the PM’s job.

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Mark Steyn points out that the whingeing Muslim law students who scuttled off to Canada’s human rights tribunals object to a statement made by a Muslim imam.

They cite the following quote as an "extract from Steyn's article": "The number of Muslims is expanding like mosquitoes."

That line certainly appears in my text, but they're not my words. Rather, they were said by a prominent Scandinavian Muslim, Mullah Krekar, to a respectable Norwegian newspaper. The imam was boasting at how Islam would outbreed Europe . . .

This is the nub of Messrs [Naseem] Mithoowani, [Khurrum] Awan, [Muneeza] Sheikh and [Daniel] Simard's complaints against Maclean's: They're objecting to a Canadian magazine quoting accurately the statements of leading Muslims. And at least two of Canada's "human rights" commissions, to their shame, have accepted their absurd proposition that accurately quoting leading Muslims is somehow "Islamophobic."

Hold that thought while we take a look at a recent article from the Yemen Times.

There must be violence against women

This title may sound strange, but it’s actually not just a way to attract readers to the topic because I really do mean what it indicates. Violence is a broad term, especially when used regarding women. In this piece, I want to shed light on those instances where violence against women is a must.
. . .
Occasionally – if not daily – we hear about events occurring in Islamic and Arab societies. Some human rights organizations recently have attacked violent acts against women, standing against any type of violence – even that between a father and daughter – and citing the cases of some women as examples.
. . .
[B]eating is considered a type of violence, according to human rights organizations, which urge women to complain to the police. I just wonder what kind of families our societies would have if Muslim women started doing this regarding their husbands.

Relationships between fathers and daughters or sisters and brothers also provoke argument from human rights organizations, which propose the suggested solutions for all relationships. Personally, I don’t think fathers or brothers would undertake such behavior unless there was a reason for it.

Interestingly, that article appeared in the “Youth” section of the newspaper.

h/t: Kathy Shaidle and Jihad Watch

Previous related posts:

• Law Is Cool blogger leaves deceptive and uninformed comment
• Steyn critics prove they don’t understand freedom of speech
• These guys are studying to be lawyers?
• Free Mark Steyn!
• I support Mark Steyn, Maclean’s, and free speech

Canada's aging demographic profile will present formidable challenges to government fiscal policy, according to a new study from the C.D. Howe Institute.  As the population ages, less money needs to be spent on child benefits and education, but those savings will be swamped by rising health care spending.  Those expenditures are the responsibility of Canada's provincial and territorial governments.

The present value of net additional expenses is estimated at $1.4 trillion, about equal to the total value of good and services produced annually by the Canadian economy.

Discounted at 4.8 percent over 50 years — the yield on high-quality provincial-government bonds at the time of writing — demographically driven programs create a net liability for governments of almost $1.4 trillion. This burden, however, is unevenly spread. Ottawa comes out in a net asset position, thanks mainly to prospective declines in spending on children. Provinces, by contrast, face massive increases in healthcare spending, which falling education budgets only partially offset. Geographically speaking, the outlook generally worsens moving from west to east across the country. [footnote omitted]

In 2006, Canada's total economic production (as measured by gross domestic product) was $1.45 trillion.

The study offers two main recommendations.  Improved fiscal discipline would allow continued reductions in net government debt.  As well, federal income taxes should be cut more deeply to make room for higher taxation on the provincial side.

Most importantly, policies conducive to economic growth can provide the increased tax revenue needed to fund health and social programs.

Finally, and fundamentally, bolstering the economic base of each province and the country as a whole through growth-friendly policies is a critical approach to alleviating the pressure of these programs.

Here arises an unavoidable conflict between social program funding and climate change initiatives.  It is very difficult to see how effective growth-friendly policies can be implemented if attaining emission reduction targets is a top government priority.

If Kyoto, or something like it, is considered more important than continued economic growth, Canadian governments will face extremely difficult and unpopular decisions in the not-too-distant future with regard to medicare.  Either availability of health services will have to be cut or taxes increased far above present levels.  The latter would only further depress economic production, on which all government programs ultimately depend.

Previous related posts:

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• Labour force participation expected to drop sharply in Canada
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This diagram from a food analysis by the British Government’s Strategy Unit shows how the "food culture" of our affluent society damages the environment.  Any questions?

Well, I’m convinced.  Tomorrow I’m going vegan.

The diagram is found on page 14 of this pdf document. Click on the graphic to see a larger view, but I don’t think that will make it any more intelligible.

h/t: Times Online Comment Central

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