Go Big Green

... green jobs have become the ginseng of progressive politics: a sort of broad-spectrum snake oil that cures whatever happens to ail you.  They are the antidote to economic malaise, an underskilled labor force, the inherent unwillingness of the public to suffer any significant economic and personal dislocation in order to save the environment.  They enhance nationalistic vigor. (If we don't act now, the Chinese will steal all of our green jobs!)  They stave off aging of stale political platforms.  And I'm pretty sure they're good for bunions, too.
    Megan McArdle

Ms. McArdle spoke at last year's Vermont Tiger symposium.  Stay tuned for information about this year's event. 

(We first saw these trenchant McArdle remarks on Instapundit.  But, then, he gets everything first.)

Comments

[Vermont Woodchuck]

Here's a bit more to add to the soggy green wood fire.
"[snip]
The job-destroying nature of renewable energy is not unique to the US. A recent study in Spain, where both conventional generation costs and wind subsidies are higher than in the US, found that each new job in green industries in that country cost $774,000 and led to the loss of at least 2.2 jobs elsewhere in the country’s economy." [snip]
http://masterresource.org/?p=1625

The math is here, no high order calculations; easy sums that the lay person can do, most can do without a calculator.
The rest of the ugly story is there too.

Good-bye jobs, taxes and business in Vermont.