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John Tamny is my favourite contrarian economist on economics. He writes an intriguing factoid for his most recent brilliant contribution to Zeitgeist.
“Without conceding even an inch on the notion that greater human comfort burdens a planet that’s been around for billions of years, those fearful of mass AC access live in locales where it’s plentiful.” @JohnTamny #ampFW https://t.co/nJn5z1fYYI
— FreedomWorks (@FreedomWorks) August 2, 2022
The first air conditioner sold in the United States, Tamny reminds us, was purchased in Minneapolis by an heiress in the early 1930s when a window-unit air conditioner cost between $10,000 and $50,000.
This means that only the very wealthy were able to purchase an air conditioner at their first availability to customers. Everyone else could not afford to get relief from the Sun’s unforgiving heat and the Sun.
A window-style air conditioner is still available on Amazon, almost 100 year later. Prices range from $100 to $200, depending on what time it’s used. This means that AC prices are lower when there is less demand. This is the economic law that governs supply and demand.
The economic law of supply and demand can sometimes be very stubborn and inflexible. It is similar to its cousin gravity. Good luck reasoning or negotiating with it. The law of supply-demand is much more gentle than many of the Green Movement members.
People who dedicate their lives to the preservation of our planet toiling on computers, typing on laptops and doing all that they can to keep cooling your house cool, especially in Summer, are often not within the reach of working families. Indeed, today’s “environmentalists” prefer hyping every single theoretical weather-related calamity from their air-conditioned condominiums in Manhattan, Washington D.C., and Santa Barbara.
Whereas in the 1930s, market forces made purchasing an air conditioner prohibitively expensive for 99.99% of the country, today, it is the people in charge of our nation’s energy policy who are intent on doing that. It is by decreasing the supply of energy while increasing the demand. All this in the name and service of the environment.
There is no doubt that the Green Movement has been anti-humanity since they oppose affordable energy. And they long for a day and for a world where they can rest comfortably knowing billions of “malignant” human beings no longer terrorize our “benign” Planet Earth.
Air conditioning shouldn’t be and must never again be a luxury only for the super-rich.
Unfortunately, what the Greens choose to ignore, or live in complete denial about, is that it isn’t humanity who terrorizes the planet; it is the planet that terrorizes human beings.
Because of American ingenuity, rapidly advancing technologies, and private industry’s constant innovating, humanity has learned to more than tolerate Mother Nature’s chronic moodiness and repeated tantrums by employing the world-changing power of abundant and reliable energy.
Over the past century, mankind has made great strides. In addition to eradicating once deadly diseases like Polio, Smallpox, and Malaria, as well as traveling to the Moon and sending robots to Mars, we’ve learned how to lower the temperature when it’s too hot and increase the temperature when it’s too cold.
Respecting the law of supply-demand, unleashing market power, as well as harnessing nuclear and fossil energy to create a more welcoming world, have all contributed to making it more inviting.
Air conditioning shouldn’t be and must never again be a luxury only for the super-rich. Because of the inherent benefits that Capitalism offers, all Americans can afford air conditioning. Another example of the morality that enables prosperity is this:
Joe Armendariz is the Director of Government Relations & Public Affairs for Armendariz Partners, LLC. The former executive director of Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association and Santa Barbara Technology and Industry Association and Chairman of California Center for Public Policy, he is now the Director of Government Relations & Public Affairs for Armendariz Partners, LLC. He is a person who views his views and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of any group affiliations. You can reach him at 805.990-2494
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