Yesterday, MoveOn and the Center for American Progress teamed up to call out Senator McCain and Congressional Republicans for pretending that handing out huge sacks of cash to Big Oil constitutes an energy policy. CAP released a report estimating the value of subsidies and tax breaks McCain supports for Big Oil over the next five years at $39 billion. Local MoveOn volunteers around the country released the report, and called for those tax dollars to be spent on clean energy alternatives, including wind and geothermal power, home weatherization, conservation and public transit.
As we see news of the possible (and increasingly likely) bailout of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae by the US Treasury, I am reminded of something that I have been writing about nuclear energy, ie that it should be financed by the State, and I'd like to extend on why I think there are fascinating similarities between the two topics, however distinct they may seem.
Well before the written word or pictograph, before the alphabet or the printing press, even before media or mediums... there was fire. The flame has been a passion of mankind's throughout history. With it came the need for fuel.
We're all tired of capitulation. We all think offshore drilling is pretty darn evil. But are we willing to give up a crack at something we need for the hubris of those reasons?
Let's talk about the New Energy Reform Act of 2008. If you haven't been paying attention, that's the name of the proposed energy bill sponsored by the "Group of 10" Senators in order to address all those concerns everyone has about energy. There are certainly a good bushel of bad apple policies in the bill, but some pretty awesome oranges in there too that might make the bill worthwhile. Let's take a look at both, plus some context, in the extended entry.
Despite evidence that increased domestic drilling will only have a minor impact on market prices and that these will accrue in the distant future, McCain and the Republicans continue their "Drill Here, Drill Now" mantra. Today, Johnny Boy donned a hardhat and took the chopper out to a gen-you-eyne oil rig to give his claim the visuals required to drive this one home. Minor probem:
First a little math using examples from a Professor Bartlett video (an example of which I have below).
The amount of anything that grows doubles over time. To determine this doubling time divide seventy by the growth percentage. For example 7 percent annual growth means that each 10 years the number doubles.
This sounds simple: 1 becomes 2 becomes 4 becomes 8 becomes 16, but the implications of exponential growth, thus any growth, on the world is dramatic. Look at those numbers again. If you add up 1 and 2 and 4 and 8 you get 15. One less than 16.
Here is a real world example. Up until 1970 the use of oil in the world grew 7 percent each year. That means every 10 years the amount of oil the world used has more than the world used for its entire history just 10 years earlier. So by 1970 the world was using more oil than all the oil it had used from the cave days to 1960.
If this continued humanity was ready to jump off a cliff in our lifetime.
He does. His record is the best out of any republican in a long long time. Either he or Obama would be great at this issue, even though I prefer Obama, Obviously.
As you guys prepare to rip a hole in me, consider the source. President Clinton, in his "who cares about the party tour", continues to throw his half-hearted praise onto Obama. Link to Praise .I am one who believes that he was a hell of a President. Record surpluses and peace. Jobs and prosperity. Homes for many. But I must say, it doesn't seem as though he has ever cared about the party. His centrist politics have always made it seem as though there was something wrong with being a democrat. and his affair has delivered the country to the Neo-Cons on a silver platter. It gets me that even after he was given a speaking role on the same night as the V.P. Hillarys name will be placed in nomination, against the best interest of the party and Obama. and that silly tag line about sexism was allowed in the platform, he continues to act this way. Is it too much to ask for support?
I had mentioned yesterday that I had planned to post my views about the disappointing showing of the Fosh "The first unlimited range, electric car" and needless to say I am disappointed..
However, an oppertunity has presented itself to prove their wild claims.. They may suck as a company in my view but I am willing to see this wonder car tested for the claim "The first unlimited range, electric car"
A post was made on their forum by "admin" Which I assume is either one of the big FOSH hotshots or someone in power..
Start a new thread and get votes on who you would like to see doing the independent testing. We will send an EVT-3 to whoever you all decide.
Well I am not going to start a thread until I get some ideas on a facility that can reasonably prove these claims..
And it seems the others there (And even the fans who have shown up like the water car days of yore) have not made any suggestions yet either...
Oh, you just have to see this.
Yesterday, I did a long background story called "Shale" on Crazy Tom McClintock's "energy" policy which he had released on August 10. http://www.dailykos.com/...
When Crazy Tom wrote this Aug 10, I knew I had hit black comedy gold because the thing was so riddled with errors that anyone seriously following energy issues and planning would think the person who wrote it was incompetent. Crazy Tom had lots of public feedback on it, and being an inflexible sort, instead of trying to get rid of it, he kept giving speeches with it. Tom McClintock seemed intent on drilling his way to China on that, but last night, anticipating the Auburn Journal's story here, http://auburnjournal.com/... , "China Cuba oil drilling gaffe has McClintock backpedaling, he finally caved.
Last Sunday was another one of our summer days of threatening rain and occasional downpours but I biked down to Henry Street for the first local weatherization barnraising. Lots of people showed up as did the rain while we crowded into the garage to arrange the work parties. One group worked on pipe insulation in the basements, another group worked on weatherstripping doors, and two groups worked on weatherstripping windows, one for simple weatherstripping and another for complex weatherstripping which required the removal of sash.
I worked on the pipe insulation crew. We finished one basement and I believe made a good start on the second. At first, we thought there wasn't enough pipe insulation to go around but it worked out. We spent about three hours getting organized and working on windows, doors, and pipes, and ended up with pizza, pot luck, and a jam session.
Two city councillors and the new head of the Cambridge Energy Alliance attended as well as a reporter from the local newspaper. Whether the reporter did any weatherization work I do not know.
Earlier this year, Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to throw his muscle behind John McCain, citing the Senator's record of bipartisanship, as well as his alleged efforts to halt global warming. The former Mr. Olympia, in his appeal to voters, recruited his own ass to deliver the message of support. According to the LA times:
CQPolitics came out with an article today about how the House Republicans don't really want the Democrats to directly answer the energy crisis by immediately bringing a bill to the House floor. Instead those damn Republicans want us to do it through the normal committee process so they can delay the process until the November election:
Sound great, but there is a twist in the tale that is not just an issue for this project, but for practically every large scale wind and solar renewable project out there. A almost throwaway at the end of the article reveals all:
PG&E has said the deals are contingent on Congress reauthorizing several tax credits for renewable energy that are due to expire at the end of this year. Although there is broad bipartisan support for the credits, their renewal has been caught up in the debate over other controversial issues like offshore oil drilling and how to pay for the tax credits.
"This is contingent on the (renewable-energy tax credits) being reinstated," Borenstein said. "If Congress screws up and lets that lapse, this could be put on a shelf."
WALTER ISAACSON: [...] Tom Friedman's column mentioned that you haven't been there supporting the tax breaks that need to be extended for wind and solar. Do you support those breaks, and will you keep pushing for--will you push for it at some point?
JOHN MCCAIN: Yes, and I have, and I have a long record of that support of alternate energy. [...] I've always been for all of those and I have not missed any crucial vote. But my citizens in Arizona know that when I'm running for the President of the United States I have to be out campaigning. But I of course I am for renewable energy
Credit for the research goes to the Sierra Club, which has kindly put together this list foe wider distribution.
The Washington Post ran an article today discussing the passing of a 2004 ballot initiative in Colorado requiring that energy companies produce 10% of their electricity from renewable sources. The largest utility in the state, Xcel Energy, fought the initiative tooth and nail as you might expect, but they lost. Then, when they turned around and actually got to work on meeting the goal, they met it 8 years ahead of schedule and later agreed to double the goal. Musings below the fold on the incredible power of government policy to change incentives for energy producers for the better, and lessons the rest of the nation can take from this.
Well in my last diary I blogged about my views for this supposed wonder car.. And overwhelmingly people agreed that more than likely it is not as they hint at..
However, It is not like we will have to wait forever to find out like the water car or other hypemobiles this one claims the curtains are coming off and all will be revealed today at 4 CST.. Hours away..
Now normally I would wait till after it is revealed to blog.. However, After getting caught up in political news I really hope this is actually true or atleast true enough to shatter the current thought process on cars..
The reason is our sellout friend Pelosi.. Who once again has decided the scary republicans are too strong to hold back and has handed them a HUGE victory in the name we are told by her fanbois and girls that if we do not the repubs will win big in November.. The question is now how can they NOT win when they will now be perceived as the "heroes" who will stop at nothing to reduce gas prices...
This bull must end and the only way we can truly end this crap fantasies of "100 years of oil if we DRILL DRILL DRILL!" is to have something hit the scene so hard it will be on even Fox News every hour...
We all know that coal poisons our planet, removes our mountains, and pollutes our precious water sources. A connection that we often miss, is how big coal and fossil fuel industries have a significant hand in dirtying up American politics.
Appalachian Voices and Oil Change International are proud to release a new interactive tool providing the first comprehensive look at the cash mined by Members of Congress from America’s coal industry. Check out how much coal money is going to your member of congress at FollowtheCoalMoney.org
