The Big Picture

Well, everyone is all revved up on the Healthcare bill- and that is well and good, because that will dramatically affect your quality of life adversely if it passes, but then so will virtually everything the Resident is proposing, and he is proposing a lot of stuff at once- oh, and let’s not forget he is going to show us how he will magically cut the deficit in half while he balances plates on sticks, I am sure.

But in all this brouhaha over healthcare, let us not forget about the Waxman- Markey Bill from our “esteemed” House of Representatives, soon to come to a Senate near you. This is a BAD bill, almost as bad as the Healthcare bill, equally as ponderous, and unworkable, and just as intentionally designed to cripple the United States by forcing unproven and unrealistic goals on our society at a time when we cannot afford to take the economic hit.

With Cap and Trade, or as it should forever henceforth be called, Cap and Tax, your utility bill will go up as much as fifty to a hundred dollars a month. Add to that the price for fuel for your car. If you have an electric car, the batteries cost around 2-3,000 dollars to replace, and you will have to pay a “disposal fee” on top of that. 

If you have an E85 vehicle, can you even get fuel for it? I mean yes, you can get gas, but the infrastructure isn’t set up to handle anything else other than gas and/ or diesel fuel. Bio- anything is still worlds away, because of the various lobbyists and interests, specifically the Corn industry,  where for some ungodly reason, our bio- fuels are coming from instead of sugar cane, the preferred source of ethanol. Why this is happening is a snapshot of all that is wrong with this bill and its adherents.

And the wind and/ or solar energy grids- they’re at least 20 years down the road, because there’s always a NIMBY (Not in my back yard) factor- in many cases it is the environmentalists themselves that block the building of the transmission lines needed to bring the electricity to market.

Nuclear energy hasn’t even been uttered- the cleanest source of energy we can get, and people will not even speak of it- now there is true hypocrisy. Couple that with the refusal of the Federal government to drill off of our coasts, as common sense and sanity would dictate, and you have the beginnings of  a scenario whereby we as a nation slowly sink into third- world oblivion, all thanks to a compliant Legislature, and guided by the insanity of Al Gore and Van Jones, not to mention that card- carrying Socialist Carol Browner, now incredibly, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Next month, the Senate is expected to take up legislation that would cap greenhouse-gas emissions. That fight began in blazing earnest last week, with a blitz of TV ads and public events in the Midwest and Mountain West.

It seems that environmentalists are struggling in a fight they have spent years setting up. They are making slow progress adapting a movement built for other goals — building alarm over climate change, encouraging people to “green” their lives — into a political hammer, pushing a complex proposal the last mile through a skeptical Senate.

Even now, these groups differ on whether to scare the public with predictions of heat waves or woo it with promises of green jobs. And they are facing an opposition with tycoon money and a gift for political stagecraft.

“Progressives and clean-energy types . . . made a mistake and slacked off” after the House of Representatives passed its version of a climate-change bill in June, said Joseph Romm, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress who blogs on climate issues. “And the other side really kept making its case.”

washingtonpost.com

Yes, the “other side” needs to keep making it’s case- because this is important- and while I can agree that we need some changes in our lifestyles, we do not need this. We need common sense solutions, solutions that do include the use of nuclear energy- the French use it for God’s sake- it can’t be that hard, can it? 

“The whole question of man-made climate change is really, really iffy,” said limited-government activist Kelly Havens, speaking to a cheering, sign-waving crowd of about 200 at the recreational vehicle hall of fame. “I mean, what was man doing when Indiana’s glaciers were melting? We weren’t even here!”

The event had all the trappings of a political campaign stop: ready-made signs, a video featuring country music star Trace Adkins. All expressed worry that a climate-change bill would make high-polluting energy cost more.

Oil and natural gas groups have always had deeper pockets. In the first six months of 2009, the Center for Responsive Politics found they spent $82.1 million lobbying Washington on various issues, including climate policy. In the same time, environmental and health groups concerned with climate change spent about $6.6 million on lobbying and clean-energy firms $12.1 million, according to two other analyst groups, the Center for Public Integrity and New Energy Finance.

But last week, the impact of industry money really started to show in this debate.

The National Association of Manufacturers said it was spending millions on TV ads in 13 states, calling climate-change legislation “anti-jobs, anti-energy.”

washingtonpost.com

That is exactly correct- all this smoke and mirrors accomplishes nothing- and what is worse is that many of our legislators know this, but truly do not care, because bipartisanship has gone down the tubes, and common sense is uncommonly absent here. 

As I have said before, I am all for the change to alternative energies, but the change has to be realistic, and in this political climate, it has to be slow. To hell with showing anyone anything in Copenhagen- I would rather we arrive empty- handed, and just say the truth- we are not ready to proceed at an accelerated pace, when we do not have the infrastructure in place.

We, as a Nation, are not ready, nor are we willing, to bankrupt ourselves just to placate the rest of the world. That is not a sound business plan, that is a recipe for disaster. This is too important to use this as an excuse to posture before the rest of the world in some kind of insane one-upmanship to see who is the greenest of all.

Waxman- Markey Cap & Tax bill should die on the floor of the Senate. Then perhaps sane people can actually do some real and substantial work on a realistic goal of beginning the transition to alternative fuels. Nothing should be left out of the discussion,  and everything needs to be looked at, not demonized.

And anyone who dismisses drilling should be tossed out on their butts- because we do need that also.

Anyone who denies that is too crazy to even be in the room.
Blake
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If you enjoy what you read consider signing up to receive email notification of new posts. There are several options in the sidebar and I am sure you can find one that suits you. If you prefer, consider adding this site to your favorite feed reader. If you receive emails and wish to stop them follow the instructions included in the email.

10 Responses to “The Big Picture”

  1. Darrel says:

    BLK: “Nuclear energy hasn’t even been uttered-“>>

    DAR
    It’s uttered all the time and will be a part of our energy future. Personally, I’m a fan.

    BLK: the cleanest source of energy we can get,>

    DAR
    Not remotely. Solar thermal is cleaner. Wind is cleaner. Solar photo-voltaic is cleaner. Geothermal is cleaner. Hydro-electric is cleaner. Etc.
    And nuclear is non-renewable. Uranium has to be mined and this involves all of the standard nastiness that goes with mining.

    And then there is the waste we haven’t completely figured out with to do with yet.

    BLK: and people will not even speak of it- now there is true hypocrisy.>>

    DAR
    Nuclear currently provides 19% of our juice. Getting more online is a big deal and very expensive.

    BLK: Couple that with the refusal of the Federal government to drill off of our coasts>>

    DAR
    The “federal government” doesn’t have “coasts.” States do. Why do you still refuse to answer this question:

    What do we do when states say no to coastal drilling? Bring in Federal troops and take over the state?

    I bet you’d love that. And then your Beck would actually have something to cry and get excited about.

    D.

  2. Blake says:

    Solar takes up too much room, and wind does also, plus those pesky little transmission line thingies
    Hydro electric would be great, if only those pesky little enviro- nuts would quit with the lawsuits and allow them to be built, as we will need water anyway, we might as well get some power out of the deal while we are at it.
    And the Federal govt. does have coast, or rather, territorial waters, which is where the oil companies would be drilling. And there are some states that would favor drilling- the rest are dominated by stupid liberals.
    I say, if it is drilled off of your state’s coast, your state can keep it to use for your states energy needs,
    How’s that work for you D?

    • Darrel says:

      You didn’t answer the question. Again.

      “What do we do when states say no to coastal drilling?”

      You said nuclear is the “cleanest source of energy we can get…”

      I gave five counter examples which show your claim is false.

      Here is something you said Friday Jun 19th, 2009 at 06:47

      “Adam, when I am wrong, I will admit it,…” –Blake

      We’ll see if you keep your word.

  3. Blake says:

    The State’s limit is 35 miles. the Federal limit is 200 miles- most of the drilling would be 100 miles out, so the states permission might not count for much- this is why the Feds control the leases in the coastal waters.
    Nuclear, despite the fuel rod situation, is still very clean, and does not pollute the environment. t takes a long time to build one because of the roadblock various factions from the federal govt. to the enviro- loons throw up in the way of permits, studies, and “environmental impact statements”.
    Uranium mining provides jobs- you are not against jobs, are you D?
    WE dispose of waste underground at Yucca Mountain- do you have a better place?
    And no- I have heard of NOONE in this administration utter ANYTHING about nuclear power except in a campaign LIE about how Hussein would actually use nuclear- but then all the big talk died, much like the rest of his promises.

    • Darrel says:

      BLK: so the states permission might not count for much->>

      DAR
      Still avoiding the question. California says NO to drilling off their coast. And your answer to this is… what? Fed overrules states?

      Poor Blake. Stuck.

      BLK: Nuclear, despite the fuel rod situation, is still very clean,>>

      DAR
      You said it was “the cleanest source of energy we can get…”. It isn’t. It isn’t even close.

      BLK: roadblock various factions from the federal govt. to the enviro- loons throw up…>>

      DAR
      Fortunately the folks who built and manage Chernobyl, didn’t have to deal with such “loons.”

      Oh wait. Bad example.

      BLK: WE dispose of waste underground at Yucca Mountain->>

      DAR
      There is no waste disposed or stored at Yucca Mountain.

      BLK: do you have a better place?>>

      DAR
      Nope. But let’s make a whole lot more of it and just hope for the best eh?

      BLK: all the big talk died, much like the rest of his promises.>>

      DAR
      He made no promises regarding nuclear power. And speaking of keeping promises, he already kept a big one about lowering taxes:

      Obama Has Cut Taxes for 98.6 Percent of Working* Households**.

      Quick! Time for a protest! Grab your teabags!

      D.

  4. Blake says:

    The feds COULD trump the states in Federal waters- but they will not because of Botox Nan and her crowd- Chernobyl was 30 years old- France has had reactors for awhile now- where’s their accident?
    Your tax “example”- your link is laughable- The Jughead Resident is an idiot and a traitor- 98.6% – yea, right, what lies- you cannot be serious, to quote John McEnroe.
    And it is you that like teabagging- with your goats.

    • Darrel says:

      BLK: “The feds COULD trump the states in Federal waters…”>>

      DAR
      Still avoiding the question.

      I asked what YOU think should be done.

      Should the Fed trump the states rights?

      This is now the forth time I have ask you this question, in this thread.

      You know the nice thing about being a freethinker and a person in honest and fearless pursuit of truth no matter where it leads?

      I am never afraid of answering questions. Ever.

      D.

  5. Blake says:

    Federal waters and state waters are two different things- the state waters would, in all likely hood never be touched, unless they gave their ok, but the feds could ok the leases of the fed waters. Two different things.
    Does that answer you? it certainly should, unless you persist in being obtuse.