This week, the defenders of dirty energy really, really outdid themselves in their efforts to try and derail the clean energy jobs plan currently starting to wend its way through the House of Representatives. The House Energy & Commerce Committee held a marathon series of hearings on the plan, with testimony from more than 60 people, including EPA Administrator Jackson, Energy Secretary Chu, business leaders, environmentalists, economists, and so many more. If the strategy was to give Big Oil's besties enough rope to hang themselves, well, they more than obliged.
The hearing was capped off this morning with appearances by Nobel Laureate and former Vice President Al Gore and former Republican Virginia Senator John Warner, one of his party's most respected voices on national security and the lead sponsor of last year's Senate global warming bill. They offered rational, reasoned, and bipartisan support for the bill because of its positive impacts on our planet, on our national security, and, most importantly, our economy. The bill received another boost this morning when Rep. Dingell, former chairman of the committee and a longtime antagonist on climate issues, predicted it would pass.
And so, just who did the beleaguered and increasingly erratic minority on the committee choose to follow these two elder statesmen? A washed-up buffoon, would-be presidential candidate, and one of the most divisive political figures in America: Newt Gingrich.
The defenders of dirty energy are so intellectually bankrupt that they sound just like a broken record of lies, mistruths, and distortions.
One look at Newt's testimony shows that the when this particular broken record scratched, it went all the way back to 2001 and the heady days of Cheney Energy Taskforce. Newt's so-called "plan" was merely a re-tread of these failed, dirty, and dangerous energy ideas: offshore drilling, oil shale, Arctic drilling, tax breaks for Big Oil, bribing states to allow more drilling, eviscerating environmental regulations, "green" coal (yes, he really calls it that!), nukes, and other such nonsense.
He did borrow one idea from a more recent leader in his party--Senator McCain's idea to run the energy economy like a game show with various prizes for energy technologies instead of the kind of real investments and real policies that will actually build the clean energy future. We all know how well that one worked out...
Newt did come up with one seemingly novel idea--new tax breaks for Big Coal! This is hardly surprising, considering that his latest vanity project, an AstroTurf production company called American Solutions for Winning the Future, has received over $250,000 from Peabody Coal.
It also recently used some of the millions it has received from a cabal of hyperconservative billionaires to help put on America's favorite wingnut traveling circus, the "tea party."
As if foisting the tea parties on America wasn't enough, we are also to learn that the current GOP leadership in Congress has "studied Mr. Gingrich's years in power and had been in regular touch with him as he sought to help his party find the right tone and message." Considering that Gingrich came last in new poll of potential challengers to Obama in 2012, this might also explain the dismal poll standings of said GOP leaders.
Unfortunately, Newt just capped off a week of tomfoolery from Big Oil's besties on the committee. Here's a children's treasury of some of the lowlights.
Rep. Shimkus (R-IL), when he wasn't too busy attacking the $983 billion in economic benefits offered by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 because he claims it hurt Peabody Coal, denounced the clean energy jobs plan as the "worst assault on democracy and freedom" EVER. Worse even than 9/11 and both wars we're currently fighting--and worse still than the Clinton impeachment! Believe it:
Rep. "Smokey Joe" Barton, the energy panel's Ranking Member, went on a diatribe against hybrid cars yesterday, saying that the American people would only buy them if forced to buy the government, "backed by the army." Did I mention that GM makes hybrid vehicles in his district? This, however, was nothing--NOTHING--compared to a tortured exchange between Barton and Energy Secretary (and Nobel Laureate) Chu. It's unclear what Barton was trying to get it, but our friends at Media Matters called it "Barton v. Pangaea." Dr. Chu gently reminded Barton of this little thing we call plate tectonics aka the Contintental Drift Theory. This particular exchange was later rendered even more bizarre when Barton's own staff put out a press release and video of the embarrassing change, claiming it was Barton who "stumped" Secretary Chu. Stumped by sheer idiocy? Yes:
For a long, sad list of other such bloviations, check out the Sierra Club's Broken Record Project.
Green is the way to go regardless of what China and India are doing, regardless of the economic sacrifices, regardless of the whether the issue is man-made, God-made or nature made.
Recently, a nuclear reactor at Exelon's Braidwood Generating Station in Will County (next to Cook County for Chicago) was automatically shut down. Nothing to worry about. Everything is safe.
On Dec. 27, 2008, the same plant also had an automatic shut down, as they did in 2007.
Some of the ground water in Will County is also contaminated. But they say that it's "safe." It certainly has taken care of the frog population.
http://www.amazon.com/V-movie-Bernard-Du-Clos/dp/0595521851
The ostensible reason these distinguished Democrats used to deny clean, privately financed, green-friendly wind power, is that THEY CAN SEE IT IN THE DISTANCE FROM THEIR MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CAPE COD ESTATES.
When Dems speak of green technology, what they REALLY mean, is that expensive energy should be produced in fly-over country, while the coastal elites enjoy old cheap energy in their Democrat enclaves of California, and the northeast.
The story that Senators Kennedy and Kerry oppose the project because it will be an eyesore is a fabrication of the Republicans. Don't fall for it.
Of course there are large incentives to the private industry. How the hell else do you expect them to recoup the investment?
Do you really think the "risks of a tower coming down in a storm" are greater than a supertanker spill? The much hyped CO2 emissions from coal fired power plants? Nuclear waste disposal???
How can ANYONE take the Greenies seriously when you simultaneously oppose the very technologies you hype AND profit for the implementors of the technology?
I followed ALL the debate and news, going back to the initial Environmental Impact Studies. Kennedy, Cronkite et.al. objected to the project for AESTETIC reasons. Don't try to rewrite history just to give them cover.
I renew my claim that coastal elites (and I am bicoastal--also live in Florida AND California) want ALL the benefits of clean energy and NONE of the meager liabilities.
Clean energy is a fabrication of the Democrats. You've fallen for it.
No wonder this administration is so clueless when it comes to energy.
Give me a tax write-off for every dollar I invest in Clean / Green Energy etc. Sat for every dollar I invest, I wont get taxed for $1.50. This will encourage investment in clean energy. The Free-Market picks winners and losers, and I have shares of stock. Leave congress out of it, except for providing a punishing corporate tax, and restrictive & complex regulatory system. {Which will continue to chase companies offshore}
Plus the really sad thing is, that if Global Warming is truly man made, this will do nothing to stop it, as China and India will increase CO2 output more than the U.S. will cut it.
Here is how it works, A. the Government procures a huge pile of money. B. with a history of running a PONZI scheme{social security}, T.A.R.P. , Bailouts etc.... Big Guv'ment 'invests' money into 'clean energy'.
The problem is that Congress will pick winners and losers based on lobby activity. The filthy Lobbyist Creatures and our corrupt Congress will hypocritically replace our current energy with the same dirty politics and filth that got us where we are. Bottom line the new green energy wont be clean.
I have beena supporter of legalizing Industrial Hemp for a long time. 8 years of gutless cowardism under Clinton, and another 8 years under Bush and still a perfectly good crop and biofuel feedstock is still illegal. I am guessing we will have another 4-8 years of gutless cowardism from the current administration.