22 Comments

srlucado:

The Democrats’ approach to every problem–stall until things go to hell, then blame Republicans–simply won’t work this time.

With gas prices hell-bound, the public is waking up to the reality that gasoline, like every other useful thing, comes not from government but from those who do the dirty work to make it happen.

The best thing government can do is get out of the way. Out of the way of ANWR, out of the way of offshore, out of the way of other domestic exploration and production.

Alternative energy sounds great, but it isn’t easy and it isn’t cheap. Here in Texas, where several wind farms have been built, we recently learned that it will take $3,000,000,000 to connect Texas windfarms to the grid. I guess they forgot to mention that little item up till now.

So I’ll support the guys who are willing to get government out of the way while the real problems get addressed. McCain, though far from perfect, is one of those guys.

(Obama, on the other hand, is a two-fold liability–he’s not only a liar, he’s a bad-faith liar.)

Scott

Jun 26, 2008 - 8:26 am David Thomson:

This is what one must never forget about Barack “Barry” Obama and the energy crisis: the left-wing elites will never allow him to advance any sensible proposals. He is caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. They are adamantly against drilling for oil, nuclear energy, or any other program—that has any reasonable chance of success. At best, they will support “environmentally safe” methods that are one in a million long shots. The radical environmentalists will simply refuse to let Obama move to the political center on this issue. They will gut his campaign if he dares dissent from their hard core and absolutist doctrines.

Jun 26, 2008 - 8:49 am Lem:

Obamas oscillations and vacillations, flip flops and walk back are frequent enough to be sold to Al Gore as carbon offsets

Jun 26, 2008 - 9:40 am Roger:

At best, they will support “environmentally safe” methods that are one in a million long shots.

David, I disagree with you about this. The human race was able to split the atom and fly to the moon. We can do these things too - they just take time. That’s w

Jun 26, 2008 - 10:14 am David Thomson:

“We can do these things too - they just take time.”

I guess that I did not make myself clear. We can indeed eventually do these things. The odds, however, indicate that those options advocated by the extreme Left are statistically unlikely to occur anytime in the near future. These folks categorically reject the methods that have much higher chance of succeeding. Nuclear energy, for instance, is already a proven energy source. Still, the Left will do everything within its power to prevent any new reactors from being built. John McCain, for the most part, is dealing with the here and now real world while Barack “Barry” Obama is essentially advocating utopian wishful thinking.

Jun 26, 2008 - 10:32 am Roger L Simon:

Completely agree.

Jun 26, 2008 - 10:36 am Insufficiently Sensitive:

The human race was able to split the atom and fly to the moon. We can do these things too - they just take time.

Why do you say “we”? Are you actively involved in producing energy to keep the economy going, or just another armchair oracle whose knowledge of business and engineering practices comes from the Nation and MSNBC?

And you might have noticed - splitting the atom and flying to the moon were essentially stunts. Nobody depended on either one as an essential for everyday commerce. And by comparison with the annual dollar value of the production and delivery of energy products, those stunts were dirt cheap.

I’m ready to listen to proponents of alternative energy schemes, as soon as they show the costs involved in providing sufficient ‘alternate’ energy to replace and retire, say, 30% of annual petroleum imports to the U.S. Until such cost figures are dealt with honestly, the blatherists who insist that “we” can do such wonderful things contribute negative value to the discussion.

Jun 26, 2008 - 11:01 am Lem:

One of the reasons why alternatives have not gone anywhere is because we haven’t been paying the real cost commensurate with what we consume.

MasterCard reported driving is down on the single digits compared to a year ago while during the same period the price of gas has doubled. That right there tells me the price of gas is not as high as it could be.

I have zero sympathy for people crying gas is too high while driving a big foot farm vehicle.

Jun 26, 2008 - 1:02 pm david foster:

Regardless of any specific energy policies Obama pursues, his election would would provide tremendous encouragement and momentum to the “activists” who delay energy projects–for years and even decades–through litigation and regulatory gamesmanship.

Right now, a 150-mile transmission line for bringing **solar/wind/geothermal energy** to San Diego is being held up for environmental reasons.

We are in serious danger of an electricity crisis which will make the current gasoline problems look trivial by comparison.

Jun 26, 2008 - 1:26 pm Insufficiently Sensitive:

we haven’t been paying the real cost commensurate with what we consume.

Gosh, not since the late 19th century have we had cheerleaders for “all that the traffic can bear”.

Jun 26, 2008 - 1:31 pm David:

IS, ah yes the chicken hawk arguement. Ok, I am a physicist, I have worked with reactors, worked on reactors and I belive that reactors are part of the solution. I think that the new carbon-pebble reactors are super safe enought to be put in Urban centers.

Jun 26, 2008 - 2:05 pm Paul:

Well, maybe we can slip wind power past the Dems….er…well not for Ted Kennedy.

I was reading that there were notions, out west, of large wind power, but…er…can’t have any transmissions lines. Sorry.

We have the cleanest burning coal in Utah, but Bill Clinton signed it into wilderness and now the world’s next cleanest is owned by the Riadi’s, the Clintons friend.(Nothing to see, move along folks)

So, no drill, no coal, no nukes, no wind and absolutly no transmissions lines.(like the ones that Robert Kennedy didn’t want at his place at Storm King, New York. Althought Joe Kennedy loves Hugo Chavez and getting his atta-boy ticket punched with his front company, Citizen’s Oil. Funny people those Kennedy’s)

Jun 26, 2008 - 2:09 pm Tom Klein:

I would require that all lawmakers who vote against ANWR drilling spend 2 weeks of their vacation in ANWR, in the coastal region, where drilling is proposed so they can experience the pristine beauty of the place -and the mosquito bites - first hand.

Jun 26, 2008 - 2:09 pm Webutante:

With you on this, Roger. What bothers me is that everyone demands perfection in the energy arena—no spills, no frills. Truth is, there are going to be problems here and there. But let’s remember, not one drop, not one drop, of oil was spilled before, during or after Katrina in the Gulf….

Jun 26, 2008 - 4:28 pm Terrye:

One time I was listening to Michael Chrichton give a talk about global warming and the subject of energy came up, of course. He made the point that back in 1901 when asked what was the biggest problem facing their city in the next century a group of Chicagoans agreed it would be horse manure. Literally. What to do with all the horse manure. They could not conceive of the fact that in the coming century horses would cease to be a problem in the windy city.

You just never know what is out there. I think that McCain is right here, we need to drill and conserve and innovate. Look for new things. Because the next big thing is waiting to be discovered.

I have no such faith in Obama. I think he is a con man.

Jun 26, 2008 - 6:36 pm Neo:

A quick trip over the Obama’s web site to view the “Energy Policy” reveals much less of an energy policy and more of a conservation policy.

His policy specifically as it applies to automobiles is merely tougher CAFE and ethanol (something that is big in Illinois).

While Obama has given lip service to nuclear and his old education buddy at the Chicago Annenberg Challedge, William Ayers, father Stephen Ayers had an operating interest in Illinois based Exelon, the largest nuclear operating company in the US, Obama in recent days has backed down from his positive statements on nuclear in some of the early debates.

This leaves Obama with a “faith-based” energy policy .. you have to have faith that some how the energy will fall out of the sky.

Jun 26, 2008 - 7:16 pm Lem:

Looking to a president to “do something” about energy may not be as helpless as say getting the president to “do something” about bad weather; but in the world we live now - is close. Other than making sure we have good relations with umbrella making nations, there is really not a heck of a lot a president can do to prevent us from getting a little wet. It’s a good thing too

Obamas idea of chatting it up with Chaves is that of a fantasist.

Where as McCains 300 million incentives, is more realistic.

Jun 26, 2008 - 8:02 pm Lightnin' Hopkins:

Most major innovations come through the ingenuity of the private sector. Instead of a Manhattan Project for energy I would prefer it if the government would get out of the damn way for a change! Let’s see them ease, and in some cases eliminate the restrictions and regulations that are the real barriers to progress. Remember that word? Seems too many Americans don’t.

If you can make fuel out of waste or algae, or finally truly *efficiently* harness the power of the sun, more power to you - may you become rich beyond your wildest dreams, you would deserve it. However, until that day the world runs on oil, so drill EVERYWHERE, build refineries, build nuclear reactors, update the power grid, etc. Most importantly let the innovators innovate and get on with their business unfettered by preening, do-nothing politicians.

This great nation can’t run on the soaring oratory of pompous blowhards or the windmills of Obama Quixote’s closed and limited mind. To him I say, “Just walk away, all we want is the fuel!”

Jun 26, 2008 - 8:31 pm david foster:

I think McCain is right about the importance of battery technology; however, a $300MM prize is unlikely to make much of a difference. The company or individual who achieves a major breakthrough in the battery field already stands to make much more than $300MM.

Jun 27, 2008 - 5:52 am LSD:

The important thing to remember about a future Obama administration is that due to the “Change Strategy”, the world will be different. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you understand. What is key here is that Obama is a leader and must be allowed to lead without being distracted by annoying questions. If the black-and-white, Life magazine-era photos don’t tell you all you need to know, then you’ll never get it.

What we are talking about here is Bamalot.

Jun 27, 2008 - 1:52 pm Believer:

Perfectly expressed, this was. I especially liked Roger not shrinking from calling the man a “creep.”

How many times have I stopped short of saying it — but now, I will no longer be afraid. Barack Obama is a creep. A “disingenuous creep.” I love it.

And “Terrye” I must disagree with you in part. You say that in 1901 Chicagoans were worried manure would be their biggest problem in the next century. I say, “How prescient of them.”

Though I do believe something far nastier is buried deeply in those piles.

Jun 28, 2008 - 1:19 pm

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