T. Boone Pickens' 'clean' secret

LA Times ^ | 29 July 2008 | Anthony Rubenstein

[shadowgovernment]

“If Mr. Pickens ideas are so great, he should invest a little more of his skin and less of mine”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>................
you seem very uninformed on this project..mr picken has invested over 800 million just in the wind power contract with GE..providing American jobs I might add.
He is asking for expedited right of ways for transmission lines-- only government can grant that.

[CharacterCounts]

The place to drill for energy is over an oil field, not in Washington DC or Sacramento.

That would make a great tagline.

[shadowgovernment]

“The free market will always be the superior method of picking winners and losers.
If you do not believe that basic principle, you are on the wrong site.”
>>>>>>>>>>.......................
once again you miss my point..this is not a free market economy..to do business you must work within what is current economy..and yes I very much support free markets, but I do not ignore reality of todays economy in the USA.
If you want free markets both GOP and DEMORATS are not where you should be voting as they have increased government control over the economy they are both big government parties sad to say..perhaps Ron Paul would be better on the economic values we hold.

[gridlock]

He is asking for expedited right of ways for transmission lines-- only government can grant that.

Government can only grant that after it has taken the land from somebody else, of course. Not that all public taking is bad. Sometimes it is in the public interest.

He is also counting on a government subsidy on each unit of energy generated.

The purpose of the project is to get that subsidy. The purpose of the public taking for the right-of-way is to get him his subsidy. So how does it benefit the public interest to take land from one person in order to aid another person in looting the treasury?

[gridlock]

If you want free markets both GOP and DEMORATS are not where you should be voting as they have increased government control over the economy they are both big government parties sad to say...

Have you noticed that FR is not particularly enthusiastic about the Republican Party in general and John McCain in particular?

Of course, Ron Paul suffers for being a complete nutbar...

[gridlock]

That would make a great tagline.

Feel free to steal it!

I stole my new one from Overstock.com...

[shove_it]

>>”Actually, Pickens has been very up-front in stating that without subsidies, his plan makes no sense.”<<

I could not find a source for this statement. Please post your source.

[gridlock]

I could not find a source for this statement. Please post your source.

He granted an interview to Fast Company magazine, where he discusses the subsidy. I read it in the dead-tree edition. I will see if I can find it on-line.

[bestintxas]

T. Boone’s plan, like all plans to raid the Taxpayers’ pocketbooks, is not the best plan.

http://www.smartmoney.com/invisiblehand/index.cfm?story=20080708-foreign-oil

[gridlock]

Here you go...

The Money Quote: (From Page 2)

Q: What happens if Congress doesn't extend the $20-per-megawatt-hour Production Tax Credit for wind -- set to expire December 31? On a project this size, that's an $80,000 deduction every hour at full capacity.

A: Then you've got a dead duck. It would be hard to go without a subsidy. But they'll probably pass it.

[gridlock]

Oops... Here you go...

Texas Oil Tycoon Tackles Renewable Energy by David Case

[shove_it]

HAHAHA! What a terrific interview. Thanks for posting it. You gotta’ love this salty old guy, a true American patriot. Notice, as I said earlier, the subsidies come at the end upon production of electricity. All the upfront costs are at risk. As for picking your pocket, he's betting on the congress crooks extending the subsidy; if they don't, Pickens’ plan is a dead duck and he's out a massive bunch of money.

Will you agree that it's better to spend those dollars at home than sending them overseas, much of it to fund our enemy's war against us?

[shove_it]

p.s.
And the subsidy is a tax credit.

[gridlock]

I don’t understand why the upfront costs matter. A subsidy is a subsidy. If somebody spends money to exploit the law and gain a subsidy, that is an unproductive expenditure, and the subsidy must be all the greater to compensate him.

Pickens is betting on the Congress Crooks continuing their irrational energy policy and picking my pocket in the process. This is a pretty fair bet, of course. As the one who’s pocket is being picked, I am less than enthusiastic about the process.

As for the money being spent at home... If nobody builds the windmills, the money will not get spent at all! Isn’t that the best result?

[shadowgovernment]

“Of course, Ron Paul suffers for being a complete nutbar...”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...............
MSM has way of coloring our opinions, perhaps we make decisions based on incomplete information..

as for “nutbars” how about those who SPOUT FREE MARKETS/FREE TRADE BS when there is a very government controlled market place with big corps and gov in bed to beat back small co’s from gaining market share ?? is that nuts as well?

[gridlock]

One imperfect policy does not mean all imperfect policies are acceptable.

If you object to goverment control of the marketplace, why are you adocating a big ol’ heaping pile of additional govermnent control and manipulation?

[shove_it]

To repeat my post #27, pocket picking is illegal. What is pickens doing illegally?

How is a tax credit to Pickens costing you money?

Do you not get tax incentives also, eg. home interest expense, personal exemptions, etc, etc? When can we count on you to not take advantage of these “unproductive expenditures”?

>>”If nobody builds the windmills, the money will not get spent at all! Isn’t that the best result?”<<

Our own government restricts carbon based energy sources for generating electricity. That leaves few choices for satisfying our needs for electricity besides wind. What is the market price for a barrel of wind?

[calcowgirl]

I would like to make a basic proposal: Economics 101 should be a required course before posting on economic thread is permitted.

If only Economics 101 were a prerequisite for voting on ballot initiatives!
Most voters in California think bonds are "free money."

[calcowgirl]

do not decry the success of others..emulate them as best your abilities allow ..sour grapes is not becoming of a conservative.

So, as conservatives, we should all feed at the public trough?

Does not compute.

[calcowgirl]

...econ 101 does not work in a socialist country that we have become

So, we should all just embrace socialism now?