Posted on 07/30/2008 7:49:24 AM PDT by SmithL
I'll say this for John McCain - he doesn't hide behind his staff. The Republican candidate for president holds town meetings across the country and takes questions from critics and supporters alike. Regular citizens, who often depart from the news-pack question du jour, get to tell him what they think about Washington. If in reply McCain says something dicey, he can't blame his staff for filling out a questionnaire incorrectly, as Democratic candidate Barack Obama has done, because McCain said it himself.
For years, Democrats have hit President Bush for being too isolated. But as Obama campaigns Oz-like from behind a curtain of advisers, McCain mixes it up in public on a regular basis. You don't hear Democrats complaining about isolated politicians any more.
In an interview Monday night prior to a San Francisco fundraiser, McCain challenged Obama to square off with him before The Chronicle editorial board. Having won his party's nomination - when so many had counted him out - by carrying his own luggage through airports and conducting more than 100 town hall meetings in New Hampshire alone, McCain relishes the debate.
McCain also clearly enjoys being a maverick, and he doesn't shrink from saying things that drive Republicans crazy.
Earlier this month, former Vice President Al Gore gave a speech in which he argued that the United States could and should boost its use of solar, wind and geothermal energy so that 100 percent of American electricity is carbon-free within 10 years. It's a great idea - if you don't know anything about energy infrastructure or economics.
To the chagrin of many Republicans, McCain responded, "If the vice president says it's doable, I believe it's doable."
Do you really think that? I asked. (After all, Gore was talking up renewable energy during the whole eight years
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
It is about time he got on the ENERGY bandwagon. He can bury Hussein O. on energy alone — to say nothing of the rest of Hussein’s socialist, anti-American agenda.
I still believe that “man-made global warming” is a sham. I do believe, however that “cleaner” energy is something we should be looking toward. However, in the meantime, we need to drill, drill, drill until those new sources of energy are developed. We also need to start building nuclear plants.
If McCain were smart, he’d be talking about our energy policies every day.
He just doesn't get it. Mostly oil shale, ANWR, and nuclear is the only real answer and if he would wake up, he would put Obama in the dust. Have a feeling Obama will beat him to the punch and goodbye McNut.
* Cease all ethanol subsidies. (If an entrepreneur want to “go for it” let ethanol be successful on its own merits with good ‘ol American market forces.) Ethanol takes away from food production and the unintended consequence is higher food costs. As diesel prices go up, the cost of farming tips the balance of cost to make ethanol a bad idea. Just say "no" to ethanol! Even Jimmy Carter says that diverting farm production from food to fuel is dumb – even HE gets it. This will create only ONE "blend" of gasoline and will cease regional "boutique" blends (gasohols) which are stupid, costly, and meaningless. Trucking custom blends around the country is wasteful. Ethanol blends may actually lead to fewer miles to the gallon, and adds to the cost of production and transportation. Newer cars do not need oxygenated fuels.
* Lift the restrictions in order to drill for oil in Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, and other sites in the CONUS as a matter of national security.
* Encourage the petro industry to construct state-of-the-art refineries and/or retrofit current and dormant ones and crank up production for our newly-accessed oil in the CONUS.
* Make all “carbon credit” scams unlawful. Discrediting Algore should have been a slam-dunk a long time ago. Stop electing Reps who buy into the Global Warming / Global Cooling / Climate Change Hoax. CO2 is not our enemy!
* Construct SEVERAL, regional Pebble-Bed Modular Reactors (or other similar modern designs) that are rechargeable, and cleaner than any current nuclear generator design. Refine spent nuke fuel for recycling. DO SOMETHING NUCLEAR to resolve energy problems.
* Use the residual heat from the reactors above to process motor fuel from coal and/or shale. Even though Clinton "stole" some of the best coal reserves, we still have a lot to use.
* Become independent enough to make the cartels (i.e. OPEC) inconsequential.
* Lift or cap the tax on gasoline. When the tax is higher than the profit margin, the argument over what is “obscene” becomes moot.
* List (chapter and verse) all the regulations and laws that need to be repealed in order to drill, and drill now. Use this list as the new "Contract With America for Energy Security". Have a mega-bill introduced that in one fell swoop removes the self-imposed energy embargo.
If you squint real hard, and read between the lines, the ‘manifesto’ will require fewer RINOs and LibDems and the election of some clear-minded conservatives to even consider the above.
I still believe that “man-made global warming” is a sham. I do believe, however that “cleaner” energy is something we should be looking toward. However, in the meantime, we need to drill, drill, drill until those new sources of energy are developed. We also need to start building nuclear plants.”
IMO, it is a sham.
Wind will HELP- but not be a total substitute.
Solar will help, but until the storage batteries for same are economical and recyclable or not a danger to dispose of,it will not be a total substitute.
I live where wind is busy, but not constant.
I live where it is sunny, but not every day of the year.
We all use our electricity all hours of the day.
Nuclear is the best large change we can make.
As for Nuclear, the Gulf Stream Ocean Current is a cheap, available, free resource which could be used to generate 10 times the energy that the Hoover damn produces. Zero pollution, no use of terra firma.
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