Posted on 11/04/2010 11:33:56 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Much has been written about the oil and gas billionaire Koch brothers and their multimillion-dollar donations to right-wing causes. Charles and David Koch’s combined $43 billion wealth has made them virtually unstoppable this election cycle; even prolific left-wing philanthropist George Soros recently said he was powerless against the “avalanche” of donations from conservative billionaires like the Kochs.
However, in recent days a handful of liberal billionaires have decided to take on the Kochs in one of the most hotly contested battles this election season: Proposition 23, the California ballot that may well prove a bellwether for the future of energy legislation in the U.S.
If Proposition 23 passes, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s landmark Global Warming Act of 2006 and its pollution reduction standards will be suspended, which would mark a huge win for big oil, including the Koch brothers’ Kansas conglomerate Koch Industries. The company has given $1 million to Yes on 23 through a subsidiary called Flint Hills Resources, according to paperwork filed with the California Secretary of State.
Also giving big money: California billionaire John Doerr, the world’s wealthiest venture capitalist, and his wife Ann, who have donated $1 million each to defeat Prop 23. Doerr has made huge investments in green tech through his firm Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, so would stand to lose out if the Koch brothers and other backers are successful in killing the clean energy bill.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.forbes.com ...
fyi
Well at least the Koch brothers won't profit! They helped Doerr profit instead.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
The brilliance of Federalism: the rest of the country is going to get an object lesson in the calamitous consequences of adopting the cap-and-tax agenda.
They may get some help from the state of Texas:
“Texas Atty. Gen. Greg Abbott and others might try to stop AB 32 from being implemented.
California Watch, a project of the nonprofit Independent Center for Investigative Reporting, says that Abbott and his counterparts in Alabama, Nebraska, and North Dakota are contemplating a legal challenge against AB 32 by claiming that it interferes with the right to freely conduct interstate commerce.”
bttt
California is going to become a wasteland if current trends continue. Nevada is next.
The only hope for the southwest is Arizona. Even though most FREEPERS are not crazy about McCain, he is on the right side now and you take what you can get. Governor Brewer is OK as well.
Did it pass or fail?
Failed and I saw that on DU by mistake. Now I have to go and bleach my cache.
Well when the Texas energy companies pull out of California, good luck with all those hamsters trying to give you power. Do hamsters Fart. Methane ya no.
When all those rich westside liberals and dumb union drones go to turn on the light switch and nothing happens, and have to wait in gas lines from here to Mexico for a few overpriced gallons of ethyl, they’ll all of a sudden want to know who cut off their energy supplies. They’ll need to look in the mirror.
California spending money avoiding CO2 emissions is like a guy whose mortgage is underwater, and who is behind on his payments, and who has termites eating away at his house’s foundation installing uneconomical solar panels on his roof in order to “inspire” his neighbors to “do something about the environment”.
On the very day NM residents were voting out Bill Richardson and his band of merry environutters, his appointees adopted the equivalent of CA prop 23. All the top posts in state government except AG are now Republicans and the legislature is still Dem but with 8 conservative Rep gains, it may has a conservative flavor. Martinez has vowed to do what she can to rescind it, but it may be too late unless the legislature amends the Environmental Improvement Act to prohibit regulation of CO2.
The other key strategem they missed was the failure to identify the interests of the corrupt backers of carbon trading.
In any fight against the environmental left there are three steps that must be made:
It failed abysmally-- the vote was 60% no to 40% yes. Utterly amazing to me in this economy, although Arnold campaigned strongly against it.
Thank you, the article was convoluted.
I can’t believe the State I grew up in and raised my children in until they were teens has turned into a nightmare.
What happens when all the ramifications of this kick in, what are Californians going to do?
“What happens when all the ramifications of this kick in, what are Californians going to do?”
This Californian is taking a trip shortly to check out housing options in Nevada and Arizona. Between Jerry Brown and Prop.s 23 and 25, there’s no hope left.
Kali is soooooooooo screwed. The Kali ARB shot themselves in the foot when they brought in Peer reviewers. And they have KNOWN this since 2009.
http://www.sbaction.org/get_resource.php?table=resource_kmqap4_18z4ys&id=kmqaq1_1ed1wo
Peer reviewers brought in by ARB to assess the Scoping Plan:22
Matthew E. Kahn, Ph.D.:
The Economic Analysis and the five appendices contain too many uncertainties for AB 32 to be as flawless as it is presented. Although AB 32 offers many benefits, it will also impose costs that have not been taken into account.
Gary Yohe, Ph.D.:
Not all of the new technology will emerge from California. This means that additional costs will be incurred to bring in some of the technology required to reach AB 32 goals. In order to achieve a thorough analysis, both the good and that bad must be displayed. It seems that concluding that this plan will cause no harm is inaccurate.
Robert Stavins, Ph.D.:
The cost estimates that CARB has produced are significant understatements of the true costs, and are useless for identifying a cost-effective portfolio of policies to achieve the objectives.
19 Ibid, p. 14.
20 Letter to the Honorable Roger Niello dated December 12, 2008 from Mr. Mac Taylor, Legislative Analyst.
21 The AB 32 Challenge: Reducing California’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” Los Angeles County
Development Corporation, October 2008, pp. 2-3.
22 Peer Review of the Economic Supplement to the AB 32 Draft Scoping Plan; Major Peer Review
Comments and Air Resources Board Staff Responses; November 2008
Sadly that will probably be the only answer.
Heard Perry say this AM that 150+ California businesses have come to Texas since the first of the year.
I wonder what the # is for other States.
Exactly right. I need to add Texas to my list. Half of Calif.’s state income tax comes from just 150,000 people. You can guess what those people are planning now.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.