Posted on 08/19/2009 12:29:47 AM PDT by Sarah Barracuda
Today's Wall Street Journal contains some puzzling news for all Americans who are impacted by high energy prices and who share the goal of moving us toward energy independence.
For years, states rich with an abundance of oil and natural gas have been begging Washington, DC politicians for the right to develop their own natural resources on federal lands and off shore. Such development would mean good paying jobs here in the United States (with health benefits) and the resulting royalties and taxes would provide money for federal coffers that would potentially off-set the need for higher income taxes, reduce the federal debt and deficits, or even help fund a trillion dollar health care plan if one were so inclined to support such a plan.
So why is it that during these tough times, when we have great needs at home, the Obama White House is prepared to send more than two billion of your hard-earned tax dollars to Brazil so that the nation's state-owned oil company, Petrobras, can drill off shore and create jobs developing its own resources? That's all Americans want; but such rational energy development has been continually thwarted by rabid environmentalists, faceless bureaucrats and a seemingly endless parade of lawsuits aimed at shutting down new energy projects.
I'll speak for the talent I have personally witnessed on the oil fields in Alaska when I say no other country in the world has a stronger workforce than America, no other country in the world has better safety standards than America, and no other country in the world has stricter environmental standards than America. Come to Alaska to witness how oil and gas can be developed simultaneously with the preservation of our eco-system. America has the resources. We deserve the opportunity to develop our resources no less than the Brazilians. Millions of Americans know it is true: "Drill, baby, drill." Alaska is proof you can drill and develop, and preserve nature, with its magnificent caribou herds passing by the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), completely unaffected. One has to wonder if Obama is playing politics and perhaps refusing a "win" for some states just to play to the left with our money.
The new Gulf of Mexico lease sales tomorrow sound promising and perhaps will move some states in the right direction, but we all know that the extreme environmentalists who serve to block progress elsewhere, including in Alaska, continue to block opportunities. These environmentalists are putting our nation in peril and forcing us to rely on unstable and hostile foreign countries. Mr. Obama can stop the extreme tactics and exert proper government authority to encourage resource development and create jobs and health benefits in the U.S.; instead, he chooses to use American dollars in Brazil that will help to pay the salaries and benefits for Brazilians to drill for resources when the need and desire is great in America.
Buy American is a wonderful slogan, but you can't say in one breath that you want to strengthen our economy and stimulate it, and then in another ship our much-needed dollars to a nation desperate to drill while depriving us of the same opportunity.
- Sarah Palin
She rocks it once again!
Palin PING!
Anyone on or off the Palin ping, write me.
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough Says Palin "Does Not Read Enough" to Attack ObamaCare - Video 8/18/09
Governor Palin Offends Joe Scarborough's "Moderate" Sensibilities
Sarah Palin And Diaz Sr. - A Political Odd Couple On Health Care
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a.V5sgGzdsQY
George Soros Cut Petrobras Stake in Second Quarter (Update2)
By Saijel Kishan and Andres R. Martinez
Aug. 14 (Bloomberg) — Billionaire George Soros cut his stake in his biggest holding, Petroleo Brasileiro SA, in the second quarter while buying more shares of other energy producers.
His New York-based hedge-fund firm, Soros Fund Management LLC, sold 22 million U.S.-listed common shares of Petrobras, as the Brazilian oil company is known, according to a filing today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Soros bought 5.8 million of the companys U.S.-traded preferred shares.
Soros is taking advantage of the spread between the two types of U.S.-listed Petrobras shares, said Luis Maizel, president of LM Capital Group LLC, which manages about $4 billion. The common shares were 21 percent more expensive than preferred today, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
He knows he held a voting right in the common shares that would never translate to actual power, Maizel said in an interview from San Francisco. Hes just playing the spread.
Petrobras preferred shares have also a 10 percent additional dividend, said William Landers, a senior portfolio manager for Latin America at Blackrock Inc.
Given that there will most likely never be a change in control in the company, I see no reason to pay a higher price for the common shares. Brazils government controls Petrobras and has a majority stake of voting shares.
Hess Stake
Soros boosted his stake in oil company Hess Corp. to 5.1 million shares as of June 30 from 3.7 million at the end of the first quarter, according to the filing. Hess was Soross second- largest holding. He also added to stakes in Houston-based Plains Exploration & Production Co. and bought shares in Calgary-based Suncor Energy Inc. and InterOil Corp. in Sydney.
Soross company oversees about $24 billion. His Quantum Endowment Fund returned 9.3 percent in the second quarter. Hedge funds gained an average of 9.1 percent during the period, according to data compiled by Hedge Fund Research Inc. in Chicago. The filing doesnt reflect the Soross holdings in cash or other securities.
Michael Vachon, a spokesman for Soros, declined to comment on the holdings.
Soros cut his stake in Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc., selling 4 million shares of the fertilizer producer while investing in Monsanto Co., the worlds largest seed producer.
Money managers who oversee more than $100 million in equities must file a Form 13F within 45 days of each quarters end to list their U.S.-listed stocks, options and convertible bonds. The filings dont show non-U.S. securities or how much cash the firms hold.
Soross biggest sale in the second quarter was his stake in ConocoPhillips, the second-largest U.S. refiner after he sold 4 million shares. The hedge fund also sold its stake in Macys Inc., the second-biggest U.S. department-store chain.
Hookin’ and jabbin’ right and left, nary a scratch in return. She is kicking butt and taking names.
Sarah and Bolton! What a combination that would be. They’d put the BS artists worldwide outta business!!!
Once this story hit, we knew that Sarah would launch another beautiful fb smackdown. It was only a question of how soon.
I too was a Fredhead...but at this point I don’t even know why he ran (if you can call it that). I’ll never bet on him again.
That’s my favorite bumper sticker.
You share some valid points. Sarah is absolutely on target but needs to be able to “sell it” to the masses-—especially those who would never bother to read what she has said. Working on voice range can only help given that when most people want to mock what a woman is saying, they use a high pitched voice. She has the style, the class, the guts, and the message. Polishing up the delivery will make her unbeatable.
Honestly, why are you guys playing right into the establishment's hands with this crap? Part of Palin's appeal is that she is genuine. Who cares if she speaks with an accent? It's her message that counts. Her message speaks directly to the people.
The minute FReepers and other conservatives (Gingrich) start spewing nonsense about her needing to "brush up" on the issues or offer her some stupid six-point plan on what to do is the minute she's going to go downhill. Palin is her own person and is not shackled by the McCain flunkies who wanted her to act like this, dress like this, and only give interviews with pre-scripted soundbites.
The silence is deafening. Many are afraid of Bambie's popularity and charm and worry about re-election. For Sarah, frankly, I don't think she gives a dam 'cause she's put politics behind her, for now.
Bring it Sarah!
You have my vote!
I would add Hunter Thompson and Michelle Bachman to that list!
To happily steal a quote from Corporal Cue-ball.... “It’s the economy stupid!”
Yea Sarah will be able to slaughter Obama on that.
That is just sickening!
MYYYYYYYYY GIRL!!!! Go Sarah!
The government sends billions for foreign drilling and foreign jobs while preventing energy development at home. Sarah Palin is calling foul. Why are media outlets and establishment "conservatives" keeping silent? Will this scandal be flushed down the memory hole?
Terrific!
“Is it a coincidence that Obama backer George Soros repositioned himself in Petrobras to get dividends just a few days before Obama committed $2 billion in loans and guarantees for Petrobras offshore operations?”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2319314/posts
>>>> Is it a coincidence that Obama backer George Soros repositioned himself in Petrobras to get dividends just a few days before Obama committed $2 billion in loans and guarantees for Petrobras offshore operations? <<<<<
There are actually $5 billion in allocated Ex-Im Bank loan guarantees, and this is the first $2 billion of that allocation.
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