Obama's Blueprint for a Daring Green Machine

Barron's ^ | February 28, 2009 | Jim McTague

[reaganaut1]

[Obama's stimulus plan includes a large government investment in green energy.] But the administration and Congress will have to forcibly change consumer habits, and spend billions of dollars more, if relatively expensive green energy is to become a viable alternative to less-expensive power sources such as coal and oil.

They are about to try. The Environmental Protection Agency is drafting rules that will make it unprofitable for utilities to build new coal- and crude-fired plants, and for car makers to manufacture gas-swilling models like sport-utility vehicles and luxury sedans. Separately, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has pledged to move a big energy bill in the spring with a cap-and-trade regime for greenhouse gases that, beginning in 2012, would raise an estimated $75 billion to $200 billion in annual revenue to fund Obama's green revolution.

...

The Reid bill may also contain a renewable-energy standard, mandating that utilities produce a specific percentage of power from green sources by a specified date.

...

Because solar, wind, and other forms of clean energy are now much more expensive to generate than energy supplied by coal, gas and oil, Congress would have to pass legislation that in effect forces Americans to use more of it. Jim Lucier, an analyst with Capital Alpha Partners in Washington, says this is far from a slam-dunk, given potential objections from blocs of senators in both parties representing coal, oil-patch and farm-belt states.

"Substituting more expensive energy for cheaper energy doesn't make sense," says [economist] Margo Thorning.

...

California Democrat Henry Waxman's Energy and Commerce Committee is preparing to introduce cap-and-trade legislation in the House. But McKenna questions whether it will get the necessary votes. The lobbyist, who has polled House members, says about 150 are in favor, about 100 are opposed and 185 are undecided.

[screaminsunshine]

Ya think he will make the trains run on time too? These Obama/Bush policys do not cut it.

[Cyber Ninja]

Every thing green eventually turns brown.

[Nebr FAL owner]

Oh joy we sill get to drive ALGORE crap mobiles & have rolling black-outs cause folks these idiots are gonna want to take literally half of all power production off line & repalce it with windmills.

[Don Corleone]

Reid's Disneyland Express. A streetcar from Anaheim to Las Vegas. The Karbon Impact of building that thing would be unbelieveable.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

What we'll all be driving.

[Gorzaloon]

...cap-and-trade regime for greenhouse gases that, beginning in 2012, would raise an estimated $75 billion to $200 billion in annual revenue to fund Obama's green revolution.

Good. It can be repealed after the election, with all the rest of this nonsense.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Cap and trade won’t pass. Way too many Blue Dogs.

[redangus]

I was telling my wife the other day that are two ways to increase the percentage of energy we get from alternative sources. One increases the production from those alternative sources, the second lowers the percentage produced the old fashion, efficient way. I think we see which way Obama intends to go.

Either these people are stark raving idiots or their goal is to turn this country into a third world nation. I am beginning to believe it is the latter.

I am still waiting for all my upper middle class, educated, white neighbors who voted for Obama while insisting he wasn’t going to do any of the things he promised he was going to do if elected to admit they were wrong.

[mosesdapoet]

A contrivance under the guise of green.....by our “Green President” Payback time for those unlisted campaign contributions

[Rummyfan]

"Substituting more expensive energy for cheaper energy doesn't make sense," says [economist] Margo Thorning.

That hasn't stopped them so far.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Don’t forget $43 BILLION for the high speed line from NorCal to SoCal. They are still steaming full ahead, state bankruptcy be damned!

The Tea Parties need tens of millions of people to turn out.

[sionnsar]

The Tea Parties need tens of millions of people to turn out.

Too many folks are way too indifferent -- even most conservatives think they've done all that's necessary when they've marked a ballot. That's how we got into this mess.

[ballplayer]

When Pigs Fly

[richardtavor]

[Obama’s stimulus plan includes a large government investment in green energy.] But the administration and Congress will have to forcibly change consumer habits, and spend billions of dollars more, if relatively expensive green energy is to become a viable alternative to less-expensive power sources such as coal and oil. They can force us to live in caves without electricity, but the a$$holes don’t realize, they will be out of a job.