Some on this thread and this forum have forgotten how Picken's supported the Swift Boat Vets' successful campaign against Kerry. Mr. Pickens is a great patriot and champion of American capitalism.
Posted on 08/15/2012 6:19:19 AM PDT by Kaslin
With only the formality of the Republican National Convention standing between them and the November election, the “Comeback Team” of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan has a little less than three months in which to convince a majority of the American electorate it is better equipped to govern the country for the next four years than its Democrat counterpart. If these two Republican leaders wish to get a jump start on accomplishing that goal, there is one person with whom they quickly should set up an appointment – Texan T. Boone Pickens.
Romney noted in his speech last Saturday at which he announced Wisconsin Rep. Ryan as his vice-presidential running mate, that working to achieve “North American energy independence” was one of the top priorities of his campaign. Words, of course, are important; but if in fact the GOP presidential candidate is serious about accomplishing that goal, he should waste no time in scheduling a trip to Dallas and visit with Pickens.
Such a move would not only underscore the Republican Party’s commitment to developing a comprehensive national energy policy, but demonstrate it understands what it will take to do so. This would show also that the GOP standard bearers are not afraid to seek the assistance of those who truly understand what a winning energy strategy will entail.
Drawing a clear difference with the current administration on energy policy will not be difficult for the Romney-Ryan team.
During his first four years in office, President Obama has done nothing to move America closer to energy independence. In fact, the current administration’s drive toward the mirage of “green energy” -- as exemplified by the multi-hundred million dollar Solyndra scandal - - coupled with its heavy-handed regulatory edicts, has made us more rather than less dependent on foreign energy sources. Even Obama’s legislative failures – most notably the “cap and trade” proposal he championed prior to losing his Party’s majority in the House of Representatives two years ago -- would have worsened our energy- dependent position.
Stacked up against the Obama Administration’s failed energy policy – the U.S. now imports some 60% of the oil we use -- the Romney-Ryan team has an excellent opportunity to seize the initiative on this one aspect of federal policy that could not only assist in turning around the economy, but help secure economic stability for generations.
And there is no need for the Republicans to reinvent the wheel in this regard. Pickens has mapped it out for them. In the past four years, this legendary Texas entrepreneur has crisscrossed the country touting the need to develop alternate energy sources. The “Pickens Plan” provides a workable blueprint for unleashing the potential of resources sitting untapped inside the United States’ borders; at the same time offering diversity in sources of energy that could be utilized to keep the economy thriving.
As Pickens has noted, the U.S. currently relies heavily on oil produced by OPEC nations. According to a report by the Congressional Research Service in April, the United States spent “$327 billion on net oil imports in 2011.” Especially when considered in the context of the $1 trillion budget deficit the federal government will rack up this fiscal year, our reliance on foreign oil serves neither our national security nor our economic interests. It only empowers our allies-of-convenience and our potential adversaries in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Is the Pickens Plan perfect? No. Would its author insist on rigid adherence to every jot and tittle as the price for helping the GOP craft and articulate a workable and comprehensive energy independence platform to present to the voters over the course of the coming campaign? Of course not; Pickens is too good a businessman to make such a demand.
A sit-down with Pickens would be a session from which both Romney and Ryan would emerge with a deeper understanding of the true cost of continuing the energy-policy status quo. More important, they would be learning from a man who has been phenomenally successful since the 1950s in identifying and implementing real solutions to the energy needs of American businesses and consumers.
Go ahead. Call Pickens. It could be one of the most important calls of the entire campaign.
T. Boone Pickens would provide a steady stream of financial scandal fodder which would allow the Democrats and their MSM allies to pick the Romney Administration to pieces in a first term.
Barr should stick to eating breast milk cheese and leave the appointment process to others.
” - - - Boone Pickens?
No thank you.
Four years ago he campaigned for thousands of government subsidized windmills in Texas and sought billions of dollars in government subsidies to build the power lines to carry the electricity.
Whoops, never mind...
Two years ago he changed his mind completely.
Then he decided he wanted billions in government subsidies to convert commercial truck engines to run on natural gas and billions more in government largess to build gas pipelines and fueling stations.”
Well said.
TBP is a pro-debt hustler that can easily con pro-debt politicians into pouring our tax dollars into bottomless money pits.
Pro-debt hustler TBP wants “Somebody else to make that happen,” and thus avoiding pouring his own money, time and effort into building his own business.
Unfortunately, Romney’s strong suit is to delegate, and thus Romney is vulnerable to con-artist hustlers such as T. Boone Pickens.
BTW Boone, the antidote to commie Obama’s “You didn’t build that” mind meld is simply: “ If you build that, they will come.” Put up or shut up.
Tick-Tock.
Thank you for accurately describing Pickens to a “T”.
I am no fan of that Obama-loving Warren Buffet, either.
T. Boone Pickens = poison pill.
Oh, please. "T" is an okie in every way.
Oh, please. "T" is an okie in every way.
Thanks.
I agree with you about War-On-Bucks Buffet. He cons The media with his “My Secretary pays more taxes than I do” crap, and The Media just says “ War-On just has to be right, because he is sooooooooooooo rich!” The fact is that War-On pays more taxes in one year that all of his secretaries will in all of their lifetimes.
Chris Christy put “I should pay more taxes” War-On in his place with this remark: “Just write a check, and shut up!”
There’s just something wrong with Bob Barr.
He certainly was pushing wind power.
He put his money where his mouth was, and lost 150 million dollars in wind power investments. -Tom
Pickens is for Pickens and Barr is too blind to see.
Hah! That's what I used to yell at the TV when Buffet came on!
That would be stupid! Palin should be put in charge of the Energy Dept. Good grief! How much did Pickens lose on those windmills? How many dead birds? It has to be propped up by government bailouts and produces very little energy help to local communities? This guy should be a cabinet choice? Does this writer think the rest of us are stupid, don’t know how to read? Give me a break!
Some on this thread and this forum have forgotten how Picken's supported the Swift Boat Vets' successful campaign against Kerry. Mr. Pickens is a great patriot and champion of American capitalism.
Who do you suppose funded the electrical grid and the highway system we have today?
"Energy independence" is an illusory pipe-dream, and I'm not sure why anyone would aspire to something like that anyway. We rely on "foreign oil" from OPEC nations for the same reason we rely on Asia for electronics, on South America for bananas, and on Mexico for our landscapers and restaurant staff: because that's where these things usually are cheapest.
So what you’re saying is “You didn’t build that by yourself”
Amen.
BTW, the government build the electrical grid.
My great grandfather contracted with various electric providers to hang their lines to feed power to their customers.
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