WaPo: Republicans to make oil, energy central message
posted at 7:45 am on July 28, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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The Republicans may be poised to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in 2008 after all, as long as the Democrats insist on handing them the opportunity. The Washington Post reports that the GOP has finally realized the potency of domestic production as an electoral issue and plan to make it the central message for both the presidential and Congressional races. The only danger to this approach is that it hinges on Democrats remaining obstructionist on increasing domestic production:
Four-dollar-a-gallon gas has done something that few Republicans thought possible just a few months ago: given them hope.
United behind a renewed push for offshore oil drilling, Republican members of Congress and the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, think they have found their best political issue of the 2008 campaign.
McCain strategists and GOP leaders on Capitol Hill say the issue, which polls suggest Americans favor by healthy margins, lets Republicans demonstrate their plans to address the anger over high gas prices as well as the broader economic distress that many voters feel.
Because most Democrats, including Sen. Barack Obama, are opposed to increased drilling, McCain and the GOP have already begun casting their rivals as unconcerned about gas prices and unwilling to wean the country from foreign oil.
Actually, two dangers exist. The first would be a move by moderate Democrats to lift the federal moratorium on drilling in the OCS and in interior lands. That would validate Republican policy on energy, but would also take the urgency out of the issue and solve the major problem of supply. Republicans could run on the issue of ensuring long-term domestic production — in other words, not trusting Democrats to keep from imposing another moratorium when they have the chance — but the sting will have been removed.
The other danger would be a major spill or catastrophe in current oil production. The Post mentions one such spill that has already occurred, but that came from a collision between a tanker and a barge, not from production itself. Purchasing oil abroad requires a lot more tankers with a lot more sea time, providing even more opportunities for such collisions. However, if an oil rig suddenly failed, it could damage electoral efforts by the GOP.
Fortunately, both risks are small. We haven’t had a major oil rig spill in decades, thanks to much-improved technology. The worst releases of oil into the sea come from the Earth itself. And thanks to the marriage between radical environmentalists and the Democratic Party, an outbreak of rational thought on energy there is about as likely as a major oil spill today. Let’s hope that the Post has this correct and that the GOP makes this the central issue of the campaign in 2008.
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There hasn’t been a major spill in decades, but sabotage is always an option. And I’m not talking about Muslims this time.
MarkTheGreat on July 28, 2008 at 7:55 AM
Good strategy.
If the Dems copy the GOP on oil, their environmental base will not show up on election day, or will switch over to the GOP on the issue of lower taxes. Most environmentalists are middle class people who have money in the stock market.
If the Dems don’t copy the GOP on oil, they lose the election.
Just stick to the plan. There is no room for error this year.
indythinker on July 28, 2008 at 7:55 AM
That the GOP seems to consider energy policy nothing more than a 2008 political issue is disturbing. And the fact that it takes a GOP strategist to arrive at the conclusion that energy is important is equally disturbing.
BigD on July 28, 2008 at 7:55 AM
Given all the things against the Republicans this year…. The Dems could eff up a….well, you know the saying.
bikermailman on July 28, 2008 at 7:56 AM
Good point. Eco terrorists of the left, anyone?
bikermailman on July 28, 2008 at 7:57 AM
The GOP approach to congressional elections appears to be very flexible and pragmatic considering the present stance of their titular leadership.
Senator Mc Cain pretty much agrees with Obama’s approach to an Iraq timetable.
President Bush has finally embraced Obama’s approach to Iran by opening high level negotiation with Ahmadinejad.
Good for you GOP!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 7:58 AM
GOP to make oil and energy central message? Sure, tell me another one Ed. You can write all you want but it does not change the defeat we have coming this November. How can this be serious when the top of our ticket is for cap-n-trade and no ANWR drilling?
luckybogey on July 28, 2008 at 8:04 AM
So if the biggest polluter is earth itself…than we can do the earth nuts a favor by drilling so it can’t leak into our oceans…
twiggman on July 28, 2008 at 8:07 AM
The RNC should be spending big bucks publicizing the Democrats’ obstruction. They would benefit from the publicity, and also benefit in fund raising. Maybe they’re thinking it’s too early to fire off all the guns, but they better do it now. It’s the only unambiguous issue, and it’s a winner.
forest on July 28, 2008 at 8:09 AM
luckybogey… Have no fear Saint Mc has done a “dolphin” on off shore drilling; at least that’s some improvement?
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 8:14 AM
Even if “moderate democrats” allied with Republicans to lift the ban, Barry ain’t moderate and he’d have to vote against such a measure or not vote at all which he is famous for doing. How brave.
And why haven’t Republicans staged a coup of the Senate anyways? Kennedy and Byrd are out which leaves them the majority. What are they afraid of? Bad press? Pffft.
SouthernGent on July 28, 2008 at 8:15 AM
DUMP DUMP DUMP DUMP DUMP
They should make community, creativity, and (business and social) entrepreneurship their central issues. The GOP is going to get raped.
They need to make sure that they’re addressing the stereotypes that the democrats will exploit whenever they counter.
ninjapirate on July 28, 2008 at 8:17 AM
If oil is a natural substance pulled directly from “mother earth” how is it that spilling it back into “mother earth” is considered polluting “mother earth”? Not proposing that we dump it into our waters, etc. but c’mon!
As for the Republicans using drilling as a campaign issue…ya think?
sabbott on July 28, 2008 at 8:18 AM
Gee! You mean that someone in the party FINALLY came to this sudden earthshattering revelation?
We of the general voting populace have only been suggesting this as a possible electorial issue since, oh, 1776!!!!!
pilamaye on July 28, 2008 at 8:20 AM
You can say that again. Since St. Mc has changed his stance on offshore drilling, “Big Oil” has contributed mightily, to the tune of 1.1 million plus to his campaign!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 8:21 AM
Funny how quickly people grow up when the price of the democrat policies starts cutting into your quality of living.
Alden Pyle on July 28, 2008 at 8:22 AM
Are there any on the right?
jmarcure on July 28, 2008 at 8:24 AM
Links?
hillbillyjim on July 28, 2008 at 8:30 AM
Sorry that I’m being negative however I received my pic of Cindy and John over the weekend asking for money. Not a since word on energy, oil prices, or drilling? However, the letter on the first page has underlined the following:
“It is also imperative that we get our conservative message to the American people so they clearly understand the sharp contract between our Republican ideals and those of the Democrats.”
This is the problem, there are no differences. Hell, I’m beginning to believe that Johnny is to the left of Barry?
luckybogey on July 28, 2008 at 8:37 AM
You might say the same thing about President Bush’s 800 billion dollar and counting… war in Iraq; that has run our economy into the ditch.
Then couple that; with the administration’s lack of regulation of “Big Banks” and hedge funds… Eureka, the proverbial economic fiasco!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 8:47 AM
The democrats will support drilling unanimously as they to steal another position from the Republicans. When it isn’t about racism, class envy, re-distribution of wealth or raising taxes these dullards haven’t had an original idea in years. When you have leaders like Reid and Pelosi, how could you?
volsense on July 28, 2008 at 8:48 AM
*sigh* Well look who just caught up.
Yeah that’s great that they figured this out. Lets hope they remember it and build on it for the next 4-8 years because I still think Obama will steamroll the GOP. To little too late boys. Use this opportunity to purge and rebuild.
That said, it’s possible McCain wins, because anything is possible. Democrats have a penchant for trying to lose elections when they get too confident and reveal themselves too much. I’m not counting on it this year though. Obama isnt as bad as Kerry and we didnt win that one by much.
Dash on July 28, 2008 at 8:49 AM
“McCain flip flop yielded big oil money”
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 8:57 AM
Yawn. 1)Obama has come around to the President’s position on Iraq. A condition based plan for troops on the ground.
2)So we sent an envoy to hear their response? Listening is not negotiation.
3) Regarding your 8:21 post, I could care less if they gave him 1.1 zillion dollars. It is the right choice and I am glad he came around to it. I would welcom Obambi to the same.
4) Regarding your 8:47 AM post. We fight our enemies when we have to, where we have to and spending what we have to.
I am not quite sure whether it is Lewrockwell.com or Democraticunderground.com, but I am sure that whichever you left to come here is begging for you to come back. Have a nice life. Go home Moby.
Dawnsblood on July 28, 2008 at 9:03 AM
How true… Remember how you lost in 2000 and then the Supreme Court came along and pulled your “fat out of the fire”?
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 9:06 AM
Here is what is being missed, even if the Dems cave it is still a win. The opening up of drilling will push down the oil futures market by 50% or more dropping gas prices rapidly. The gas prices will decline all the way to the election, helping reduce anti-Bush sentiment.
With Iraq looking like a win (according to the AP no less)
and gas prices dropping a McCain and senate with the filibuster intact is possible.
liberrocky on July 28, 2008 at 9:08 AM
Hey Gocht. What a false, baseless statement!
1) The recounts did not show Gore to win.
2) The U.S.Consitiution states that the legislators of the States control their own elections, the voting methods, and the qualifications of their electors, not the United States.
3) the proper resolution of SCOTUS should have been to return the decision to Florida, which basically they did.
4) At that time, the majority of SCOTUS justices were liberals, regardless of who appointed them.
5) Why is it that the liberal, socialist, cosmos like th villify the Supreme Court for doing something that they continually want the Supreme court to do – legislate from the Bench.
6) The counties in question that supposedly either cheated, mis-counted, or behaved like idiots, were completely controlled by the dhimocrats. Those people are so stupid, they can’t even cheat right.
7) And lastely, the Dhimocrats pulled all their political strings to get the military ballots thrown out.
Old Country Boy on July 28, 2008 at 9:29 AM
all you have to do is nominate Palin and run hard on Energy Indpendence with here and make it a National Security issue as well as pocket book!!! It’s a No Brainer..
jp on July 28, 2008 at 9:29 AM
Were that the case the story would be about a “democrat/socialist revival.”
Alden Pyle on July 28, 2008 at 9:30 AM
AM
Of course the government’s mandate that banks give loans to unqualified people did not help cause the fiasco, huh?
Johan Klaus on July 28, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Actually I’m kinda partial to the Boone Pickens’s approach.
Alternative energy is definitely the harbinger for success in our future. Wind and solar will reduce our reliance on imported energy.
The US automakers faced with the looming possibility of bankruptcy have finally decided to tool up for high mileage and hybrid vehicles. It’s unfortunate they’re always about five years behind the foreign competition!
The US has large reservoirs of natural gas and who but the folks in the northeast and Florida object to a few offshore oil rigs?
Things are looking up.
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 9:33 AM
A little loose with the facts, eh?
Johan Klaus on July 28, 2008 at 9:36 AM
Just funnin’ you Johan!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 9:39 AM
To All: I apologize for that off-topic post – not because it wasn’t true, but because it was off topic. M. Gocht is obviously a troll or an idiot. Just like his comments on big banks and hedge funds,he is just mindlessly spewing the Dhimocrat party line, with no thought or links for what he is saying.
Now to oil. Out here in the oil patch, we KNOW what needs to be done. Let us do it! Our Senators Inhoff and Coburn are doing it. Can’t you get your Senators and congresspeople to do it. By the way, you can’t imagine the villification of these two Senators by the Tulsa World. Unfortunately for the World, nobody reads it. The Claremore Progress (Will Rogers, “official newspaper” to believe them), is so extremely liberal or “progressive” that the Senators can’t get a good word out of them.
Old Country Boy on July 28, 2008 at 9:42 AM
Do you know anything about wind or solar? They will not run an auto or truck.
It seems that the democrats seem to object to offshore rigs and the people of Alaska want drilling to which the dems also object.
Johan Klaus on July 28, 2008 at 9:44 AM
You too, Old Country Boy! :)
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 9:45 AM
(importing this from another thread)
Obamarxist is Dr. No:
“No!” to more drilling.
“No!” to more refineries.
“No!” to more nuclear plants.
And he says Bush has no energy policy!
jgapinoy on July 28, 2008 at 9:45 AM
uh yeah right, I’ve been hearing that for 30 years…so you gonna put a windmill on your car?
they take large amounts of land, just think of the environmental impact on the poor rattlesnake.
but it doesn’t help when the leader of the republicans Juan McObama, doesn’t want to drill in ANWR, and recently flipped on offshore drilling.
right4life on July 28, 2008 at 9:49 AM
The Republicans may be following the pied piper to their doom. Just as soon as they make oil/energy their main issue, Soros & Company will force the price down so low Americans will forget there is a problem.
Better to have more that this. This is a head fake.
eaglesdontflock on July 28, 2008 at 9:51 AM
Johan, we have been heating our earthsheltered home with passive solar energy since 1980. We are planning for both active photovoltaic solar and a wind generator. It requires both planning and saving sufficient moolah.
As for autos and small trucks, both hybrid and electric units will be part of a more efficient personal transportation mix for everyone in the future.
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 9:56 AM
And WOW!!! — look how much that accomplished! Obama was so right, wasn’t he? All we had to do was talk to Iran and they completely caved . . . or at least gave us some tiny concession . . . or . . . . oh, wait — they basically told us to F— Off, didn’t they? But, but, but Obama said all we had to do was talk to them . . . and Obama’s so brilliant and soooo much smarter than Bush . . . .
AZCoyote on July 28, 2008 at 9:56 AM
The current energy crisis has been created by years of Democrat energy policy. They need to be beaten over the head with this all the way to November…The GOP may even have a chance to retake both Houses of Congress on this issue alone….Just use “OBAMA=$8/gallon gas” as the new slogan…Not only true, but effectual in defeating the Socialist Democrat Party………..
adamsmith on July 28, 2008 at 9:59 AM
But as Rush pointed out the other day, they won’t fly an airplane.
BigD on July 28, 2008 at 10:00 AM
“Actually, two dangers exist. The first would be a move by moderate Democrats to lift the federal moratorium on drilling in the OCS and in interior lands. That would validate Republican policy on energy, but would also take the urgency out of the issue and solve the major problem of supply.”
That doesn’t sound like a danger at all. It should be the goal. Are you suggesting that the politicians don’t care about the price of oil, and that they just want to win elections?
Kevin M on July 28, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Come on, AZ.
Did you hear Brian William’s interview with Ahmadinejad?
It’s a start.
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 10:06 AM
I agree. Oil prices could be a lot lower in the fall, and a much less pressing concern for many voters.
McCain should also be talking about Obama’s tax plans. I caught him on CNN yesterday talking about how he wants to raise taxes on corporations. Most Americans don’t realize that American corporations already pay some of the highest tax rates in the world — and Obama’s plan to raise those taxes even higher is just going to chase those companies (and the jobs they create) out of our country and into India, China, or some other country where they can do business a lot cheaper.
AZCoyote on July 28, 2008 at 10:07 AM
J_Gocht: I get the feelin’ that the next words out of your keyboard following that if i’m one you’re one too will probably be “na nana na na”
Now back to the topic. On December 31, 2001, Oklahoma had a rig count of 69. On mar 24 of this year it was up to 207, a 300% increase. The source for this is the Oklahoma Journal Record and the Tulsa World (as much as I hate using them for a reference). I am given to understand that the Sunray and Sinclair Refineries in Tulsa are expanding as fast as they can, but still fighting the environmental whackos. (By the way Gocht, where are the sources for your statements?)
It has been my experience in this life that if the Republicans do something successfully, the Dhimocrats take credit for it, with the help of the press. Just as with the reductions in Iraq, as Obama is taking credit for them by jumping on part of a pre-stated conclusion by McCain, with the assistance of the MSM, if we get the price of oil down and achieve more energy independance, the Dhimocrats will take credit for that also, even after all their obstruction, and it will probably stick.
Old Country Boy on July 28, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Electric cars are only practical for local transportation. Nothing is going to replace oil in the near future. Hybrids still use oil and many non hybrids are more economical than hybrids.
Johan Klaus on July 28, 2008 at 10:08 AM
You’re joking, right? You couldn’t possibly be that gullible . . . . oh, wait, you’re an Obama supporter, aren’t you? Never mind.
AZCoyote on July 28, 2008 at 10:11 AM
Yeah, and they [electric and wind] won’t power a car large enough to transport the Lumber Leviathan from Palm Beach. Oh well!
Than again; perhaps wind alone would serve?
There are may be exceptions to even the rules of nature when it comes to certain idiosyncrasies.
Obviously fossil fuels are going to be required as part of the mix; just a much smaller part.
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 10:16 AM
When Ahmadinajhad meets Obama, he’ll realize Obama is the MAHDI…and will of course do whatever obama says…if he can make what what obama is saying with all the ummmms ahhhhhs uhhhhhhs ……
right4life on July 28, 2008 at 10:19 AM
you know electric cars are not a new thing, they’ve been around quite a while, they’re just not as efficient as gasoline for power…neither is ethanol.
gasoline gives a lot of ‘bang for the buck’ there are problems with any form of energy. to think that we are all of a sudden dispense with oil is fanciful to say the least.
right4life on July 28, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Bout time the GOP got smart on this. Heard a McCain staffer on Fox and Friends this morning say that McCAin is still against drilling in ANWR as he doesn’t want to disturb the pristine wilderness. Could someone please show some pictures of this sh*thole when they make statements like that. It’s a barren artic hellhole. There is nothing there. If he won’t come off his vote, fine, whatever. He’ll suffer for it at the ballotbox; but people should be able to see that ‘pristine wilderness’ and understand what is being protected.
austinnelly on July 28, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Boone’s plan and my thought’s are…
“Obviously fossil fuels are going to be required as part of the mix; just a much smaller part.
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 10:31 AM
The GOP can blow this issue up to include several issues and make it a centerpiece of their campaigns.
1. Obviously energy independence if we access ALL our domestic reserves including oil shale. Hammer home the quantity of energy avaialble here. Make sure ALL Americans know just how much energy we have so they begin to ask just why we’ve waited so long.
2. Press the case for “alternatives” such as coal to liquid to increase our reserves by an additional 100 years.
3. Jobs, jobs, jobs – energy and jobs are the two biggest economic issues. Use the IBD esitmate of 750,000 direct jobs in a new domestic energy sector and millions of indirect jobs.
4. National security – cut off the funding for countries that support terrorism and the spread of Islamic ideology, Hello Saudi Arabia!
5. Money, money, money – what could we do with $700 Billion to a Trillion we send out of this country every year? Press teh case that we can dramatically reduce the trade deficit and strengthen the dollar by keeping our money home.
6. Money, money, money (2) – royalties – what can we do with all the money that would go to the Treasury from royalties? Pay off the national debt? Fund R&D of alternatives WITHOUT raising taxes. Could we even use our oil wealth to reduce taxes? Most ME states don’t have income taxes. Alaska pays its citizens from their oil wealth.
The GOP needs to develop a 100 year plan with 5 and 10 year goals and stick to it.
They could crush the Dems with an Energy Contract for America
DerKrieger on July 28, 2008 at 10:33 AM
the problem is with using this as our guiding principle. we’ve seen the result: more corn going for fuel, food prices going up, with the result being the poor starve, all so we can feel ‘environmentally correct’.
we should let the market take care of these things, when government gets involved it distorts the market, resulting in consequences like the above.
we’ve done it to ourselves, and the environmentalists are happy about this, because they don’t care about human suffering, rather saving their goddess, mother earth..gaia
right4life on July 28, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Wind and solar are unnecessary and won;t do much of anything to reduce our dependence on foreign energy.
Unless you believe in manmade climate change, I don’t, we have enough coal alone to powere our electric needs for centuries without considering wind and solar. Throw nukes into the mix and we can reduce coal power, eliminate nat gas power, and reduce the CO2 the greens worry about.
I’m getting weary of people mixing energy issues. Oil and gas are primarily transportation issues. Wind and solar are strictly, fo rnow, electricity generation issues.
Anomaliles like oil heating can be addressed. No one should be heating their home with oil
DerKrieger on July 28, 2008 at 10:40 AM
The Dems just may preempt the GOP on drilling BUT it would be dangerous for America to believe that the GOP and Dem plans would be the same. Any Dem plan would come loaded with conditions, regulations, and limitations that for all intents and purposes there would be no change from their desired policy of no drilling. Then they will say “see, drilling has no impact”.
DerKrieger on July 28, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Well, aren’t you just charming? It’s always fun to irritate the liberal contingent; just drop Rush’s name and they lose any sense of decorum.
BigD on July 28, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Actually the markets are taking care of things. The ridiculous, exorbitant, mostly criminal cost of oil has given alternative energy sources just the impetus they required to become feasible.
“Big Oil” is in the process of killing the goose that has laid their golden eggs for yea these many decades. I for one; could not be more pleased.
As for Mother Nature; almost everything that’s good for her is in the long term also good for mankind.
As an example; procuring our fruits and vegetables locally from farmer’s markets or from CSA’s [Community Supported Agriculture] growing organic food… is much preferable than eating produce shipped halfway around the world, by huge corporate farms, utilizing fossil fuels for transport, unknown herbicides, pesticides and the extensive exploitation of indigenous labor.
Drive on…!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 11:22 AM
It’s a good issue that McCain isn’t doing enought to hammer Obama on. Voters care about the environment but it is a luxury that comes after paying their bills. Gasoline prices are the one item where the inflated price is posted along the roadway as an everyday reminder. By November heating bills will start creeping up in the North and voters will see another expense that is rising faster than their paychecks.
Johnny Mac needs to turn himself into Joe Six Pack against Obama. Hillary realized this too late in her primary run, but once she did she gained traction. Pushing Obama into a position of favoring the caribou over the average voter will make him seem even more elitist than he already seems.
dedalus on July 28, 2008 at 11:25 AM
“Charm” is my middle name when it comes to the bigoted, homophobe, ad hominine attack person…you just mentioned, BigD.
That is you BigD, isn’t it?
Just kiddin’! :)
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 11:30 AM
oh really? so you’re in favor of dropping subsidies and requirements for ethanol? which were about $7 billion in 2006? the same for wind and solar?
even slate has figured out what a waste ethanol is.
the only reason oil is so expensive is becasue our government won’t let our own oil be drilled.
this is delusional. the environmental wackos have given us these high gas prices, along with opec, and both are pleased as punch…along with the democrats.
well according to the environmental wackos carbon dioxide is bad for gaia…so they’d be happier with a lot less people.
those ‘terrible’ corporate farms give us economies of scale, lower prices, and more food. and we need those pesticides, herbicides, etc to grow enough food to actually feed all the people in the world. thinking ‘organic’ farming will give us enough food is delusional.
I’ll just take a guess…you’re all for illegal immigration….you want ‘amnesty’ right?
right4life on July 28, 2008 at 11:35 AM
typical liberal lines…to be used when liberals cannot win the argument.
in other words, all the time.
right4life on July 28, 2008 at 11:36 AM
Another political danger is if the price of oil drops enough now to ease the cost of gas at the pump and too many Americans resume their previous slumber until after the election.
The Republicans need to set this issue in peoples minds so when the rhetoric starts they have the true enemy of their pocket book already well defined for them.
Speakup on July 28, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Interesting approach on the “wind solar etc” crap.
I suggest you read up on what it costs to actually run a electric car. How much it costs to “plug it in” or use the copper nickel batteries that are not able to be recycled or the fact you just have no clue on what it takes to make electricity.
FYI there little stoner tree hugging twig chewer, how much coal or natural gas does it take to run your house? Then figure in the cost of one of your cars. All in All, OIL is and will always be cheaper in the long run as well as more dependable. You are just the idiot who think that saving the world via alternative methods will make you feel better about yourself as a whole. Go away, you are annoying.
upinak on July 28, 2008 at 12:04 PM
14,000 btu/lb…that’s what the energy equivalent we need to replace Big Oil. That’s hard to do.
McCain needs to remember one thing only for his campaign…It’s the cost of gas, stupid.
Wyznowski on July 28, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Fine, wake up and exploit the oil prices, finally, but also press for new refineries and nuclear power and the idea of complete energy independence in the future so we can’t be blackmailed by our buds in Saudi Arabia or our bad rash in Iran. It’s Independence, Stupid!
Maquis on July 28, 2008 at 3:54 PM
No tree hugging twig chewer understands BTU’s nor the implications of energy if you ask.
upinak on July 28, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Had to tend to business…
r_4_l, both you and I know there never would have been a nuclear power plant built in the US, unless they were insured 100 percent for liability and subsidized up to 75 percent by the govmint.
I’m not per se, against nuclear power; but let’s face it; no one to this day, decades later is willing to have a nuclear waste depository in their back yard.
I’d be happy as a “Lil piggy in a blanket” if the govmint would give that same kind of construction subsidy to “wind and solar” today!
r_4_l, the transformation to alternative energy would be an unbelievable miracle, overnight express, a veritable stampede!
I’d be first in line if you didn’t trip me?
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 5:25 PM
You might say the same thing about President Bush’s 800 billion dollar and counting… war in Iraq; that has run our economy into the ditch.
Then couple that; with the administration’s lack of regulation of “Big Banks” and hedge funds… Eureka, the proverbial economic fiasco!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 8:47 AM
No consideration of the cost of security with no Iraq war?
So we dont go to Iraq ( which is part of the big picture of middle east reform ) and decide that the only option is to out guess the enemy and stop threats from the edge of their borders to ours.
How successful do you think that would be?
Leaving the scum of the earth basically a safe zone to conduct terrorism.
The cost of 9/11 in economic impact alone was over a trillion dollars and sent shockwaves throughout the world with the suggestion that we were vulnarable.
No sir, the answer is to kill the enemy at the source.
Sonosam on July 28, 2008 at 5:38 PM
Obama is all-seeing/knowing, omnipotent and omni-present.
Be proud of your saviour.
Ein Kind is geboren. Wir jubeln.
Entelechy on July 28, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Hi there, upinak! No matter where you live in Wisconsin or Alaska I’m certain you can find a south facing slope of land?
Given that; you orient your home such as that all the glass has southern exposure.
Given that; you purchase double or even triple pane glass, with special “E coating” to allow all the infrared heat in [one way] yet precluding its’ escape [outside] at night.
Finally you install insulating curtains you let down at night to provide additional “R value” to your glazing.
Average cost to heat a new three bedroom home with “green standards” in southwest Wisconsin, approximately 500 to 700 gallons of propane per year. Cost of propane today $2.37/gallon.
Cost to heat our earth sheltered home with passive solar glazing, less than 200 gallons per winter season.
We only have to increase the average temperature of the bermed and buried earth structure from about 55 degrees to 72 degrees. Any above ground house has to contend with temperatures as low as -25F at our latitude. That’s a differential 95F as compared to our 15F degrees.
Huh…?
Oh BTW: I’m [we're] are no longer “twig eating, stoner[s]”.
We’re now exclusively, locally grown, vegetable eating… geezers!
All the very best to you and your’s , upinak!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 6:03 PM
I know, I just like to bitch-slap them with the cold hard science because it pisses them off…
Wyznowski on July 28, 2008 at 6:09 PM
Dear Sonosam, I was a soldier once…
My mission was to do just that!
I am no longer a soldier!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 6:23 PM
We have been blessed and rejoice for many children and grand childern!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 6:33 PM
I thank you then J Gocht for your service.
It still doesnt sway me from the fact that unfortunately the only solution that the middle east radicals have left to us is their removal.
Thank you again.
Sonosam on July 28, 2008 at 6:33 PM
Am I “caught up”?
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 6:34 PM
As much as I believe in communications and conflict resolution; I agree with you in the final analysis…
Those who would injure or kill our families or destroy our constitutional government should and must certainly be removed with prejudice.
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 6:47 PM
Thanks. So many on here lately who are fond of pulling stats and ‘facts’ out of their sphincter. Glad to see you’re not one of those.
hillbillyjim on July 28, 2008 at 7:12 PM
Hey hillbillyjim…
First question: Do you know anything about “Tennessee elevation and Kentucky windage”…?
Second question: Was the feud between the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s an actuality or only a rural legend?
Were those appropriate questions?
Just asking…!
J_Gocht on July 28, 2008 at 7:38 PM
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