Monday's energy policy.

[Barry Digman]

Bread and circuses. Please tell me that the American public isn't this stupid.

Eh, never mind.





Under Obama's proposal for a windfall profits tax, the government would tax some of the profits from big oil corporations and use it to provide a $1,000 rebate to people struggling with high energy costs.

Obama's ad comes as he kicks of "Energy Week" -- with stops planned in Ohio and Indiana where gas prices and rising heat bills will be on the agenda.

Obama travels to battleground Michigan on Monday to unveil details on his energy policy.

Obama's campaign said Monday that Obama is going to ask that the strategic petroleum reserves be tapped. He's expected to ask for a "swap" of light crude for heavy crude with the heavy crude to be "replaced at a later date so that we can get oil into the market," the campaign said on a conference call.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/04/campaign.wrap/index.html

[dragonfly]

Well Barry, I would tell you the American public wasn't that stupid if I believed it myself. I'm sitting here watching BHO give his energy plan speech and am about to wretch. Good thing I didn't have any breakfast.

[JPK1NH]

Did anyone else hear his proposal last week where he claimed that we could solve our energy issues by inflating our tires and getting tune ups?

ROFLMAO

What a dope....the teleprompter must have been broken that day and he had to think on his feet.....

[Bodo]

I heard on the radio the other day that BHO said that if we just inflated our tires and kept our vehicles tuned up (which you can't really do on modern computer controlled cars) that it would solve our oil crisis.

Wish I had TV at work...

[Bodo]

posting at the same time...

[dragonfly]

Yeah I heard that too, and got a good laugh. I have to wonder who is feeding him these revelations.;)

[dcross]

This and the gas tax holiday remind my of Stephen Colbert's campaign slogan. "Just as pandering as the rest of 'em."

[George Fergusson]

I've got a problem with Obama referring to our "addiction to foreign oil". I personally don't think oil, foreign or otherwise, is an addictive substance. potentially habit-forming, definitely, but not addictive.

[Galaxy]

This and the gas tax holiday remind my of Stephen Colbert's campaign slogan. "Just as pandering as the rest of 'em."But, at least McCain's gas tax holiday is a reduction in taxes.

Obama can't propose anything without a tax increase. Most of the time he doesn't tell us about the tax increase. He only mentions the taxes when he can demagogue the rich and/or corporations. No doubt, he is a socialist in from the same socialist gene pool as Chávez, Castro, Rev Wright, Saul Alinsky, and Ortega.

In his Rules for Radicals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_for_Radicals), Alinsky outlines his strategy in organizing, writing,
"There's another reason for working inside the system. Dostoevsky said that taking a new step is what people fear most. Any revolutionary change must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, non-challenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people. They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and change the future. This acceptance is the reformation essential to any revolution. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Alinsky

Haven't we been hearing about change from Obama, even fundamental change?

Alinsky was a critic of a passive and ineffective mainstream liberalism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_liberalism). In Rules for Radicals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_for_Radicals), he argued that the most effective means are whatever will achieve the desired ends, and that an intermediate end for radicals should be democracy because of its relative ease to work within to achieve other ends of social justice.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Alinsky An intermediate end for radicals should be democracy???

Did Obama incorporate Alinsky's ideas in his own political philosophy. Let's see:

Seventeen years later, another young honor student was offered a job as an organizer in Chicago. By then, Alinsky had died, but a group of his disciples hired Barack Obama (http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/o000167/), a 23-year-old Columbia University graduate, to organize black residents on the South Side, while learning and applying Alinsky's philosophy of street-level democracy. The recruiter called the $13,000-a-year job "very romantic, until you do it."

Obama embraced many of Alinsky's tactics and recently said his years as an organizer gave him the best education of his life. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/24/AR2007032401152.html

Folks, maybe we should connect the dots before it is too late.

Let's see, work within the system because democracy is an intermediate end for radicals. The most effective means are whatever will achieve the desired ends.

You decide!

[dcross]

kept our vehicles tuned up (which you can't really do on modern computer controlled cars)

Weeeell, good basic maintenance CAN make a big difference in fuel economy, right? My buddies gas usage went way up when he had a brake sticking...

[dcross]

But, at least McCain's gas tax holiday is a reduction in taxes.

Yeah, a whopping reduction of $.18/gallon of gas. Which is a consumption tax, which I've seen you advocate here before...

[dragonfly]

I've got a problem with Obama referring to our "addiction to foreign oil". I personally don't think oil, foreign or otherwise, is an addictive substance. potentially habit-forming, definitely, but not addictive.

:D :D
I don't know George. If you use it with enough frequency, it will become an addiction. At least that's what I have been reading.;)

[Galaxy]

Yeah, a whopping reduction of $.18/gallon of gas. Which is a consumption tax, which I've seen you advocate here before...Yes, thanks for pointing that out. I believe that consumption taxes are better than income taxes. But, we should take the rare tax reduction opportunities from wherever and whenever they present themselves.

[Derek]

But, at least McCain's gas tax holiday is a reduction in taxes.

Take this with a grain of salt. But not all taxes are bad. The gas tax holiday was a real bad idea.

Neither's energy's plan will be good enough to make many people happy. I really hate the BO now flips two suporrt off shore drilling. Because it will do nothing but support big oil. And then he wants to windfall tax them. Thats stupid. There are over 1500 rigs in the gulf that are capped, meaning they have already hit oil and capped the rig. So its not pumping it. They are just waiting for the gov to give them the go ahead and drill for more. Which the gov. will help cover the cost for. Then the oil company's open the supply from the capped rigs and drill for more at little cost. They all win!

We could use a new refinery or 10. Thats the only way to bring the cost down. More pollution! Sure! Lots more! But I would bet the Amerain people polled would take $2 gas and live with the high pollution.

**** it. $2 gas and high pollution. Now we must turn our attention to national health care. None of us win.

[tecumseh]

to quote bob twice in one day...

don't stand in the doorway,
don't block up the hall,
for he who survives will be he who don't stall,
the times they are a changin'

the times they are a changin'.... bob dylan

tecumseh adds: change is inevitable... some change is good and some is not.

[Barry Digman]

There are over 1500 rigs in the gulf that are capped, meaning they have already hit oil and capped the rig. So its not pumping it. They are just waiting for the gov to give them the go ahead and drill for more. Which the gov. will help cover the cost for. Then the oil company's open the supply from the capped rigs and drill for more at little cost. They all win!


First, one can't cap a rig. A rig is comprised of all the equipment that's necessary to drill a well. Commonly called a drilling rig, as opposed to something like a service rig which is called a workover unit or a pulling unit.

http://updates.spe.org/index.php/2007/07/14/new-nomad-class-land-rig-set-for-desert-debut/


Second, no one caps a producing well these days. If the well can be produced profitibly, it's flowing today. Some states used to regulate the amount that could be produced out of a given zone in order to prevent operators from screwing up the zone or siphoning off all of their neighbors oil. I don't know whether they still do that or not. I suspect that the wells you've heard about that are capped are actually dry holes that never produced enough oil to be profitable. Just because there's a little oil in a well doesn't mean it can be produced.

[MapMan]

You don't need all of the drilling equipment - all you need is a simple tire gauge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzZNP4tTfV0

Energy problems solved!:rolleyes:

MM

[dragonfly]

Energy problems solved!:rolleyes:

MM


Hey MM, you may be able to make a fortune selling "Save the Earth Tire Gauges". It could be a new marketing ploy, and include on the packaging "Endorsed by Barack Obama". Whaddayathink?;)

[pcelar]

erased

[pcelar]

erased

[MapMan]

Obama (and NASCAR) was right about tire pressure.

The Bush administration estimates that expanded offshore drilling could increase oil production by 200,000 barrels per day by 2030. We use about 20 million barrels per day, so that would meet about 1% of our demand two decades from now. Meanwhile, efficiency experts say that keeping tires inflated can improve gas mileage by 3%, and regular maintenance can add another 4%. Many drivers already follow their advice, but if everyone else did, we could reduce demand several percentage points immediately. In other words: Obama is right.
http://www.dailykos.com/

I don't know if the gov'mnt has a divining rod that can measure potential oil production - production could be there at 20 mil/day, or ten or a thousand times the estimates.

And, yep, we can save the world by using our trusty tire gauges, or maybe not.... And, stop driving like maniacs -- which could save up to 37% of gas, lower our speeds -- which could save up to 14% of gas, use cruise control -- which could save up to 14% of gas, avoid excessive idling -- which could save up to 19% of gas.

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html#test5

Okay, you be in charge of telling that yah-who next to you at the stop light to not gun it.:p We live in a world of extremes - idiots and smart-***** who could care a hoot, until it dawns on them that their paycheck (or welfare check) isn't getting them much gas at the pump. Then they will blame whoever is in the oval office.;)

MM

[dragonfly]

And, yep, we can save the world by using our trusty tire gauges, or maybe not.... And, stop driving like maniacs -- which could save up to 37% of gas, lower our speeds -- which could save up to 14% of gas, use cruise control -- which could save up to 14% of gas, avoid excessive idling -- which could save up to 19% of gas.


MM

Add it all up and we can save 84% of our gasoline;)

[Bodo]

Keep that up and the gov't will be paying us to drive?

[Eaglerock]

I've got a problem with Obama referring to our "addiction to foreign oil". I personally don't think oil, foreign or otherwise, is an addictive substance. potentially habit-forming, definitely, but not addictive.
They both say we are... and I agree...if they shut us off... America would be a mess... that is why McCain wants to drill and Obama wants to find other energy......

The problem is that they all make promises, yet it is just talk... They have to go through Congress and the Senate.. so nothing will really get done.

[dragonfly]

Keep that up and the gov't will be paying us to drive?

Wouldn't that be fun?;) Of course, they'd have to subtract their tax first.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Second, no one caps a producing well these days. If the well can be produced profitibly, it's flowing today. .

I can not verify but, I heard that most of the wells that were taken out by Katrina are not being put back into production because the permits to do so are more expensive than drilling new wells.

Anyone else hear this?

[Barry Digman]

I can not verify but, I heard that most of the wells that were taken out by Katrina are not being put back into production because the permits to do so are more expensive than drilling new wells.

Anyone else hear this?

Sounds hokey to me. You don't need a permit to bring a producing well back on line after it's been temporarily shut in to prevent spills during a hurricane. It wasn't the wells that were damaged during Katrina, it was the pipeline infrastructure on the ocean floor and the drilling and production platforms above the surface that were destroyed.

[Bodo]

Anyone else hear this?

I've heard the same thing. Not sure how true it is..I can't find any info on it.

[tecumseh]

someone writes:
Anyone else hear this?

tecumseh writes: ah the birth of another urban legend.

in the past some wells (rigs are by definition not capped since there is nothing yet to cap) were capped due to the problems involved in bringing the wells product (this use to be quite common in natural gas wells) to market.

[tecumseh]

eaglerock writes:
The problem is that they all make promises, yet it is just talk... They have to go through Congress and the Senate.. so nothing will really get done.

tecumseh replies: bingo we have a winner here!

at least obvious to moi is to discern the difference between what people say and what people do* (I think this applies to more than just politician, et tu?). our system of government then requires politician to work to build consensus and compromise (oh no! flip flopping may actually be a part of our system of government?) to push ANY program forward.

*in this regards I pay little attention to such personal tags as conservative and liberal. such tags seem to more like marketing slogan than anything discriptive.

[pcelar]

McCain Tire Gauge Mocking Of Obama Ignores Support From Those On His Side Of The Aisle

video

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/08/05/mccain-tire-gauge-mocking-of-obama-ignores-support-from-those-on-his-side-of-the-aisle/

[pcelar]

McCain Offers His Wife Up to Topless Biker Babe Beauty Contest

video

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/08/05/mccain-offers-his-wife-up-to-topless-biker-babe-beauty-contest/

My feeling is that evangelist christians will not be happy with this.

[pcelar]

The Wørd: Colbert Finds A Better Potential Republican Candidate From McCain’s Celeb Ad

video

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/08/05/the-wørd-colbert-finds-a-better-potential-republican-candidate-from-mccains-celeb-ad/

[pcelar]

UPDATE:

McCain deflates his own “tire-gauge” attack

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/08/06/mccain-deflates-his-own-tire-gauge-attack/