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Denise Bode, the American Wind Energy Association’s chief propagandist, is still trying to sell wind power snake oil to the public and Congress. Monday, along with 200 other groups looking to get their share of the stimulus package largess, endorsed a national renewable electricity standard (RES).
“With the strong focus on the economy in Washington right now, it’s important for Congress to recognize the importance of the RES to our economic recovery said Denise Bode, CEO of AWEA. We have seen how using more renewable energy creates jobs —wind created 35,000 jobs last year — and several studies have shown that a national RES will lower consumer electric bills as well. A national renewable electricity standard is one of the most important steps we can take to encourage businesses to invest in clean energy and create thousands of new jobs right here in the U.S.”
As we’ve stated countless times on this blog, we’re in favor of utilizing ALL forms of alternative energy -including nuclear. The problem for us arises when companies or organizations want their product subsidized by the government. We believe – along with the Heritage Foundation – that the marketplace is the best determinant of who survives and who doesn’t.
Ben Lieberman, Senior Policy Analyst for Energy and Environment issues at Heritage writes,
“The only reason why renewable electricity needs to be mandated in the first place is that these alternatives are far too expensive to compete otherwise. In effect, Washington is forcing costlier energy options on the public. This is particularly true for certain states, especially those in the Southeast, where the conditions are not conducive to wind power.
Moreover, these sources of electricity are intermittent and unreliable and thus pose problems beyond the added costs. And like ethanol, renewable sources of electricity enjoy substantial tax breaks; thus, the mandate will cost Americans both as taxpayers and as ratepayers.”
Are there any “true conservatives” left?
Related:
OKPNS: 9/13/08 WSJ Letters: “The Pickens Plan: Visionary or Blowin’ in the Wind?”
Video: Bode: “We’re Really Pretty Exited About President Obama”
According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the President’s budget proposal for 2010 will produce a $9.3 trillion addition to our current deficit over the next ten years. As with a person or company that borrows money, the federal government must pay interest on all borrowed funds. To do this, the federal government sells U.S. Treasury bonds and bills to people, companies, even foreign countries. Because they were considered the safest product on the market — after all, what other investment could be more sound than the United States government — these bonds and bills were sold at a very low interest rate, giving rise to a low borrowing cost. The U.S. would primarily sell these Treasury bonds and bills to Asian markets and countries in the Middle East, but in addition they were sold to companies and people all over the world.
As the United States deficit grows, however, our need for additional borrowed money grows. Unfortunately, our two largest customers — Asian markets and Middle Eastern countries — have also been experiencing a market decline and falling oil prices, decreasing their ability to purchase these bonds and bills. Even more importantly, as our national debt continues to grow, investors will be less enticed to purchase bonds and bills backed by a government that seems intent on wracking up debt without paying it off.
All of this leads to one clear fact: sometime shortly, we will no longer be able to continue to sell as many Treasury bonds and bills as we need to run the government. So what happens then? Read more…
From Examiner.com:
“Specter enjoys being the center of attention. There has probably been more money spent to influence his vote on this issue than on any other vote, from any other senator, at any other time.” -Ernest Istook, Chair Save Our Secret Ballot
As President Obama’s socialist agenda winds its way through Congress, it’s refreshing to see at least one plank of that agenda face a significant roadblock. Sen. Arlen Spector (R? PA) co-sponsor of the so called “Employee Free Choice Act,” announced yesterday that he will be voting against cloture and against the more appropriately named “card check” legislation. African American Republican blogger and activist Rev. Isaac Hayes of Chicago says that the Republican party is finally “beginning to stand up for regular Americans.”
From The Lost Ogle:
“Let’s say you’re Glenn Coffee. You just watched the former Republican Speaker of the House, Lance Cargill, go down in flames due to a scandal involving unpaid taxes. Knowing that your party was in great shape to take over control of the state senate, and that you, as the highest ranking Republican in the chamber, were in position to be the president pro temp, what would your first priority be prior to the elections?
If it’s me, I head over to my accountant (in my case, me) and make sure that I have my taxes in order. That’s the difference between me and Glenn Coffee, though. He waits until the IRS puts a lien on his house for two years worth of unpaid taxes.” Read more…
Related:
The Oklahoma Observer: Coffee’s Double Talk
Comment from a Tulsa World reader: “The OKC Fox station reports Coffee paid the taxes with a loan from an “undisclosed source”. This bets (sic) better and better…”
Good Grief!
What in the world is it about Oklahoma lawmakers and their inability to pay taxes?
When Tim Talley’s Associated Press story hit late Friday afternoon, many veteran observers thought the Coffee tax lien story might get lost over the weekend. NOT!
So it looks like another full-fledged tax controversy involving a Republican leader is underway, and Coffee’s press conference may have raised more questions than it answered. Senate Democrats, demonstrating the skill set that they used to lose power last year, have with only one exception refrained from calling for Coffee’s ouster, a political blunder that will give the veteran Oklahoma City Senator time to regroup.
Coffee, who was riding high after his ascension to the Pro Tempore position in the wake of Republican victories last November, has had a month of bad publicity, and insiders say his caucus won’t tolerate much more, a lesson they undoubtedly learned from the embarrassment former Speaker Lance Cargill kept heaping on his members last year as Cargill fumbled his way out of office.
Insiders say rumors abound that more potentially embarrassing information is on the horizon. As long as the rumor mill stays hot, it will mean trouble for Coffee’s legislative agenda. He’s taken heat from Senate Democrats over his alleged coziness with insurance companies, and now his enemies have been more bold, even if only a little.
So there’s blood in the water once again, and Republicans are cringing again. You know, just like last year!
Developing……..
Related:
Tulsa World Editorial: Coffee’s taxes: No grounds for an exit?
Excerpt from ODP press release:
Oklahoma City, OK – In 2008, Republican Chairman Gary Jones stated, “whenever your personal issues start affecting what you are trying to accomplish, the proper thing to do is deal with your personal issues and step aside” when it was revealed that former Speaker Lance Cargill had not been diligent in paying taxes.
On Friday, March 20th, the Associated Press reported that Senate Pro Tem Glenn Coffee (R) was named in a federal tax lien to the tune of nearly $30,000. These revelations come just over one year after20Lance Cargill resigned his position as the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives due to similar improprieties concerning his taxes.
” I would hope that Jones would ask Coffee to do the same thing he asked Cargill to do,” stated Ivan Holmes, Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair.
Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, questioned Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner at a hearing today about the plan to use public money and private investors to clear toxic assets off the books of banks, and about executive compensation.
Hat tip: The Oklahoman’s “Inside the Beltway” blog:
Related:
Wilson Research Strategies: Who Takes The Blame For The Bonus Backlash?
By Rep. Jason Murphey
This week marks the first week in which the House will be considering bills that have already been approved by the Senate. It is my responsibility to be the House Author for four Senate bills.
Senate Bill 794 is authored by Senator Clark Jolly and is a request bill from the Peppers Ranch located just west of Guthrie. Peppers Ranch serves as a foster care provider for DHS and requested the bill in order to provide transparency and openness to the analysis of the state adoption process. It would require that DHS report the number of unsuccessful adoptions that take place each year. This could be used as a tool to analyze and correct issues related to the adoption process. I will be presenting SB 794 before the House Human Services committee this week.
Senate Bill 980 is authored by Senator Glenn Coffee. It calls for the creation of a CIO to oversee the state’s IT functions. Each year, state government has been spending $340,577,938 of your tax dollars on IT and telecommunications. This does not count the salaries of the hundreds of state employees who are assigned to IT departments. These IT functions are spread out on an agency-by-agency basis, with each agency capable of creating their own IT empire. Millions of taxpayer dollars could be saved each year if duplicated processes were eliminated and new technology was used to maximize speed and space. SB 980 seeks to put an end to this type of inefficiency. SB 980 has been assigned to the Government Modernization committee where it is set to receive a hearing next Monday. Read more…
Hello again, everyone! Spring Break is always a special week at the Oklahoma Senate.
The laughter of children fills the Capitol as many legislators bring their families to the week’s session. My wife, Deena, and son, Jacob, joined me this week making for a special time.
Jacob has been a part of the Senate since his birth. At only seven weeks of age, he was in my arms as I gaveled the 2006 session to order. Today, he is a precocious three-year-old who charms just about everyone he meets, and who reached for the microphone as I introduced him again on the Senate floor.
It was also a special week for me as I was given the honor of hosting the Senate Chaplain. Each week, the Senate hosts a minister to open each day’s session with a prayer and give us a short devotional as the Thursday session begins. Read more…