Politico Offers 4 Roadblocks To Romney’s Energy Plan

By William Teach August 24, 2012 – 9:00 am

Romney just released his detailed energy plan Thursday morning, a 21 page plan that outlines how America can strive for energy independence. Fortunately, Politico is there to attempt to shoot it down just a few hours after it was released, offering four roadblocks

Energy experts say Mitt Romney’s goal to achieve North American energy independence by 2020 would be almost impossible to reach — and anyway, there’s not much in what the Republican candidate laid out Thursday that counts as a concrete plan.

Really? Perhaps we can compare that to the plan released by the Obama administration……pretty weak tea, and no details. And more like a sticky note than a plan. I’m sure the Politico will get right to fisking Obama’s plan. Anyhoo, let’s see those four “roadblocks”

Nursing the oil addiction

Because oil is obviously evil, and they know this by talk to someone in…..the nuclear power industry, who would obviously prefer nuclear power.

But the study’s co-author, Houston-based Pavel Molchanov, said in an interview that even if Romney met his 2020 goal, it wouldn’t be because of anything the Republican did as president.

“It’s due to the U.S. oil industry, which has mastered the very technically sophisticated skill set of developing these unconventional oil resources,” Molchanov said. “President Obama will take credit for an increase in oil supply. Gov. Romney will insist he can accelerate the trend. In actuality these are issues the U.S. government has very little effect on.”

Actually, the policies of government can highly effect the ability to drill and explore. When the private sector is allowed to do these things, we get, shockingly, more energy.

  • Offshore problems would persist – somehow, if they push for more offshore drilling, there will be more problems. And those problems? Enviroweenie groups, who take fossil fueled travel methods to protest and file lawsuits.
  • Drilling plan a ‘nonstarter’ – why? Two words: “Democrat opposition”
  • The rest of North America doesn’t need to cooperate – The Politico actually thinks that Mexico and Canada wouldn’t be interested in pushing towards independence from Middle East oil suppliers, countries that are bound to Islamic terrorism. And, when you add a savvy President and his administration which treats allied countries with respect and honor, and works with them rather than dictating to/blowing them off, things can happen. Good things.

So, let’s sum up: the problems are partly imaginary and partly because of Democrats/liberals. The 5 real roadblocks to energy independence are

  • Democrats/liberals
  • Rewarding campaign contributors with government money to create “green” energy projects which are bound to fail, and even those few that don’t collapse provide little energy and few jobs for huge costs
  • Left side energy policies which increase the price of energy and decrease the availability
  • Enviroweenies who block energy projects, including green energy projects
  • Unicorns don’t actually exist

Also, President Obama, who’s energy plan seems to revolve around properly inflating your tires and telling car companies to raise their fuel standards. Also, refer back to “unicorns don’t actually exist.” Fortunately, this might be a problem that will disappear come January.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

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DHS Sued By Immigration Agents Over Obama Rules

By William Teach August 23, 2012 – 7:08 pm

I hope these agents know the kind of retaliation they are in for

(Washington Times) Saying they’re fed up with being told they can’t do their jobs, 10 immigration agents on Thursday sued the Obama administration to try to halt the president’s new non-deportation policy and an earlier memo instructing them not to go after rank-and-file illegal immigrants.

The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Texas, adds a legal controversy to the political fight that has been brewing over President Obama’s immigration policies, which have steadily narrowed the range of immigrants the government is targeting for deportation.

The 10 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and deportation officers said Mr. Obama’s policies force them to choose between enforcing the law and being reprimanded by superiors, or listening to superiors and violating their own oaths of office and a 1996 law that requires them to put those who entered the country illegally into deportation proceedings.

Yet another reason to show Obama the door. Once his term ends, the executive order for this program would end. These agents hopefully understand that they are in for a really bumpy ride once the Chicago style thugs in the Obama administration start their thuggish behavior in retaliation.

Read: DHS Sued By Immigration Agents Over Obama Rules »

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Romney/Ryan Hit Obama With “Nothings Free”

By William Teach August 23, 2012 – 1:35 pm

Did you ever think that we would see an election where social net reform was front and center? Well, at least one where this was discussed before the systems crashed

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If All You See…

By William Teach August 23, 2012 – 1:00 pm

…is non-renewable water being wasted on evil fossil fueled vehicles, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Watts Up With That?, with a post rounding up climate news.

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NRDC: Hey, That Super Cold And Snowy 2010 Winter Was Globull Warming

By William Teach August 23, 2012 – 10:48 am

They just can’t help themselves, and really don’t think about what they are saying/writing. Here’s NRDC’s Kelly Henderson going a bit bat guano insane (via Climate Depot)

Global Climate Change: A 24 year Snapshot

In 1988 (the year I was born) James Hansen, Director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, testified before the U.S. Senate on the destruction climate change would bring to Earth in the coming years if something were not done to start curbing dangerous carbon pollution. In his Washington Post opinion piece published earlier this month, Hansen reveals that the bleak forecast he predicted for our planet 24 years ago was far too optimistic:

“My projections about increasing global temperature have been proved true. But I failed to fully explore how quickly that average rise would drive an increase in extreme weather.”

And what does Kelly cite?

8. 2010- Extremely Cold and Wet Winter Weather on the East Coast of the U.S.

In February 2010, a massive blizzard dubbed “Snowmageddon” by president Obama caused chaos in the eastern US, with parts of the region buried under more than 20 inches of snow.

Yup, she went there. Good grief.

She also mentions a “reckless” tornado that hit in Japan, whateverthehell that is. And Hurricane Katrina….hey, did you know it’s almost 2500 days since a major hurricane hit the mainland US? And almost 4 years since any hurricane hit the mainland US?

These are just 10 examples of some of the most recognizable faces of climate change over the past 24 years – which is basically my whole lifetime.

What, no mention of the “statistically insignificant” warming since the El Nino of 1998? The massive cold and snow in Europe, the Middle East, western Asia, and the Southern Hemisphere over the last 4 winters? Oh, sorry, that’s “climate change”. Greenhouse gases making things so warm it gets bitterly cold and snowy.

Read: NRDC: Hey, That Super Cold And Snowy 2010 Winter Was Globull Warming »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, AGW Scaremongering, Global Warming, Unhinged Tools | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

Surprise! Obama Dumps Precedent To Try And Ruin RNC

By William Teach August 23, 2012 – 7:37 am

Gee, Team Obama being rude and doing things differently? Who’d have guessed? Last go around, Obama broke precedent, and his promise, and refused to take the public funding for the general election. This go around

(The Hill) Bucking protocol, President Obama and the Democrats are planning a full-scale assault on Republicans next week during their convention.

Presidential candidates have traditionally kept a low profile during their opponent’s nominating celebration, but Democrats are throwing those rules out the window in an attempt to spoil Mitt Romney’s coronation as the GOP nominee.

President Obama, Vice President Biden and leading congressional Democrats have all scheduled high-profile events next week to counter-program the Republican gathering in Tampa.

Even first lady Michelle Obama is in on the act, scheduling an appearance on the “David Letterman Show” smack in the middle of Romney’s nominating bash.

I think we can officially declare “Hope and Change” dead, now we’re moving “Forward” into the era of being a jerk. Yes, I did just call Obama a jerk. The term fits. At least in keeping the post at a PG level.

Political historians say the high stakes of this year’s elections — combined with the rise of today’s 24/7 media culture — has forced leaders on both sides of the aisle to get more aggressive.

Both sides? Both sides? Nowhere within the article does it mention the Romney campaign and/or Republicans having any plans to disrupt the DNC in Charlotte. I doubt they will, but, if they do, you can bet that Romney will be called rude and provide teeth gnashing for the liberal media, who will conveniently forget about what the Dems did at the RNC.

On the bright side, it’ll give Joe Biden the chance to say something monumentally rude and stupid. Again.

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Mitt Romney To Offer Energy Independence Plan

By William Teach August 23, 2012 – 7:06 am

Sorry, Obama peeps, it does not include energy from unicorns and fairies

(Washington Post) Mitt Romney on Thursday will outline a plan that he projects would achieve North American energy independence by 2020 by opening new areas for offshore oil drilling, starting in Virginia and the Carolinas, and by empowering the states to lease federal lands for oil, coal and natural gas development.

Under the plan, environmental statutes and regulations would be removed or loosened to green-light more coal production and other industry priorities, and the United States would reach agreements for energy production with Canada and Mexico, including to build the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Now, reading the plan, the statues and regulations removed are simply the ones regarding greenhouse gas output, but those regarding real environmental destruction and real pollutants will be removed. Romney wants responsible revisions, improving environmental review, and stopping “sue and settle” by federal agencies, as well as better cooperation between the Feds and the states/companies (page 16 of the plan). We also read

Modernizing America’s complex environmental statutes, regulations, and permitting processes is crucial to ensuring that the nation can develop its resources safely and efficiently.Laws should promote a rational approach to regulation that takes cost into account. Regulations should be carefully crafted to support rather than impede development. Repetitive reviews and strategic lawsuits should not be allowed to endlessly delay progress or force the government into imposing rules behind closed doors that it would not approve in public. Energy development economic growth, and environmental protection can go hand-in-hand if the government focuses on transparency and fairness instead of seeking to pick winners and repay political favors.

Makes sense in the Real World. Back to WaPost

While President Obama has funneled federal dollars toward subsidies and loan guarantees for wind, solar and other green-energy industries, Romney would spend more broadly on research for new energy technologies.

Which makes a whole lot more sense, and is something many “clean” energy supporters have recommended,  instead of simply dumping money into companies that are pretty much bound to fail and/or offer really expensive energy. The R&D needs to be performed beforehand, to make the energy cheap, reliable, and abundant. And the money shouldn’t be used simply to reward campaign donors, ala Obama’s green energy loans.

Romney’s campaign estimates that the plan would have an economic impact of $500 billion and result in 3 million new jobs, including more than 1 million in the manufacturing sector. The campaign projects more than $1 trillion in revenue for federal, state and local governments, although it did not specify over what period. It promises lower energy prices for middle-class families.

Those would be real jobs, not the fantasy jobs of Obama, most of which never appear, the rest being ones that temporarily appeared, then faded away when the companies realized their balance sheets were all negative.

Obviously, the plan does revolve heavily around oil, coal, and natural gas, and the WP mentions the links to big Oil and coal donators to Mitt. Well, duh: why would they want to donate to Obama, who’s trying to kill their industries?

“My opponent thinks new sources of clean, homegrown energy like wind energy are ‘imaginary,’ ” Obama said Saturday in Rochester, N.H. “That’s what he called them. Congressman Ryan said they were a ‘fad.’ Listen, since I took office, America has doubled the use of renewable energy. Thousands of good American jobs have been created. It’s helping us to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. That’s not imaginary, that’s real.”

So, barely negligible to slightly negligible. Gotcha. And enviroweenies consistently block actual construction of many, many “green” projects. We need more than fantasy projects and ones that barely make it off the drawing board before they go bankrupt.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

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Romney Lays A Good Ol’ Southern “Bless His Heart” On Obama

By William Teach August 22, 2012 – 7:47 pm

Down South, Bless Your Heart or any variation is not what you might think it means. A tip for anyone visiting

  • This is a term used by the people of the southern United States particularly near the Gulf of Mexico to express to someone that they are an idiot without saying such harsh words.
  • “You are an idiot but I like you and care about you so I dont want to hurt your feelings.”
  • phrase used by Southern women to excuse themselves for speaking ill of someone else.
  • an expression of sympathy or pity.
  • An old or southern woman’s excuse to insult people without being rude.

It rarely ever means anything nice (via Ace)

(Twitchy from Phillip Rucker) Romney in Iowa: “President Obama, bless his heart, has tried to substitute government for free people, and it has not worked.”

“President Obama, bless his heart, got drunk and crapped himself while sleeping it off on grandma’s favorite couch.” Same thing.

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Guardian: “We Need A New Moral Order To Cope With Climate Change”

By William Teach August 22, 2012 – 3:31 pm

Silly me, I thought the answer was for people who Believe to practice what they preach. Anyhow, it looks like yet another warmist, Andrew Brown, wants to position globull warming as a religion. After a long preamble we get

(Guardian) Underlying all this confusion is the problem that we don’t have a way of ranking rationalities, so that the word means something more to a moral agent than it does to an economist. There may be ways of fixing that and averting catastrophic global warming that don’t make use of religious resources, but I can’t think of any.

It’s important to this argument to understand that religious resources need not be theistic. All they need do is make manifest a higher rationality than self-interest.

There’s a reason we refer to AGW as the Church/Cult Of Gore.

What religious thought – and ritual – can supply is the two things absent from normative consumer liberalism. The first is a belief that the choice between ends is not arbitrary or wholly personal: that there are moral facts of the matter; that saving as much of humanity as possible is an obligation on all of us, and that this is actually true, and not just a matter of preference.

The second is the kind of conformism, reinforced by all kinds of social ritual, large and small, which will enforce the social discipline needed to carry societies through some pretty ghastly changes. Let’s face it, any adjustment to an ecologically sustainable standard of living is going to be a lot nastier than anything Greece is going through now. It will need considerable determination and solidarity.

Generally, those who are religious practice, or at least attempt to practice, their beliefs. Not so much with the Gaia cultists.

Read: Guardian: “We Need A New Moral Order To Cope With Climate Change” »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Global Warming | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach August 22, 2012 – 1:00 pm

…is awesome non-fossil fueled transportation which should be mandated by law, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Weasel Zippers, with a post about a man being arrested for having a dog. At a Muslim rally

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