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Viewing by Category: Politics / Main
August 6, 2008
A letter from my senator, Saxby Chambliss, about energy
I'd emailed my Senator a few weeks ago about the energy situation and just got a response. Here it is, and my response to his email. His definition of conservation and mine are a bit different. Yeah sure it was a form letter from a staffer, and my response will be read and deleted by a staffer, but what the hey.
Senator Chambliss.
Thank you for your response. I've been following your efforts with the "Group of 10" and very hopeful that it will lead to the compromises necessary to get on the road to an energy solution. I think that you are showing tremendous leadership in making the effort to reach across the aisle to solve problems that cannot afford to be put off anymore.
One suggestion that I have is that your group add conservation as part of the focus of your working group. I realize that the current administration and presumptive nominee for the GOP have repeatedly denigrated the idea of conservation as being a virtuous endeavor for individuals, and not a part of a comprehensive energy policy, but that position is incredibly short-sighted. The GOP has quite recently spent a good bit of effort ridiculing the effect of tire pressure and tune-ups on fuel efficiency of vehicles, when in truth if the majority of Americans took that simple and painless advice, we would conserve a great deal of oil with very little effort. There are many other areas of low-hanging fruit such as that which all Americans need to be made aware of. We see public service announcements all the time about drugs or drunk driving, so why not create a public awareness campaign for conservation as part of our energy solution? During World War II there was a great emphasis on conservation and recycling to help in the war effort. It was our patriotic duty as Americans to participate. The challenges we face currently are of a magnitude that require a similar level of effort and commitment from all Americans. But in order for that to happen, our leadership has to recognize the value of such efforts and promote them, rather than belittling them as being a well-intentioned folly for idealists.
Once again, I'd like to commend you for your leadership on this issue.
Thank you,
Shawn Gorrell
Dear Mr. Gorrell :
Thank you for your previous correspondence on the energy issue . I appreciate hearing from you.
I share your concerns about the negative impact that rising energy prices are having on Georgia 's families. This is the number one issue facing Georgians today, and it is having a significant effect on family budgets and small businesses.
The key areas of a responsible energy policy that will reduce gas prices, lessen our dependence on foreign oil, and strengthen our economy are: increasing our domestic energy production; improving energy efficiency through technology; increasing conservation; diversifying our nation's energy supply through the use of renewable fuel sources; and ensuring transparency in our futures markets.
Recently, I formed a bipartisan energy working group to craft legislation to address our current energy crisis. We came together because we all believe this issue is too important to fall victim to political games.
On Friday, August 1, 2008, the group unveiled the "New Energy Reform Act of 2008" (New ERA 200. This comprehensive bipartisan energy plan focuses on the aforementioned key areas of increased domestic production, increased energy efficiency, and improved conservation in order to reduce the price of gas and secure our energy future.
The New Energy Reform Act of 2008 has three main components: first, an intensive effort to transition America 's vehicles to non-petroleum based fuels; second, a robust federal commitment to conservation and energy efficiency; and third, targeted, responsible domestic production of energy resources.
The New ERA legislation funds a $20 billion "Apollo Project" like effort to support the goal of transitioning 85% of America 's new motor vehicles to non- petroleum-based fuels within 20 years. This will include $7.5 billion for the research and development of advanced batteries and other major technological barriers to alternative fuel vehicles. Another $7.5 billion will help U.S. automakers and parts makers re-tool and re-equip to become the world leader in making alternative fuel vehicles. Reaching this goal will not only allow the United States to be free from our dependence on foreign oil, it will benefit our economy by energizing our domestic auto manufacturers.
To ease gas prices and protect our environment during the transition, the proposal includes a significant federal commitment to promoting conservation and efficiency. This includes extending renewable energy, carbon mitigation, and energy conservation and efficiency tax incentives, including the production tax credit, through 2012. Furthermore, it would extend and expand the $2,500 tax credit for hybrid electric vehicles. These tax credits will lead Americans to obtain highly fuel efficient vehicles by making them more affordable. These efforts will also provide the stability needed for the renewable energy industry.
To help meet our energy needs until our economy transitions to alternative fuel vehicles, this bill would increase the amount of federal land that is open to oil and natural gas exploration. This would include opening the eastern Gulf of Mexico for production in a manner that is consistent with national security and our military training that occurs there. It would also allow the States of Georgia, North Carolina , South Carolina , and Virginia to opt in for drilling off their shores, while establishing a 50-mile coastal buffer zone for Florida , Georgia , North Carolina , South Carolina , and Virginia where new oil production is not allowed.
Additional oil exploration and increased refining capacity here in the United States will continue to receive my support. It is important that we utilize the resources here in this country whether that includes oil in Alaska , the Outer Continental Shelf, or any of our oil sands or shales.
I will continue to work to address this issue. If we put as much effort into finding a solution to the energy crisis as we do in blaming one political party or another, we can solve this problem.
I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in a bipartisan manner to address this critical issue. As the Senate moves forward, I will review energy legislation in accordance with these principles, and I will keep your comments in mind.
If you would like to receive timely email alerts regarding the latest congressional actions and my weekly e-newsletter, please
Thank you for your previous correspondence on the energy issue . I appreciate hearing from you.
I share your concerns about the negative impact that rising energy prices are having on Georgia 's families. This is the number one issue facing Georgians today, and it is having a significant effect on family budgets and small businesses.
The key areas of a responsible energy policy that will reduce gas prices, lessen our dependence on foreign oil, and strengthen our economy are: increasing our domestic energy production; improving energy efficiency through technology; increasing conservation; diversifying our nation's energy supply through the use of renewable fuel sources; and ensuring transparency in our futures markets.
Recently, I formed a bipartisan energy working group to craft legislation to address our current energy crisis. We came together because we all believe this issue is too important to fall victim to political games.
On Friday, August 1, 2008, the group unveiled the "New Energy Reform Act of 2008" (New ERA 200. This comprehensive bipartisan energy plan focuses on the aforementioned key areas of increased domestic production, increased energy efficiency, and improved conservation in order to reduce the price of gas and secure our energy future.
The New Energy Reform Act of 2008 has three main components: first, an intensive effort to transition America 's vehicles to non-petroleum based fuels; second, a robust federal commitment to conservation and energy efficiency; and third, targeted, responsible domestic production of energy resources.
The New ERA legislation funds a $20 billion "Apollo Project" like effort to support the goal of transitioning 85% of America 's new motor vehicles to non- petroleum-based fuels within 20 years. This will include $7.5 billion for the research and development of advanced batteries and other major technological barriers to alternative fuel vehicles. Another $7.5 billion will help U.S. automakers and parts makers re-tool and re-equip to become the world leader in making alternative fuel vehicles. Reaching this goal will not only allow the United States to be free from our dependence on foreign oil, it will benefit our economy by energizing our domestic auto manufacturers.
To ease gas prices and protect our environment during the transition, the proposal includes a significant federal commitment to promoting conservation and efficiency. This includes extending renewable energy, carbon mitigation, and energy conservation and efficiency tax incentives, including the production tax credit, through 2012. Furthermore, it would extend and expand the $2,500 tax credit for hybrid electric vehicles. These tax credits will lead Americans to obtain highly fuel efficient vehicles by making them more affordable. These efforts will also provide the stability needed for the renewable energy industry.
To help meet our energy needs until our economy transitions to alternative fuel vehicles, this bill would increase the amount of federal land that is open to oil and natural gas exploration. This would include opening the eastern Gulf of Mexico for production in a manner that is consistent with national security and our military training that occurs there. It would also allow the States of Georgia, North Carolina , South Carolina , and Virginia to opt in for drilling off their shores, while establishing a 50-mile coastal buffer zone for Florida , Georgia , North Carolina , South Carolina , and Virginia where new oil production is not allowed.
Additional oil exploration and increased refining capacity here in the United States will continue to receive my support. It is important that we utilize the resources here in this country whether that includes oil in Alaska , the Outer Continental Shelf, or any of our oil sands or shales.
I will continue to work to address this issue. If we put as much effort into finding a solution to the energy crisis as we do in blaming one political party or another, we can solve this problem.
I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in a bipartisan manner to address this critical issue. As the Senate moves forward, I will review energy legislation in accordance with these principles, and I will keep your comments in mind.
If you would like to receive timely email alerts regarding the latest congressional actions and my weekly e-newsletter, please
Senator Chambliss.
Thank you for your response. I've been following your efforts with the "Group of 10" and very hopeful that it will lead to the compromises necessary to get on the road to an energy solution. I think that you are showing tremendous leadership in making the effort to reach across the aisle to solve problems that cannot afford to be put off anymore.
One suggestion that I have is that your group add conservation as part of the focus of your working group. I realize that the current administration and presumptive nominee for the GOP have repeatedly denigrated the idea of conservation as being a virtuous endeavor for individuals, and not a part of a comprehensive energy policy, but that position is incredibly short-sighted. The GOP has quite recently spent a good bit of effort ridiculing the effect of tire pressure and tune-ups on fuel efficiency of vehicles, when in truth if the majority of Americans took that simple and painless advice, we would conserve a great deal of oil with very little effort. There are many other areas of low-hanging fruit such as that which all Americans need to be made aware of. We see public service announcements all the time about drugs or drunk driving, so why not create a public awareness campaign for conservation as part of our energy solution? During World War II there was a great emphasis on conservation and recycling to help in the war effort. It was our patriotic duty as Americans to participate. The challenges we face currently are of a magnitude that require a similar level of effort and commitment from all Americans. But in order for that to happen, our leadership has to recognize the value of such efforts and promote them, rather than belittling them as being a well-intentioned folly for idealists.
Once again, I'd like to commend you for your leadership on this issue.
Thank you,
Shawn Gorrell
September 3, 2004 Intentional or not?
Saw an article on Yahoo! today titled "Bush and Kerry Hit Road, Trade Blows on Jobs". Huh-huh huh-huh huh-huh, yeah they said blows on jobs you dickweed. This entire politcal season has been so obscene.
Comments 
June 28, 2004 The War on Terror
In a very surprising move, the Supreme court ruled against the Bush administration in several cases regarding the "War on Terror", a.k.a. the war against civil liberties. All of the cases were related to detention of suspected terrorists in one form or another. It boils down to the Bush people wanting to hold people without any formal charges being made against them, without legal representation and without any timeframe for a trial or release. I despise terrorists as much as anyone else, but isn't the idea of being able to indefinitely lock up someone who isn't even legally accused of a crime kind of scary? Bush and the Justice Department have repeatedly used 9/11 to justify stepping on the rights of people. Before todays rulings they could very easily have locked up someone for writing a blog entry just like this one. This is on par with the efforts to outlaw flag burning. Have Americans forgotten that our founding fathers were aggressive protesters against what they thought was an unjust government? Many of them were flag burners too, except that it was the flag of England. They understood that civil liberties must be maintained. That is why they were so careful in crafting the Constitution and Bill of Rights. USA Today did an OP/ED piece on exactly that, which can be found here.
Comments
June 10, 2004 Presidential Candidates
I was out there surfing political sites today, pondering how the biggest, fattest, richest country on the planet can come up with the two numb-nuts we have to choose from when I made a discovery: there are at least 176 alternative candidates! Vote-smart.org has a complete list of all 2004 Presidential candidates which can be found here. People like Jacques Yves 'Chief Jack' Boulerice (Native American Party), Jackalope Jack Jackson (Green Party), Ray 'Buttercup' Rollinson (Democrat), 'Ole' Savior (Democrat), Freddy Irwin 'Messiah' Sitnick (Independent), Da Vid (Write-in), and HRM Caesar St Augustine De Buonaparte (No Party Affiliation). Who says we don't have any choices? Maybe I'll vote for (Napoleon) HRM Caesar St Augustine De Buonaparte;P
I've put together an array of fun political links for your browsing pleasure:
http://www.nojohnkerry.org/
http://www.kerryquotes.com/
http://www.senatorflipflop.com/
http://www.thespeciousreport.com/2004/division2004pg10.html
http://www.georgewbush.org/
http://billionairesforbush.com/
http://www.whitehouse.org/
http://www.bushorchimp.com/
I've put together an array of fun political links for your browsing pleasure:
http://www.nojohnkerry.org/
http://www.kerryquotes.com/
http://www.senatorflipflop.com/
http://www.thespeciousreport.com/2004/division2004pg10.html
http://www.georgewbush.org/
http://billionairesforbush.com/
http://www.whitehouse.org/
http://www.bushorchimp.com/
March 31, 2004 Kerry the waffler
After voting for another (necessary) round of military base closings, John Kerry has reversed himself and said that we need to hold off on the idea. Funny that it was when he was campaigning in an area that would be impacted by base closings. The military has been begging for another round of base closings for years because there is about 25% more capacity than necessary and cuts would save about 8 billion dollars per year. Politicians (with bases in their districts) are obviously against it because of economic impact. They have confused the military with a jobs welfare program. Same thing happens when the military wants to end weapons programs they no longer need. Pork-barrel politics keep them around. Guess who pays for it? You guessed it...
March 31, 2004 Condi to testify
In a total reversal of position, the Bush administration is going to allow Condi Rice to testify publicly, under oath, to the 9/11 commission. Also, Bush & Cheney will testify privately (not under oath) to the entire panel. It's about time. They finally figured out that you can't campaign on your terrorism record when you won't come clean on what the record really is.
March 22, 2004 Bush strong on terrorism?
Think again...
Richard Clarke will be publicly testifying under oath to the 9/11 commission. Bush, Cheney and Rice have all refused to do the same. Who is telling the truth? Pretty easy conclusion to reach. It is very hypocritical for Bush to attempt to capitalize on 9/11 in his ads when it could have been avoided entirely if the first 9 months of his administration had focused on something besides tax cuts and Iraq.
