Obama, McCain press divergent energy plans

Wednesday 06th August, 05:51 AM JST

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SezWho2 at 05:30 PM JST - 6th August

USAPatriot,

Now I understand. You are living in Utopia. Whether that be Erewhon or Lake Woebegon, I hope the weather there is good.

A lot of the rest of us haven't made it across the mental fences which separate Utopia from the rest of the world. Our little societies are divisive, people live in fear of recessions, job layoffs, foreclosures and major illness, the percentage of people living below the poverty line (fictitious as that line may by) has increased and if crime has abated it has done so by virtue of high incarceration rates.

Even McCain says we are worse off now than 4 years ago. Such are the conditions that Obama wishes to destroy. I hope, however, that he will keep his fist-bumping, left-leaning, liberal socialist hands off of your Utopia.
SezWho2 at 05:38 PM JST - 6th August

skipthesong,

I could sign on to not electing either a democrat or a republican. Do you have anyone in mind? And what will we do about the Congress?

I think the one thing that is clear is that the founding fathers never intended the selection of the president to proceed in the way that it does now. It strikes me that our current method is one of the worst possible ways to elect a leader. In my humble opinion, the Speaker of the House at any time has a greater claim to the Presidency than anyone else.

How parliamentary of me. Of course, I'm a royalist at heart.
Taka313 at 06:07 PM JST - 6th August

What's funny about Sen. McCain's attack on Sen. Obama is that apparently someone forgot to tell Sen. McCain that properly inflating your tires, does, in fact save gas mileage and is something that everyone, no matter how much or how little they make, can take advantage of, assuming they own a car. It's an idea that transcends social and economic status. Where's joe lieberman at? Why hasn't he explained to us that Sen. McCain actually meant that people should, actually, keep their tires properly inflated? What, is joe is too busy working on that speech he plans on giving in St. Paul (I sure hope they scrub the city after the RNC) in Nov?

Funnier still, man-of-the-people McCain is now even advertising "Obama tire gauges" for the ultra-low price of $25 on his webpage.

$1.69 at Amazon.

So...who's the elitist?

When the best you can do is to mock your opponent for actually being correct, you have little to go on.

I can't believe that they came up with a worse idea than the Britney/Paris ad but, where there's a will, there's a way.

Taka
skipthesong at 06:25 PM JST - 6th August

sez: If both the dems and the repubs and indies too, don't get their head out of their behinds, there is going to be chaos! No, I don't have proof, just a feeling.

Neither one of them is going to get the US rolling on alternative energy. Neither one of them can... they won't have the power to mandate things down at the state level. Have you looked at all the states tax revenues from the sale of fuel?

Taka: If I recall, you stated you were a civil service worker, doesn't it offend you knowing that all these politicians went on a six week vacation? I still can't see why you would let yourself to become such a groupie to any politician regardless of who and what they are..
ChimpsAhead at 06:29 PM JST - 6th August

skipthesong

Your only option is to trust in McCain. The guy is an experienced diplomat, who will ensure the country continues its strong economic growth.

He will sort out the energy crisis, have faith in the guy, i do.
skipthesong at 06:46 PM JST - 6th August

have faith in the guy, i do." Its going to be a long time before I ever trust another politician.
Taka313 at 06:47 PM JST - 6th August

Skip,

doesn't it offend you knowing that all these politicians went on a six week vacation?

First of all, a lot of them aren't necessarily "on vacation." Many of them use that time to go back to their constituencies and talk with the actual people they are paid to represent before returning to Washington.

Secondly, come down to Yokosuka some time. I'll show you some offensive civil servants that will put Congress to shame (and if you don't believe me, you can ask Sailwind as well). Also, about that vacation...I think it's pretty insincere for Sen. McCain to be howling at Congress about getting back to work. He's got the worse record for showing up in the entire Senate, which really is saying something when you consider that even Tim Johnson, who had a brain hemorrhage, has showed up more often than Sen. McCain.

Lastly, I don't consider myself a groupie. Actually, I was an John Edwards guy. Sen. Obama was my third choice. Sen. McCain was my 6th. They've both plummeted in the Taka polls. I'll vote Obama, I won't be overly thrilled about it.

Taka
Madverts at 07:00 PM JST - 6th August

"What's funny about Sen. McCain's attack on Sen. Obama is that apparently someone forgot to tell Sen. McCain that properly inflating your tires, does, in fact save gas mileage"

It also has a massive effect on tyre wear, which the fabrication of and disposal of are two very timeand energy consuming processes.

I'll leave it to Sen. McCain to not only get it Wrong again, but to laugh off what would actually make a real difference if every American paid attention!

Heh, it's like it's every time he opens his mouth....
Taka313 at 07:07 PM JST - 6th August

'Verts, And replacing tires isn't necessarily a cheap process either, providing yet another reason why keeping your tires properly inflated is a good idea for all. Yeah, the more you look at it, McCain would have had to put in some serious effort to botch this one worse than he did.

Taka
skipthesong at 07:40 PM JST - 6th August

taka, ok, now i understand you better. I like how you put it too... I was down with Kerry back in the day, but only to a certain point.
Madverts at 08:28 PM JST - 6th August

Tak,

He might as well have gone to a monster truck extravaganza and re-inforced certain Americans belief that the freedom to drive ridiculously economic SUV's for no apparent reason shall continue under 4 years of McCain!
WhiteHawk at 07:54 AM JST - 7th August

adaydream:

I don't agree with much John McCain says and I hear more crap and more crap everyday.

Hey, at least you can agree with Obama on every issue half the time.

And when all this was going on, John McCain was against drilling in offshore areas, but he's all for it now? John McCain is the flip-flop.

He was against drilling in offshore areas and ANWR when oil was $20/barrel, but is for it when oil is $120/barrel. Obama was against it when oil was $120/barrel, but is for it when oil is $120/barrel. Can you spot the difference?
WhiteHawk at 08:45 AM JST - 7th August

Taka313:

First of all, a lot of them aren't necessarily "on vacation." Many of them use that time to go back to their constituencies and talk with the actual people they are paid to represent before returning to Washington.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is on a book tour. On her personal jet. Have you heard the title of the book?

At least she doesn't pretend to be anything other than an out-of-touch elitist.
SezWho2 at 08:53 AM JST - 7th August

skipthesong,

About the 6-week vacation (or 5-week vacation or whatever), it really seems to me that the Republicans and McCain are grandstanding on this.

I don't see that this is a problem that is going to be solved in the next few weeks. I think it is possible to pass legislation in the next few weeks, but any legislation that is passed will concern solutions whose lasting effects will not be realize until years in the future.

Take drilling for example. If offshore drilling were to be approved, it really doesn't matter whether we get the first drop of oil 10 years from now or 10 years and 6 weeks from now. On the other hand, look at the strategic oil reserve. Releasing oil from this reserve might have a short term effect but it will not solve the energy problem and it will not even begin to address America's current economic woes.

So, I don't see why Congress should stay in session for that.
sdmsec at 02:27 AM JST - 9th August

Government intervention in the energy industry is a big part or our current problem. So what do these two candidates propose? More government intervention.

The government interventions of the past have caused or exacerbated the "crisis" we face today. The interventions have come in the form of special tax law for oil companies, EPA interference in the creation of new refineries, and prohibiting drilling in many areas.

Now these two argue over whether we should privilege the nuclear industry or the wind-farm industry, the corn farmers or makers of hydrogen fuel. They seem to agree on the concept that all Americans should pay (via taxes) to enrich the few (via government incentives). They only differ in who they want to privilege.

If Senator McCain or Obama really cared about campaign financing they'd quit addressing the symptoms (media fairness, lobbyists and campaign contributions) and strike at the cause (big government involvement in so many industries and our personal lives).

Our arguments shouldn't be over which forms of energy a central planner is choosing, but over which forms of energy we as consumers find best. Perhaps Senators McCain and Obama shoud just give a a "five year plan".