Why McCain is Wrong on Energy

The short answer: You cannot drill your way to energy independence.

For a nice in-depth primer on why this is so, se David Fiderer's current piece over at The Huffington Post.

For a really quick primer, the first paragraph of the article:

There were two reasons why the Truth-O-Meter at CQ Politics gave a "FALSE" rating to John McCain's "drill here, drill now" proposal for reducing oil prices: supply and demand. The impact on supply, achieved years after oil companies greenlighted any new development projects, would be at most "a couple of hundred thousand barrels a day" or about the same amount that Saudi Arabia promised to add in the next few months. That's well below 1% of today's global production. The impact on satisfying new demand, driven primarily by economic growth in Asia, would be nothing more than a rounding error. McCain's rhetoric on global oil, like the mainstream media narrative, seems stuck in the mid-1980s, when the U.S. produced as much oil as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia combined.

McCain in Deafult on Home Taxes for Last Four Years

From Newsweek.com:

When you're poor, it can be hard to pay the bills. When you're rich, it's hard to keep track of all the bills that need paying. It's a lesson Cindy McCain learned the hard way when NEWSWEEK raised questions about an overdue property-tax bill on a La Jolla, Calif., property owned by a trust that she oversees. Mrs. McCain is a beer heiress with an estimated $100 million fortune and, along with her husband, she owns at least seven properties, including condos in California and Arizona. ...Shortly after NEWSWEEK inquired about the matter, the McCain aide e-mailed a receipt dated Friday, June 27, confirming payment by the trust to San Diego County in the amount of $6,744.42. County officials say the trust still owes an additional $1,742 for this year, an amount that is overdue and will go into default July 1. Told of the outstanding $1,742, the aide said: "The trust has paid all bills shown owing as of today and will pay all other bills due."

So, to be perfectly clear:

If you are Al Franken and have paid your full share of income taxes, but you paid all of them in Minnesota rather than in each state in which the income was earned, you are a tax cheat.

But, if you are John McCain and you have so much money and so many properties that it is just plain hard to keep track of how much money you owe and to whom it is owed, well that's just an honest old mistake.

I just want to make sure I've got this straight and we are all on the same page here....

$4.07 a Gallon

$4.07 per gallon. That's how much gas cost this weekend when I filled up the tank. I know because I pumped the gas myself. And when I filled our other vehicle last week I believe I paid about $4.09 a gallon.

I also know, because I live in the real world, that the price can fluctuate 20 to 30 cents per gallon a week, depending on when and where you buy your gas. And, with prices fluctuating at that rate, it kind of shoots that whole "Gas Tax Holiday" idea in the ass, now doesn't it? Which reminds me, do you suppose Hallmark 3will make a card for the Gas Tax Holiday? Or a little stuffed bear next to a gas pump that you will almost be able to purchase (only $9.99 with a purchase of five Gas Tax Holiday cards) with your whopping Gas Tax Holiday savings?


Never mind that, though. The Gas Tax Holiday is a dead horse I can continue to flog another time. I just wanted to direct your attention to the following snippet from Chris Kelly at the Huffington Post who points out that in a recent interview with Martin Wisckol of the Orange County Register, McCain could not remember the last time he pumped his own gas or what he paid per gallon. Can you say, "out of touch?"

When was the last time you pumped your own gas and how much did it cost?
Oh, I don’t remember. Now there’s Secret Service protection. But I’ve done it for many, many years. I don’t recall and frankly, I don’t see how it matters.

I’ve had hundreds and hundreds of town hall meetings, many as short a time ago as yesterday. I communicate with the people and they communicate with me very effectively.

Breaking News: McCain Old

There has been a lot of talk lately about John McCain's age, as well as some whining from his campaign and its surrogates that the Democrats are somehow speaking "in code" to allude to their standard-bearer's "over-the-hillness."

To this I say, "Pshaw." No one is speaking in code about grumpy, old, John McCain. Why speak in code when just saying it outright is so much more fun. By his own admission, McCain is old. He has even poked fun at his age himself, first on Saturday Night Live and again during his speech on the final night of the primaries joking, "I have a few years on my opponent...."

He's old! It's a fact. No need to dance around this issue, particularly if there is actually an issue of concern that needs to be raised. I mean, look at the two pictures below and I defy you to tell me which one is McCain and which is actually the Crypt Keeper. I don't think it can be done. (Hint: McCain is the one in front of an American flag.)

Being old doesn't make him a bad person. There are plenty of things that do make him a bad person; we don't need to bring age into it. And having old ideas, like drilling your way to energy independence, just means those ideas have staying-power.

So what if he doesn't know how to use a computer, he has a pretty, younger wife who can take care of all of that for him. Oh, and she's rich too.

And if he seems confused or appears to have lost his bearings, pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Now get off his back about this whole "age" thing. He doesn't want to discuss it any more. He is feeling a mite peckish and would also like a nap. And stay the hell off of his lawn!

Shapiro on McCain-Lieberman

First of all, look at that picture. What a couple of turds.

Second, and the reason for this post, Walter Shapiro at Salon has a piece today about the possibility of a McCain-Lieberman ticket. I've already said my share on this in a previous post, but it is nice to see some big names giving this meme its due.

From the article:

But in a presidential year filled with firsts (African-American nominee, serious woman candidate, former POW to be his party's standard-bearer), Lieberman retains the intriguing potential to become the first Jewish, party-crossing, second-time-around vice-presidential nominee in American history.

How's that for a mouthful.

Sierra Club responds to McCain Energy Speech Delivered to Energy Execs

The following is the complete text of a press release from Sierra Club in response to Senator McCain's speech yesterday to Oil Industry Executives in Houston, as made available on Sierra Club's website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17 , 2008 CONTACT:
Josh Dorner 202.679.7570
David Willett 202.491.6919

Sierra Club Responds to Sen. McCain’s Energy Speech

Speech to Follow, Expand on Failed Bush Energy Policies

Washington, D.C.— Senator John McCain is slated to give a major policy address on energy issues later today in front of an audience of oil industry executives in Houston.

Yesterday Senator McCain called for lifting a nearly three decade old federal moratorium on drilling off of our coasts. "There are areas off our coasts that should be open to exploration and exploitation , and I hope we can take the first step by lifting the moratoria," said Senator McCain.

Yesterday’s Sierra Club response to Senator McCain’s announcement can be found here .

Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director

"Instead of siding with the hardworking American families being exploited by an energy industry awash in record profits, Senator McCain supports allowing Big Oil to begin the wholesale "exploitation" of our coasts. Rather than offering consumers real relief from skyrocketing energy prices, Senator McCain’s plan would merely pad Big Oil’s bottom line while putting thousands of miles of pristine beaches and coastline at risk.

"While he refuses to support the incentives for renewable energy needed to make the clean energy future a reality, Senator McCain wants more of the same reckless and outdated energy policies that President Bush and his allies in Congress have pushed for the past seven years: more ‘traditional coal,’ more oil, and more nuclear power. These disastrous policies have enriched special interests while devastating both our economy and our environment.

"If Senator McCain is really interested in breaking our addiction to oil, putting America back to work, and tackling global warming, we urge him to reconsider his support for the failed policies of the past. It’s time for Senator McCain to support the common sense plan put forth by the Senate leadership, the Consumer-First Energy Act. This plan would make sure the oil industry is paying its fair share, crack down on speculators, put our economy back on the path to prosperity, help end our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels, and fight global warming. We urge Senator McCain to choose wind farms, not more windfalls for Big Oil. “

Selected Excerpts from Senator McCain’s Houston Energy Speech

Sen. McCain: “The next president must be willing to break with the energy policies not just of the current Administration, but the administrations that preceded it, and lead a great national campaign to achieve energy security for America.”
Reality: Senator McCain’s plan for more drilling, more coal, and more nuclear power is identical to the energy policies put forth by President Bush and his allies in Congress for the past seven years.

Sen. McCain: “Over time, we must shift our entire energy economy toward a sustainable mix of new and cleaner power sources. This will include some we use already, such as wind, solar, biofuels, and other sources yet to be invented”
Reality: Senator McCain has consistently voted against requiring utilities to produce a certain percentage of our electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar, and biomass. He also refuses to support key incentives for clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. McCain has missed two Senate votes in the past several months when such initiatives failed to pass by a single vote (12/13/07, Vote 425; 02/06/08, Vote 8). McCain continues to support billions in new and existing subsidies for nuclear power plants.

Sen. McCain: “Investigation is underway to root out this kind of reckless wagering, unrelated to any kind of productive commerce, because it can distort the market, drive prices beyond rational limits, and put the investments and pensions of millions of Americans at risk. Where we find such abuses, they need to be swiftly punished. And to make sure it never happens again, we must reform the laws and regulations governing the oil futures market, so that they are just as clear and effective as the rules applied to stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments. In all of these markets, reform must assure transparency, prevent abuse, and protect the public interest.”
Reality: Senator McCain has refused to support to the Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008 (S.3044), which would crack down on speculators and price gouging.

Sen. McCain: “As for offshore drilling, it’s safe enough these days that not even Hurricanes Katrina and Rita could cause significant spillage from the battered rigs off the coasts of New Orleans and Houston.”
Reality: According the Coast Guard , more than 7.1 million gallons of crude oil were spilled in at least nine major incidents and 35 smaller incidents as a direct result of Hurricane Katrina alone.

Sen. McCain: “At the very least, one might assume, America had surely been building new refineries to achieve a more efficient delivery of gasoline to market, and thereby to lower the prices paid by the American people especially in the summer season. But the policymakers in Washington haven’t got around to that, either. There’s so much regulation of the industry that the last American refinery was built when Jerry Ford was president.”
Reality: The oil industry has expanded older refineries, but in generally has purposely allowed refining capacity to languish in order to constrain supply. In Senate testimony before the Congress (November, 2005), the Chief Executive Officer of Shell stated, "We are not aware of any environmental regulations that have prevented us from expanding refinery capacity or siting a new refinery." In addition, Conoco's CEO testified, "At this time, we are not aware of any projects that have been directly prevented as a result of any specific Federal or State regulation." Finally, BP’s CEO concluded “it does not believe that any Federal or state environmental regulations have ‘prevented us’ from expanding refinery capacity or siting a new refinery.” The Bush Administration’s own EPA also concluded in 2002 that permitting requirements had "not significantly impeded investment in new power plants or refineries." (EPA, New Source Review: Report to the President (June 13, 2002))

Sen. McCain: “Nuclear power is among the surest ways to gain a clean, abundant, and stable energy supply, as other nations understand.”
Reality: While opposing subsidies for renewable energy and energy efficiency, Senator McCain supports billions in new and existing subsidies for nuclear power. Nuclear power is a dirty, dangerous, and costly distraction from the policies we really need to build the clean energy future and fight global warming. Costs for new nuclear power plants are skyrocketing , with Florida Power and Light recently estimating in a regulatory filing that a two-reactor expansion at its Turkey Point facility could cost as much as $24 billion.

Sen. McCain: A gas tax holiday is “the most direct and obvious way to give Americans a break at the gas station.”
Reality: Most economists agree that a gas tax holiday would do absolutely nothing to lower prices at the pump. More than 200 leading economists, including 4 Nobel Prize winners, have denounced Senator McCain's and similar plans. The Sierra Club believes it would do little else but offer Big Oil another 18 cents per gallon in profits at the pump.

All quotes are from excerpts of the text of Senator McCain’s remarks as prepared for delivery at 5 p.m. to energy industry executives in Houston.

Never thought I would agree with George Will....

In a bit of a continuation on my last post regarding the Supreme Court's decision restoring Habeas Corpus for US prisoners of the "War on Terror," I would direct you to this schooling of the presumptive Republican nominee by George Will in his latest column for the Washington Post.  From the article:

No state power is more fearsome than the power to imprison. Hence the habeas right has been at the heart of the centuries-long struggle to constrain governments, a struggle in which the greatest event was the writing of America's Constitution, which limits Congress's power to revoke habeas corpus to periods of rebellion or invasion. Is it, as McCain suggests, indefensible to conclude that Congress exceeded its authority when, with the Military Commissions Act (2006), it withdrew any federal court jurisdiction over the detainees' habeas claims?

As the conservative and libertarian Cato Institute argued in its amicus brief in support of the petitioning detainees, habeas, in the context of U.S. constitutional law, "is a separation of powers principle" involving the judicial and executive branches. The latter cannot be the only judge of its own judgment. [Emphasis mine]

What a Bunch of Assholes....

Glenn Greenwald at Salon has a posted over the last couple of days about Republican reaction to the recent Supreme Court decision that restored Habeas Corpus for prisoners held in US captivity related to the "War on Terror." Greenwald is very good, and says all of this much better than I can. I merely find myself stammering and then blurting out "Assholes!" every time Newt Gingrich, or John McCain or any other right-wingnut shows up on TV claiming that making the government justify its detention of people before a court of law - you know, that whole checks and balances thing from the Constitution - That allowing prisoners a chance to challenge their detention somehow endangers us as a people.

That is insanity!

These guys are still in captivity. They are in cages and in shackles. It is not as though they can walk into a courtroom and say, "I didn't do it," and planes will start falling from the sky.

Locking someone up because the Executive Branch DECLARES that they are a threat - without making them prove this - at least beyond the, "because I said so," stage - is tyranny. Period.

Posts are here and here.

Lieberman, the "Maverick," Flip-Flops and More....

A couple of pieces here about Joe Lieberman, his ties to McCain and the impact this may have on his political future.

The first is from Andrew Miga at The Huffington Post and comprises a general discussion of of Joe's current and future standing within the Democratic Party given his support of John McCain.

The second piece is by Jonathan Martin at Politico and probes the possibility of McCain choosing Lieberman as his Vice Presidential running mate.

I have thought for a while now that Joe-mentum would be McCains pick for Veep, though not entirely for the reasons discussed by Mr. Martin. I see in both of these men a need for power and a cynical willingness to alter their political ideologies with the sifting political winds as casually as is necessary to achieve their ends.

Lieberman jettisoned his Democratic cloak immediately upon it becoming advantageous for him to do so. And, despite his being a solid Democratic vote in years past - and supposedly currently on all issues not related to Iraq - I never thought the party colors particularly suited him. I have always seen him as an overtly pious, "religion-on-his-sleeves," pro-life, Bush-backing, political opportunist. He has a smarm about him that reeks of political ambition and a craven willingness to cede what is right, for what is politically expedient.

Run for VP on the Democratic Ticket? It's good for Joe. Run as a candidate for the Democratic nomination? It's good for Joe. That didn't work out, so should we hang on to our Senate seat? It's good for Joe. Rejected by the Democrats in the Senate primary? Become an "Independent." It's good for Joe. Democrats upset with you for becoming an "Independent" and backing Bush's War? Back the Republican Candidate. It's good for Joe! Could backing John McCain, me an "Independent" and him a self-styled "maverick," be good for Joe. Then let's do it!

Interestingly enough, Paul West of the Baltimore Sun currently has a piece about John McCain cheapening his own "maverick" status over the last eight years by his willingness to carry water for the Bush Administration on the war in Iraq, Bush's tax cuts, state-sponsored torture, and the curtailing of our civil rights.

McCain's flip-flops over the last eight years - hell - just in the last six months - put John Kerry to shame. And the sad thing is, I think John Kerry changed his mind, or voted the way he did at times, with a very nuanced view of the matters at hand. McCain simply changes his position to whatever seems most advantageous at the time and then claims he never thought otherwise.

Joe and John are two peas in a pod and deserve each other. They belong on a ticket together, and I have no doubt that if McCain thinks he can run to the middle and win the election by appearing to cross-the-aisle in his selection of a running mate, he will do so.