A Future of Clean Energy or an Oil and Gas Past

Lots at Stake as Energy Takes Poitical Spotlight

In 2004, President George Bush was overwhelmingly re-elected mainly due to his efforts in the Iraq War and for his “stated” pursuit of Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. We all now know of those results and there affects on our nation’s economy.

Fast forward to the 2012 re-election campaign of President Obama and the election hopeful Mitt Romney, for the GOP. As former President Bush in 2008 ‘hung his hat’ on one premise, the Iraq War, so too should President Obama hang his on one premise – Clean and Renewable Energy.

Whether you like President Obama and his policies or not, we should all consider that he has relatively “cleaned-up” what Bush started. He’s ended Iraq (more or less), he’s winding down Afghanistan (hopefully more than less), Bin Laden and many of his cohorts are dead, and while ever so slowly, he has turned around the terrible economy with which he was left with to start.

But with all of this aside, the biggest decision for all Americans to make in the voting booth, as far as we should all be concerned regardless of everything else is President Obama’s position on Clean and Renewable Energy versus that of the GOP’s Oil and Gas. Everything else, jobs, the debt, military actions, race and religion, etc., will eventually take care of itself.

The main question for all Americans should be: Do I want a future renewable clean green energy economy or: Do I want an economy from past generations based on Oil and Gas… And as such, which Presidential candidate coming this November supports my vision of the future for energy…

What Is Your Take?

Why Don’t We All Have Solar-Systems Yet?

An example of a "centralized solar" model

Example of a community with a "distributed solar" model

With solar power now priced at around $1.00 cost-per-watt (cpw) the average homeowner can purchase an entire solar panel system for approximately $5000. Given most could not install themselves, hiring a contractor may cost an additional $1.00 – $1.50 cpw. At the “top-end” a typical homeowner should only have to pay $12,500 for their home’s solar powered electric energy. More than likely you will produce more energy during the day than you use and need at night (so long as you’ve purchased an adequate kilowatt amount) you could quite possible have a zero (depending on size of system) electricity bill every month. This model is called a “distributive energy” model.

So why hasn’t solar power really taken off in the U.S? Why would anyone want to wait for the model of choice by utility companies – a “Centralized Energy” model. In doing so, wouldn’t utility companies create a model where they would continue to reap their enormous profits? However, by purchasing your own distributive energy solar-system as outlined above, there would be very little room for profit by the utility and coal companies etc.,  when it comes to electricity powering your home. So by waiting for your utility company to build some giant solar utility-farm which will provide “everyone” with the wonderful benefits of solar power, where do you think all the money will go – wisely back into your pockets or unwisely and continuously rising back into the hands of the status-quo, Big Oil?

Tell Us – What Do You Think?

Should President Obama Receive Any Credit?

If President Obama’s economic policies were the cause of the bad economy, now that the economy is getting better, does he get the credit?

If higher gas prices are the cause of the President, when prices subside does he get the credit?

If Solyndra’s failure was a show of the President’s inadequate business abilities, especially towards the idea of an energy policy based on Clean and Renewable Energy, then is GM’s success story that of an overall wise business decision from him as well?

If President Obama floated in the sky above, healed the sick and gave wealth to the poor, called out and punished the corrupt government officials and business leaders by stripping them of their wealth and power, achieved peace in the Middle East, ended the war in Afghanistan, provided all Americans the ability of lowering their energy costs through clean and renewable energy resources, regained near full-employment for the country but remained amongst other things named “Barack Hussein Obama”, would he still be consider by republicans as the worst President ever and still compared to the worsts’ leaders in mankind? Oh yeah, and Universal Health-care, The Affordable Health-care Act (“Obama-care” to republicans) remained mandatory for all, and thus not subjecting those who do choose to pay for health-care having to pay in additional premiums for those who choose not to but instead, live off the backs of others…

Is the President deserving of any credit or is everything only good if the President is not in office and instead, a Republican member is?

What Do You Think – Does the President Deserve Any Credit?

Oil speculation inflating gas prices

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall and 69 other members of Congress have called on federal regulators to address oil speculation contributing to a rise in the price of gasoline to more than $3.50 a gallon in New Mexico. In a letter sent to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Monday, lawmakers requested that new trading limits be put in place, as mandated by Congress in the 2010 Wall Street reform law. Limits were supposed to be put in place by the commission before Jan. 17, 2011.

“We are disappointed that, more than a year later, the commission has not fulfilled this important regulatory duty,” the lawmakers said in the letter. “It is one of your primary duties — indeed, perhaps your most important — to ensure that the prices Americans pay for gasoline and heating oil are fair, and that the markets … operate free from fraud, abuse, and manipulation.”

The recent rise in oil prices comes as the U.S. has increased its oil production three years in a row for the first time since 1985. U.S. drilling activity is at the highest level in at least 24 years, with over 1,000 rigs drilling for oil. New Mexico oil production is also at a 12-year high. U.S. foreign oil dependence is now under 50 percent, down from 60 percent in 2005. As a result, the supply of U.S. oil and gasoline is greater today than it was three years ago, yet, oil prices are up. While this is partly due to rising global demand, especially in Asia, and ongoing Middle East conflict and tensions, the recent price increases have been significantly worsened by speculative trading.

“There has been a major debate over the last several years as to whether spikes in oil prices are caused entirely by the fundamentals of supply and demand or whether excessive speculation in the oil futures market is playing a major role,” wrote the lawmakers. “It is clear to us that debate has ended.”

According to Forbes magazine, the investment bank Goldman Sachs believes that oil speculation is the cause of more than 50 cents in the current price of gasoline.  Continue reading more…

What Do You Think… Who’s to Blame for High Gas Prices, President Obama, Congressional Republicans, Oil Companies, or Wall Street Speculation?

Why gasoline prices are so high

Many say speculators behind sharply rising oil and gasoline prices

Gasoline prices are keeping up their record-setting ways. And it could get a lot worse.

Here’s a Q&A to fire your engine, if you need firing up

What Do You Think…Your Voice Does Count!

Who Has A Real Plan For Lowering Gas Prices and Solving Our Overall Energy Crises?

Leaving your comment can go a long way towards resolution. Don’t sit on the sideline…

Congressional Republicans and Media Debate Contraception Issue

GOP leaders from left to right, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, and Eric Cantor

With so many major items before the U.S. and the rest of the world, the main topic during the past few weeks in the U.S. has been about contraception and birth control. One would think Women’s Rights and related issues have long been settled.

Aren’t there more pressing and immediate concerns Congress and therefore, the Media should be discussing. For example; What about Energy? How about an Energy Policy which includes renewable energy standards; and as an extension, what about Gas Prices – how high is it going and why? What about our Importing Oil  – how do we eventually become independent of foreign oil? Are we simply suppose to “drill baby drill” or as others decry, immediately and totally cease all oil and coal exploration and its’ use, or as President Obama requested, have an “all-of-the-above” strategy?

The issues of expanding drilling capacities, the expansive inclusion of solar power, wind power, biomass/biofuels, hydropower, geothermal power, natural gas, and nuclear power are far more pressing to the nation and the world at large, both immediately and also to our future. Instead we’re left to hear talk and argument about old and long settled matters, and of impossible ways to “fix” the past.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Agree or Not, Leave Your Comment…