Reid continues to hammer McCain on renewable energy

Monday, Sept. 8, 2008 | 2:24 p.m.

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Sept. 2 -- Wind, solar energy built on temporary tax breaks

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Aug. 31 -- Sen. Harry Reid: Democrats powered by goals of the New West

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his fellow Democrats, Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Ken Salazar of Colorado, slammed Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, during a conference call with reporters today regarding renewable energy and the Southwest.

“I’ve heard a lot about McCain being a maverick, but when it comes to this issue, he’s toeing the party line,” Reid said, referring to McCain’s stance on off-shore drilling. “All the Republicans and Sen. McCain talk about is drilling. I don’t oppose drilling, but we need a comprehensive approach” to solving U.S. Dependence on foreign oil.

The senators also once again drew comparisons between McCain and President Bush.

Reid said McCain has eight times avoided votes to extend tax credits for renewable energy developers.

“He’s part of the Bush conglomerate to do nothing about energy but talk about drilling,” Reid said.

Salazar said Republicans’ “obstructionist tactics” have prevented the tax credits – which developers say are key to continued growth of the industry – from getting passed out of the Senate. He said failure to pass those tax credits would result in a $19 billion loss in capital investment in renewable energy and the loss of more than 116,000 jobs in 2009 alone.

Reid also said the West – expected to be a major hot spot for renewable energy development – will need to have a close relationship with the federal government to get that clean energy to market over a new web of power lines. Reid said McCain wants to “let big energy companies decide if and when the clean energy will get to market.”

Discussion: 19 comments so far…

By neiman1

9/8/08 at 5:04 p.m.

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I believe Harry has it wrong again. McCain called for drilling in the OCS and brought the Republicans along with the President lifting the executive ban. McCain knows Americans are not going to continue to pay $3.50 or $5.00 for a gallon of gas. Americans no longer want to export jobs and 700 billion a year. They want American resources used for American jobs. Why can't harry understand what everyone else does? His taking orders from Nancy Pelosi and MoveOn dot org is burying this country and him. Tell harry to drop the party line and help save America.

email link
http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm...

Las Vegas
Lloyd D. George Building
333 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 8016
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: 702-388-5020 / Fax: 702-388-5030
By jfnance32

9/8/08 at 5:19 p.m.

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"I don’t oppose drilling".....Pelosi, Reid, Obama, Ms. Taxus (Titus) are now "not oppose to drilling".

Wow...I guess they are listening to Conservatives.

I guess we winning that battle.

They all are coming along yelling and screaming.

At least it is a start.
By Gordon

9/8/08 at 6:01 p.m.

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Opposed to drilling ONLY without restrictions? YES

Opposed to comprehensive plan including drilling with restrictions (use it or lose it)? NO

Nice try at spinning, you should apply to Faux News Nance and Neiman.
By jfnance32

9/8/08 at 6:34 p.m.

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Like I said, Gordon, Reid, Obama, Pelosi and Ms. Taxus (Titus) are "not opposed to drilling" they are coming along kicking and screaming.

I wonder how many jobs have been destroyed or will be destroyed because the high gas prices.

I would not be coming along kicking and screaming. I would be pushing and shouting for it.

I guess they just do not care about jobs in Nevada.
By The_Onion

9/8/08 at 6:43 p.m.

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Prediction:

Democrats allow for drilling with restrictions that protect PUBLIC lands and waters and force the oil companies to ACTUALLY DRILL on the land they have been leasing.

Republicans finally see the writing on the wall and agree to eliminate the $13 BILLION in subsidies to MULTI-NATIONAL oil companies. They will FINALLY offer those same funds for AMERICAN investment and guarantees that will spur an economic BOOM for renewable energy in AMERICA.

Republicans get to make their masters in the oil industry happy, and possibly even the RJ Editorial staff, and Nevada gets a huge lift to its economy.

Why would Big Oil be happy about losing those subsidies? They don't need them after making $500 BILLION in the last 5 years while we pay more at the pump and they get to drill, drill, drill.

By the way, guess who else has failed to support the reapportionment of those subsidies to renewable energy?

Senator John Ensign
By jfnance32

9/8/08 at 7:38 p.m.

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I guess we made the Democrats finally cry, "Uncle".

They were never in favor of "restricted new drilling" until the Republicans shown them the error of their ways.

Thank You, McCain for educating those foolish Democrats for keeping trillion dollars of oil and gas locked for no good reason.
By Gordon

9/8/08 at 7:44 p.m.

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Gas has fallen 62 cents a gallon ( http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/NVmetro.a... )with no drilling legislation. Most experts believe drilling 'may' bring down prices 5 cents in 10 years.

If you want to know why McCain flip flopped his position on drilling read here http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/0...

Nance: No need to come around when drilling was included with comprehensive legislation that the republicans keep blocking.

Do you support royalties on any oil recovered paid to the citizens who own the oil? Do you support 'windfall profit tax'? Sarah Palin supports both, read the article here http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/s...
By jfnance32

9/8/08 at 7:57 p.m.

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If you like Palin so much then you should vote for her.

Gas has fallen because demand has fallen. It usually does late summer/early fall. Also, if you notice the country economy is weaker and that drives down demand. Japan and other western countries are in full blown recessions and that drives down demand.

"Most experts believe drilling 'may' bring down prices 5 cents in 10 years."

I guess you are saying that Obama is full of crap because he thinks that releasing 500k a day from the national reserve will radically reduce prices.

The reason for the high gas prices was that supply capacity was marginally above peak demand. If we could restore the safety margin of supply capacity above summer peak demand then that would reduce the anxiety that an event like war or stroms could push supply beneath demand.
That would reduce the premium that consumers of oil are paying for contracts that promise future deliveries of oil.

If the world economy recovers by next summer than expect high gas prices again next summer.

It is foolish to keep trillions of dollars of oil and gas locked up. Why do people want to ship trillions of cash to foreign countries? We need to keep those jobs and cash here.
By Gordon

9/8/08 at 8:34 p.m.

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10 years or NOW, big difference.

The price of a barrel of oil was $22.10 in January 2001 (see http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/hist/w...... )

The recent peak price of $147 in July 2008. An increase of 560% since Bush took office. This would also amount to a 560% increase for the middle east under the Bush administration.

Nance: I keep asking, point to another period in our history that gas fell 27% in 2 months or rose 560% in 7 years.

When big oil 'manipulates' supply to stay even with demand, artificial inflation occurs. When you deregulate energy trading fraud occurs (ie ENRON) http://wyden.senate.gov/issues/wyden_oil...
When you put a Texas oil man in charge. Dick Cheney holds closed door meetings to write our current energy policy 560% inflation in oil occurs.

Supply now exceeds demand due to worldwide demand destruction. WATCH SUPPLY BE CUT to stay even with demand.

Oil companies can add more straws to proven fields already being pumped to increase production, but that would bring supply far above demand and crush prices, something big oil is NOT going to do.

Bring back regulated margins (use the reserves and legislate mandatory drilling, oversight on keeping pumping to a maximum potential on ALL federal lands, we the people own the oil) and prices will come down dramatically.
By jfnance32

9/8/08 at 8:43 p.m.

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1) Why do want to keep trillions of dollars of oil and gas locked up? Do you want to shipped trillions of cash to foreign countries? Do you want to keep those energy jobs here?

2) Even your own party (Obama, Reid, Pelosi, Ms. Taxus (Titus)) is now in favor of "restricted oil drilling", so I think you are the only one against it. Who are you arguing with?
By Gordon

9/8/08 at 9:06 p.m.

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LOL You are really losing it Nance, where did I say not to drill. Everything I've discussed is mandate required drilling. Maybe you responded on the wrong article? You do try to post on every article here multiple times.

My multiple postings are usually responding to you, but your sworn to the republican talking points memo and when challenged with facts you malfunction, hit the reset.
By Doug_Rodrigues

9/8/08 at 9:56 p.m.

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Develop the alternative energy resources first, and only then consider not drilling. Why continue to spend 700 Billion dollars every year for foreign oil? Spend that money here, and keep that money here! Enough of the partisan politics already!
By jfnance32

9/8/08 at 10:23 p.m.

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I think we are now all in agreement.

Drill now and drill often to bridge our way into a future solution.

Use all the above solution by using cheap coal, natural gas, and Nuclear.

Invest in R & D to make solar, wind and electric car to make them more cost effective solutions.

It probably be decades before we are off oil based transportion systems.
By neiman1

9/9/08 at 11:47 a.m.

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Senator John Ensign; Why would the oil companies drill where there is no oil. On the lands they now lease "for exploration" lawsuits from environmentalist stop 90% of the activity for years. We need leases that allow drilling and we need them where the oil is. The environmentalist have now stopped BLM from leasing land in the desert for Solar Plants until full EIR's of the impact of roads to these plants in the desert are completed and their impact mitigated (this means pay us). The Democratic leadership seems to want America in decline so we will let them "lead" us out of it? I don't understand you people.
By Gordon

9/9/08 at 6:03 p.m.

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Wow DOG never thought I'd see you putting down your fellow neocons and calling them a 'lib' to boot, wow.

Neiman can't help it, he sees the name Reid and his brainwashed mind has to post his hatred and lies and can't forget to add Senator Reid's address and phone number.

Nance is just following the rules and posting the republican talking points even though being proved wrong over and over.

Then DOG... never contributes to the conversation, just spews her name calling and hatred of America over and over. Care to elaborate on specific lies by Senator Reid?

BTW - When you're old enough to take a class on government you'll realize it takes 60 senate votes to overcome a filibuster (what the republicans do on every comprehensive energy legislation) and 75 votes to overcome a president's veto.

Thanks for the laugh. Be careful neocons love to throw their own under the bus when speaking against their own.
By WaterSource

9/10/08 at 6:27 a.m.

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Lake Mead is already built and produces 1800 megawatts of renewable energy each year. There is a way to keep Lake Mead FULL and provide Las Vegas with a new fresh water Source for the future. All Senator Reid has to do is request a simple investigation for the Bureau of Reclamation.

Ray Walker (Retired Water Rights Analyst) waterrdw@yahoo.com
By ZyskandarAJaimot

9/10/08 at 2:50 p.m.

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Is this SENATURD HARRY'bought-and-paid-for-by-the-Vegas-mob'REID accusing someone of "...toeing the party line"??? As regards energy allocation if SENATURD REID and REPREHENSIBILE NANCY'spincter-of-the-House-of-Fools'PELOSI had allowed an 'honest' vote on whether to DRILL + sustainable alternative energy sources - perhaps they would be entitled to whine about REPUBLICANTS claims of gross unfairness and politicizing our energy policy!!! Ah DEMBHOLES always doing what's best for the SOCIALISTS/MARXISTS - and leaving nothing but stink/smell in their end!!! DEMBHOLES always the stinky/smelly wankers!!!Ha.