Actually, Carter’s initiatives led to the US being the world leader and innovator in alternative energy sources. Then Reagan came in and killed it all. Carter did great; he just failed to get re-elected against a guy willing to treat with our enemies to win against him.
Bill Moyers interviewed a guest that I thought was interesting.Mark Leibowitz wrote a book about America’s Gilded Capital.Washington is awash with money. Democrats and Republicans come together to form huge lobbying companies.Former congressmen, senators, and aides work for oil companies, pharm, wall street and other companies with a stake in what the government does.You can look it up on billmoyers.com
Quite right, and guess where they got the technology originally? That’s right: the US. After Reagan killed off research support, the companies folded or sold off. Now the Germans and the Japanese are the most advanced, and both owe a debt to US technology that could have been still FARTHER ahead were it not for Reagan’s lack of vision.
I guess it’s supposed to make fun of both sides but I think it does a disservice to reality. The worst is probably the depiction of fracing causation. But i guess everyone has some kind of biased opinion which may ignore some fact or potential possibility.Example, the Alaskan pipeline has been a success. It has done some surprising good in the region because the moose and such enjoy the warmth and its led to far more mating and growth that species. However, there is the potential for a calamity, as with most things. But there is a much greater potential that any calamity that occurs via the pipeline would be man made and purposeful. Thus, it is possible.Fracing, most of the claims against it are overblown. I’m still not convinced that it’s wholly harmless or the system is as perfected as it can be, but the current presumed negative effects are overblown.Coal is a dirty business. However, advancements have created options such as “clean coal.” It’s not perfect, nothing is, but it’s a heck of a lot cleaner than the old way and still far more effective than the other “clean” options. Wind was missed… though birds certainly wouldn’t miss their loss… and too few miss the blades. Plus, it’s not a great source of power, it’s ugly and noisy.Solar, well it’s definitely ugly and doesn’t really provide much power and requires water and chemicals regularly to remain clean enough to operate at potential.Water is effective but limited in output as well as source and can definitely cause harm to the environment by us holding the water back. But there are benefits too.The big problem, especially with “clean” options, is the inability to store energy. Whatever isn’t used is wasted, and solar won’t help you out when there’s no sun to provide power… or wind for the the windmills, etc.At this point the best and most efficient power sources are oil, gas and coal. We should be trying to ensure they are safer, cleaner and cheaper rather than jumping on board a ship with huge holes in its sails.
While I"m less than happy with some of the things Obama has let happen, he’s blocked some of the most egregious proposals, put together by folks originally appointed by Reagan and the Bush boys, but still hanging around government, or lobbying. Solar is NOT without severe problems in the massive scale projects as on the Mohave, but overall, on a better distributed system of sources, solar and wind DO work to supplement hydro, fossil fuel, and nuclear supplies- reducing their impacts.
But, Obama has a LONG way to go to do as much damage as the Reagan administration caused, like putting together leases in the Gulf that deliberately allowed the companies to sue and dodge royalties for several DECADES! (Costing the treasure TRILLIONS in lost revenue!)
So, just another time i don’t, sorry, “worship” Obama, despite the accusations, but he IS better than our “conservatives” who want to conserve nothing but excessive profits for corporations! He also happens to keep bumping up against LAWS as well as regulations passed by Republicans, that made the giveaways, and destruction, mandatory.
We need to do better, and getting rid of the Republican majority in the House in 2014, and getting some rational folks back on committee like the Natural Resources Committee, and making the Senate Democratic, and “filibuster proof”.
^Uh, that’s AR, Arkansas, not AK, Alaska, but! The egregious profits of Exxon Mobil and the other cartels from U.S. produced oil are largely because of near-zero payments of lease royalties, or taxes. Federal policies on leasing need to go back to pre-Reagan days! (and beyond!)
Motivemagus over 10 years ago
Sigh.
Motivemagus over 10 years ago
Actually, Carter’s initiatives led to the US being the world leader and innovator in alternative energy sources. Then Reagan came in and killed it all. Carter did great; he just failed to get re-elected against a guy willing to treat with our enemies to win against him.
Motivemagus over 10 years ago
True – I was referring to socialism, not solar power. Germany is a better example of solar.
Ziveron over 10 years ago
As you might imagine, there’s been some improvement in the technology in the last 40 years or so.
Fourcrows over 10 years ago
Careful, Tigger. We can’t have people who think for themselves here – right wing or left wing, those are the choices.Great posts.
rockngolfer over 10 years ago
Bill Moyers interviewed a guest that I thought was interesting.Mark Leibowitz wrote a book about America’s Gilded Capital.Washington is awash with money. Democrats and Republicans come together to form huge lobbying companies.Former congressmen, senators, and aides work for oil companies, pharm, wall street and other companies with a stake in what the government does.You can look it up on billmoyers.com
Motivemagus over 10 years ago
Quite right, and guess where they got the technology originally? That’s right: the US. After Reagan killed off research support, the companies folded or sold off. Now the Germans and the Japanese are the most advanced, and both owe a debt to US technology that could have been still FARTHER ahead were it not for Reagan’s lack of vision.
DJGravityX over 10 years ago
I guess it’s supposed to make fun of both sides but I think it does a disservice to reality. The worst is probably the depiction of fracing causation. But i guess everyone has some kind of biased opinion which may ignore some fact or potential possibility.Example, the Alaskan pipeline has been a success. It has done some surprising good in the region because the moose and such enjoy the warmth and its led to far more mating and growth that species. However, there is the potential for a calamity, as with most things. But there is a much greater potential that any calamity that occurs via the pipeline would be man made and purposeful. Thus, it is possible.Fracing, most of the claims against it are overblown. I’m still not convinced that it’s wholly harmless or the system is as perfected as it can be, but the current presumed negative effects are overblown.Coal is a dirty business. However, advancements have created options such as “clean coal.” It’s not perfect, nothing is, but it’s a heck of a lot cleaner than the old way and still far more effective than the other “clean” options. Wind was missed… though birds certainly wouldn’t miss their loss… and too few miss the blades. Plus, it’s not a great source of power, it’s ugly and noisy.Solar, well it’s definitely ugly and doesn’t really provide much power and requires water and chemicals regularly to remain clean enough to operate at potential.Water is effective but limited in output as well as source and can definitely cause harm to the environment by us holding the water back. But there are benefits too.The big problem, especially with “clean” options, is the inability to store energy. Whatever isn’t used is wasted, and solar won’t help you out when there’s no sun to provide power… or wind for the the windmills, etc.At this point the best and most efficient power sources are oil, gas and coal. We should be trying to ensure they are safer, cleaner and cheaper rather than jumping on board a ship with huge holes in its sails.
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
While I"m less than happy with some of the things Obama has let happen, he’s blocked some of the most egregious proposals, put together by folks originally appointed by Reagan and the Bush boys, but still hanging around government, or lobbying. Solar is NOT without severe problems in the massive scale projects as on the Mohave, but overall, on a better distributed system of sources, solar and wind DO work to supplement hydro, fossil fuel, and nuclear supplies- reducing their impacts.
But, Obama has a LONG way to go to do as much damage as the Reagan administration caused, like putting together leases in the Gulf that deliberately allowed the companies to sue and dodge royalties for several DECADES! (Costing the treasure TRILLIONS in lost revenue!)
So, just another time i don’t, sorry, “worship” Obama, despite the accusations, but he IS better than our “conservatives” who want to conserve nothing but excessive profits for corporations! He also happens to keep bumping up against LAWS as well as regulations passed by Republicans, that made the giveaways, and destruction, mandatory.
We need to do better, and getting rid of the Republican majority in the House in 2014, and getting some rational folks back on committee like the Natural Resources Committee, and making the Senate Democratic, and “filibuster proof”.
rossevrymn over 10 years ago
Lil’ Jen, our bundle of sunshine.
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
^Uh, that’s AR, Arkansas, not AK, Alaska, but! The egregious profits of Exxon Mobil and the other cartels from U.S. produced oil are largely because of near-zero payments of lease royalties, or taxes. Federal policies on leasing need to go back to pre-Reagan days! (and beyond!)