What follows originally appeared on TomKnighton.com. When you get done here, come on over and read what else I’ve got going over there.
Last night, President Obama brought forth on this continent, a new policy regarding energy. OK, it’s really not that new, but it’s getting a new emphasis. He lamented a lack of solar and wind power, and even commented on how the jobs being those things were over in China, rather than here in the good old US of A. He lamented a lot of things, but apparently doesn’t grasp the reality of what he’s wanting.
First, let me clarify something. The world President Obama envisions is one that I happen to like. I like the idea of clean air and green power generation. I like the idea of petroleum being a quaint antiquity that we can tell our grandchildren about.
Unfortunately, it takes more than a president and good intentions to make it happen.
To start with, let’s talk about those so-called “green” jobs that the President is bummed are over in China rather than Michigan. Jobs are important, especially in this economy. The problem is that the cost of labor is too high in this nation. Minimum wage laws, unions, and a high cost of living all contribute to drive some employers overseas in an effort to cut costs. For those jobs to come back to the US, the President will either need Congress to pass huge tax credits or destroy the structure that pushes wages so high. We all know that Democrats needscourt the labor vote like an alcoholic feels he needs a bottle of vodka, so no move will be made on wages.
What the President doesn’t realize is that these green jobs are all fine and good, but they won’t change the make-up of the American energy production commnity one bit. Why is that? It’s because they’re not cost effective. That simple. Until there is an actual way to put up a wind farm in a cost effective way, it will always be an additional source of power generation.
Perhaps, if the President were serious about green power generation, he would push for the one method of power generation that doesn’t create excess carbon that actually will generate enough power for the American people. Unfortunately, the Democrats seemingly see nuclear power as something more evil than George W. Bush with an AK-47 kicking a muslim in the gnads with real snakeskin boots on, despite it’s actually good track record.
President Obama also mentioned families putting solar panels on their homes. This does happen, and happens more and more each year. Truth be told, I’d like to put panels on my house and create most of my own power rather than draw it from the city owned power utility I currently deal with. They’re expensive however.
That seems to mean that President Obama will either try and hammer the prices down, or else offer some kind of tax credit to “encourage” me to put them on.
Make no mistake, Mr. President. People who put solar panels on their home do so for one reason only. They are out to cut their own power bill. No amount of presidential decree will change that.
While I can forsee the President trying to make it cheaper to add these panels to my home, he really can’t. The costs will decrease only through natural market forces. The companies who make these panels are trying to make them more effeciently already. As they figure it out, the prices will decrease. They don’t need to government to encourage it, because their profit motive will be more than enough encouragement. As they do, more people will add panels. Not one moment sooner.
The thing that turns my stomach the most is that the President’s speech started with invoking the images of the oil spill. It is truly a horrible thing, but I hope someone can tell me what in the world wind turbines have to do with a petroleum spill. Petroleum products aren’t used in power generation, coal is. While both are carbon producers and therefore evil apparently, the two have little else to do with one another.
No mention of compressed natural gas as a replacement for petroleum, the one product that seems to be a viable candidate and is actually clean burning. No mention of electric cars, hydrogen cars, or any other kind of vehicle that would replace the need to burn gasoline or diesel. I guess the spill is so bad, President Obama just couldn’t bare to think about it.
At least the Obama administration didn’t let a good crisis go to waste, and we know that’s what’s important.
“Unfortunately, the Democrats seemingly see nuclear power as something more evil than George W. Bush with an AK-47 kicking a muslim in the gnads with real snakeskin boots on, despite it’s actually good track record.”
You mean other than President Obama consistently advocating Nuclear Power during the campaign?
Or maybe it was his practically hand delivering a check to Georgia Power to expand its nuclear facilities in this state?
Don’t let facts get in the way of your narrative.
President Obama’s campaign promises set the agenda for the entire Democratic Party? Really? So the Democratic Party is fine with keeping Gitmo open and continuing many of President Bush’s policies simply because President Obama seems OK with it?
Also, look at the phrasing. I said “seemingly”, meaning that it seems that way to me. Not that it actually was. I’ll be the first to admit that it may not be that way, hence my choice of that term.
But I guess that’s irrelevant to you, isn’t it?
We’re going to play semantics Tom? I didn’t copy and paste the rest of that paragraph for brevity, but I’ll put it here now for clarity.
“Perhaps, if the President were serious about green power generation, he would push for the one method of power generation that doesn’t create excess carbon that actually will generate enough power for the American people.”
And where did he say that last night? He didn’t.
Keep in mind he said a lot of stuff during the campaign that changed once he got in office, things I’ve already mentioned. He said nothing about nuclear power. Could he? Sure, and if he does I’ll be sure to point out that while he left it out of his speech, he put it in his plan. What’s more, I’ll be tickled pink about it. But so far? Nothing.
And for the record, you can call it whatever you want, but what I outlined above is what was truly intended. Sorry if that doesn’t set well with you.