Tuesday, June 24, 2008

McCain Energy Plan

Political Radar reported During a roundtable discussion on energy security at Santa Barbara's Natural History Museum, one of the panelists invited by the McCain campaign to sit onstage beside the candidate -- disagreed with the Arizona senator's energy plans and lambasted his nuclear energy proposal. "I'm a little bit bemused that I ended up on this panel," said Michael Feeney, chair of the Santa Barbara Land Trust, a non-profit conservation group.
Has Feney sld out to the Dems?
He excoriated a proposal McCain outlined last Wednesday to build 45 new nuclear plants in the United States by 2030 and another 55 in later years.
We should fouble it, but it is a good start.
"I don’t understand how it’s not compromising our environmental standards to propose a crash program to build more nuclear power plants when the industry has not complied with the federal law that requires there to be safe disposal for the radioactive waste," Feeney said.
That is because Congress is standing in the way of using Yucca Mountain.
McCain responded by citing the example of nuclear technology in Europe and Navy ships powered by nuclear energy. "My friend, the technology is there. The Europeans do it. I mean it's safe. It's being done. So, to think that that is going to require some pain on the American people economically when the Europeans-- 80 percent of the French electricity is generated by nuclear power. They are doing fine," McCain said to applause from the audience.
And if we had a source of cheap electricity it would spur electric cars.
"It's not a technological breakthrough that needs to be taken," McCain said, "It's a not-in-my-backyard problem, we have got to have the guts and courage, to go ahead and do what other countries are doing and they are reducing the pollution to our environment rather dramatically without any huge pain to anybody," McCain said.
Precisely. No CO2 emissions from a nuclear plant.
"And I'd like to have you respond but the United States Navy has sailed ships around the world for 60 years with nuclear power plants on them, we have never had an accident, we have never had a problem. And I think the world is safer, the world is safer due to the presence of the United States navy with nuclear power ships on them," McCain said.
Precisely.
Feeney also highlighted McCain's new-found support for U.S. off-shore oil drilling as a way to decrease domestic gas prices. "It makes me nervous to think about those who are proposing to drain America’s off-shore oil and gas reserves as quickly as possible
We are not draining them at all.
in the hopes of driving down the price of gasoline," Feeney said. "Were we to open up the California coast ... it would be twelve, 15 maybe 20 years before those resources came online
Not necessarilly, and even if you are right, then in 12, 15, or 30 years we would be better off than if we do nothing.
and got to full production. That’s not going to impact the price of gasoline any time soon."
It just might cause the speculators to have second thoughts.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I live near a nuclear power plant, and I know we could do without it.
Offshore drilling could take years to be productive. The thing here like "smoking", alot of people would be "out of work", but then again, other jobs would be created if we could find new power sources.
Back to "smoking". What I really mean is get rid of the tobacco companies instead of wearing the patch. Health is not wealth and vs versa. Could we make anyone happy, I think not. Just a crazy analogy of mine. ANON
SMOKING AND NUCLEAR POWER - THE TWO JUST MINGLE VERY WELL SOMEHOW.

Anonymous said...

I know that people who live in the "danger zone" of the nuclear power plants, are very happy with those plants WHY>they pay less for everything....their taxes are lower and they get more perks. It is scary to me that I am just a fraction beyond that ten mile radius, but the sirens go off where I live.

Anonymous said...

BRAZIL - HAS NO ENERGY CRISIS BECAUSE THEY TURN SUGAR CANE INTO THEIR FORM OF ENERGY. THEY ARE DOING WELL THERE - WHY COULDN'T WE FIGURE THIS ONE OUT/OR ARE WE JUST TOO DARN LAZY AND LAX. OUR COMPLACANCY HAS BEEN OUR RUIN. YET, WE ARE STILL BETTER OFF THAN PORTUGAL - GASOLINE IS ABOUT NINE DOLLARS A GALLON. WHERE I LIVE IT IS ALMOST 5 DOLLARS A GALLON - IT IS SO PATHETIC.

Anonymous said...

Why in our great country should we be so dependent on foreign oil? I just don't get it. We should have been ready for this after that bad crunch in the 70's. Did we think all this would just go away? I live in an expensive area of the country, actually the tri-state area on the east coast. The prices here are outrageous. BUT, still we are better off than alot of states that are having natural disasters, excessive heat, fires, floods, etc. etc. I am greatful for everyday, because where I live the crunch is bad, but it is far worse in other areas. I would rather pay alittle more for gas, than lose my home. The stock market hit a snag yesterday. Of course this is plastered all over the news. Recession yes, depression no, or at least not yet. People are scared everywhere.
ANON

Anonymous said...

My cousin lost his home in Florida. He just couldn't afford it anymore. He walked away. The only thing that saved him was a trailer park and great skills. He is getting back on his feet again and I am so happy about that. Don, what is your opinion on this. Why are we so concerned with other countries when charity begins at home - of course we are at war again and the government is spending trillions of tax payers dollars and the Bushes are oil men and lame ducks or out of office. I just feel that we need a change -God knows who I will vote for - I would rather take a long vacation next November. ANON

Anonymous said...

On the fence again AND I cant seem to get off.....ANON

Don Singleton said...

I certainly am not wild about McCain, but I would vote for him over Obama any day. It is a shame we have two Democrats running (one calling himself a Republican). I would vote for an independent, but none of them stand a chance, and Obama would be a disaster.

I would like to see Congress take a 10 year vacation.

Anonymous said...

Don, I think THIS WHOLE WORLD needs a vacation!!!!!ANON.

P. S. I do think, although I could be wrong, that Obama will win the election. I think most people are tired of the "Republican regime" right now.

Anonymous said...

DON,You are right in saying that an Independent would not win the election. Even Hillary couldn't pull that one off...ANON