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Obama promotes alternative energy plan

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor October 14, 2008 04:36 PM


Barack Obama focuses on his energy plan in a video message to supporters gathered at house parties to watch the fall campaign's final presidential debate Wednesday night.

Obama highlighted his agenda to spend $150 billion over 10 years on alternative energy to create 5 million new jobs.

"Now is the time to declare our energy independence once and for all," he says in the video.

The Democrat says that Republican rival John McCain's "only answer is, 'drill, baby, drill,' " citing the chant from supporters at his campaign rallies.

McCain would dispute that, since he is proposing an "all of the above" approach to energy independence that includes nuclear power, wind, solar, and clean coal, as well as more offshore oil drilling.

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How many people are aware that, while allocating $150 million to renewable energy in this year's budget, the Bush administration forgave a $80 billion loan this year to offshore drilling infrastructure provider Kerr-McGee? That's over 500 times as much American money to just one company in the oil services business. While Kerr-McGee can't be blamed for taking the money--though it would have been good for them to have shown more conscience than they did--the real problem lies with the way the administration set priorities.

It's one thing to provide lip service to alternative energy and another thing to back it up. If we had been supporting renewables the way we are currently supporting oil and gas, we could have reduced our dependence on fossil fuels and their political, environmental and climactic problems long ago.

Posted by JJ October 15, 08 04:41 AM
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go barack from indiana

Posted by trevor October 16, 08 09:59 AM
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I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STATES PUT THERE TEETH INTO THIS , I LIVE IN THE GREAT STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA . THE STATE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HERE IN WEST VIRGINIA ARE PRETTY ROUGHT ON THE DEVELOPERS HERE . THERE IS A LOT OF WIND POWER PROJECTS GOING ON HERE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL OF THEM PUT IN PLACE

Posted by BRAD KEPLINGER November 9, 08 04:40 PM
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Well actually what he's trying to do is going to take more than 10 years. It already takes corporations more than 5 years to come up with the funding for certain energy obtaining plans and he has to connect with all of these corporations to make this plan accessible. If the 80 million dollars is taken back from Iran, the same money that was used to expand the weapons development then maybe he could begin his plan for this energy. The only possible way for congress to even accept this plan is if Barack has finished all of his connections with his investors

Posted by Political Private November 18, 08 06:52 PM
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A 40 foot wide strip of solar panels covering the California Aquaduct system.

35GW Power generated daily
2-3% more water to Southern California
2-3% more hydro electric power generated
Less money "burned" in fossil fuels
Cleaner Enviroment
Cheap (we already own the land State and Federal)
Jobs
As technology advances, so do our returns on investment.

And over a hundred other positive factors.

Thank you.

Posted by Chris G. February 2, 09 09:57 PM
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if oboma spends that much money trying to save alternative energy, then whats the point, because thats hurting the economy even more, when we could be using that money to build the things that we acually need. dont get me wrong, i want to save energy but if its taking that much money then we need to find a new way to help the economy.

Posted by Katrina February 25, 09 09:39 AM
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