Another Democratic presidential candidate, another chance for ABC's George Stephanopoulos to push for higher taxes on energy. On Sunday's This Week, when just-announced candidate Bill Richardson outlined how his energy policy would be based on conservation and improved technology, listing how “it's going to take more efficient air conditioning, it's going to take green buildings, it's going to take fuel-efficient vehicles,” Stephanopoulos jumped in: “Higher gas taxes?” The Governor of New Mexico rejected the plea from Stephanopoulos: “No, you don't have to do it with taxes. You need a conservation effort that every American participates in, inspired by the President.” Stephanopoulos remained unpersuaded, proposing: “But aren't higher energy taxes the best way to get people to conserve?”
On the December 3 This Week, as recounted in my NewsBusters item, Stephanopoulos told Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, a then just-announced Democratic candidate for President, that "just about every expert on energy says the best way to become energy independent is to raise the price of oil and gas, to have a serious energy tax. Why not call for it?" Stephanopoulos followed up by pointing to Europe as a model to emulate: "Couldn't we become independent much more quickly if we had the kind of energy tax you see in Europe?"
The exchange about energy policy in the interview taped at the New Mexico Governor's Mansion in Sante Fe and played back on the January 21 This Week with George Stephanopoulos:
George Stephanopoulos: “You were Secretary of Energy. Energy independence, as you say, is going to be one of the number one issues in the campaign. And you've talked about alternative energy. But isn't it going to take real sacrifice, real cutbacks in consumption if we're going to be energy independent?”Governor Bill Richardson: “If we're going to be energy independent, it's going to take a man on the moon effort. It's not going to be a little energy bill here and there. The President and the American people, he has to inspire the American people to conserve, to find ways to sacrifice, together to invest in renewable technologies. Sixty-five percent of our oil is imported, 65, with dangerous sources that right now could hurt us. We have to reduce that within a period of 15 years to ten percent by massive investments in solar, wind, bio-mass, fuel efficiency, distributed generation, ethanol. We've got to find ways to reduce that dependency and it's going to take the American people, it's going to take more efficient air conditioning, it's going to take green buildings, it's going to take fuel-efficient vehicles-”
Stephanopoulos: “Higher gas taxes?”
Richardson: “-It's going to be a collaborative effort. No, you don't have to do it with taxes. You need a conservation effort that every American participates in, inspired by the President.”
Stephanopoulos: “But aren't higher energy taxes the best way to get people to conserve?”
Richardson: “No, that's not, I believe, realistic. I believe what is needed is public and private investment in renewable sources. I think we can do that with technology. I've done it in New Mexico.”
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Stephanopoulos: “But aren't
January 21, 2007 - 16:51 ET by bigtimerStephanopoulos: “But aren't higher energy taxes the best way to get people to conserve?”
Tells ya all you need to know about the leftists in this country...great agenda huh?
Drill Often...Drill Everywhere!
"If we ever forget that we are a Nation Under God....then we will be a Nation Gone Under." Ronald Reagan
Okay, BT.Gotta stop that! (
January 21, 2007 - 16:57 ET by BlondeOkay, BT.
Gotta stop that! (see my post below). LOL.
Maybe you could teach the monkey a new trick...."Drill Often....Drill Everywhere!"
Imagine the possibilities.
BD gave me that line and I st
January 21, 2007 - 17:44 ET by bigtimerBD gave me that line and I still thank him. It may get old, but it is the truth, the left in this country have purposely stopped our self dependency because of money for their political campaigns and the groups like Greenpeace and other filthy so-called environmentalists that depend on them for more money for their existence, it is pathetic, I am including logging mining fishing grazing ect. It is past infuriating.
I have watched the Senate be short of one lousy vote for drilling in ANWR and McCain refused to vote for it...Mari Cantwell of Was. led the way for this, she has for years, yet Wa. state has some of the highest prices for gas per gallon still, well...their precious enviro taxes are part of the problem, along with Ca.
They all have an agenda at our expense...if we keep up the way we are going in this country with the defeatist agenda and depending on others we are going to be up a creek without a paddle.
Besides all that, I was standing up watching the game and just was being quick and to the point...it's half-time now....lol!
"If we ever forget that we are a Nation Under God....then we will be a Nation Gone Under." Ronald Reagan
Freeze a Yankee,Let your them
January 21, 2007 - 23:34 ET by MikeBFreeze a Yankee,
Let your themostat rise and give 'em a surprise.
Governor Briscoe promised us
If any dam' Yankee tried to raise a fuss,
He'd turn of their gas, turn off their oil,
Let 'em all freeze and boil.
From Freeze A Yankee sung by the Folkel Minority.
"A communist is someone who reads Marx. An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx." Ronald Reagan
Hey, what if we put a tax on
January 21, 2007 - 17:28 ET by Conservative in the ArtsHey, what if we put a tax on smoking too? Will we get people to stop smoking? What about a tax on alcohol? All it's done is to make the poor, poorer, and the government richer.
Gather 'round little ones, and I'll tell you a story.
The other day I was walking through the skywalk (bridges between buildings so you can move around downtown without going outside. Minneapolis has over 15 miles of skywalk for example. You can walk from one side of downtown to the other and stay indoors the entire way.) Well it was a cold day and I saw a young teenage mother waiting for the bus with her little one all bundled up. The little tyke really should be in a car seat, and how wonderful it must be to wait and ride on a bus for a little one. As I felt for the young girl, freezing her and the baby's butts off waiting for the bus, I thought: "let's make the cost of gas even more so that more and more single moms have to ride the bus and freeze their babys in the dead of winter. Then let's slap a $500 fine on the poor moms that actually do have a car if they smoke in it. The Dems aren't for the poor. The Dems will devoure the poor. The United States Democrats are only a few years away from openly declairing euthanasia to better the country. I bet they'll put a tax on that too."
Conservative in the Mini-Apple
January 21, 2007 - 23:10 ET by nkviking75Wow, you're a conservative in the arts in Minneapolis? As a native of the city and neighbor to the south in Iowa, I bow in awe of such an achievement.
Why are the libs so dead set against looking for more oil in our own country? Even Richardson's "man-in-the-moon" effort is going to take time, and that's assuming it's successful. The massive blow to the economy caused by artificially hiking oil prices will make less money available for such research.
I suppose it would be too muc
January 21, 2007 - 16:55 ET by BlondeI suppose it would be too much to ask that these media pundits like Stephy have an IQ over room temperature? Or perhaps to have taken a basic economics class?
Stephanopoulos: “But aren't higher energy taxes the best way to get people to conserve?”
Economic illiteracy.
Given that these lefty eliti
January 21, 2007 - 17:06 ET by RackieGiven that these lefty elitists live in a economic, cultural and social hothouse, they most likely have a room temp IQ.
Rackie
January 21, 2007 - 17:16 ET by BlondeUndoubtedly, room temperature.
But why these fools can't possibly consider the supply side of "energy independence", rather than the demand side, just makes me angry.
All the left ever considers is a tax on consumption. It doesn't matter what the commodity is....tax it to lower consumption (electricity, cigarettes, booze...whatever).
Never mind that the free market would take care of any "energy problem" if the stupid feds and their self-justifying alphabet soup of agencies, would get the hell out of the way.
Gas Taxes
January 21, 2007 - 17:10 ET by Gordon SchumwayStephy sure does have a bug up his ass for higher gasoline taxes. But then, he's a Democratic... and they all have bugs up their asses for higher taxes.
Gordo
Melmac
Whoever gave him the monicker
January 21, 2007 - 17:19 ET by errant1Whoever gave him the monicker "George Step-on-all-of-us" sure got it right! Those elitist Leftys with their wealth and their college degrees are are just so much smarter than the rest of us! Too bad he only thinks he knows what he's talking about. And, can't forget that not too long ago he worked for the Clintons. If he knows about some the the skeletons in Hillary's closet that we don't already know about, then he should feel very lucky every day he's alive and breathing. If you know what I mean...
This is typical socialist e
January 21, 2007 - 17:27 ET by robert108This is typical socialist economics: you try to control the market by manipulating price through taxes. It simply produces the typical socialist death spiral of higher prices, short supplies, leading to yet higher prices. It is happening in healthcare and education, and now they want to do it to the energy industry. It's a growth-killer, which is what they really want.
How long do you think it wi
January 21, 2007 - 17:47 ET by motherbeltHow long do you think it will be before some Liberal suggests that energy is too important to be left to the vagaries of the market, and perhaps should be nationalized?
Or did that happen already?
When will the MSM ask Gov.
January 21, 2007 - 18:01 ET by RackieWhen will the MSM ask Gov. Richardson why cock fighting is still legal
Nuevo Mexico?
Is Europe actually energy-ind
January 21, 2007 - 22:11 ET by NonanonIs Europe actually energy-independent as Steph implies they are? Or do the higher taxes just burden the citizens while they get energy from outside sources?
And how much energy has ever been created by conservation? It is a good idea, but it has no room for the expanding need that more people will create.
Do people have to go to school to be this stupid or ignorant?
The European idea of energy c
January 22, 2007 - 10:10 ET by dscottThe European idea of energy conservation is no air conditioning, hence the thousands who died in France during the heat wave. A heat wave I might add that is not out of the ordinary here in the US. This (air conditioning) is the single biggest reason why Europeans use less energy than Americans.
Secondly the European idea of high taxes to discourage consumption and increase fuel efficiency has backfired in the form of intractible high unemployment. Can you imagine 10% unemployment in the US, that would be considered a Depression.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
Wouldn't we get a fairer jo
January 21, 2007 - 22:50 ET by HyunchbackWouldn't we get a fairer journalist/pundit pool if George Stephanopolous, George Will and the rest had to fly coach if they fly? If they are forced to use public transportation to/from speaking engagements instead of limos? If they are kicked out of their ivory towers and made to walk the streets with feet of clay?
Stephanopoulos followed up by
January 21, 2007 - 22:52 ET by GalvanicStephanopoulos followed up by pointing to Europe as a model to emulate: "Couldn't we become independent much more quickly if we had the kind of energy tax you see in Europe?"
Gasoline taxes in Europe have been very high at least since I lived in West Germany in the mid'70s, yet Europe isn't enegy independent. It imports both oil and natural gas.
So, maybe Georgie can explain to us how long it takes for high energy taxes to be in effect before they bring about 'energy independence.'
Indeed, Europe gets much of i
January 22, 2007 - 00:01 ET by UnsaneIndeed, Europe gets much of its oil and gas from Russia. When the Russians turned off the taps to the Ukrainians, that put a scare into those spoiled children, as did a little spat with Belarus earlier this month.
George simply does not see a dollar out there in the American economy that he thinks is better off stolen by government.
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
"Sixty-five percent of o
January 22, 2007 - 01:40 ET by Indiana Joe"Sixty-five percent of our oil is imported, 65, with dangerous sources that right now could hurt us. We have to reduce that within a period of 15 years to ten percent by massive investments in solar, wind, bio-mass, fuel efficiency, distributed generation, ethanol."
There's one option that is glaringly missing from this laundry-list of "solutions:" increasing the domestic production of oil! As pointed out by bigtimer and others: drill, DRILL, DRILL!!!
Why is it that this is apparently not even "on the table?" It's just... the only word that describes it is "insane."
IJ I may be wrong but
January 22, 2007 - 01:51 ET by misterbillIJ I may be wrong but, I believe that behind the scenes is , and has been, a major plan to save the oil the US has in order to be able to defend our country in case of attack. I was quite upset when Pres. Clinton allowed the reserve to be tapped in his administration. In the event of any conflict or attack, I want the armed forces to have a giant supply of oil.
That being said, I also say drill, drill, drill. I believe that with proper oversight, we can handle any environmental problems and keep them from happening.
misterbill...hey I agree..
January 22, 2007 - 01:56 ET by ww thumpermisterbill...hey I agree.....drill like dumocRATS vote....early & often & all over the states! ;-^} Being "Politcaly Correct" with ISLAM will distroy America......WW
Agreed Misterbill. What bot
January 22, 2007 - 01:56 ET by rdave63Agreed Misterbill. What bothers me is, China is the second country now to build an oil reserve. Its three times larger than ours. And they are wheeling and dealing all around the world to buy up more oil.
rdave63-- got some place I can read about
January 22, 2007 - 02:00 ET by misterbillrdave63-- got some place I can read about the Chineses reserves???
You are scaring me, it's happening sooner than I thought!
It was actually in the news a
January 22, 2007 - 02:06 ET by rdave63It was actually in the news about 9 months ago. The news also reported, that Dick Cheney was traveling to other countries that we get oil from, only to find out China was there first trying to undercut our deals. China also signed a $100B deal with Russia to pump all the oil they can. (not to mention one with Iran). Most the Chinese oil contracts don't specify a price, but go for 30 years. They grease the palms of the people who sign them with them (kickbacks) and that keeps the "open-ended" prices low. China wins, but the oil rich country loses. I will try to find the news stories and email you the link.
Misterbill. Try shanghi zoo
January 22, 2007 - 02:09 ET by rdave63Misterbill. Try shanghi zoom intelligence co. report. Here is the link. If you search China oil reserves, you will find much more.
http://www.zoomchina.com.cn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15983&Itemid=81
misterb...Oh yeah, the first
January 22, 2007 - 02:21 ET by bigtimermisterb...
Oh yeah, the first people they line up to meet that the media show oooohing and ahhhhing over are the Chinese greeting Putin, Iran, Chavez if I remember right...on and on it has gone steadily for years, the Chinese were going to buy one of our oil Co's if I remember correctly but there was an uproar I tell ya, it put the kerbosch to it, but in the meantime they went elsewhere, they are drilling off of Fla. coast where we are not even allowed to drill, and yet we cannot get even the likes of Jeb Bush and Bill Nelson to allow drilling there, to be self-dependent, we have enough oil in the US to keep us self dependent forever that it is not funny, there are other forms too, but anyway enough...it is one big circle jerk and we we do not move pronto we are in some serious trouble, it is outrageous.
Btw...I have seen numerous times over the years that the President could of used the prices and the need to be self dependent on oil here within the US during a time of war or natural disasters like Katrina...and nothing, zilch, he had the bully-pulpit, he would of had the majority of the people behind him if he used it at the correct time, as it was needed to be.
We have enemies all over the world ready to pounce, that is their goal, to take control over us one way or the other, through one mean or the other...people are stupid and spoiled here...with the aide of the media and the enemy within politically, world-wide too.... It is past sad.
"If we ever forget that we are a Nation Under God....then we will be a Nation Gone Under." Ronald Reagan
More on China and Venezuela
January 22, 2007 - 02:57 ET by UnsaneYou are 100% justified to keep an eye on the Chinese, just as I am...but in the case of Venezuela, China has a little problem. Sure, they can buy oil from Venezuela, but they have no way to refine it. Oil from Venezuela is refined in the Carribbean or in the southern United States for it is in those places the infrastructure is in place to refine the ultra-heavy crude coming out of Venezuela. From the Orinoco River basin in particular, it is so heavy, it almost (but not quite) comes up solid. China certainly CAN develop such facilities - but that will take some time yet.
More interesting is now that PDVSA (the state owned oil monopoly in Venezuela) has now been turned from a competently run organization to a patronage machine for the Chavistas, many of its most competent managers and employees have been run off. As a result, many of the high-maintenance oil fields of Venezuela have been poorly managed to the point where they no longer are productive - perhaps never to return to their productive levels of the past. Hence Chavez is screwing the U.S., the Chinese, and much more importantly - his own people, by plundering and throwing away its resources.
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
Be scared misterbill, now CIA reports China 10T GDP
January 22, 2007 - 02:58 ET by SportPoliticsbe scared misterbill, now CIA reports China has a 10Trillion dollar GDP.
$10 trillion (2006 est.)
Only a few years ago, intelligent people in chat argued with me that Japan was the second largest GDP, that Britian/UK was third and China a close fourth. What was occurring was Hong Kong was not included in the GDP assessments for China.
Last time I checked China, not long ago, the CIA factbook had it at 6.7 trillion ( I believe that was a 2002 estimate - mid last year or so )
Well, our economy is reportedly 12-13 Trillion, huh. China, 10 Trillion, and then of course there's that Communist control factor. I wonder what their reported government spending is per year... showing 489 billion. The caveat being that our offical GDP exchange rate is 13 trillion but theirs is GDP exchange rate 2.5 trillion down from 10 Trillion.
Not sure where that all pans out, but the purchasing power parity for them is $7,600 and they have 4 times+ as many people, putting a USA equivalent at $29,400 , where we list at $43,500.
By my rough estimate they are 3/4rs what the USA is this very moment.
Stats?
January 22, 2007 - 03:09 ET by UnsaneI would be very interested at how the CIA (or anyone else) can accurately formulate how well the Chinese economy is doing. The CPC doesn't quite acknowledge the GAAP.
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
I suppose Unsane
January 22, 2007 - 03:18 ET by SportPoliticsI suppose Unsane, for starters, Satellite pics and any information coming from our own global players, as well as shared intel.
No doubt all the stories I've seen have caveats about how the Chinese guard their information, but dialing 1-800-Wal-Mart, adding a few sat pics, and calculating with known businesses stock reports, and one cannot be that far off. I'm not sure the SWIFT program didn't help in that area either.
Here's another far lower stat Unsane
January 22, 2007 - 03:29 ET by SportPoliticsHere's another far lower stat Unsane:
chinadaily 4-19-04
IMF: China's GDP ranks No.7
[ In 2003 in spite of the SARS epidemic and the infliction of natural disaster the Chinese economy still kept a rapid growth. In that year China's GDP was US$1409.9 billion, which has been one of the fastest increases since 1997. It accounted for 3.9 percent of total world GDP and increased 0.1 percentages over the previous year. Dropping one place over the previous year it took the No.7 place worldwide. It was learned that the reason China's GDP dropped place in 2003 was primarily due to the appreciation of Euro against Dollar and RMB's comparative stable exchange rate to Dollar. ]
Well, I don't know, you tell me. I saw a year ago 100 million + middle class drivers in China. Maybe that's incorrect.
Maybe the 2.5 trillion Exchange rate is the actual US dollar GDP - and the 10T is 400% inflated, which follows with stated IMF 1.409 trillion in 2003.
I'd say it is confusing, and I believe the 1.409T leaves out Hong Kong entirely.
IJ...You said it best...Pure
January 22, 2007 - 01:53 ET by bigtimerIJ...
You said it best...
Pure INSANITY!
We vote these peole in.....
Pathetic.
We will be doomed, unless people wake up. Quickly.
Btw fella...THE COLTS WON!
"If we ever forget that we are a Nation Under God....then we will be a Nation Gone Under." Ronald Reagan
PS windmill power
January 22, 2007 - 01:54 ET by misterbillPS windmill power, if we were to build the windmill farms inside the halls of Congress, we could probably provide the electricity the East Coast needs.
(esp with the Dem windbags in power.)
misterbill....your almost a
January 22, 2007 - 01:58 ET by ww thumpermisterbill....your almost as bratty as I am ... :-^} ( bratt smile) :-) ww Being "Politcaly Correct" with ISLAM will distroy America......WW
OK then ww
January 22, 2007 - 02:03 ET by misterbillOK then ww--how's about we put them behind Al Gore's butt/// Hee, hee!!!
misterbill ..your on a roll t
January 22, 2007 - 02:07 ET by ww thumpermisterbill ..your on a roll tonight!...it is bedtime isn't it :-) Being "Politcaly Correct" with ISLAM will distroy America......WW
ta ta!!
January 22, 2007 - 02:11 ET by misterbillTa ta!! Night , night all! WW--my roll now is in to bed! Nice talking with all of you.
(except Melvin and rhayes. I will pray for their conversion to conservative before their party has us in a position to convert to Islam or else!
It is insane or just plain ig
January 22, 2007 - 10:16 ET by dscottIt is insane or just plain ignorant to think the US can achieve 1990 levels of energy consumption or offset current consumption with solar, wind and biomass. I find it interesting that Gov. Richardson neglected to mention Nuclear Power. I guess this is the "N" word to lib Dems. Nuclear power is the only viable means to achieve energy independence, which would bring the support of many conservatives.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
You have to wonder if ole' Ge
January 22, 2007 - 11:03 ET by NeoCon JediYou have to wonder if ole' Georgie pushed Bill to raise taxes while in the White House as much as he does these Dems? It makes me wonder if he was behind all the tax hikes we got under Clinton.
I got it, why don't we raise just his taxes on energy, since he seems to be the only one wanting a tax hike? See how he likes it then.
"At an end your rule is, and not short enough it was!" -- Yoda