Obama Speaks at UNLV July 9 Video

Obama Meets With Bipartisan Group on Energy June 23

In a strategy similar to the endgame on health care reform, President Barack Obama will convene top senators from both parties at the White House on Wednesday to try to reach a deal on an energy reform bill.
Like the health care summit earlier this year that emboldened Democrats to push through a Senate bill with no Republican support, the energy talks are portrayed by the White House as a chance for all participants to pitch their best ideas.

Joe Lieberman is on board:

Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut who sits with the Democratic caucus, told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that he believes an energy bill "does have a chance" this year.
"There are about 50 senators who want to vote for a strong, comprehensive energy bill that puts a price on carbon pollution," Lieberman said. "There are about 30 who are set against it and there are 20 undecided. You've got to get to 60 to pass anything in the Senate. We need half of the undecided and we can do it." Read it all at cnn.

Bill Gates: Clean Energy R&D Would Make Great Second Stimulus

Bill Gates said the first stimulus saved the economy from disaster and is advocating a second stimulus, or what he calls an "investment." If Obama called a stimulus an investment, we'd never hear the end of it.
Gates says that the government should invest heavily--$16 billion--in research and development of alternative energies. I believe that's what Obama's been saying for quite some time now. From what I've heard from Obama, a new energy economy IS the future. But I don't think the republicans will be going along with any kind of spending or investment. Leaders of this country clearly lack any kind of forward thinking capabilities. It's all about politics and the next election.

Obama Speaks on His Bipartisan Meeting Video

Obama met with republicans and democrats today. They discussed the agenda going forward including the BP oil spill, jobs growth, more support for the military, tackling the national debt and finishing the Wall Street reform bill.
Obama also said we have to start planning the move toward new energy sources.
Mitch McConnell took the opportunity to oppose energy reform legislation. We wouldn't expect anything else.

Video of Obama's Press Conference on Oil Disaster May 27

I'm with Bernie Sanders on extending a permanent ban on new drilling. Not only that, we need a conservation plan. Americans need to start making some sacrifices. We want everything, yet we don't want to give up anything, which is how we get into so much trouble. We want government to provide services, yet we don't want to be taxed. Banning new drilling will also send the message to oil companies that we're moving on, so ramp up your other lines of business. Then we need a national plan to heavily invest in new energies.

Here's the transcript. Full video:

The list of reporters Obama called on.

Vilsack's Forum on Rural Clean Energy Economies Video

This forum was held yesterday. The Department of Agriculture has been busy. It is also targeting new nutrition guidelines in schools.

Obama Speaks to Governors on Energy Economy

Obama and Joe Biden spoke to governors yesterday on a clean energy economy. Obama is trying to transition the nation's economy into one that's more sustaining:

Chu and Locke Host Clean Energy Forum

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Energy Secretary Steven Chu host forum on climate change and clean energy:

Obama Speaks on Clean Energy Jobs

Obama says energy is new foundation for long-term growth:

Hilda Solis on the jobs report:

Obama's Weekly Address May 16

Oil and Crack

This is a good analogy by NYT'sThomas Friedman: 

When a person is addicted to crack cocaine, his problem is not that the price of crack is going up. His problem is what that crack addiction is doing to his whole body. The cure is not cheaper crack, which would only perpetuate the addiction and all the problems it is creating. The cure is to break the addiction.

Ditto for us. Our cure is not cheaper gasoline, but a clean energy system. And the key to building that is to keep the price of gasoline and coal — our crack — higher, not lower, so consumers are moved to break their addiction to these dirty fuels and inventors are moved to create clean alternatives.

Unfortunately, I think the democrats have to offer Americans a short-term solution, in addition to a long-term solution, even though there may not be a short-term solution other than cutting back on driving and becoming more frugal in other areas. Many Americans are hurting and they want the fix.

Obama on Energy and Gas Prices Video

from obama's Blueprint for change
AT A GLANCE
Tackle Climate Change
Obama will implement a cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the level recommended by top scientists.

Create Millions of Green Jobs
Obama will invest $150 billion over ten years to deploy clean technologies, protect our existing manufacturing base and create millions of new jobs.

Reduce Dependence on Foreign Oil
Obama will reduce oil consumption overall by at least 35 percent, or 10 million barrels of oil, by 2030.

THE PROBLEM
Foreign Oil
America’s 20-million-barrel-a-day oil habit costs our economy $1.4 billion a day, and $500 billion in 2006 alone. Every single hour, we spend $41 million on foreign oil.

Climate Change
As a result of climate change, glaciers are melting faster; the polar ice caps are shrinking; trees are blooming earlier; more people are dying in heat waves; species are migrating, and eventually many will become extinct.

BARACK OBAMA’S PLAN
Reduce Carbon Emissions 80 Percent by 2050
Cap and Trade: Obama supports implementation of a market-based cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions by the amount scientists say is necessary: 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Obama’s cap-and-trade system will require all pollution credits to be auctioned. A 100 percent auction ensures that all polluters pay for every ton of emissions they release, rather than giving these emission rights away to coal and oil companies. Some of the revenue generated by auctioning allowances will be used to support the development of clean energy, to invest in energy efficiency improvements, and to address transition costs, including helping American workers affected by this economic transition.

Confront Deforestation and Promote Carbon Sequestration: Obama will develop domestic incentives that reward forest owners, farmers, and ranchers when they plant trees, restore grasslands, or undertake farming practices that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Invest in a Clean Energy Future

Invest $150 Billion over 10 Years in Clean Energy: Obama will invest $150 billion over 10 years to advance the next generation of biofuels and fuel infrastructure, accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of commercial-scale renewable energy, invest in low-emissions coal plants, and begin the transition to a new digital electricity grid. A principal focus of this fund will be to ensure that technologies that are developed in the U.S. are rapidly commercialized in the U.S. and deployed around the globe.
Double Energy Research and Development Funding: Obama will double science and research funding for clean energy projects including those that make use of our biomass, solar and wind resources.

Invest in a Skilled Clean Technologies Workforce

Obama will use proceeds from the cap-and-trade auction program to invest in job training and transition programs to help workers and industries adapt to clean technology development and production. Obama will also create an energy-focused Green Jobs Corps to connect disconnected and disadvantaged youth with job skills for a high-growth industry.

Convert our Manufacturing Centers into Clean Technology Leaders
Obama will establish a federal investment program to help manufacturing centers modernize and Americans learn the new skills they need to produce green products.
Clean Technologies Deployment Venture Capital Fund

Obama will create a Clean Technologies Venture Capital Fund to fill a critical gap in U.S. technology development. Obama will invest $10 billion per year into this fund for five years. The fund will partner with existing investment funds and our National Laboratories to ensure that promising technologies move beyond the lab and are commercialized in the U.S.

Require 25 Percent of Renewable Electricity by 2025

Obama will establish a 25 percent federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to require that 25 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal by 2025.

Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology

Obama will significantly increase the resources devoted to the commercialization and deployment of low-carbon coal technologies. Obama will consider whatever policy tools are necessary, including standards that ban new traditional coal facilities, to ensure that we move quickly to commercialize and deploy low carbon coal technology.

ENERGY
Support Next Generation Biofuels
Deploy Cellulosic Ethanol: Obama will invest federal resources, including tax incentives, cash prizes and government contracts into developing the most promising technologies with the goal of getting the first two billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol into the system by 2013.

Expand Locally-Owned Biofuel Refineries: Less than 10 percent of new ethanol production today is from farmer-owned refineries. New ethanol refineries help jumpstart rural economies. Obama will create a number of incentives for local communities to invest in their biofuels refineries.

Establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard: Barack Obama will establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard to speed the introduction of low-carbon non-petroleum fuels. The standard requires fuel suppliers to reduce the carbon their fuel emits by 10 percent by 2020.

Increase Renewable Fuel Standard: Obama will require 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be included in the fuel supply by 2022 and will increase that to at least 60billion gallons of advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol by 2030.

Set America on Path to Oil Independence: Obama’s plan will reduce oil consumption by at least 35 percent, or 10 million barrels per day, by 2030. This will more than offset the equivalent of the oil we would import from OPEC nations by 2030.
Increase Fuel Economy Standards: Obama will double fuel economy standards within 18 years. His plan will provide retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers, so that they can build new fuel-efficient cars rather than overseas companies. Obama will also invest in advanced vehicle technology such as advanced lightweight materials and new engines.

Improve Energy Efficiency by 50 Percent by 2030

Set National Building Efficiency Goals: Barack Obama will establish a goal of making all new buildings carbon neutral (that is, producing zero emissions) by 2030. He’ll also establish a national goal of improving new building efficiency by 50 percent and existing building efficiency by 25 percent over the next decade to help us meet the 2030 goal.

Establish a Grant Program for Early Adopters: Obama will create a competitive grant program to award those states and localities that take the first steps to implement new building codes that prioritize energy efficiency.
Invest in a Digital Smart Grid: Obama will pursue a major investment in our utility grid to enable a tremendous increase in renewable generation and accommodate modern energy requirements, such as reliability, smart metering, and distributed storage.

Restore U.S. Leadership on Climate Change

Create New Forum of Largest Greenhouse Gas Emitters: Obama will create a Global Energy Forum that includes all G-8 members plus Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa –the largest energy consuming nations from both the developed and developing world. The forum would focus exclusively on global energy and environmental issues.

Re-Engage with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change: The UNFCCC process is the main international forum dedicated to addressing the climate problem and an Obama administration will work constructively within it.

OBAMA RECORD

Renewable Fuels
Obama has worked on numerous efforts in the Senate to increase access to and use of renewable fuels. Obama passed legislation with Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) to give gas stations a tax credit for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps. The tax credit covers 30 percent of the costs of switching one or more traditional petroleum pumps to E85, which is an 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline blend. Obama also sponsored an amendment that became law providing $40 million for commercialization of a combined flexible fuel vehicle/hybrid car within five years.

CAFE

Obama introduced a bold new plan that brought Republicans and Democrats, CAFÉ supporters and long-time opponents together in support of legislation that will gradually increase fuel economy standards and offer what the New York Times editorial page called “real as opposed to hypothetical results.”
For More Informationnformationnformation about Baracarack’s Plan
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