Boone Pickens-Backed Bill Is Shot Down in California

[Robbien]

Source: NYT

Voters in the state shot down a proposal backed by the oil billionaire to give Californians rebates to buy alternative fuel vehicles and set aside money for research.

But voters, it seems heeded a coalition of critics, which included environmentalists, business and union groups, and top politicians from around the state, who warned that the $5 billion bond measure would have tarnish the state’s green image and steered taxpayer money to the Texas investor.

. . .

“California voters didn’t fall for a Texas oil tycoon’s $10 billion money grab, no matter how much he spent camouflaging it as green,” Richard Holober, a spokesman for the No on Prop 10 campaign, and Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of California, said in a statement after the bill was defeated. “Proposition 10 is the ultimate example of a wealthy special interest abusing the ballot initiative process to enrich itself. ”

It’s been a rough year for the energy investor.

Mr. Pickens and his investment fund have lost $2 billion since peaking in late June. And about half of the investors in Mr. Pickens’ energy-oriented equity hedge fund have asked to withdraw their money on the heels of losses of about 60 percent this year, The Wall Street Journal reportd recently.

Read more: http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/pickens-backed-bill-is-shot-down-in-california/

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Good

[desktop]

1. Pickens has sealed his fate, he should be ignored.

The man has supported so many lies. He has no credibility left. Some of his ideas might have some merit, but once you have proven your dishonesty, you should just go into retirement and enjoy your billions.

[AikidoSoul]

2. I was hopin'

Pickens would lead the way in wind energy and other alternative energy developments.

It seems like whenever big investors start putting their money in alternative energy --suddenly the rug gets pulled out from under them. Read the book "The Sun Betrayed" for how it was done for decades.

[staying left]

7. Never trusted him!

For some reason, I have always been suspect of Mr. Pickens motives. The Texas oilman, responsible for the swift-boating of Sen. Kerry, wants us to believe he's gone green? The profit motive is all this man understands.

[blogslut]

9. Your hope was misplaced

Boone's "wind energy" efforts are a front for his real intentions - Texas High Plains land confiscated under the authority of Eminent Domain so that he can control/own/sell the water in the Ogallala Aquifer.

Boone Pickens is no hero.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. At least we got that one right. n/t

[4lbs]

4. T. Boone Pickens funded the SwiftBoat ads that helped sink Kerry in 2004.

He's now getting Karma's backhand.

[blm]

5. Good - he really believed he could snow most Dems - he couldn't snow enough. Good.

.

[YvonneCa]

14. And how dare he come into our state, use our...

...fund and initiative process for his own gain. The NERVE of that guy! :grr:

[Boo Boo]

6. Ballot measures like this don't have much of a chance in

the current economic climate. Does it cost money? The answer is "no." I would have voted against it anyway, bad economy or not, because I figured Obama was going to win and we'd be getting new national energy policies. I don't want to pay double for all this stuff while basic services get shorted in CA. Besides NG powered cars is not something I want subsidized out of my pocket, ever.

Add to all that my basic "fuck Boone Pickens" attitude, and you've got yourself a "no" vote.

[Kalifornia.Kid]

8. Proposition 10-Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Proposition 10-Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Total Reporting: 96%

Name.......Votes.......Pct.
No.......5,637,107.....60%
Yes......3,793,765.....40%

LAST UPDATE: Nov-05-2008, 12:15 PM Pacific Standard Time

Source: http://elections.cbslocal.com/cbs/kpix/20081104/race1011.shtml

[Robbien]

10. So he fooled forty percent of the people

with his fake green scam. Too close for comfort.

[Ian David]

11. Good. We can do this without that lying crook. n/t

[pinniped]

12. I think a commercial linking this asshole to the people that swift-boated Kerry....

would have been all it takes to sink this clown.

Fuck him.

[Javaman]

13. pul-eeease. what bonehead pickens means by alternative fuel vehicles means

all the natural gas he can sell and make buckets of money from.

my heart bleeds for this greedy greenwashing fucker.

[wtmusic]

15. Mr. "I will always vote Republican, of course" got his head handed to him

by a blue state. C ya!

[AlCzervik]

16. i was polled on that twice and said hell no as soon as i heard his name.

[globalvillage]

17. Hahahahaha

Just got back from MA and Sen. Kerry's victory party. This just keeps getting better and better.
Thanks for the news.

[Bluestar]

18. T. Boone "Pick-your-pocket" did not succeed in fleecing California taxpayers n/t