Kerry Takes Aim at Bush Energy Scheme - Cooney Takes Exxon Job

[kerrygoddess]

Kerry Takes Aim at Bush Energy Scheme
15 June 2005



What kind of delusions is Bush under? In his speech today pushing Congress to pass his Energy Bill, he said, “My advice is, they ought to keep this in mind: Summer's here, temperatures are rising and tempers will really rise if Congress doesn't pass an energy bill.” The Bush administration Energy Bill offers no quick fix to the rising gas and energy prices.

Lawmakers have acknowledged that the bill would do little to ensure reductions in oil imports, which accounted for nearly 58 percent of the crude oil used during the first three months of this year.

John Kerry released the following statement today in response to Bush’s speech:

Bush Plan Increases Dependence on Dangerous Foreign Oil, No Relief for Record Gas Prices

"Just days after another senior official cashed out and took a job at Exxon, we heard another speech about energy from the 'say one thing, do another' Bush administration. No matter how much President Bush stumps for his failed ideas, the Bush-Cheney energy plan is not the solution to rising energy costs or the answer to our dangerous dependence on foreign oil. Instead, their energy policy is the place where cozy business connections, secret deals and industry campaign contributions come together to keep us dependent on foreign oil and keep consumers paying through the nose at the pump. No wonder even President Bush's own economists agree it will do little to reduce dependence on foreign oil or bring prices down, and the President himself admitted it'll do nothing to provide immediate relief at the pump.

"Americans deserve better. We need a real plan that will free us from our dependence on Mideast oil by investing in renewable sources, providing incentives for conservation and diversifying our energy supplies. We can build an energy independent America that relies on its own ingenuity and innovation instead of the Saudi royal family, but we'll never get there with the Bush energy scheme."


Cooney, just days after resigning from his White House position, has taken a position at Exxon.

The White House made no mention of Cooney's plans to join Exxon Mobil, the world's largest oil company. Its executives have been among the most skeptical in the oil industry about the prospects of climate change because of a growing concentration of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. The leading greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels.



More & Links - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=1085

[jmaier]

1. Kerry is dead on -- as usual

This is one of his issues that I see as a real strength. The obstructionist Democrats should really try and keep this bill from passing. Any idea where Reid stands?

[kerrygoddess]

2. No clue on Reid!

Kerry will lead on this he always does.

[welshTerrier2]

3. OK ... it's a start ...

"We need a real plan that will free us from our dependence on Mideast oil by investing in renewable sources, providing incentives for conservation and diversifying our energy supplies."

I support Kerry's call for energy independence ... but if Kerry really wants to push this issue, and it's a critical issue, he needs to go well beyond what he offered in his brief comments ...

Kerry cited that we have to reduce our dependence on Mideast oil ... those of us who see the Democratic Party in bed with big corporations realize that what we really need to do is regain control of our government ... it's not just bush and the republicans who accept massive contributions from big oil and meet with their lobbyists ... it is time to start telling the American people the truth about the obscene profits that big oil has made directly as a result of instability in Iraq and throughout the Middle East ... it's time to put an end to the "free market" and start regulating the kinds of abuses big oil has been able to perpetrate ... the point is that what's really at issue here is not just energy problems but the protection of our democracy ...

Kerry and the Democrats should champion a movement for CAFE standards ... how insane is this country at a time we are desperate to ensure an affordable, adequate supply of oil with troops dying in the Middle East, to be driving around in those enormous, gas guzzling SUV's ??? or would such calls be considered an attack on the automotive industry that would cost us more votes ??? i strongly support Kerry's call for encouraging conservation ... let's call for two sets of gas pumps ... one for gas guzzlers that would have higher prices for the "free market" hogs and one for fuel efficient cars that would have lower gas prices ...

and i've been hearing a little too much promo lately for nuclear power ... has everyone gone fucking crazy???? even the nuclear nazis of the 70's and 80's used to admit that the industry was a dismal failure ... i remember the storms of protest about dumping the costs to dismantle nuclear power plants on the public ... it seemed that a consensus had been reached about just how crazy nuclear power really was ... look at all the protest about dumping nuclear waste out west last year ... you want nuclear power? fine, we'll bury the waste near your kid's school ... just sign here ...

Kerry was unclear when he talked about "diversifying our energy supplies" ... diversification is always a good idea but the devil is in the details ... pointing fingers at the bush administration's incestuous relationship with big oil is a good start ... but if Kerry wants to be taken seriously on this issue, and i truly hope he does, we're going to need to see the details of his program ...

[blm]

5. Kerry has gone into detail on this for years.

I'm sure you can find more in his writings and position papers over the years. He made two or three hourlong environmental speeches in the last campaign. It was no fluke that almost every serious environmentalist and group was behind Kerry early on.

I also noted that the media didn't allow much of Kerry's environmental proposals to be heard. Especially since he always wisely linked the health of the environment and the full funding of alternative fuels as serious matters in the interest of our own national security, as well as global citizenship.

[paulk]

6. Kerry has led the fight on CAFE standards

http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/12665/

The McCain/Kerry legislation was a compromise between a Kerry/Hollings amendment and an amendment McCain introduced to the 2002 energy bill. Intense lobbying from the oil industry defeated it.

[Kmarx]

4. I posted another article about the Cooney/Bush/Oil Cartel

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1856729&mesg_id=1856729

[democrat_patriot]

7. Where's the solution? I applaud Kerry but

he need to end with: And here is how the Democrats will fix it. Bam.

Instead is gives credence to *'s statement we don't offer solutions.

Where is our plan? I'm at this site daily and don't know it, and if I don't know it I'm sure those raised on CNN don't either.

[ohtransplant]

8. All Dems in the Senate should line up with Kerry on this one.

*'s energy bill sucks, this Cooney guy exposes them for what they really are, and gasoline is still $2/gallon. Dems need to remind the thugs 2006 is right around the corner if the want to push *'s poor excuse for an energy bill.

It's time to bring back the CAFE standards and promote alternateive fuels.

Go JK

[Independent_Liberal]

9. Right on Kerry! Right on!

Keep hammering away at them Senator! You're doing great!

[kerrygoddess]

10. He's hammering all day every day these days!

:bounce: