New Tape: Obama Wants To Bankrupt Coal Industry
For nearly 10 months the San Francisco Chronicle has been sitting on a tape where Presidential candidate Barack Obama told the paper he planned to bankrupt the coal industry in the US.
The promise of clean coal as an energy source is but one of the pillars of a plan to eliminate America's dependence on foreign oil. The US has significant reserves of coal in states like Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado and others that creates tremendous economic opportunity.
Yet Obama's "ideological" opposition to coal diminishes or at least extends the time it will take for America to be energy independent.
It should also be noted that the San Francisco Chronicle's original article based on the interview conveniently did not contain Obama's remarks on the coal industry. (Had they been known most likely it would have hurt Obama in the race against Hillary Clinton.)
The promise of clean coal as an energy source is but one of the pillars of a plan to eliminate America's dependence on foreign oil. The US has significant reserves of coal in states like Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado and others that creates tremendous economic opportunity.
Yet Obama's "ideological" opposition to coal diminishes or at least extends the time it will take for America to be energy independent.
It should also be noted that the San Francisco Chronicle's original article based on the interview conveniently did not contain Obama's remarks on the coal industry. (Had they been known most likely it would have hurt Obama in the race against Hillary Clinton.)
Labels: Barack Obama, coal, energy independence, San Francisco Chronicle
Posted by Michael Higby @ 11/02/2008 01:31:00 PM
5 Comments:
This is why campaigns have truth squads. I'm assuming that you never read a transcript of those remarks.
Obama never said that he wanted to bankrupt the coal "industry."
If the transcript that I saw is correct, he said, "I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter."
So by charging power plant generators based upon how much greenhouse gas they belch into the atmosphere, billions would be raised to promote clean energy alternatives.
His reported quote: "So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can. It's just that it will bankrupt them."
So, if you agree that clean energy must be promoted, then the discussion should be around alternatives ideas to Obama's.
If you agree that we can get by without building new coal plants while we build cleaner plants, then you're OK with his plan.
If you believe that there really is something called a "clean coal plant," then we're off onto another fun-filled discussion.
Obama said his policy would bankrupt coal plants.
That pretty much puts an end to the business.
Fairly reckless when you consider that 49% of electricity comes from coal at present. He also said it will cause electricity rates to go skyward.
That would have a tremendous negative impact on the economy.
More interesting is why the Chronicle didn't even report on it.
Democratic pollster Pat Caddell says this is devastating BUT why didn't it come out sooner?
The press squelched it, Mister Higby. Do we remember a certain video the L.A. Times refuses to release?
I have what once Republican source on the web says is a transcript of Obama's statements. In it he never says that his plan would bankrupt the industry, just make those who want to build new coal plants pay pollution penalties so they may not want to build a new plant.
I can post it if you want.
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