It is obvious that Obama isn't going to pander to Big Coal. And the people who work in those Kentucky coal mines know very well that the production has gone up, while the number of jobs in the coal industry has declined significantly.

While there has been a 22% increase in coal production from 1985-2005, there has been a corresponding DECREASE of 55% in the number of coal miners employed during that same period. Yet, the communities in those regions of coal mining continue to be devastated by the waste and sludge in their communities and waterways and water supplies.

As for the "Clean coal" misnomer and the magic of liquid coal (and Jim Bunning's big talk about the depth of his "economic background"), here is some information from the Sierra Club:

"Liquid coal creates almost double the carbon dioxide emissions per gallon as regular gasoline, and replacing just 10 percent of our nation's fuel with it would require a more than 40 percent increase in coal mining.

On top of those environmental damages, liquid coal needs billions of dollars of government subsidies and incentives to be viable, money that could be spent cleaning up our current use of coal and shifting toward cleaner sources of energy. Taxpayers gambled on liquid coal synfuels 30 years ago and lost billions of dollars, a lesson we should not have to learn twice."

On top of that, there is now a current effort underway to overturn "Section 526", a provision in last year's energy bill to prohibit federal agencies from entering into long-term purchasing contracts for fuels that are dirtier than conventional petroleum-based fuels.

This effort to overturn Section 526 is an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill that is currently being marked up. The bill may get to the House floor by May 19.

Posted at May 11, 2008 11:33 PM in response to Obama Promoting Coal -- And Concern For Rural Voters -- In New Kentucky Ad

Are you telling me that the Governor of New York did NOT have sufficient CREDIT... only $400.00??!!... and therefore he had to go through some extraordinary loops to meet up with Kristin?

And, after all is said and done, they grill Kristin to see if Spitzer likes the nasty and perverted stuff?

Finally, don't take your eye off the real story here. The sex is a diversion. Spitzer was working on insurance markets.

Posted at March 10, 2008 4:00 PM in response to "Client 9"

Greg,

Here is the quote from Samantha that you need to FULLY address and not a section that was lifted out. [I took the liberty to bold some key sections.]

"You can’t make a commitment in March 2008 about what circumstances will be like in January of 2009," she said. "He will, of course, not rely on some plan that he’s crafted as a presidential candidate or a U.S. Senator. He will rely upon a plan – an operational plan – that he pulls together in consultation with people who are on the ground to whom he doesn’t have daily access now, as a result of not being the president. So to think – it would be the height of ideology to sort of say, 'Well, I said it, therefore I’m going to impose it on whatever reality greets me.'"

Samantha has already been railroaded and I cannot sit by and watch Obama subjected to ridicule for the astute remark made by his foreign policy adviser, Samantha Power.

After all we have been through in this nation over the past eight years with a cowboy who never veers off course to prove how tough he is... it is folly for you to hold Obama to this same standard.

Obama is NOT the President at this point in time. He doesn't have the full(est) information. The situation on the ground and in the political realm in Iraq WILL shift in a definitive manner before the fall elections arrive in this nation.

Samantha worded that in a very precise manner and she should be commended for it.

You should note this in your analogy.

Posted at March 7, 2008 9:09 PM in response to Obama: Don't Be Confused, I'm Serious About Ending War

Hillary needs to emote and learn how to connect with people.

Edwards told a story during the debate, he was on fire and emoting and reaching his audience... then Hillary stepped on that "enchanted moment" and crushed it with her heel, then she proceeded to intrude and push in her answer.

She's been trying to recover ever since.

Edwards did not cry... he brought the tears to others eyes. Big distinction.

Hillary hanging with the girls and crying, though I have no doubt she may be sincere, but it sure is odd timing and it just isn't the right way to do it.

She's out of step.

Posted at January 7, 2008 3:40 PM in response to Hillary Teared--and Edwards Blinked

Since when is education equated with "trying to make him another pathetic ward of the nanny state..."

You demonstrate the extent of the undercurrents to attack our system of education as "government aid" and not a common good.

Posted at August 5, 2007 3:31 PM in response to An Ethical Reflection on Minneapolis