Obama Uses Gulf Oil Spill for Energy Agenda Push

We should get ready for the new wave of laws, regulations and a new Energy bill that will be coming out of this oil spill disaster.

Remember never let a disaster go to waste.

We were reminded again of how our nation needs a transition to clean energy when the President address the nation from the oval office last night.

Yes, cap and trade, more taxes, fees are expected to hit the nations tax payer out of this.

No to forget that we may end footing the bill for the oil spill at the end.

President Obama summoned Americans on Tuesday to a “national mission” to move away from reliance on oil and develop alternative sources of energy, casting the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as an imperative for Congress to act quickly to overcome “a lack of political courage and candor.” Speaking to a national television audience for the first time from the Oval Office, Mr. Obama also promised a long-term plan to make sure that the gulf states suffering from the oil spill are made whole again. He said he was appointing Ray Mabus, the secretary of the Navy and the former governor of Mississippi, to develop a Gulf Coast restoration plan in cooperation with states, local communities, tribes, fishermen, conservationists and gulf

www.cnbc.com...

Remember that under the guise of more jobs and clean energy is more taxes and debt.

Well stated. I have similar feelings after watching his address. It just all feels like too-good of an opportunity to waste. Is this the false-flag event we have been expecting? There has been too much worldwide focus on the ME and North America.

[edit on 16/6/2010 by Dark Ghost]

reply to post by Dark Ghost


It also takes away the more depressing news coming from the Euro zone and the downgrade of nations ratings.

While the rest of the world is falling into economic chaos all you see is the oil spill in the gulf everywhere in the news.

Now once the new laws and reforms comes to play, the switch to other worldly news will be enforced.

This is possible, but I think (rather hope) that the congressmen fight so much that nothing will get done. Given how long Health Care reform took to get done there is a chance though.

Something we have to think about though is that most people aren't shocked or scared by this event. Most people, especially in the Gulf, are ticked off at the government (even more). The environment may not be right for popular support for this kind of legislation.

This administration's modo never miss taking advantage of a good crisis

and always point the finger at someone else. Instead of calling in

world's resources to help clean up these catastrophic oil leaks it is show

me the money and promote obama's green agenda with a giant price

tag. I am sure most people are for clean efficient energy but when

American's are broke and can barely make it from pay check to pay check

don't come with more taxes especially carbon taxes. ^Y^

We were reminded again of how our nation needs a transition to clean energy

OMG no. You mean America might actually start trying to wean herself off the oil additiction which is crippling her?

In the short term it WILL be expensive and some of that expense should come out of our pockets, for the common good not just of America, but the whole planet.

reply to post by Merigold


You've missed the point entirely. Everyone wants clean energy. To say someone enjoys toxic substances is ludicrous.

The point is:

Laws and Regulations = More debt and harder to make profits from innovation.

All in all, we'll just become even poorer, since he doesn't want to wait for TRUE breakthrough innovation, he'd rather shove what green tech we currently have down our throats, no matter the cost.

the gulf is shuting down
the trans alaska pipe lin is shut down
both due to bps bad practice caused spills

how many other in house sources that the US has are shut down?

I think Marg is right
gas to go through the roof
green agenda (look what it did to spain)
AGENDA
regulation

the repblicans just voted NOT to lift the 75 million liability cap
PB will just pay it to the manufacturer of Corexant which it owns anf to the clean up company it bought
pRIOR to the spill

the expence and damage will be the excuse to give you the AGENDA

[edit on 16-6-2010 by Danbones]

What we need to be doing is encouraging companies to produce more eco-friendly products and devices that use solar or wind power. This will create jobs and increase consumer spending.

Obama continues to ignore the status of the economy. We can not continue to simply extend benefits over and over again with no end in sight, all the while increasing our debt and tax payer spending via taxes.

These ridiculous grandiose plans he was talking about in regards to the Gulf is a pipe dream. How on Earth does he think he is going to have the money to undo the last decade+ worth of damage done to the Gulf? Cleaning up the worst oil spill in history AND repairing the damage from more than two enormous hurricanes? Now? All I heard was: "You have to re-elect me in 2012 if you want this done." This was the most blatant unsubstantiated rhetoric to date in my opinion.

Last night's speech was all about: $$$$$$$$$$

More money coming from the taxpayer.

Somebody better get a reign on this man quickly. Somebody should really tell him that if he could get Americans back to work, he would have a better chance of us actually having money to give.

I'm sorry, but he has everything a little backwards. Plus, how did you like his very vague statement about the war in Afghanistan? It went something like:

"We are taking the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban anywhere it needs to be fought...."

Ahhh, hello? Can we please stick to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan for now before you go spreading around even more death, destruction, and lost money? Not to mention the illegal Yemen offensive going on.... At least he used to mention the countries we are fighting in, now he doesn't even bother.

I'm not even sure how Obama supporters can continue to support this. How can people not see the absolutely disgusting amount of money that this administration is continuing to spend? Aren't you guys tired of not working? Aren't you fed-up with wondering at what point this administration is going to vote down an extension of benefits and you won't be able to food on your table next week? Aren't you tired of not being in control of your own destiny? Aren't you tired of watching the government grow by leaps and bounds while small businesses continue to fail and close and the housing market continues to stay flat?

It's been a year and a half. How many items do you have on your "how things are better now than two years ago" list?

Where the heck is the fiscal responsibility he campaigned on? At what point do you say -- We need to do this, so let's figure out how to generate income for the average American so that we can actually do this.....

Can you imagine saying to your family --
"I know we're broke. I know we only have one income instead of two right now. I know that we are in debt up to our eyeballs. But, solar energy is really important, so we're going to borrow another $25K to put in solar panels and worry about how to pay for it later......???"

Is clean energy important? YES.
But so is putting food on the table which really should be addressed first.

reply to post by lpowell0627


What we need to be doing is encouraging companies to produce more eco-friendly products and devices that use solar or wind power. This will create jobs and increase consumer spending.

spain just went broke doing this

Originally posted by Merigold
OMG no. You mean America might actually start trying to wean herself off the oil additiction which is crippling her?

In the short term it WILL be expensive and some of that expense should come out of our pockets, for the common good not just of America, but the whole planet.

Good. Then you pay for it.
Why don't we start elsewhere in this world this time? On someone else's dime for a change?

It is not that this isn't necessary, it is. However, it is possible to do this while generating jobs, furthering technology, and increasing consumer spending.

That's how the economy is going to improve.

If the government merely just takes more of our money in taxes, we will spend even less, which will result in even higher job losses.

How exactly is higher unemployment and higher costs in entitlement programs beneficial to the United States or Americans?

If nobody is working, nobody is buying. If nobody is buying, you can have as many clean energy products out there as humanly possible and it will not make a bit of difference.

reply to post by Arcane Demesne

Laws and Regulations = More debt and harder to make profits from innovation

Yes because the pursuit of profit should be protected at all costs.

All I see is "I don't want to pay more".

Well guess what, America has waited too long and done too little to get ready for the envitable day when oil won't cut it any more. ( The UK is no different btw)

Someone has to pay, who do you suggest? It's going to hurt, no duobt about it, but I believe it is a pain the American people will overcome, thye MUST for all our sakes.

I think we do need clean energy, after all what are we going to do when fossil fuels run out? BUT i live in WV and if we didnt have coal we would be screwed. 90% of everyone i know is a coal miner. Its our job source, our life blood, and it fuels our economy. We here in WV need it to survive. BUT the planet needs clean energy. I just hope we can find something to replace coal here.

reply to post by Danbones


Spain went broke doing this because they ignored the need for balance and completely ignored how markets actually work and thought that they could control it simply by force.

reply to post by Merigold


While clean energy sounds so good and "good for the environment and the population we in America have a record of corrupted corporate greed, funneling money to foreign companies and gouging the tax payer in the process so "others" can reap the profits.

You are very much familiar with what I am talking about, all we are to get from the so call "clean energy" is the bill

Oil in the US will never be replaced as oil is what backs our mighty US dollars since the 70s gold chance



[edit on 16-6-2010 by marg6043]

More costs when we're over $14,000,000,000 in debt! Great idea!

More taxes on private sectors when we're at the LOWEST private sector job rating, EVER in the country! Awesome idea!

Raise costs on energy to force a transition to green energy which currently isn't so prevalent because its MORE EXPENSIVE! Sweeeeeet!

Green energy is great. But unfortunately to make it prominent, we need to make it CHEAPER, not make the alternative (oil) more expensive.

While all this is going on, we get lawyers and prosecutors appointed to nearly every alphabet organisation we have. WOOT! We need less lawyering, and more action that actually does something-- Just look at the headlines for the Gulf mess: "We're going to make BP pay, then clean up the mess"

It SHOULD be reading, "We're gonna get this mess cleaned up, THEN make them pay"

Oh and don't forget the tax cuts end this year. 2011, tax increases (for example, dividend taxes going from 15% to max 39%, estate taxes going from 0% to 40-something%, now add an extra $1500/yr in utility cost increases due to this energy cap and tax to give your money to people like our infamous "inventor of the internet" with a house so obnoxiously NOT green energy compliant that you can see it from space.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by SlasherOfVeils]

Originally posted by Merigold
All I see is "I don't want to pay more".

What you should see is:

We don't have anymore to pay....

What part of "we are broke" is so difficult to grasp? Do you not know what percentage our debt is of our GDP? Do you not know how many people are not working? Are you not aware that we have a bill coming due for healthcare reform on top of this?

Don't you think it would be wise to actually put people to work first?

There is enough oil in one well to "destroy the planet" and yet there is so little we need to enact "clean energy" regulation?

I am beginning to think that there is no oil shortage. Distribution is restricted to ensure massive profits.

And for those that think this will benefit US companies or those that will love to get into the business of clean energy I got one more coming, the Emirates and China will be the countries to reap the benefits of clean energy in the US.

As they already are getting into production just in case Americas government gets to pass once again the burden of debt into the tax payer so other nations can reap the profits.

As i agree that a cleaner energy source should be sought after and perfected in the near future, all of yall are livin in a dream world if you think 'green' energy can power this nation and our way of life.

Oil is MUCH more than just fuel. It's in just about everything you see around you, even your computer.
Oil is too efficient and too practical for power...nothing even comes close to it.
If we were to stop using oil suddenly, we would all be living like cave men.

Wind, solar, ethanol, etc.....it's all a joke compared to the energy that oil produces, so unless yall are ready to live like neanderthals, then quiet down.