Seen yesterday on the eastern edge of the 24th District: An advertisement for the "low" price of $3.05 per gallon of gasoline.
We dodged the bullet this winter with unseasonably warm temperatures, but it is not wise to rest our fortunes on good luck. We need serious ideas for reforming our energy infrastructure.
Plainly put, the Republicans have no credibility when it comes to energy. They've been pushing America to keep the same old rusty energy infrastructure it had in the 1950s, and only now that fuel prices are going through the roof are they trying to change their tune.
The Democrats have been trying to prepare a more sustainable, efficient energy infrastructure in place since the 1970s, but, starting with the short-sighted politics of Ronald Reagan, those efforts have been thwarted. We are paying the consequences now.
We cannot afford to spend any more time denying that a serious problem exists. We cannot afford to follow Republican plans for perpetuation of fossil fuel technologies. We need serious people who have experience in dealing with environmental issues in our national government.
Both Michael Arcuri and Les Roberts seem to be sincere in their desire to promote clean and efficient energy alternatives. Les Roberts has the edge in training and experience, with a PhD in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University and years of experience working to establish infrastructure in crisis situations, dealing with the delivery of water and power to vulnerable populations.
On the Republican side, Ken Camera has some experience as an energy consultant, but it's not yet clear whether he is a serious candidate, or a gadfly. Ray Meier is not even a shadow of what Sherwood Boehlert was when it comes to issues of energy, the environment, and science. Meier's interest in energy policy is only to follow the party line, whatever it is at the moment.
Gasoline prices are beginning their climb toward summer highs, and if we get struck by another strong hurricane or another foolish military adventure in the Middle East, our economy may not be able to cope. We may be lucky again this year, and dodge another bullet, but we'll face the same challenge the next year, and the next.
We need a new Congress that can take strong action to address this growing energy crisis, and not just slap a new coat of paint over the same of jumble of excuses and corrupt neglect.
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6 comments:
Thanks for the return to substance. Yes, this is the number 1 issue (although neck and neck with Iraq, to which it is linked). We need a Congress that believes in science the way America did in the '60s. Otherwise, the so-called American Century is truly ancient history, kinda like the Roman Empire.
one of my big dreams is that we are able to turn the upstate/central NY region into a sort of "silicon valley" for energy where we become a central region for the research and production of renewable or green energy that will not only help us improve our economy, but will also help the country. just a dream though, it would require a concerted effort by all of the politicians in the upstate/central NY region to get something like this done. like I said, it is just a dream.
There is too much foot rubbing going on with our "leaders" in this state and companies like National Grid AKA National Greed. National Greed is busy doing "research" and passing their costs onto the customers, many of whom couldn't afford those $450 and higher heat and electric bills this last winter. It was a horrible situation and it looks like it is going to get worse as well. These companies are showing record profits. Every time our legislators get an idea of what must be done, they create mandates and then these utility companies pass the costs onto us. I won't even get into all the taxes that are stuck on our bills. Is this how our legislators are going to create "alternative fuels"? Off the backs of people who are already paying more for their winter heat and electricity than some people pay for their mortgages???? If so, we will break the middle class to nothing in this state. I want to see plans that don't shove it up the orifices of people who are already overcharged just to stay warm and see some light. I want to see these elected official refuse donations from the power companies who are gouging us. The National Greed company raised gas rates last month just because it was a "warm winter" and our politicians just sat there. They raised electric rates sky high too. Twice in the last 7 months. Is there a shortage of electricity too? That's a new one. I'm sick of elected officials ignoring the blatent abuse of customers by these companies. And I'm sick of them making "laws" that give these thieves the right to charge us even more. This is not helping the middle class one bit.
I want a politician who straight up tells us we can't continue to lead a lifestyle with such extravagent energy use. I want a politician who gives us a smart direction to significantly reduce our energy consumption while maintaining a high standard of living.
Energy is in demand and the price is rising significantly but you miss the other half of the coin. Commodities are rising just as fast. We simply can't afford to continue a highly consumptive lifestyle. No sense bitching about it. Time to deal with it.
I feel the need to point something out - I got an e-mail from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee a few days ago about the Democrats energy plan.
Interestingly, it has the same quotes and exactly the same ideas as the press release on Michael Arcuri's website about energy, yet Arcuri claims credit for those as his ideas. I am just curious if "Arcuri proposes" or did Arcuri drop his name into a Democratic press release.
I bring this up because I want to know if I am voting for a Democratic Party "Yes man" in Arcuri or someone who can think for himself.
Boehlert was a good Congressman because he knew when to join his party and when principles had to stand before allegiance. Will Mike Arcuri do the same? Or will he just recite speeches and claim credit for policies that are handed to him by Washington insiders?
Here too, we see where Mike Arcuri's lack of creativity and intelligence give him up as USELESS!
He says he wants to make this area some sort of "Energy Technology" "Hub", as if, after 20+ years of Boehlert Mania there's any real talent left here to persue this... that's like me saying: "Tomorrow, I'll open up business as a freakin' brain surgeon..." Almost as galactically stupid as the whole EDGE/SUNY "IT" "Chipfab" concept. (Now languishing unfullfilled [of course] for 5+ years!
Chipfab? What self-respecting IC manufacturer would come here to this tax-choked, locale, with it's huge energy costs? Nevermind that New York increases it's budget by 5-8 percent EVERY YEAR, that's bad enough, but for a company to want to relocate HERE? Where every politician from Congressman Boehlert right down to the local police chiefs are all control freaks, (note Utica's TEN MILLION TRAFFIC LIGHTS and cops in New York Mills stopping and billing (read tickets) people on their way to work down the main drag through town, yet ten minutes away, on the corners of Crack and Gang Streets in Utica you could probably buy a 50 pound rock of crack! THEY ARE SO PATHETIC! Don't they see that their attitudes are part of what's driving everyone away?
And now this Moron Arcuri, working on a Minus 5 Mental Scale opens his hole about he's going to make this place some sort of an enegy "Mecca" yeah right. Anyone who votes for this zero is clearly buying into his un-ending lip service about what a "great job" he's done. Anyone remember Desere Case and how MIKE PERSONALLY RALLIED A JURY TO SEND AN INNOCENT MAN TO PRISON FOR LIFE, then he learned he wrongly convicted YET SAID NOTHING... Only when someone within the DAs office leaked potentially explosive Emails to an attorney did he admit he'd railroaded the wrong guy!!!!
Or how about the delamar Brown mistrial TWICE!!!
Am I the only one who notices that Mike Arcuri's Administration seems to ALWAYS be screwing something up?
What about the Bernadette Romano being JURY FOREPERSON in the John Healey case?? He knew this ahead of time yet didn't prevent it (an easy thing for him to do) so now THANX to Mike the Mouth Dwyer, and Mike Arcuri, Oneida County will have to pay for another appeal trial after this one here gets overturned. But alas Mike Arcuri doesn't care... he will be congressman then... so some (Replacement) DA will have to clean up Mike's mess...
Oneida County suffers from the highest number of convictions being overturned upon appeal in the courts, that means that mike RAILROADS people into prison (with the aid of his rubber stamp judge Mike Dwyer) FOR HEADLINES, yet when the convicts come back for retrial and win, the story gets so much less publicty... that suits "Mr. Perfect" Arcuri well..
Get smart people... this guy's a flunkie, and if he does a such a halfass job as a DA, what do you expect from him as congressman? Another 20yr Boehlertlike Cancer on the Congressional Seat is what you'll get... and coming right after Boehlerts 20+ year term of decay and exodus, we're in for a REALLY nasty ride if we get another bloodsucker in the 24th seat.
Energy Guru my ass...
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