TOON: why Wall Street & Washington aren't that interested in alternative energy

[yurbud]

[Egalitarian Thug]

1. Straight to the heart of the issue K&R n/t

[YellowRubberDuckie]

2. Pretty much.

But they can own the infrastructure for solar and wind energy. And it will create just as many jobs. I just really do not understand these idiots. There is no common sense about them.

[yurbud]

4. I half agree with you

owning the distribution network is certainly profitable with things like the internet.

The problem is, non-renewable fuels add another profit stream on top of that, so imagine paying a few for internet access AND paying for every byte of data.

If a business could get away with that, they would.

I suspect what's going to happen with renewables is bottom up adoption until there is so much of it the big dogs have to either get on board or get left behind with their lumps of coal and barrels of oil.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

6. When the internet first came out...

...you paid by the byte or by the hour or whatever. It didn't take off until they made unlimited plans. It is not expensive to provide internet access or data. They're just greedy sons of motherless goats.

[yurbud]

11. yeah, I remember some nasty AOL bills. You got so many minutes for the flat price then it started

racking up.

[Voice for Peace]

8. I honestly think it is some kind of gambling addiction

on a very big scale. That's what Wall Street is all about, that's
what wars are all about.

[INdemo]

3. And just maybe the ritzy rich are making billions off of

oil speculation??...Another reason we will never seen a green energy policy is because of the corporate oil speculators..
Including major banks...Remember 6 major banks own about 77% of the wealth...

Will find a link to the about the banks speculation but here is an interesting read...

http://thinkprogress.org/report/koch-oil-speculation/?mobile=nc

[yurbud]

5. how do you unplug them from power without them pulling the trigger of the economic

gun they have to our heads?

Has any country successfully done it?

[tclambert]

13. Brazil. Took 'em 30 years.

They made it to energy independence. No need for foreign oil. Still, oil companies process and distribute the ethanol they use.

[yurbud]

16. I'd let tobacco companies distribute it as long as we made the switch

[INdemo]

22. I think the GOP has tried to destroy our economy since the 30's

but up until now didnt have all the tools to do so..The citizens united ruling was the final hurdle they really had to overcome to allow the complete corporate take over..Can we defeat all this money? I am really scared...and fearful of this being the end of whats left of our democracy if Romney should be elected..They want this puppet because they want to finish where their puppet Bush Jr. left off..
Complete Corporate Control..and they will get it..Never mind about our legislative branch..Thats not even a factor any more.

[raouldukelives]

23. You don't.

They are like the face-huggers from Alien. If you try to remove them they will probably kill the host.
It all depends on if people are willing to bit the bullet and remove it knowing it will cause them great suffering. The only consolation being that their children and future generations won't be born with a parasite stuffing their bellies full of corporate eggs.

[xxqqqzme]

24. When Jimmy Carter proposed

energy independence by 2000 (sigh), he said it would involve some sacrifice. He was ridiculed, talking tv hairdos and other pundits were brutal. Americans do NOT make sacrifices they all agreed.

Here we are 35+ years later. Hardly moved an inch forward.

[raouldukelives]

25. What a world it could be eh? If not for the insatiable greed of a few.

And the ignorance and assistance we all provide them daily. We have not moved forward by a long shot. I'd say we've moved backward at a tremendous pace.

[yurbud]

28. That should rank up their with the military industrial complex speech as

presidential warnings America ignored.

[Voice for Peace]

7. they will never own the sun or the wind

nor will they ever own the hearts and minds of human beings.

ok maybe some of the minds.
but none of the hearts.

[kenfrequed]

9. Headline: "Exxon-Mobil to purchase use rights for the sun"

Ridiculous? Absolutely. But in a world that has cities where you can be fined for collecting rainwater...

[geardaddy]

14. +1000

[badtoworse]

10. What makes you think they're not involved in it already?

Shell and BP both own substantial wind portfolios. If you think renewables means small "mom and pop" producers or individuals generating power just for themselves, you couldn't be more wrong. Of course, there is some distributed solar, but most of the renewable energy is being generated by big companies, with big plants that make big money. BTW, that renewable energy costs big as well and guess who pays for it.

Wall Street not interested in renewable energy? That's laughable - all of the investment banks are involved in financing, buying or selling renewable energy assets (and making good money doing so).

[yurbud]

12. those companies spend a fraction of their budgets on renewables

and the cost for wind and solar is 99% upfront.

Once you get it going, the only cost is maintenance and maybe hosing dust off the solar panels.

[badtoworse]

15. You missed the point

Shell and BP spend a lot more on oil and gas for sure, but Wall Street and many large energy companies are heavily involved in renewables. The OP paints a very misleading picture - I work in the business and can tell you it's a lot different than that.

[HiPointDem]

30. +1

[Archae]

17. The worst part about this cartoon...

It's almost 30 years old.

Yet just as relevant today.

[yurbud]

18. wow--that is sad. Meanwhile, countries like Germany have gone ahead and just done it

while we accept excuse from our pols.

[Lugnut]

19. K&R! n/t

[CrispyQ]

20. A clever comedian once said:

"Once they figure out how to put a meter on the sun, we'll have solar everything by midnight."

Great toon!

[ck4829]

21. True. K&R.

[Autumn]

26. Something missing from that cartoon. You want representation?

We own the politicians.

[yurbud]

27. sort of like the health care reform debate, war debate, Wall St regulation...

our place at the table is usually outside the window looking in--at least until they close the curtains.

[Autumn]

29. Yeah, all that and more

but it's getting to the point to where they don't even bother to close the curtains anymore .

[yurbud]

31. the number of hits on this makes it clear it's struck a nerve. Maybe some congressional aide

will pass it on to their boss and put the fear of God (or at least voters) in them.