Savannah Guthrie just reported that the President does not have the votes

[Skidmore]

now from Congress to pass an energy bill.

Are we ready to go to the mat for one, without killing each other in the process? Perhaps we can start a consensus thread so we all know what we are able to get behind and then start working on Congress. This can be done without the godawful angst of the health insurance debate. We need to have the will and make a way.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. Republicans will be roasteed on a spit if they don't support it

using natural resources of course

[Skidmore]

2. Would love to know what "it" should look like.

What needs to be in it besides a demand for development of alternate forms of energy, improved electrical grid??? I think we need to have some legislation around water too. It's a natural resource we all need and it is finite also.

[babylonsister]

3. I wish I believed that, but I think you'll hear a collective

yawn from the majority, many who just don't care through ignorance or apathy.

[Skidmore]

5. Would it be a good use for the Activist Corp here at DU?

Keep it on the GD forum and build a thread around such a discussion with a flag for legislative staff to track on? Why not? We have a lot of knowledgeable people here.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. email Skinner?

[Skidmore]

15. Done.

[Frustratedlady]

4. How much longer are the Repugs going to keep their barricade to progress in place?

I think the Repugs should be publicly shamed for standing in the way of progress for this country. They do not want Obama to succeed at anything, but they've been standing in the way for 2 years and it's time to kick them out of the way.

I have a family member who is working hard in the wind energy and hydro-electric energy and he doesn't seem to be running into any roadblocks in the way of permits, but it is going to have to be partially supported by the government to succeed. These aren't cheap projects.

Yes, I agree that we should be standing up to Congress and forcing them to act on the energy bill. I have Repug friends who are getting scared of all these environmental catastrophes, so I think a lot of Repugs would be in agreement for change, this time around.

[Skidmore]

6. Well, then, let's give Congress an educated plan for one,

Especially since they are having so much trouble with the politics.

[elehhhhna]

9. As long as it's a convenient excuse for "Democrats" to capitulate over

after taking huge buckets of money from the industry they're threatening to regulate.

Past perfomance is the most accurate predictor of future perfomance.

[Skidmore]

14. Not a good way to start out.

My idea is to provide a plan from the people outside of the lobbyists. Developed by us. Then we push it ourselves. We get to work the same way we did in the election campaigns.

Rather than throw up our hands and dismiss it, let's at least try.

[Johonny]

13. We'll see in November

if they don't gain seats or more a few token gains then clearly their strategy will have been a failure and I imagine a new realization of how moderately conservative Obama is will spread through the republican party. If they gain modestly or big in November then expect the next two years to be nothing but pain for the average American.

[H2O Man]

7. Recommended.

I think that all of us should be ready and willing to fight for a serious bill.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

10. Dems need to flood the networks and push their way on there

storm into the studio if necessary. It is critical. the Grand Oil Party should not be allowed to get away with this!

[mfcorey1]

11. Count me in......just lay out the plan.

[Skidmore]

17. We need a core group of people who have expertise to coordinate responses

and to point out the technical areas to pursue. I am NOT an expert in this area, but I am a citizen who is very concerned about the state of the planet and our nation's environment. I think we need a Call for such people.

[lumberjack_jeff]

12. This is one of the few topics in which I think a bipartisan bill is possible. n/t

[humbled_opinion]

16. Stop this madness

Cap and trade, increased taxes is not the answer here. Increasing regulation and taxes on the Oil Companies, coal companies and high energy users amounts to nothing less then an increase in costs to all consumers. I understand Obama's intentions are noble but why doesn't everyone understand that we are all slaves to OIL. I cannot go to work for my $13 hour salary if the price of gas is increased with additional taxes punishing me the most. I will have to give up things for my family but not the rich folks no they don't care. The rich won't care how much gas costs them they will pay the same rate of increase that I do and that is not FAIR. I understand the need to go to renewable energy, believe me I look at my $250 electric bill and I get sick to my stomach. If cap and trade passes is my boss going to give me a pay increase to make up the difference in energy costs?

The answer:

The government needs to create a transition plan from carbon based fuels to renewable sources of energy. The plan would require the government to take control of all carbon fuel operations in the USA, OIL production, refineries, coal plants, coal mining operations etc. The Government would ration energy to citizens based on need. Costs would be controlled by the government to ensure fairness i.e., when Oprah goes to fill up her LIMO or her JET she pays $5k per gallon, Oprahs light bill is 50K per month.... I on the other hand pay $2 per gallon and my light bill is reduced to $100 per month.... That way we all suffer equally.

Next the transition, I like the Hydrogen route the cars are already avaialable the build out of thousands of fueling stations would create a million jobs, government to proclaim that Gasoline based vehicles will no longer be manufactued after 2011 and subsidies would be put in place to allow us all to purchase Hydrogen cars.

[Skidmore]

18. This is what I had in mind.

Feel free to add more and to encourage others to join this thread.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

20. Perhaps a celebrity like Oprah should help out?

there should be big incentives for inventors to produce novel ways of producing vehicles that only depend on perpetual motion/compressed air/non-poisonous batteries etc.

Bring in trolley cars in every city. High speed trains that run on alternative fuel.

Teenagers now drive gasoline cars and generally are siphons of energy. We need to educate children from Prek upwards to key into alternative energy. The Bushes and the likes have indoctrinated and pushed people to buy oil because they are oil.

[happy_liberal]

19. Unless and Until they repeal NAFTA and the WTO- this is bullshit!

They move all of our manufacturing overseas where(so that) they can pollute freely, and now they want to raise taxes on US because of pollution.

They can charge the corporations all they want, but they are not allowed to pass it on to the little people.

There is nothing we can do to stop greenhouse gasses individually as long as we send our jobs and buy our goods from places that are polluting to create our stuff. It is just stupid. We can all change our lightbulbs to 'save the earth' but when BP can come along and fuck up the whole ocean for everyone and get away with it....it just makes me irate!

I am waiting for Al Gore to come out and say "I'm sorry about the 'free' trade bullshit. I'm sorry that I told you to change your lightbulbs to save the planet when my policies were far more damaging to the big picture"

[Skidmore]

21. This can be part of what is passed on to them as well...an indication

that for law to be effective, other measures need to be addressed as well.

[Frustratedlady]

22. One area to work on is Sect. 1603, which is to run out in 2014...

and there isn't enough time for proposals to be worked up and presented.

This is mentioned in the following article in "The Hawk Eye" in Burlington, Iowa on hydro-electric power which, ironically, was in this morning's paper. The Mississippi River has locks and dams that should have been used years ago to produce electricity, but it was so cheap, they never bothered to harness the energy. Well, now it is being proposed as another energy source and needs the support of the government. However, as one paragraph points out:

"Another potential risk cited in the study is the availability of grants, such as federal funds available under Section 1603 of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009..."

http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/Burl-council-061510

This would be a fairly simple project to work on and it would benefit other areas of the country, as well. Put pressure on Congress to extend the deadline for Sect. 1603 so communities and private groups can have time to apply and be approved. I'm not familiar with the Act, but would assume other energy projects could be covered under it, as well.

The locks are in place and working, so it wouldn't be that difficult to convert the energy into electricity.