Drill, Baby Drill

The President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness has a new report on how to get this country moving again.  The Hill summarizes the energy section:

President Obama’s jobs council called Tuesday for an “all-in approach” to energy policy that includes expanded oil-and-gas drilling as well as expediting energy projects like pipelines.

“[W]e should allow more access to oil, natural gas and coal opportunities on federal lands,” states the year-end report released Tuesday by the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

The report does not specifically mention the Keystone XL oil pipeline, but it endorses moving forward quickly with projects that “deliver electricity and fuel,” including pipelines.

“The Council recognizes the important safety and environmental concerns surrounding these types of projects, but now more than ever, the jobs and economic and energy security benefits of these energy projects require us to tackle the issues head-on and to expeditiously, though cautiously, move forward on projects that can support hundreds of thousands of jobs,” the report says.

Jobs and energy independence for Americans - the greens will never get behind this.

The new report also takes on tax reform.  Perhaps because the council chair was Mr. Immelt of GE, we get the approach favored by Big Corporations - lower the corporate tax rate and expand the R&D tax credit (as proposed by that current Administration).

Not much here for the small (and "small") businesses that operate under the personal tax rates.

 

Comments

[Benjamin Franklin]

Nothing on SOPA......laziness or apathy?

Maybe Maguire supports, like his minions.

No one here seems to want to talk about it. Odd...

[Jim,MtnViewCA,USA]

Must be an election year. They're promising everything to everyone.
I'm guessing there will be a extra large proportion of rubes who will get educated this cycle.

Interesting anecdote on the situation in Greece, cement in China and US gov't spending at the LUN. Bruce Krasting appears to be a classic moderate Dem but has a useful financial blog.

[PD]

Imagine that. TM writing about what interests him rather than what interests someone who posts here complaining that his topic du jour isn't being covered.

[centralcal]

No surprises here:

edhenryTV Ed Henry
Breaking: A source tells colleague Wendell Goler State Dept will announce later this afternoon it is NOT going forward w/Keystone Pipeline

[narciso]

It's as if this report is written on the planet Trafalmadore (the setting in Slaughter house Five)The administration's current policies have nothing to do with the circumstances as we find them,

The education portion, talks of more assessments, but no real gauging of basic
skills,no issue is taken with the current
regulations, which even reach down to the family farm, the public health exception,
is the 'but monkey' that prevents any sustained oil exploration, money for refits
on the clean energy boondoggle,

[Ranger]

Ben-Dana,

I guess you didn't read through the comments on the previous post. The topic has come up there for discussion. Or was your post here just another act of shameless showboating on your part?

BTW, don't you have a couple of classrooms of students (who are either borrowing $50K a year, or wiping out their parents retirements funds at the same rate) you could talk about this topic with?

[Threadkiller]

The Bens may not have had a chance to compare notes, Ranger. Give them a little more time to form their collective response.

[Jim,MtnViewCA,USA]

As they were saying 20 years ago....it is pointless to drill because it will take 10 years for the oil to come online.

Apologies for indulging myself, but here is a snip from the LUN. Somehow this hit me more than the countless stories on the Euro crisis I've read over these months.
"The closing of stores and shops is escalating. Apparently, 20% of all retail establishments are shuttered. Nearly every block has one reminder of the ongoing depression in the economy.
:
:
As the shops close and the people leave, the economy shrinks. My Greek friend is convinced that government revenues are collapsing as a result. Whatever estimates the Troika were looking at six-months ago are pure fantasy today. The country is imploding."

[Jane]

Breaking: A source tells colleague Wendell Goler State Dept will announce later this afternoon it is NOT going forward w/Keystone Pipeline

There should be riots over this.

[Benjamin Franklin]

Yeah, Rangerman. It was a hot topic...bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Couple of comments at the end. But so much was discussed like riding boots and Phallus projection, there just wasn't time.

Too funny....

[Jane]

I bet Obama says he couldn't approve it because he hasn't had enough time to review it (a lie) and the republicans forced him into deciding.

[Benjamin Franklin]

On the off-chance there is someone who gives a crap about matters un-food related.....

http://americancensorship.org/

[Dave (in MA)]

Drudge: "REPORT: Obama to reject permit for Keystone oil pipeline... developing..."

[Ranger]

On the off-chance there is someone who gives a crap about matters un-food related.....

Well, first off, there are actually quite a few comments in that thread right now.

Also, you should know, your distaste for the fact that other people enjoy life, and that they enjoy sharing the things they enjoy is life is one of your most unattrative qualities.

Why do you insists that if you are unhappy, everyone you come in contact with should be unhappy too?

[Porchlight]

PPP national poll has Obama beating all the GOP contenders: http://www.politico.com/2012-election/presidential-polls/

Romney fares best, but not by much.

[Benjamin Franklin]

68 percent oppose SOPA

http://zogby.com/news/2012/01/17/ibope-zogby-poll-68-oppose-online-piracy-act-sopa/

[Jane]

Did Andrew Sullivan ever get citizenship which he has wanted for a long time? After that Newsweek cover wanna bet he gets it now?

[narciso]

They 'cooked' that poll, overeasy, if you look at the sample.

[narciso]

They assume a 41% Dem sample, which is more than in 2008.

[Ranger]

Porch,

This post has a good quick look at that poll:

Quickie PPP poll analysis

One key observation:

Obama does not break 50%, despite PPP’s sample containing 41% Democrats — a couple of points higher than Dem turnout in 2008, let alone 2004 or 2000. Republicans are 35% of the sample, which would be about average. And the poll wants us to believe that Obama is not popular, but surged 15% with Indies in a single month.

Remember, PPP is a Dem polling outfit. Their primarry function is to publish things that keeps money flowing into Dem campaigns.

[BB Key]

PPP is run by a flaming liberral in NC .

[narciso]

He's also a terrible hack, the Beckel of the polling biz, but that sample is the tell tale,

[Porchlight]

Thanks guys. Yeah, PPP sucks, but I think their last few polls in 2008 were pretty accurate. Of course all the pollsters get honest right before an election. I hope they get righteously ripped for a 41% Dem sample - what a joke.

[Clarice]

Looks like this administration really has a death wish, doesn't it?

[Porchlight]

On the other hand, if polls like this soothe Dems into thinking Obama's got it made, then all the better. They didn't believe the wave was coming in 2010 either.

[Jack is Back!]

How come we aren't on strike today?

I've done my part - I have talked to Nelson and Rubio's staff and also my Congressman (Mica). SOPA is not Dead. As long as MPAA has Lamar Smith in their back pocket and as long as he is still in the Chair this will still be a danger.

[NK]

Jane-- of course 'Bam will blame Repubs, and say IF Repubs give more time until after the election he'll reconsider-- he'll call for bi-partisanship, blah blah blah. This is one time where brinksmanship is the smart play. Call his bluff say times up now.

[narciso]

'We have foiled the crafty Canadian menace' whose three tactics are. . .

[Sue]

Canada is going to China with their oil. Obama doesn't have time. Whether Republicans are blamed or not won't fill up my gas tank with good, cheap, domestic (sort of), oil.

[BB Key]

Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC): staff says at this time she plans to remain a co-sponsor of PIPA .

[Porchlight]

If the GOP can't hang Keystone around Obama's neck, we deserve to lose. The candidates better come out swinging ASAP.

[Danube of Thought]

PIPA? Is that the one with the nice bum?

[NK]

In November (7 weeks ago) the Nebraska Legislature and Govenor passed legislation re-routing the pipeline around the acquifier. There is no environmental siting issue PERIOD. This is all 2012 Left-Wing politics. If Bam says yes, the enviro wackos will withold $$$, GOTV people etc. shafting the construction unions? they are small potatoes to 'Bam, besides they'll keep donating anyway -- SUCKAS. This is an easy call for Axelrod/Plouffe, and further proof that our Narcissist in Chief puts his own ambition above the national interest. bastard.

[narciso]

This is more of what they want implemented;

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/begin-sex-ed-kindergarten-says-new-national-standards-report

[pagar]

"President Obama’s jobs council called Tuesday for an “all-in approach” to energy policy that includes expanded oil-and-gas drilling as well as expediting energy projects like pipelines."

"Drudge: "REPORT: Obama to reject permit for Keystone oil pipeline... developing...""

Have leftists ever done anything that made sense?

[I R A Darth Aggie]

No one here seems to want to talk about it. Odd...

SOPA is mostly dead. PIPA, pretty much the same. If you want to waste your brain cycles discussing them go for it. Some people enjoy beating a dead bill.

[Cecil Turner]

Gosh, has the smartest-ever Administration finally realized energy production (real, not green) is a good idea? Whodathunkit?

Not holding my breath for any actual implementation of this, or any other job-enabling policies.

[NK]

'Bastard' a profane and harsh appellation, I know, but true. 'Bam is no better than Corzine who destroyed an ancient company and stole from investors to feed his trader's ego, no better than the Enron crony-capitalism scaliwags, no better than the Fannie Mae crooks who sold out taxpayers. 'Bam is as big a Bastard as any of them.

[NK]

CecilT-- in fact today, 'Bam will contradict his 'Administration' and say NO to Keystone XL energy and jobs.

[Ranger]

Well, there are glimmers of hope:

Audio: Justice Alito oddly unimpressed with EPA procedures

JUSTICE ALITO: Mr. Stewart, if you related the facts of this case as they come to us to an ordinary homeowner, don’t you think most ordinary homeowners would say this kind of thing can’t happen in the United States? You don’t — you buy property to build a house. You think maybe there is a little drainage problem in part of your lot, so you start to build the house and then you get an order from the EPA which says: You have filled in wetlands, so you can’t build your house; remove the fill, put in all kinds of plants; and now you have to let us on your premises whenever we want to. You have to turn over to us all sorts of documents, and for every day that you don’t do all this you are accumulating a potential fine of $75,000. And by the way, there is no way you can go to court to challenge our determination that this is a wetlands until such time as we choose to sue you.

Just thought I would pass it along.

[daddy]

MayBee,

I don't know if Althouse can get thru a day without your comments.

I know I can't:)

[glasater]

Rick Santelli gives a concise wrap on government policies.

[Porchlight]

Are liberal heads exploding now that thanks to Citizens United, internet corporations are free to spend as much money as they wish on campaigns opposing SOPA/PIPA?

Someone come up with something pithy I can post to FB. On second thought, I'd probably get fired.

[Jane]

Where is Maybee? I miss her so much. She has the best pith around. I was planning on going to her facebook page and demanding she return!

Does anyone else think it;s odd that we have a WH shutdown last night by OWS and no one is talking about it today?

[Ranger]

Jane,

Not odd at all when you consider how much damage a story like that would do to both OWS and the Dems.

[Jane]

Ranger,

Not odd. And under SOPA it won't be odd for Eric Holder to shut down Insty and JOM and any other website where conservatives get together. In fact I'm sure Ben/dana will notify Holder personally.

And if you question Holder's actions you are a racist.

Boy this has been a really successful administration hasn't it?

[rse]

My understanding of SOPA/PIPA is that it would encourage leftists to post infringing links in internet sites with views they find troubling. Then allege piracy and black you go.

Is that others' understanding?

[Captain Hate]

rse, that's how Tammy Bruce has been describing it.

[Danube of Thought]

One of my most earnest hopes is that the entire EPA get a serious smackdown from the SCt. Looks like this might be a nice first step.

Happy birthday, May Bee!

[Ranger]

Jane,

I think Obamaville Wall Street was intended to stoke class division for the election, and was deliberately fomented by Obama operatives. But, like any such viceral movements, they quickly get away from those who would be their masters and take on a life if their own, usually doing much more damage than good. Those who attempt to ride the tiger usually end up being the tiger's first meal once out of the cage.

[Porchlight]

Jane,

Not much love for Obama in the comments on this Politico article about the OWS and the White House lockdown.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71577.html

Not that Politico isn't trying - note that OWS is not mentioned in the headline. Think the Tea Party might just possibly have rated a headline mention if they'd been responsible?

[Porchlight]

Perhaps so, rse, but all my lefty friends are staunchly against the legislation nonetheless.

[NK]

RSE-- the problem with SOPA isn't who messes around with placing allegedly stolen intellectual property on what site, the problem is giving the 'government' the power to black out sites without a trial. Hollywood is throwing around big $$$ to try to get the Federal Government to act as its own Luca Brasi to shut down competitors it doesn't like or who don't pay Hollywood enough. Intellectual property needs to get paid and it has rights; SOPA isn't designed to protect those rights, it's designed to give Hollywood the power it doesn't have in the marketplace or the courts. It's Solyndra cronyism to the nth degree.

[Benjamin Franklin]

"Not odd. And under SOPA it won't be odd for Eric Holder to shut down Insty and JOM and any other website where conservatives get together. In fact I'm sure Ben/dana will notify Holder personally."

Even for Jane, this is schtoopid.

Why would I shut down a site where the Stewardship is Stellar, and the recipes so sweet?

[NK]

Dana-- don't you have spring semester lesson plans to do?

[Jane]

I think Obamaville Wall Street was intended to stoke class division for the election, and was deliberately fomented by Obama operatives.

I completely agree, and as much as the Ulsterman report comes under fire the WH insider predicted both OWS and the threats against Obama implemented to gin up support.

I think it is funny and sad that the OWS pawns have no idea they are being used.

~

I don't disagree with the plans for SOPA rse. Eric Holder is in charge of deciding who goes and who stays and the left will happily work for him.

[Porchlight]

Hell no, NK, Dana's been mailing it in for years. Maybe he'll take the kids for a feather-passing field trip at Occupy Claremont, then they can decamp back to the classroom to practice their hand signals.

[Threadkiller]

Jane, remember all the coverage of the DADT protesters chaining themselves to the WH fence? The administration managed to close Lafayette Park, limiting the access to the protesters, and nary a peep from the mfm.

[rse]

That is helpful nk as Solyndra style cronyism is rampant in what I am working on too.

"We would like for our dear friends, the politicians and bureaucrats, to enact legislation, regulations, and policies that use their powers of taxation and coercion to enrich us and limit any potential innovators that might interfere with our existing markets and revenue stream. Adding new markets would be especially nice and we can appear with you and tell the voters this is necessary to remain internationally competitive. We are Business with a capital B, not like those scrawny upstarts that have never contributed to your campaign, taken you to lunch, or agreed to create a job for your brother in law or your pregnant daughter's husband with his communications major."

That's working so well all over the world.

[Benjamin Franklin]

" don't you have spring semester lesson plans to do?"

Academics never finish their Spring lesson plans.

It's all about 'publish or perish'.

The hardest part is reining in students who want to do papers on subjects that don't apply to my latest Textbook. It's harder to steal their ideas, and then you have to change the word order to avoid
plagiary charges.

We anarchy profs can't make it on salary alone.

[NK]

Porch-- that's a shame. Taking those kids student loan tuition and giving nothing back. Mailing it in also deprives Dana of the intellectual challenge of young students questioning his own belief system, and defending his stale musty opinions in an open academic setting. Pity. Moreover, it's tantamount to stealing those kids taxpayer subsidized student loans. Hey, I'm a federal taxpayer, do I have a derivative cause of action against Dana? Hell even Joe Biden says Dana is unjustifiably overpaid.

[MarkJ]

Question: What is the most efficient thing about the commissions Obama creates?

Answer: The efficiency in which Obama ignores them.

[NK]

BTW-- Mrs. Biden is a PhD and former academic. I bet Joe slept on the couch at the Naval Observatory that night.

[A Casual Observation]

Obama is blocking the Keystone Pipeline Project for the same nefarious reasons that he and his administeation have deliberately destabilized the entire Middle East, also. It is all about advancing their insideous Greenie, Socialist agenda. That's a no brainer, as is the fact that there's never been a more despicable administration.

[Benjamin Franklin]

"have deliberately destabilized the entire Middle East,"

Short memory, eh? Well, it's all in a day's work for corn-fed conservatives.

[NK]

Dana-- lesson plans, quiz schedule, class particpation rotation, Commie Quarterly Review article deadline....

[Ranger]

Because it worked out so well when they did it in Illinois:

Treasury dips into pension funds to avoid debt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Treasury on Tuesday started dipping into federal pension funds in order to give the Obama administration more credit to pay government bills.

"I will be unable to invest fully" the federal employees retirement system fund beginning Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in a letter to Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress.

[Frau Atomkraft]

Pres. Sockpuppet's rejection of the pipeline: Texas Gov. Rick Perry also jumped on the news. "The president's focused more on the next election than on the next generation."

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vnjagvet]

Obama was clear even before he was elected that he would favor a rise in the price of gasoline into the $4.00/gallon range. Of course that has happened. Why should anyone be surprised?

[Benjamin Franklin]

PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop talking to each other and commenting on the topics that the owner of the blog posts, and PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you don't pay enough attention to me, I'm not above going back to posting as "Anne" or copying and pasting entire articles from left wing fringe sites in the comments here just to get you fuckers to react.

ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NK]

Ranger--

I just have the gnawing feeling that The PRC/Coms and the BOJ have concluded that 'Bam is bad for business. They've already begun unloading T-Bonds, if the announce a dump and boycott-- US T-Bond rates will skyrocket overnight. a berry-berry-berry bad t'ing. Is this what our national debt creditors have in mind 2012?

[NK]

TomM-- stop posting as BenF!

[Frau Atomkraft]

Tiny Tim Geithner and federal pension funds...what could go wrong?

[Frau Atomkraft]

The (im)poster @ 2:48 is more entertaining than Chief Kelo Cleo of the Feathermen.

[NK]

FrauA-- you're correct, what could go wrong. I am told Timmie is highly credentialed, is excellent at squash, and is invited to the best cocktail parties.

[Benjamin Franklin]

Pilot to co-pilot; Ranger @ 2:48....

[Benjamin Franklin]

"The (im)poster @ 2:48 is more entertaining than Chief Kelo Cleo of the Feathermen."

Surprised you recognized the cockery, Frau Meshugana.

[Ranger]

And see what Responsibility to Protect hath wroght:

Libya militia leader 'tortured and killed in detention'

The BBC has seen evidence that a man was tortured and killed in detention, after clashes between rival militia groups in Libya at the weekend.

Heck of a job Barry.

[bio mom]

Jill Biden is not a PhD. She has a doctorate in education.

[Jane]

"The president's focused more on the next election than on the next generation."

That's been true since the day he was elected.

[Porchlight]

Yes, bio mom, I thought I remembered that coming up before. She is an Ed.D.

[RichatUF]

So let me see if I understand this...the Obama Administration's job council proposed expansion of oil and gas drilling (and gas drilling is most likely to decline given the rock bottom prices currently) on the same day the Obama Administration is killing the Keystone pipeline.

Good grief.

[Ranger]

Ben-Dana,

Are you accusing me of sockpuppetry?

Your "findings" from your "experiment" grow more flawed as time passes.

BTW, is your "experiment" funded by the National Science Foundation? Or is it supported by private sources, such as Soros?

[Benjamin Franklin]

Hit is right. Many of you really want me here. Not because you like me or my ideas, of course. Rather, because your pedestrian sensibilities, sans real imagination, need some respite from your
stale discourse.

You need me. heh.

[NK]

Bio-- OK got it, Dr. Biden is sans PhD. I still bet Joe slept on the Naval Observatory couch that night.

[Benjamin Franklin]

"Your "findings" from your "experiment" grow more flawed as time passes."

You do realize, you are part of the 'findings'...

Irrecoverable, rather than 'flawed', as a flaw indicates a minor reduction in quality and does not display it's breadth and depth.

[Extraneus]

So let me see if I understand this...the Obama Administration's job council proposed expansion of oil and gas drilling (and gas drilling is most likely to decline given the rock bottom prices currently) on the same day the Obama Administration is killing the Keystone pipeline.

I think it's understandable. Their strategy is to say that the Republicans forced them to cancel it, by limiting their environmental assessment time to 2 months. "Obviously, we wanted to approve it - just look at the job council report that came out the same day, for heaven's sake! - but we just weren't given enough time." Something like that.

[Porchlight]

And the rise in gas prices this summer will correspondingly also be blamed on Repubs, Ext.

Think the Muddle will buy it? They might.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

No one here seems to want to talk about it. Odd...

Oh, don't be an idiot. I've done a half-dozen links on Facebook, PJM has run a bunch of anti- stories in the last several weeks (and would have run more if I weren't a little too pre-occupied to study and write about it), and of course there is an immense and co-ordinated protest going on that just got Rubio and Hatch to bail on the bill.

So yeah, people here seem to want to talk about Keystone instead. Learn to cope.

[NK]

Ex-- the Obamamaniacs WILL say something like that. But, with $4.00 gas and 8.5% unemployment this summer, do you think Indy voters will buy that? --especially after Nebraska UNANIMOUSLY passed a bill directing the re-route and the State EPA did that with Keystone? Nah-- 'Bam has written off Indy voters-- this is all about the Democrat tribes, disgusting Indy voters with slash and burn politics and some special urban vote counts in key states.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Why would I shut down a site where the Stewardship is Stellar, and the recipes so sweet?

Why did you make such a concerted effort to shut it down before?

[Jane]

IIRC the Keystone study has been complete for 3 years.

[RichatUF]

Think the Muddle will buy it? They might.

I don't know. Gas prices and presidential popularity seem to be highly inversely corrolated, so I would think moderating gas prices would be what the administration would want (regardless of pinning the blame on his wicked enemies).

Or more simply-he would get a direct benefit of declining prices through increased popularity more easily than he'll be able to blame his enemies for an increase in prices.

But what do I know, I don't have the feather.

[Threadkiller]

" LightSquared and former FCC chief engineer Edmond Thomas on Wednesday said the GPS test devices that were used by the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Executive Committee (PNT EXCOM) to test its new network were rigged by “manufacturers of GPS receivers and government end users to produce bogus results.” The company said that devices from GPS manufacturers, which have claimed LightSquared’s network interferes with GPS communications, were “cherry picked” in secret and that independent authorities were not allowed to partake or oversee the tests or test results. In addition, LightSquared said the tests focused on obsolete technology that is only used in “niche market devices” and that are “least able to withstand potential interference” from wireless networks. Read on for more."

http://m.bgr.com/2012/01/18/lightsquared-and-former-fcc-chief-engineer-say-gps-tests-were-rigged/

See what happens when the administration does not enough time to rig tests in their favor. Won't get fooled again. Tough luck Keystone.

[NK]

Jane-- correct environemntal studies complete. The acquifier was a local nebraska concern. all the State Department has to do is approve commerce with a friendly nation that crosses several US states and federal land. 'Bam's rejection is just gross and digusting.

[Benjamin Franklin]

"Why did you make such a concerted effort to shut it down before?"

Chaco;

Let me put it this way; If the goal was to shut you down, why would I abandon the multiple handles that were working toward that end?

That's all I'm saying on this. Hit can answer any other questions you might have.

[Jack is Back!]

Hit (or other North Carolinians),

We bid on and won a week's stay in a cabin up in Sylva, Notrh Carolina. Been to the website and it looks perfect for a week away from the Sunshine State. Says its 45 minutes south of Ashville and its near Maggie Valley. Do you know the area and any ideas what it would be like around the Easter break? Especially weather wise.

[sbw]

The noise on the thread reminds me of the observation in the silent version of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" where Esmerelda's ascerbic question to the villain is posted:

"Is there so little evil in this world that you must create more?"

[Clarice]

Who knew? BF is so sensitive he can only share his reasons for disrupting JOM with hit..Delicate feather passer.

[narciso]

It's odd because in the last few years, he only had on review article, and one paper
republished in a book,