POLITICAL: IMO, the most telling image of the RNC

[KillerTomato]

Take this for what you will. It's political, unabashedly.

I like John McCain. I think he's a good guy. I don't always agree with him, but I respect him.

I respect Sarah Palin, as well, although the rest of this post has nothing to do with her. I just wanted to get that out there, so those reading this wouldn't think I was just another knee-jerk liberal (although I admit to being a social liberal).

OTOH, I think George W. Bush is an idiot. And more importantly, I think Dick Cheney is the worst thing to happen to this country in its history. I have a little more room to talk about this than many, since Cheney was, technically, my boss for a while. I worked for a division of Halliburton while Dick was our CEO, and I can honestly say that when our division was sold, I (and everyone I worked with) sighed a huge sigh of relief. The man was single-minded and bombastic, less concerned with our workers and ethics and company than with the bottom line. Everything I hate about Big Business I learned to hate when I worked for Dick Cheney. So yes, I have a small ax to grind where Dick's concerned.

So what did I see tonight while watching Rudy Giuliani speak? I saw a huge crowd of people chanting "Drill, baby, drill!" when Rudy advocated offshore drilling. Now I think that offshore drilling can be a useful tool for the long-term weaning of the US off of foreign oil. Mind you, it's not the ONLY solution, and I feel it should be done responsibly. This, of course, is the part of offshore drilling that most Republicans don't mention. The other part is the necessity to increase our refining capacity (again responsibly). And more importantly, I think that it's a very very very small part of energy independence, and that alternative fuels, nuclear power, and most importantly conservation. But I digress.

The single most interesting image I took away from the RNC tonight, though, was seeing Dick Cheney (although it may only have been someone who looked an awful lot like Dick) DANCING to the "Drill, baby drill!" chant. This, in a nutshell, is the single most important thing Dick Cheney is interested in for his post-VP years: oil exploration, and increased profits for his cronies in the oil business.

As I type this, I've been listening to the end of Rudy's speech and the beginning of Gov. Palin's. So I'll add one more thing: it seems to me that politicians in general -- Republicans and Democrats, although (social liberal alert) I have noticed it more at the RNC than at the DNC last week -- have gotten way too snarky. Whatever happened to respect for your opponents?

[Bob78164]

The single most interesting image I took away from the RNC tonight, though, was seeing Dick Cheney (although it may only have been someone who looked an awful lot like Dick) DANCING to the "Drill, baby drill!" chant. This, in a nutshell, is the single most important thing Dick Cheney is interested in for his post-VP years: oil exploration, and increased profits for his cronies in the oil business.

It is very unlikely that it was Cheney. I understand that when his speaking gig at the Convention was cancelled, he went to Europe.

Incidentally, when I was younger, I heard that the military tended to refer to President Nixon as The Big Dick. Of course, Cheney, who's only Vice President, would therefore be . . . . --Bob

[NellyLunatic1980]

Whatever happened to respect for your opponents?

Respect? HA! Respect is for pussies.

[earendel]

If we're speaking of telling images, I submit any of the crowd shots that have been shown during the coverage. Of the approximately 2400 delegates seated on the convention floor only 36 are African-American.

[KillerTomato]

BobOfManyNumbers is right, Cheney's in Tblisi, so I was mistaken. I apologize for my rant (although this guy could have been Cheney's twin). OTOH, despite the fact that I work for an energy company, I still think the Republican Party's constant pandering to Big Oil is reprehensible.

[BackInTex]

BobOfManyNumbers is right, Cheney's in Tblisi, so I was mistaken. I apologize for my rant (although this guy could have been Cheney's twin). OTOH, despite the fact that I work for an energy company, I still think the Republican Party's constant pandering to Big Oil is reprehensible.

Well we all can't drive a Prius.

Seriously, pandering to Big Oil????

What about the millions of people struggling to buy a tank of gas so they can get to work? Or paying 60% more for groceries because those groceries have to be harvested by machines that run on oil, processed in factories that run on electricity, and shipped on trains/trucks that run on oil? Its THEM that we are working for.

Did you watch the entire RNC last night? All energy options were addressed. If you don't think oil is a part of our energy solution then you are wrong, wrong, wrong.

Palin actually went against "Big Oil" and won. Her constituents benefitted.

There is nothing wrong with companies making a profit from their efforts. You don't seem to have a problem with the excessive profits that Toyota makes from their Prius. Or Apple from their Ipods. Or BMG from their CDs. Or Amazon, or Google? Or Nike selling $100 shoes made by 10 cent an hour workers.

But a company investing billions in risking ventures isn't allowed to earn back billions? Just because of all the zeros on the profit line? You have to look at the zeroes in the invested capital line also.

If you are an anti-capitalist, please be open about it. And be consistent.

[BackInTex]

If we're speaking of telling images, I submit any of the crowd shots that have been shown during the coverage. Of the approximately 2400 delegates seated on the convention floor only 36 are African-American.

Oooo, the race card!

So what is the point? That the Republicans exclude blacks? I don't think so.

Or is it that blacks just overwhelmingly prefer the Democrats?

At least all of the elected Republican delegates were allowed into the convention. Not so much at the "Democrat" convention.

[earendel]

If we're speaking of telling images, I submit any of the crowd shots that have been shown during the coverage. Of the approximately 2400 delegates seated on the convention floor only 36 are African-American.

Oooo, the race card!

So what is the point? That the Republicans exclude blacks? I don't think so.

Or is it that blacks just overwhelmingly prefer the Democrats?

At least all of the elected Republican delegates were allowed into the convention. Not so much at the "Democrat" convention.

No particular point, just a comment. The number of delegates was down from the 2004 convention despite attempts on the part of the Republicans to reach out to African-Americans. The lack of any African-American governors, Senators or Representatives, and only one African-American scheduled to speak in primetime indicates the inability of the Republicans to make inroads despite efforts over the past few years to attract a more diverse voter base.

[BackInTex]

If we're speaking of telling images, I submit any of the crowd shots that have been shown during the coverage. Of the approximately 2400 delegates seated on the convention floor only 36 are African-American.

Oooo, the race card!

So what is the point? That the Republicans exclude blacks? I don't think so.

Or is it that blacks just overwhelmingly prefer the Democrats?

At least all of the elected Republican delegates were allowed into the convention. Not so much at the "Democrat" convention.

No particular point, just a comment. The number of delegates was down from the 2004 convention despite attempts on the part of the Republicans to reach out to African-Americans. The lack of any African-American governors, Senators or Representatives, and only one African-American scheduled to speak in primetime indicates the inability of the Republicans to make inroads despite efforts over the past few years to attract a more diverse voter base.

I will give, and I can't believe I'm doing this, kudos (or is it kudoos or kudoes? Where is Dan when you need him?) to NBC. They did seem to isolate each of the '36' black delegates. If you paid attention to only the isolation shots it appeared that about 20% of the delegates were black.

[dimmzy]

Palin actually went against "Big Oil" and won.

So what's the price of gas in Juneau?

[KillerTomato]

BiT, I'll have a much more detailed response to this later tonight, when I don't have to type it out on my phone and can much more easily quote you, but I'll say this much now: I'm not in the least anti-capitalist. I don't blame the oil companies for their profits (nor Toyota or Apple or any other company). But I do believe that the Bush family and Dick Cheney have done everything humanly possible to ensure these record windfalls, and I find the involvement by our Government in such dealings to be wrong.

[BackInTex]

Palin actually went against "Big Oil" and won.

So what's the price of gas in Juneau?

Average today: 4.674 or 33.5% higher than in Houston ($3.50)

Cost of living index in Juneau compared to Houston (+35.2%)

So it looks like gas costs are in line with Houston.

Not that gas prices have anything to do with getting a better deal for the crude oil pumped out of state lands in Alaska. None what so ever.

[nitrah55]

Palin actually went against "Big Oil" and won.

So what's the price of gas in Juneau?

It was about $4.50 when I was there two weeks ago.

When they describe Palin going up against Big Oil, what they're talking about is her raising the amount the oil companies have to pay to the state of Alaska, based on their increase in profits. Now, granted, that money goes to Alaska residents as part of their annual check, but what this is, at root, is a windfall profits tax.

Oh, and just for the record, John McCain has had 8 opportunities in the last year or so to vote in favor of extending beyond this December 31 the tax credits for investment in solar power and wind power; the bill has come to the floor of the Senate 8 times.

He didn't vote against it, but he didn't vote for it either. He stayed in his office. 8 times.

Drill, baby.

[BackInTex]

Now, granted, that money goes to Alaska residents as part of their annual check, but what this is, at root, is a windfall profits tax.

Uh, no it is not.

A windfall profit tax essentiall takes most of the profits above a certain level, and economically it disuades more investiment (i.e. exploration).

The new tax structure in Alaska is essentially giving the state a better royalty structure that increases the state's intake while also encouraging more exploration (and production).

The only thing that could be called 'windfall' is a .25% increase where oil is above $55. That type of kicker is fairly normal in any kind of joint venture or royalty structure, so now Alaska is getting a fair shake.

I have no problem, and in fact support, a re-negotiated rate for extraction of oil from federal lands.

But not to tax the profits.

[KillerTomato]

Second try at this....I wrote so much last time it timed me out, and I lost what I wrote.

Here's the longer response to this post, although I made the more important post (about your perception of me as "anti-capitalist") earlier today.

What about the millions of people struggling to buy a tank of gas so they can get to work? Or paying 60% more for groceries because those groceries have to be harvested by machines that run on oil, processed in factories that run on electricity, and shipped on trains/trucks that run on oil? Its THEM that we are working for.

I completely agree. It IS these folks. And isn't the high price of gas (which pays for the massive profits of the oil companies) at least a little responsible for their plight?

What I failed to hear last night from both Mr. Giuliani and Gov. Palin was any mention of these people. Or of any concrete plans to ease their pain. I heard the letters "POW" several times, but the words "middle class" weren't spoken one time in those two speeches. I heard "Drill, baby, drill" being chanted incessantly, but no explanation of exactly how this will help NOW. Again, I am not against offshore drilling per se, but it's not a panacea and it won't help any of those people NOW.

And more importantly, another point that no one on either side seems to mention is that the supply of oil is NOT the only bottleneck in the process. What we need with more urgency is more refinery capacity, and "drilling, baby, drilling" will do nothing for that problem except make it worse.

Did you watch the entire RNC last night? All energy options were addressed. If you don't think oil is a part of our energy solution then you are wrong, wrong, wrong.

I saw what was broadcast by the networks. And yes, I did hear lip service being paid to nuclear, wind, geothermal, etc. energy sources. The problem is, I know first hand, since I work for an energy company, the regulatory and NIMBY hurdles that are currently nearly impossible to jump through to make these viable sources of significant amounts of electric power. What I haven't heard from anyone on either side yet is how they'll smooth out these bumps to make them happen, and when.

And as I mentioned earlier (and in my original post), I'm not so naive as to believe that we can live without oil.

There is nothing wrong with companies making a profit from their efforts. You don't seem to have a problem with the excessive profits that Toyota makes from their Prius. Or Apple from their Ipods. Or BMG from their CDs. Or Amazon, or Google? Or Nike selling $100 shoes made by 10 cent an hour workers.

But a company investing billions in risking ventures isn't allowed to earn back billions? Just because of all the zeros on the profit line? You have to look at the zeroes in the invested capital line also.

If you are an anti-capitalist, please be open about it. And be consistent.

The difference between gasoline and cars, iPods, CDs, whatever is that these are not necessities for life as we know it today. Gasoline, like housing and food and water, is. I'm not saying that oil companies should be non-profits. I'm not saying that windfall profits should be taxed, and the proceeds redistributed (which I know is what you find so offensive). But that said, other segments of the energy community (like my own company's natural gas delivery service, which I am very familiar with) live very comfortably with regulated profit caps, which say that we have the right to profits, but let's make agreements up front as to what is a reasonable profit. I see no reason that the same model can't be used here.

But I'm not an economist, I'm an engineer. I don't profess to understand the economy (as may be blatantly obvious to those who DO, and who read this post, if they exist). But it's an IDEA, it's a STARTING POINT. The point is, let's find some way to reasonably discuss what the problems are, and start looking for solutions, not just pretend the problem doesn't exist.

[Beebs52]

KT, what solutions are being offered by Obama/Biden to address your specific concerns?

I apologize if I've missed them.

[KillerTomato]

KT, what solutions are being offered by Obama/Biden to address your specific concerns?

I apologize if I've missed them.

No need to apologize. I'm not sure exactly what solutions will be offered by anyone (as I mentioned above). Neither side has fully outlined what they'd do.

My only point behind anything I've posted here is that I'm less sure that the Republicans, with their recent history of close ties to the oil companies, will do anything at all. It's distinctly possible that the Democrats won't do anything either....I'd just like to hear SOMEONE say one way or another.

What I DID hear during the DNC was that they were at least aware that the economy sucks, that the poor and middle class were being squeezed while the Bush/Cheney administration kept ramming tax breaks for people earning over $250,000 (and precious little for those of us who don't) down our throats. What I DID NOT hear at the RNC was that there was a middle class or poor people at all. They haven't mentioned us yet. And yet we make up the vast majority of registered voters. I also haven't yet heard anyone at the RNC mention that supply-side, trickle-down economics doesn't work, and that something will be done.

I hope Sen. McCain acknowledges the existence of people who are being hit hard by the economic policies of the current admiistration, and gives some indication that his administration will turn things around. I also hope that Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden flesh out their plan with something concrete. I hope that a dialogue regarding the economy is started, and that the problem just doesn't get ignored, because doing nothing is infinitely worse than any plan.

[BigDrawMan]

if i were the ceo of exxon, I would immediately drill exploratory wells to find out how much oil is there, then issue a press release touting this fact, then not pump it.The value of an oil co is determined more by its reserves than how much they are pumping at any given moment.

I intuit they like the spot market price right where it is.Pumping more might cause a slide.

[Tocqueville3]

if i were the ceo of exxon, I would immediately drill exploratory wells to find out how much oil is there, then issue a press release touting this fact, then not pump it.The value of an oil co is determined more by its reserves than how much they are pumping at any given moment.

I intuit they like the spot market price right where it is.Pumping more might cause a slide.

Well, I doubt any ceo would listen to you because your avatar is Spongebob Squarepants.

[Beebs52]

if i were the ceo of exxon, I would immediately drill exploratory wells to find out how much oil is there, then issue a press release touting this fact, then not pump it.The value of an oil co is determined more by its reserves than how much they are pumping at any given moment.

I intuit they like the spot market price right where it is.Pumping more might cause a slide.

That's really cute. Would you like to subsidize the exploratory costs?

[Beebs52]

KT, both parties have advocated all sorts of alternative fuel sources. You probably didn't listent to McCain's speech, but, well,...
And discussion of the middle class was much more prevalent during the RNC than DNC.

Probably because the middle class is the devil-spawned aborted child, hopefully adopted and out of the way, so the victimized can surge to the front, of the far left version of the DNC.

Feel free to holler at me.

[KillerTomato]

KT, both parties have advocated all sorts of alternative fuel sources. You probably didn't listent to McCain's speech, but, well,...
And discussion of the middle class was much more prevalent during the RNC than DNC.

Probably because the middle class is the devil-spawned aborted child, hopefully adopted and out of the way, so the victimized can surge to the front, of the far left version of the DNC.

Feel free to holler at me.

I try not to holler at anyone; it's counterproductive.

I do, however, disagree that discussion of our current economic woes has been more prevlalent this week than last. I ddin't hear a word about the economy being in bad shape until this evening (and yes, I did listen to Sen. McCain's speech....see my post on it elsewhere).

[Beebs52]

KT, both parties have advocated all sorts of alternative fuel sources. You probably didn't listent to McCain's speech, but, well,...
And discussion of the middle class was much more prevalent during the RNC than DNC.

Probably because the middle class is the devil-spawned aborted child, hopefully adopted and out of the way, so the victimized can surge to the front, of the far left version of the DNC.

Feel free to holler at me.

I try not to holler at anyone; it's counterproductive.

I do, however, disagree that discussion of our current economic woes has been more prevlalent this week than last. I ddin't hear a word about the economy being in bad shape until this evening (and yes, I did listen to Sen. McCain's speech....see my post on it elsewhere).

He did mention the economy. But, regardless, middleclass was front and center of this convention.

I guess, what's your point.

Most Democrats don't foster the middle class so...

[KillerTomato]

He did mention the economy. But, regardless, middleclass was front and center of this convention.

I guess, what's your point.

Most Democrats don't foster the middle class so...

I'm not sure which "he" you mean; I assume you mean Sen. McCain. And I acknowledged his brief mention of the economy in his speech.

But my point is very direct: Not a single person at the RNC this week, Sen. McCain included, used the words "middle class". That's all. "You're hurting, and I'm cutting taxes," yes. "I'm cutting taxes for the middle class," no. It makes me wonder who exactly will be benefitting from his tax cuts, is all. If it's another "let's cut taxes for those making more than $250,000, and hope it trickles down to the 99% of Americans who don't", then thanks but no thanks.

[ne1410s]

kt:

"let's cut taxes for those making more than $250,000, and hope it trickles down to the 99% of Americans who don't",

I would like the government to stop borrowing a billion dollars a day to fight Dubya's boutique war. Didn't BJ Bill leave a surplus in the budget?