Why isn't alternative energy the number 1 election issue?

[bj229r]

I was reading this discussion on another bbs by some folks far smarter than I, was enlightening The gent who posted this has been in the commodities/futures business (grains) for 25 years

Index Fund speculators are far different than commodity speculators in the past. By definition they ONLY buy commodity futures and never short them. They sit on HUGE positions and roll them forward from futures option month to futures options month without selling. Right now Index funds hold over two full crop years of wheat in futures at the Chicago Board of Trade. The other point of the testimony is the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) who is supposed to be the watchdog for any shenanigans has really dropped the ball this last year to allow this type of activity to overtake all futures markets.

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/_files/052008Masters.pdf

[Holden McGroin]

No, gasoline is cheap in Saudi Arabia because the Saudi government subsidises it. Just the cost of the crude oil to produce a gallon of gasoline costs about $2.90 at the moment.

Not to the Saudis.

The raw material price that it costs on the world market of $130 / bbl is not what they pay.  They pay the cost of pumping it from the ground and the cost of maintaining the pumping infrastructure.

They do however lose the enormous profit they would get if they sold the bbl instead of using it themselves.

[lazs2]

holden..  if we can't blame big oil then....

we would have to point the finger at democrats and their cronies for the fact that we don't have more oil and no cheap nuke plants or even new refineries.   But look at the bright side..  lots less carbon when the price gets to 10 bucks a gallon.. and.. we won't have to fix the roads as much... course.. all the campfires might become a problem.

Still.. it's a small price to pay to feel green.

lazs

[AKIron]

holden..  if we can't blame big oil then....

we would have to point the finger at democrats and their cronies for the fact that we don't have more oil and no cheap nuke plants or even new refineries.   But look at the bright side..  lots less carbon when the price gets to 10 bucks a gallon.. and.. we won't have to fix the roads as much... course.. all the campfires might become a problem.

Still.. it's a small price to pay to feel green.

lazs

Of course those with the loudest mouths, Al Bore comes to mind, will continue to enjoy parading around in their fleets of SUVs while many others walk. Walking is good for you though. Being unable to buy food because Al is burning it to heat his mansion may leave his parishoners feeling abandoned. He may get his social revolution yet. I just hope the enraged masses string up the right people, those responsible.

[Airhead]

"Why isn't alternative energy the number 1 election issue?"

Why indeed? How about because we're mired in an unwinnable police action in Iraq, the economy is in the tank, our deficeit is larger than ever, the housing crisis is destroying families, and the current Administration has stripped our citizens of basic rights and freedoms? In light of every other issue alternative energy just ain't all that important.

[AquaShrimp]

holden..  if we can't blame big oil then....

we would have to point the finger at democrats and their cronies for the fact that we don't have more oil and no cheap nuke plants or even new refineries.   But look at the bright side..  lots less carbon when the price gets to 10 bucks a gallon.. and.. we won't have to fix the roads as much... course.. all the campfires might become a problem.

Still.. it's a small price to pay to feel green.

lazs

You paint a totally unrealistic picture.  Even in your home state of California, the salmon fishery has collapsed due to river pollution and low levels of oceanic plankton (on which salmon feed).  Where are you going to drive to if you don't have anything to eat?

[AKIron]

"Why isn't alternative energy the number 1 election issue?"

Why indeed? How about because we're mired in an unwinnable police action in Iraq, the economy is in the tank, our deficeit is larger than ever, the housing crisis is destroying families, and the current Administration has stripped our citizens of basic rights and freedoms? In light of every other issue alternative energy just ain't all that important.

Contrary to what those who want any change at any cost may think, Iraq is being won. It wasn't cheap but the alternative might have cost us much more. Families have survived far greater crisis than the recent mortgage fiasco and will continue to do so. What basic rights and freedoms have you lost exactly? And so far as making alternative energy sources a government priority, what exactly did Bill and Ted, er, Al, do during their 8 years in office?

[Airhead]

Contrary to what those who want any change at any cost may think, Iraq is being won. It wasn't cheap but the alternative might have cost us much more. Families have survived far greater crisis than the recent mortgage fiasco and will continue to do so. What basic rights and freedoms have you lost exactly? And so far as making alternative energy sources a government priority, what exactly did Bill and Ted, er, Al, do during their 8 years in office?

AKIron, this is an election year- what we say doesn't have to have any real substance, it just has to be catchy and simple and something the sheeple can all memorize. "Two legs good, four legs better" describes the way we conduct politics....which explains alot about what we get.

[lazs2]

shrimp.. I don't know where you got that thing about oil having to do with salmon or even being "green" but I do live in kalifornia (and you do not) and the declining population has nothing to do with green.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080129210349.htm

It is most likely cyclical and due to the conditions in the ocean..  science daily admits that no one knows.   And that is the problem.. all you greens think you know all about mother nature but you do not... you want to "help" when you don't even know what help means.

Unless you are saying that we can't have cheap nuke energy or drill offshore for oil because we will kill all the salmon.. you really aren't saying that are you?

lazs

[Airhead]

shrimp.. I don't know where you got that thing about oil having to do with salmon or even being "green" but I do live in kalifornia (and you do not) and the declining population has nothing to do with green.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080129210349.htm

It is most likely cyclical and due to the conditions in the ocean..  science daily admits that no one knows.   And that is the problem.. all you greens think you know all about mother nature but you do not... you want to "help" when you don't even know what help means.

Unless you are saying that we can't have cheap nuke energy or drill offshore for oil because we will kill all the salmon.. you really aren't saying that are you?

lazs

Lazs, I was at Ft. Bragg the other day, talking to a commercial fisherman- he brought up two points concerning the cancellation of the salmon season- 1, to get disaster relief the State wants your salmon permit in exchange, effectively ending your fishing career, and 2, they left the river and stream salmon season alone, and the salmon going upriver are the ones that breed so the closure will have a minimal impact on the numbers of salmon anyway.

Typical State DFG- idiots. 

[lazs2]

yep.

lazs