In the Pipeline: 8/9/12

If not us, then who? If not now, then when? And seriously, follow us on twitter @productspower. E&ENews (8/8/12) reports: “At an event in Dallas, activists were joined by Michael Reagan, son of the late President Ronald Reagan, to kick off the “American Products and Power” multi-state bus tour from the city’s Flag Pole Hill Park. The tour is being promoted by the American Energy Alliance and will cover at least 16 states, including the energy-rich potential swing states of New Mexico, Colorado and Ohio.”

It might take decades for the jobs to come?  And Romney is on the wrong side of this issue?  There is no nice way to say this: these people are morons. Denver Post (8/7/12) reports: “Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign has been savaging what it calls President Barack Obama’s “unhealthy” obsession with “green jobs.” The Republican challenger criticizes the government program that propped up solar manufacturer Solyndra, and he mocks Obama’s vision of a boom in employment, citing a European study to argue that new solar or wind-energy positions would destroy jobs elsewhere.”

Even if we were going to be alive, it wouldn’t be that satisfying to say, “I told you so.” Consumer Report (8/6/12) reports: “At the rate the WT6500 [off-grid wind turbine] is delivering power at our test site, it would take several millennia for the product to pay for itself in savings—not the 56 years it would take even with the 1,155 kWh quote we received.”

This story seems to suggest that the costs of an energy tax flow through the economy.  But that can’t be right.  I mean, who uses energy? ABC (8/8/12) reports: “But the co-op’s chief executive, Simon Stahl, says he expects power costs to rise dramatically… “All the flow-on costs… the power stations obviously have direct emissions and they will pass those charges on and they have notified us that our power prices will be going up as a direct result of the carbon tax by about half a million dollars a year,” he said.”

We hope that Senator Reid brings an energy tax bill to the Senate floor as well.  It will require a tough vote from a lot of people, and it will be fun to watch everyone squirm.  But mostly, it will educate voters about how their Senators really think about them and their lives. Greenwire (8/8/12) reports: “Asked whether the Senate would return to climate legislation aimed at adding a price to carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping emissions, Reid said, “I hope so.””

Apparently, it’s really easy to upset your friends and your enemies when you start making boldfaced lies. Politico (8/8/12) reports: “The Obama campaign is taking heat from progressive and green allies over its attempt to cozy up to coal in some battleground states.”