In the Pipeline: 10/17/12

This video makes us laugh.  Until we remember that we are paying for this mess. Michigan Capitol Confidential (10/8/12) reports: “In the video, Gov. Granholm’s press conference on A123 Systems was interrupted by a phone call… It was President Obama on the line to remind the audience that it was his American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that enabled A123 Systems to be the “first American factory to start high-volume production of advanced vehicle batteries.””

There are a lot of good reasons to wake up from this nightmare. For starters, no one is interested in investing anything except taxpayer dollars in wind.  Grist (10/17/12) reports: “Since 2007, Susman’s OwnEnergy, which installs wind turbines, has grown to be one of the nation’s most prominent wind installers. But he’s plagued by a recurring nightmare: “Every few years the industry has to drop everything for six or nine months and focus exclusively on having the credit passed.””

I think Scott and Jeff are trying to drum up some business.  Although I am not sure a $20 a ton tax would not be noticed by industry.  It would, after all, become the third largest tax in the United States at that point. Politico (10/16/12) reports: “Two key energy industry advisers say a carbon tax will likely become an attractive revenue-boosting option for Congress, no matter who lands in the White House next year… A carbon tax likely won’t achieve lift-off in the next year, but it does remain a possibility that everyone — especially investors — should keep a close eye on, Bracewell & Giuliani’s Scott Segal and Jeff Holmstead said on a conference call Tuesday.”

Again, government does not pick winners and losers; it only picks losers. Politico (10/16/12) reports: ““It’s sad so many people keep losing jobs that are based on politicians cutting ribbons instead of businesses built on real market demand,” Dan Kish of the Institute for Energy Research wrote to POLITICO. “The government couldn’t even get the math right” on A123 Systems.”

Of course they talked about the production of affordable, reliable domestic energy instead of global warming.  Almost no voters care about global warming, and almost every voter cares about energy. Think Progress (10/17/12) reports: “Those concerned about climate change were sorely disappointed during Tuesday night’s town hall-style debate when both the candidates and the moderator — CNN’s Candy Crowley — failed to address the issue of climate change, even during a lengthy and heated exchange about energy issues.”