Tom Brokaw is right

As most of you know, I'm a news junkie.

Sunday morning is an important time in my house. I watch the Sunday newsmaker shows (I'm watching CNN's "Late Edition" as I type this) and found a discussion on "Meet the Press" this morning to be particularly germane to what is going on currently with respect to the energy and environmental policy. 

The thing that struck me was something Tom Brokaw said in the segment announcing David Gregory as the new host the program.

In that segment, Brokaw said that the American public is paying more attention to policy development now than they had in any time in recent memory. I've thought that too, and having someone with the perspective of Tom Brokaw share that view confirms that observation. 

So when the Reality Coalition says that the American public is being duped by our advertising, I disagree. I give the American public a lot more credit than that.

Our polling shows that the American people recognize that coal will be a part of our energy future both here at home and around the world for decades to come. 

The negative tone of the Reality Coalition's message still stuns me. If you support strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (a common cause that we share with the Reality Coalition), wouldn't it make more sense to be talking about how to get those technologies to the marketplace as opposed to using attack ads to denigrate the very technology some members of this coalition have describes as a "big part of the solution" when it come to addressing climate concerns?

Comments

[Mike Johnston]

I am still not sure how Al Gore's plan to go 100% green energy in 10 years is going to work. He would have to de-commission all existing nuclear, coal and natural gas plants. Then pay the owners of those plants for the land, structures and equipment they own as well as compensate them for all of the electricity the would have sold over the projected life of the facility. I can't wait to see a more complete plan from him that addresses that issue as well as what his replacement is going to be.

[Megan from ACCCE]

Mike:

Thanks for your comment.

We've always said that it will take all of our domestic energy sources to power the country for decades to come. Of course, coal currently provides us with a steady stream of baseload power necessary to keep the electricity grid energized and meet a constant demand. Thus, we believe that coal has to be part of the solution, not a target of the policy.

[MarCom]

I will explain here what is likely going on in the country so the Coal Industry can prepare.

See the link for evidence that OPEC is in the starting phases of dumping oil on the market as they did in 1998. Pay close attention to December prices over the years.

http://www.ioga.com/Special/crudeoil_Hist.htm

The reason to do this is to ward off the development of technology to use varied forms of energy. People loose the sense of urgency to reduce dependence on the Middle East due to acceptable gas prices and they quickly forget about the fact that they got screwed without lube.

Continued high prices would lead to the primary oil producing countries demise and they know how long they can get away with it.

It is highly likely that the real reason for the global warming fraud science is a poor attempt to convince the world that there is a larger reason to stop using carbon based fuels. I say poor attempt because it also unnecessarily harms our coal industry. I believe this attempt is to ward off the negative impact that dumping oil on the US market will have, preventing the reduction of dependence on the Middle East.

This is the reason that our fellow republicans in office (Bush, McCain, etc) continue to appease the Global Warming Fraud against the will of our party. Conservatives should consider using a different energy tactic rather than the drill here drill now which ties into the whole oil thing that leaves a bad taste in less informed peoples mouths. The focus should be on varied energy production BY United States companies. Bring the Energy Dollars To The United States. That kind of thing.

This is also the recommended positioning for the coal industry. There are many reasons behind this that I will not go into here. I am a marketing consultant and specialize in convincing the public and can assure you that this is the path that must be taken.

Back to the arabs.

OPEC is not ignorant. They know we are dependent on them and they know how to keep it that way and will make every attempt to do so. You would do the same to protect your business. Right now it is the coal industry against, technology that doesn't yet exist and nuclear power, against many oil rich countries that could outspend you with the snap of their fingers. Using the wrong strategy will prove to be fatal.

[Kevin Holleran]

I have recently evaluated and am converting from forced air (#2 oil), to coal fired hydronic heat in my home. Economical, clean, and the best choice for the future. It was a matter of my personal financial survival with the bonus of doing my part in my country's independence from the politics of foreign oil. Your adversaries attacks only serve notice that my research is now validated. A small $40,000 wind powered generator near me, was struck by lighting 4 years ago, shortly after it was erected. It spun for over 2 wattless years "serving as a monument of commitment to higher technological energy conservation." I suppose that I'm not smart enough to appreciate the sense of their all. Hope to keep you posted.