Category Archives: Energy

Energy, Politics

Pipeline Safety? Not So Much

While the exploding oil train in Canada where 47 people died is still fresh in your memory, you may be surprised to learn that there were plans to make accidents like that preventable. The Obama administration has delayed by nearly a year a plan to boost safety standards for the type of rail car involved.You would also be surprised to learn that the government agency responsible is called the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

A proposed rule to beef up rail-car safety was initially scheduled to be put in place last October, but it has been delayed until late September at the earliest. A final rule isn’t expected until next year.

The administration has a good track record of delaying and denying approval of the XL pipeline over safety and environmental issues, all of which have been satisfactorily addressed. Pipelines don’t crash and burn. Rail cars do. So why all the foot-dragging? Maybe because Warren Buffet, one of the largest campaign donors to the Democratic Party, owns BNSF Railway. A railroad company that transports the same oil that the XL pipeline would. Isn’t it obvious where this administration’s priorities are?

Link: Oil Train Safety Rule Delayed By 1 Year

Economy, Energy, Florida, Gun Control, Immigration, Judiciary, Obamacare, Organized Labor, Politics, Race Relations

“Could Have Been Me 35 Years Ago”

2 Comments

Two can play that game Mr. President.

If you were Trayvon 35 years ago, it would have spared the country from . . .

  • record unemployment
  • a stagnant economy
  • high energy prices
  • high food prices
  • union bailouts
  • a move towards socialism
  • Obamacare
  • the dilution of “equal justice under the law” with your inclination toward “social justice” and “racial justice”
  • your lawless administration that selectively enforces laws, especially current immigration laws
  • your Attorney General ignoring voting rights laws (New Black Panthers in Philadelphia)
  • your dozens of unaccountable Czars
  • using the Federal Govt. and its agencies to oppress (and attack, George Zimmerman) the citizens
  • abuse of voting and first amendment rights (IRS)
  • attacks on second amendment rights
  • racial tensions fueled by you not seen since the 60’s.
  • Did I mention voting rights abuse?

Energy, Media, Politics

Buffet’s Railroad, Or XL Pipeline

Check out this sanitized headline. Can’t CNN bring themselves to use “crude oil” instead of  “flammable liquid?”

Train carrying flammable liquid derails, bursts into flames in Canada

(CNN) — A train pulling over 70 tankers of crude oil derailed and burst into flames in Canada early Saturday near the U.S. border.

The crude was being shipped to Maine in the United States. Why the omission in the headline? Please, let’s not call attention to the risk involved in moving crude oil via Warren Buffet’s railroad instead of a pipeline.

Link: Train carrying flammable liquid derails, bursts into flames in Canada – CNN.com.

Update 7/8/2013: Now the headline was changed, slightly edited story, same link. The product of seven CNN writers. The new headline is 1 dead, others missing after train derails, burns in Quebec

2008 Election, 2012 Election, Economy, Energy, Immigration, Media, Obamacare, Organized Labor, Politics, Race Relations

So You Think Republicans Are Racist?

That anyone who opposed anything Barack Obama would do would be labeled a racist came as no surprise. This was obvious long before his 2008 election. Playing the race card is what democrats do. It’s their way to dismiss the issues because of skin color, rather than debate them. That republicans don’t stand up against the hateful attacks is another subject. Basically, and to their detriment, their moral standards prevent them from going there. But this is what needs to be said.

Here’s what people would have to believe of republicans if they fall for the classless playing of the race card.

  • We would be more than willing to welcome cap-and-trade with open arms, even if we paid a thousand dollars or more extra every year for our energy use, if Barack Obama were only white.
  • We would be dancing in the streets celebrating the dawning of government control of our health care if only Barack Obama were white.
  • It would be just dandy if government bureaucrats rationed health care for our parents, as long as the president is white.
  • We would jump at the chance of the government owning ALL of the auto manufacturing companies .. not just General Motors … if the president just didn’t have dark skin.
  • We would applaud those ACORN workers giving tax avoidance advice to a pimp and his prostitute if the workers hadn’t been black.
  • Most Americans – even ones that don’t pay income taxes now – would be more than willing to give 70% of everything they earn to the federal government when asked … so long as they are asked by a white president.
  • We would have been thrilled, I tell you … THRILLED to have all of those Islamic goons being held at Guantanamo be not only released, but sent to be school resource officers at our local government schools, if only a white president put that plan in motion.
  • It would be OK if a white president stood back and allowed Iran to build its coveted nukes … we’re only unhappy about that because a black president is doing it.
  • Deficits? We don’t care about deficits! Make our children and grand children and great grand children pay through the nose for our president’s spending habits … just so long as the president isn’t black.
  • Government pork? Like we actually care? Look … you folks in Washington can spend all the money you want – how about more studies of the mating habits of Polish Zlotnika pigs? – just make sure it’s not a black president who signs the spending bill into law.
  • We wouldn’t care if all illegal aliens were counted twice in the next Census … just so long as the president isn’t black.
  • Those Black Panther thugs who threatened voters in Philly? The ONLY reason we’re upset that they were given a pass is because Barack Obama is black.
  • Every single member of the president’s cabinet could be a tax cheat as far as we’re concerned … just so long as the president is white.
  • Forced unionization? Bring it on! We love card check! We love the idea of union goons threatening and intimidating workers to sign a card saying they want to belong to a union! What we don’t like is that a black president is pushing this idea.
  • Single-party talks with that Gargoyle that runs North Korea? It’s about time we legitimized that little pipsqueak. We’re only mildly upset here because the person who is doing that happens to be black.
  • More regulation of the finance sector? We could care less! For all we care you can nationalize the banks and decree that only the government can make home loans .. .and you can even apportion those home loans on the basis of race if you want to … just so long as the president is white!
  • Minimum wage? Like we care about that? Raise it to $15 an hour if you want! Just give us our white president back.

So the next time you hear the racist accusations pour from the lips of the likes of Chris Matthews, Nancy Pelosi, Al Sharpton, Bill Maher, Joe Scarborough, Whoopie Goldberg, Colin Powell, Janine Garofolo, Mike Papantonio, Larry Flint, Chuck Todd, Joy Behar, Ed Schultz, Bill Cosby, Patrick L. Cooney, Karen Finney, Cher, Maxine Waters, Barbara Lee, Julian Bond, Lawrence O’Donnell, Candy Crowley, David Shuster, Rev. William Barber, Jesse Jackson, Charles Rangel, Morgan Freeman, and Mike Malloy, just realize what an imbecile they are.

Energy, Fair Tax, Politics

10 Items Whose Prices Have Jumped the Most in the Past 10 Years

You’re paying 145% more to heat your home and about 100% more to put a gallon of gas in your car today than you did 10 years ago. And you can thank the EPA anddollar environmentalist wackos for the top two.

All of them, except possibly #9, are the result of either government regulation or the political influence of labor unions and special interest contributions. You lose.

  1. Fuel oil and other fuels (for home): 145%
  2. Gasoline (all types) for cars: 108%
  3. College tuition: 88%
  4. Hospital services: 85%
  5. College textbooks: 83%
  6. Elementary and high school tuition and fees: 67%
  7. Beef and veal: 64.8%
  8. Eggs: 58%
  9. Veterinarian services: 63%
  10. Tax return preparation and other accounting fees: 51%

Sure makes the case for smaller government and the FairTax doesn’t it?

Link: 10 Items Whose Prices Have Jumped the Most in the Past 10 Years

Economy, Energy, Media, Politics

Buffett Railroad, Not XL Pipeline

Were it not for a caller to the Herman Cain radio show this morning spilling the beans on Warren Buffett’s railroad, vis-a-vie the XL bnsfpipeline, this story would have remained buried. It’s about BNSF Railway, a railroad transportation company wholly owned by Warren Buffett‘s Berkshire Hathaway.

BNSF figures to be the major player in petroleum shipments from the Bakken fields in North Dakota to the Texas refineries. In other words, the XL pipeline route. And to ship east to Philadelphia refineries and west to refineries in California, Oregon and Washington.

rfkjrdc2Warren Buffett is a big Obama contributor and supporter. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But when you see Obama doing everything he can to not sign on to the XL pipeline, and last week the environmental lobby along with Robert Kennedy Jr. tying themselves to The White House fence in protest to the XL pipeline, you can see the forces at work. The only special interest group that supports Obama but wants the XL pipeline is Big Labor. Why? Because it means jobs.

So Obama has a tough call (money or jobs) to make. You have your quid pro quo to Warren Buffett and the environmental lobby on one hand, and creating hundreds of thousands of high-paying union jobs on the other. The latter would also strengthen our energy security in the long-term, cut oil dependency on the Middle East and Venezuela, will contribute to making the United States an oil producer instead of an oil purchaser, and would lower energy costs. Oil producers say shipping crude by pipeline in North Dakota adds up to $1.50 to its cost, compared to $2 or more a barrel for rail shipments. Also tied to the oil costs are food cost.

To the oil companies, it doesn’t matter one bit how the crude they produce is transported. It does matter to the folks that have to buy it. The lower the cost of transportation, the lower the cost of energy. The lower the cost of energy, the lower the cost of food, fuel, heating. The poor would benefit more from lower prices on food and energy than those eeevil one percenters would. Opening the Keystone XL pipeline should be a no-brainer. But  Obama won re-election. He doesn’t have to act like he cares for the poor or middle-class anymore.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, at least here on The Lunch Counter, let’s see if the media ever catches up and calls out Obama on being beholden to his favorite lobbyists/contributors as they are quick to say, “on the backs of the poor.”

Links: Buffett Railroad Sees Crude Cargo Climbing 40%  |  BNSF Railway  |  Warren Buffett cleans up after Keystone XL  |  No Keystone XL? Big Oil will just take the train   |  BNSF expands Bakken rail ability from N.Dakota, Montana

2012 Election, Economy, Energy, Media, Politics

Obama Threatens “Every Industry”

On the campaign trail, President Obama touted his takeover of the auto industry as a smashing success (for who?). He said the auto industry is roaring back, which it isn’t. And that GM is #1 again, which it isn’t. Then he said this . . .

I said I believe in American workers, I believe in this American industry, and now the American auto industry has come roaring back and GM is number one again. So now I want to do the same thing with manufacturing jobs not just in the auto industry, but in every industry. I don’t want those jobs taking root in places like China. I want them taking root in places like Pueblo.

President Obama just illustrated the power of the bully pulpit. Knowingly or not, the content of what he said will have a negative effect on an already stagnant economy.

The business climate now is in survival mode. Not hiring employees and not planning to expand. The administration is doing everything it can to depress private business by Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. The FUD Factor. And it has been that way since before President Obama was inaugurated.

In his first 100 days analysis . . .

The power grab the Obama administration has perpetrated over various industries and companies within his first 100 days is sending only one message to business. Watch out, you could be next.

President Obama’s recent statement answers the final question. Who, what business, or what industry, could be next? Given the chance, he wants “every industry.” After finally admitting to how he truly intends to change this country, there is no end to the FUD Factor where private sector business is concerned.

Until the FUD Factor is eliminated, there will be

  • no economic rebound
  • higher unemployment
  • college grads without jobs
  • higher energy costs
  • higher food cost
  • depressed home values
  • “kids” returning home

You know, the whole economic scheme that Obama said “works”.

Couldn’t have said more to perpetuate the fear, uncertainty, and doubt to American business. He’s already got his thumb on energy-related industries. Preventing (high-paying, union) oil industry jobs from being created, and kicking coal miners out of a job. Now, it’s everyone else.

related link: Hugo Chavez Campaign, Sean Penn

Economy, Energy, Politics

Falling Gas Prices, Who’s To Blame?

When we see the price of a gallon of gasoline coming down, is there anyone giving credit to those oil speculators? According to the Obama administration, they unfairly control the cost of gasoline at the pump because they unfairly control the cost of crude oil. That’s their story and they’re sticking to it. So how’s that investigation into the speculators going?

Absent the chorus of salutations to the oil speculators (part of that market), one can only assume that Obama deserves the credit, or blame, for the gas prices falling. And in this case, that would be correct.

As usual, it is the market that affects the price of crude. And in this case, and you’ve heard Obama brag about how Americans are conserving by using less gas, this decrease in demand is causing the price to come down. He apparently believes in free-market economics only when it suits him. He is only half right in his analysis. Gas prices are coming down due to the falling demand for gas. But it’s not because Americans have suddenly turned into a bunch of conservationists, as he suggests. It is due to the depressed economy, rising unemployment, and generally less business, or any, activity overall. People, and businesses in general, are hunkered down and/or out of work. That’s why the demand is down.

Depressing the economy is not the way to lower prices at the pump.

2012 Election, Economy, Energy, Europe, Politics

EPA, High Mileage Cars Not Permitted In U.S.

If there are only three or four cars capable of 70 mpg, the gas tax revenue shortfall angle is negligible. But not necessarily a limitation. There’s nothing stopping Washington from coming up with a new tax to replace half the gas tax revenue that would be lost by doubling the gas mileage (presuming every car in the country also doubles their mileage.) Or, just double the existing excise tax. Either way, the working poor will be hit the hardest.

The reason why a Volkswagen that gets 70 miles per gallon can not be sold in the United States is because of government regulation. The real reason is the emission standards as dictated by the EPA and the Obama administration. The penny-pincher on gas emits more ‘pollution’ than what the EPA allows. And the reason for that is the farcical man-made global warming BS coming from what is now known as the environmental movement. Wholly embraced by the Obama administration.

The EPA is one government agency that needs to be reduced to an advisory agency, not a regulatory agency. Congress is our regulatory agency. Or better yet, just eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency and save $8.3 billion a year without them. In ten years time, and without the idiotic baseline budgeting scheme, that represents a saving of $83 billion dollars.

Economy, Energy, Media, Politics

Obama’s Virtual Economy And Virtual Truth

Contrary to the administration’s storyline, the economy is not creating jobs. We’re still short millions of jobs from when he took over, and that’s after all the so-called stimulus spending. What little economic growth there is, is happening in spite of Obama’s stimulus spending, takeovers, and Czars. Not because of them. And is the reason the economy hasn’t already shown good signs of recovery. He is depressing what is a strong economy eager to be set free.

The administration, with a little help from the media, is attempting to redefine progress. Let’s look at where we are: 8.2% unemployment is the new 5.2%.  The new norm.  That 8.2% is nothing to be alarmed about.  No problem.  And $5/gallon gasoline, that’s the new $3.  Not $4.  Remember when $4 was hit, everybody went crazy?  No, now $5 gasoline, “Hey, it’s the new the norm! It’s not as much as they’re paying in Europe.  You should feel lucky.”

Then there’s the oil head-fake, lie. The oil ‘subsidies’ which are not really subsidies but current tax law, are the same production and manufacturing incentives that all companies enjoy, whether they make cars or gasoline.

Yet, the Divider-in-Cheif continues to demagogue the entire industry, urging Congress to “stand with the American people” by voting to end subsidies to oil companies. Funny thing happened last week. The Democrat-controlled Senate stood with Big Oil and voted 51-47 against the bill. And how does the media report it? CBS’s  Bill Plante frames it like this . . . “GOP blocks Obama’s bid to end oil subsidies.”

From The White House, on the same day the Senate killed his bullying initiative to raise taxes on the oil industry, President Obama said . . .

“Right now, the biggest oil companies are raking in record profits. On top of these record profits, oil companies are also getting billions a year in taxpayer subsidies.”

Here’s a fact. The biggest oil companies will likely always earn record profits in terms of dollars. Not in terms of profit margin. When what you produce runs the economies of the world, and there is an endless demand for it coming from China, India, and other developing countries, the dollar amounts will consistently hit ‘record highs’ on a monthly, if not annual basis. If they don’t, then it will be because of no economic growth. Sure makes it easy for a politician to demagogue, doesn’t it?

Acting as though he was leading the charge to end crony capitalism when he was candidate Obama, President Obama climbs in bed with George Soros and Brazil. It’s just a bit dishonest for Obama to fund oil drilling and exploration in Brazil, then pledging to be their major customer, for oil that he refuses to get here.

Links: Higher gas prices cause less public anger this time  |  Obama says US to be major purchaser of Brazilian oil  |  The New Normal: Trickle-Down Poverty