Today, a continuation of a short series looking into the factors affecting the current political climate.  It's no secret that the country isn't too happy about the economy, the war in Iraq, and the direction the country is headed in.  But for me at least, I like to see the data.  First, the right track/wrong track question:

Click to enlarge.

The trend is clear, the numbers are huge: almost three quarters say we're off on the wrong track.  Much more below.

Here's an interview I recently did that I thought might raise some good discussion here.

Ok, so I, like so many of us filling out tanks with $4+ gas, have been thinking about ways to address the "energy problem". I really haven't heard anyone with a broad and cohesive plan to really address it yet... all just "baby steps" in my opinion (or it's "DRILL DRILL DRILL"). Nothing that's going to change anything significantly any time soon. But I've had a couple of ideas that I thought might be worthy sharing. So for what its worth, here's my energy plan.

Short n' sweet: In exchange for being hooked to the energy grid, anyone hooked up must also be able to generate and return to the grid, some portion of the power being provided by a renewable energy source such as solar or wind or both.

The details after the jump.

Thanks to the political instability in Georgia, Europeans are nervous about the last vestiges of control they have over oil, at least flowing from the East.  

Georgia is home to a BP pipeline that feeds Azerbaijani oil to Europe, and Russia wants to control the line: they went out of their way to bomb the pipeline, which is well south of Tblisi.

Clarification: They made a point of making an attack on the pipeline as a message. The attack appears to be intended to intimidate, as it caused no damage. The target was clearly chosen, however.

So, it's yet another war about energy sources and oil.

This time, Europe sees the Russians possibly grasping at the last 1% of control of the flow oil from the East.

This is what you pay at the pump in combined Federal and State tax on average for a gallon of gas.

Most of this information is from the wiki.
I believe it to be relatively accurate.

In the Netherlands, they pay $3.50 a gallon in tax, and then VAT in addition to the final price.

In Norway, [where there's a huge amount of oil and natural gas production] they pay an effective rate of $5.38/gallon in tax on gasoline. The government refers to the tax as environmental tax on fuels.

In the UK, the combined tax is $5.20.

The average tax on a gallon of gasoline in the US is 47 cents. We pay a similar [slightly higher] tax rate on diesel, on natural gas, on coal that is used to create electricity.  

Exxon/Mobil earned $12 billion dollars in profit last quarter, which is more profit in one quarter ever earned by a corporation in human history.

Other oil and gas companies did about as well. Meanwhile, the profits of oil, gas, natural gas and coal industries continue to line the pockets of the very rich, and groups of speculators on Wall Street.

Not only should there be price controls on all carbon based energy sources, there should be taxes [as I stated in a diary a few days ago] in my diary Gasoline should be $15, $20 a gallon.

As stated in the original diary, protections should be offered to the poor and working class, and selected sectors such as commercial trucking and rail. This could be accomplished by rationing coupons, or tax rebates or some other subsidy for heating oil, gasoline and diesel to maintain the backbone of the American economy.  

Energy companies should not be allowed to hold the American people hostage and make record profits. The massive amounts of waste in consumption of carbon based fuels must be addressed, right now for many reasons.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune allowed Sen. Norm Coleman to excrete some Norm-speak^TM on their op-ed page today.  It seems that Norm has decided to make the Republican lie "Drill Here, Drill Now" a central part of his campaign.

Nothing is more urgent or of greater significance to the American people than solving our energy crisis -- it is an issue that hits to the core of family budgets, our economy and our national security. From my travels across this state, it is clear that Minnesotans are united in the belief that any solution to our nation's energy crisis that doesn't produce a single drop more of oil is half-hearted. And rather than staying in session to address the rising cost of fuel, the U.S. Senate simply allowed time to expire to August adjournment without accomplishing a single thing.
[emphasis mine]
(Star Tribune)

    This is my idea on how we can drastically lower energy costs, from gasoline in automobiles to electricity in homes.

Rush Limbaugh had a "blowout" on his radio show today -- apparently discouraged by international celebrity Barack Obama's willingness to risk American lives with impunity.

As a rule, Limbaugh said he does not like to spend time talking about "ridiculous" things, but today he felt it was his duty to point out that the centerpiece of Barack's energy policy -- tire inflation -- will lead to hazardous conditions across the nation.

Limbaugh, temporarily setting aside his self-professed "talent on loan from God," was uncharacteristically bloviatous, making no effort to hide his growing exasperation with Obama (whom Limbaugh refers to as "the messiah" because of Obama's elevated opinion of himself).

Limbaugh's initial concern was helping the public recognize that increasing air pressure in our tires would do nothing to immediately address our current oil shortage (in contrast to new oil drilling).

Putting air in our tires does not put gas in our tanks! We cannot inflate our way out of this [energy crisis]!

Great short piece from today's Boston Globe.

Obama's campaign is taking it to the street in a dozen states with field operatives going gas station to gas station reminding people that McCain is in the pocket of Big Oil.

But the real tickler is below

The Hill brings us news of one of the greatest feats of statesmanship in American history -- the story of how House Republicans lowered gas prices . . . WITH THEIR MINDS:

House Republicans on Tuesday said their protest of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) decision not to allow a vote on expanded offshore oil drilling has helped lower gas prices.

Heading into a third day of speeches in the near-empty chamber, Republicans acknowledged that the average price of gas and oil has declined in recent weeks. But they claimed credit for part of that reduction.

"I think the market is responding to the fact that we are here talking," said Rep. John Shadegg* (R-Ariz.) at a joint press conference with other GOP lawmakers. "I think the market realizes this kind of pressure from Congress may, in fact, lead to a change in policy."

The Republican members did not answer questions about whether they would take the blame if gas prices go up again.**

Yes, indeed.  From the Keyboard Kommandos who won the Iraq war by blogging hard, to the House Republicans who lowered gas prices by bloviating about them in a closed, dark room, today's Republican Party is solving America's problems through a bold new plan: hoping and wishing and holding their breath until reality conforms to their wishes. One can only pray that the McCain campaign is embracing this innovative approach, and is abandoning traditional, effective campaign tactics in favor of visualization exercises.

In all seriousness, this is pretty pathetic.  It wasn't that long ago that when you disagreed with Republicans, you found yourself holding grudging admiration for their hardball approach to politics and legislation.  But with this, the Republican Party has finally taken its final step away from anything resembling Burkean conservatism -- and even away from effective, if evil, Atwater/Rove ratfucking -- and into pure, ideology-free, sweaty ineffectual huckster venality. They've become the party of The Secret.  Which, all things considered, makes sense.


*If you want to retire John Shadegg's magical thinking, help out his Democratic challenger, Bob Lord, at Orange to Blue.

**Jared Allen of The Hill needs to take a bow for getting that last graf past his editor.  Kudos, sir.

Obama comes through with the truth. Again.

How out of touch is Barack Obama? He's so out of touch that he suggested that if all Americans inflated their tires properly and took their cars for regular tune-ups, they could save as much oil as new offshore drilling would produce. Gleeful Republicans have made this their daily talking point; Rush Limbaugh is having a field day; and the Republican National Committee is sending tire gauges labeled "Barack Obama's Energy Plan" to Washington reporters.

There are some items up on News Unfiltered that might interest the community.

Pelosi praises Dems' proposal to lower gas prices, slams the Republicans' motion:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on Democratic proposals to bring relief to Americans at the pump: "Democrats offered a real solution to high energy prices that would bring immediate relief within 10 days by forcing the President to free our oil from the nation's stockpile. The Republicans propose to give away public lands to Big Oil, which will not immediately reduce the price at the pump and save Americans only 2 cents 10 years from now. This Republican hoax is unworthy of the serious debate we must have to reduce the price at the pump and promote energy independence."

Read more.

Politico, August 4: ("McCain camp amps up tire gauge gag")

McCain aides are distributing them to the campaign's travelling press corps and back at the HQ they're offering Obama tire gauges in exchange for donors who send in $25.

My friends, this is only the beginning...

That's RIGHT - He's BAAAAAAD!!

*

Booooooo YAH!!!

You wanted it - well you GOT IT!

Barack just released an ad smacking McSame on gas, Bush's 3rd term, and being a errand boy of Big Oil.

Here's part of the text

Every time you fill your tank, the oil companies fill their pockets.

Now big oil is filling John McCain campaign with $2 million in contributions. [POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!]

Because instead of taxes their windfall profits, McCain wants to give them more tax breaks.     [OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH!!]

Here is my F.A.Q. for you:

If we were honest with ourselves, it would be.  

Jerome has a diary up right now, which alludes to part of the problem of 'high gas prices', and how Exxon/Mobil is only 'doing what we ask of them'. What Exxon is doing is taking advantage of the difference between the artificially low price of energy we are paying, versus the reality of its sustainability and it's true cost to society. Almost all hydrocarbons are a 'bargain', a Faustian bargain.

We have been given a free ride on burning of fossil fuels for a couple of centuries. For most of the time man has used fossil fuels, there has been little discussion or concern about the impact of using this technology on our planet. As science progressed and improved, we began to realize some horrible things.

As promised, I have completed the first of the BOHICA ads.

In case you don't know, BOHICA is an acronym for Bend Over Here It Comes Again.

These ads are targeted at calling John McCain out on his lies and attempts to bamboozle the American people.

We haven't formed a PAC (yet). Much will depend on the response  and support we get from these ads. We created them as much for the internet, though, as for television.

This first ad calls out McCain's blatant lies about the benefit of offshore drilling. Enjoy.

OH! And Spread this around would you?