Posted on 08/18/2008 8:19:38 AM PDT by Hadean
RENO, Nevada (Reuters) - White House hopeful Barack Obama talked energy policy on Sunday with T. Boone Pickens, a billionaire oil investor who funded the "Swift Boat" attacks on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004.
Pickens, a lifelong Republican, has endorsed neither his party's candidate, Arizona Sen. John McCain, nor Democrat Obama in the November 4 election and wants to make energy a top campaign issue.
He has advocated a plan to cut U.S. oil use by converting cars to run on natural gas.
Pickens funded efforts in 2004 by a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which sought to discredit Kerry's military service in Vietnam. The Massachusetts senator's initially tepid response to the attacks was partially blamed for his loss to President George W. Bush.
Obama brushed off Pickens' past at the start of a meeting the Texas energy tycoon requested on Sunday.
"You know, he's got a lot longer track record than that," the Illinois senator told reporters when asked how it felt to meet with someone who tore down his Democratic predecessor in 2004.
"He's a legendary entrepreneur and, you know, one of the things that I think we have to unify the country around is having an intelligent energy policy," Obama said.
Both Obama and McCain advocate increasing the use of wind, solar and other renewable energy sources to help curb U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Continued...
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
It will interesting to hear the spins from both sides after they meet.
Hasn’t Pickens got some kind of deal going with Pelosi? As mentioned on other threads, he is using the windmill scheme as a front for stealing more Texas water. And at those kind of activities, the Democrats could be more helpful to him than the Republicans. I hope he holds off at least until he sees which way the wind is blowing.
I think we'll still need to drill for the natural gas, unless Pickens has a scheme to tap into the exhaust ventilation system of the US Capitol building.
How can somebody be against drilling on a few acres along the arctic ocean in northern Alaska — a barren wasteland with no population...but at the same time be FOR destroying the fertile/populated landscape across the lower 48 by putting up thousands of windmills/powerlines along every ridge line and backyard? DUMB
I don't know... he's been saying "we can't drill our way out of this problem" everywhere he goes. That's a leftist-democrat talking point, not an honest assessment of anything.
It seems apparent that too many of my fellow conservatives have bought into the spin that simply because Boone Pickens is attempting to promote his plan for wind energy on a nonpartisan basis, he is, somehow, an enemy of conservatives. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, if financial support is any measure, Boone Pickens is among the top—if not THE top financial supporter of Republican candidates and conservative causes. http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/T_Boone_Pickens.php Pickens advocates additional domestic drilling...but he is also actively pursuing alternative energy sources—and he is attempting to do so in a nonpartisan way (seemingly an impossible task.)
I urge my fellow conservatives to study Pickens’ proposals and also to study the man, himself. I believe that such research will show that 80-year-old T. Boone Pickens is a conservative patriot who is trying his darnedest to help keep America great.
To answer your question: Money and power.
This reckless promotion of wind power gives Pelosi and Obama what they seek -- political power to control our energy policy. Pickens sees which way the wind is blowing (so to speak). To him, the reckless promotion of wind power means obscene government subsidies. In other words, money.
And in north Texas, the intrigue continues to build over water. He (or she) who controls the water, controls the purse strings.
Nothing new...The telegraph begot the telephone, the telephone begot the ....etc, etc....
The difference is that going for black gold takes a specialized group of folks.
The following is the solution:
1. Nuclear can provide every watt of electricity we need.
2. Drilling can help prices on a short term basis (5-10 years) while we get other sources on line.
3. Wind power if it can be brought on line without subsidy and preferably located just offshore of Red Ted Kennedy's house by the sea.
4. Coal to diesel process. It works it is proven, and we have more coal than any nation on earth, we have several hundred years of coal available for mining.
5. Shale oil can supply all the oil we need for several hundred years.
6. Geothermal is a good source of energy in some areas of the nation but not a huge percentage.
7. Solar power where it can be used without a subsidy.
8. Turn off the gas and electricity of Al Gore's houses and chain his Gulfstream Jet to a tree.
Our great nation is blessed with an abundance of energy. The left has placed road blocks in front of us to prevent the use of this energy. They do this not because of the environment but they basically despise our nation of free and productive people. They goal is total government dominance.
If you are familiar with the writings of George Orwell you will understand what is happening. He was a brilliant man at projecting the paths to totalitarianism. He was sage.
Should read as Their
Anytime I hear such over-the-top spin as that, I immediately hide the children and my wallet.
Let's be honest, Pickens may be a conservative patriot. But first and foremost, he's an entrepreneur. He wants to make money. I say go for it. But be honest about your business partners and the nature of the scheme. This entire prairie wind power boondoggle has all the trappings of a Clancy novel: Radical Green endorsement, Pelosi financial investment, federal government subsidies, aquifer water rights, and the confiscation of private property through eminent domain. And I'm sure there are many more hidden players involved in this Pelosi/Pickens novel.
I won't judge Pickens. I need to learn more about this. But that said, when others (such as you) extol the man as a paragon of virtue, I see nothing but red flags snapping crisply in the breeze.
Let’s be honest, Pickens may be a conservative patriot. But first and foremost, he’s an entrepreneur. He wants to make money. Flycatcher
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Pickens hasn’t made his fortune by being shy about his ambition or hesitant about following through with his entrepreneurial ideas, its’ true. However, unlike many other successful businessmen, Pickens has given back to society more than his fair share. I don’t know the man personally, but I have benefited from his largesse—as have thousands of others, who may not even know of his philanthropy. He has earned his money. He didn’t inherit his fortune and his generosity knows few bounds. The fact that his wind farm plan—the message about which he is personally funding—may add to his coffers simply means that there will be more for him to donate.
It seems that Pickens’ detractors are concerned that he is attempting to work without the burden of partisan conflicts—but in this day and time, that effort has created suspicion. It’s too bad that the bitter political climate of the day is standing in the way of what may truly be one of the answers to our energy problems.
But you and others will try to assassinate his character.
First, William R. Collier, Jr writes the article published at the #DontGO blog and uncountable other chat rooms, message boards, and blogs. Then Maulkin and World Nut Daily publish it. Then numerous threads at FR.
Your post contains it all. The Pelosi investment, stealing the water, condemning private property, etc.
Its all mis-info.
I did no such thing. When you read posts on FreeRepublic, I suggest you read them carefully.
I said that "Pickens may be a conservative patriot." I also said the he is "an entrepreneur." Is that considered to be character assassination to you?
Its all mis-info
Is it? As you point out, there are numerous sources that corroborate my opinion on this matter. Yet you call this mis-info. Prove it. What are your sources?
But you and others will try to assassinate his character. Ben Ficklin
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You need to read my posts again. In no way have I tried to assassinate Boone Pickens’ character. Quite the opposite is true, in fact. I admire and respect the man for putting his money where his mouth is in the search for alternative energy sources...but I especially respect him for his extraordinary generosity to universities, medical centers, at-risk children and countless other causes.
I suggest that we both do that.
I also suggest that we handle them one at a time, starting with Mesa Water. I'll start off.
Pickens is stealing water!
Not true. Mesa water is composed of over 100 land owners and they have legal rights.
Texas has a water right law called the Rule of Capture that allows landowners to capture groundwater. This right has been upheld by the State Supreme Court many times.
While these landowners have this right, it not an unregulated right. In Texas, the right is regulated by local groundwater control districts, often called groundwater conservation districts. There are many, many of them thru out Texas. In this particular case, the Mesa Water landowners are regulated by the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District.
Based on different criteria, such as aquifer height, well spacing, acreage, etc, the district permits land owners to pump. And all these landowners in Mesa Water have been permitted to pump.
Now, you may think that the volume is large, but based on the total acres of land, it is not. Based on the total acre feet of water pumped from the aquifer, it is not,
Nobody is stealing water.
I didn’t mean to imply that, I included you because you were defending him.
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