Posted on 10/21/2011 9:42:30 AM PDT by NoLibZone
The Washington Post reports today that presidential hopefuls, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) lobbied for federal energy subsidies for a Texas firm in 2008. Now, as presidential candidates, both are campaigning against federal subsidies on practical and philosophical grounds.
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In 2008, both Paul and Perry pressed Bush's energy secretary to approve an $18.5 billion federal loan guarantees set aside for nuclear power production. Several companies pressed for loan guarantees including Texas-based NRG Energy. Paul and Perry were among those pushing the federal government for assistance to that firm.
Both candidates now decry the process of subsidization of private sector business by the federal government. Perry, in particular, has campaigned against the federal government's involvement, restrictive or supportive, in the nation's energy sector.
"We don't need to be subsidizing energy in any form or fashion," told a conservative audience at a forum on Tuesday night.
"The government shouldn't be in the business of subsidizing any form of energy," said Paul at Tuesday night's Western Republican Presidential Debate.
"Perry and Paul say now that their earlier advocacy for a specific Texas project does not contradict their fundamental beliefs," reads the Washington Post report. "The Texas project ultimately was turned down for a loan."
Perry, a famous champion of Texas energy industry interests, may be able to straddle this apparent ideological contradiction but Paul faces a different challenge. His staunch, down-the-line libertarianism would seem to preclude lobbying for federal benefits of any kind. However, former House Speaker Tip O'Neil's axiom that "all politics is local" holds firm. Paul's first line of business is to get reelected before he can move the country in a direction oriented towards personal and corporate liberties.
Despite powerful third quarter fundraising numbers released last week, both Paul and Perry's presidential campaigns poll in second-tier status. Perry hopes to break out of his recent polling slump with an upcoming economic plan he previewed on Wednesday. On Monday, Paul announced a sweeping economic plan that includes $1 trillion in cuts and a balanced budget in his first year in office. It will be interesting to see how his poll numbers react to this proposal in coming weeks.
Amazing isn’t it? Most of the liberal MSM can’t be bothered to dig in the Solyandra story, but they dig furiously for Republican dirt.
Mind you, I’m glad to know this stuff about Romney & Perry. A little even-handedness when it comes to the larger-scale corruption involving the people occupying the WH would be nice.
Their biggest problems on the financial side tend to generated by changes from the federal government.
How about we regulate them a little less instead??
“Rick Perry and Ron Paul Sought Energy Subsidies They Now Condemn”
Progress. Makes me happy.
There’s nothing wrong with having both of these opinions at the same time
* The federal government should not spend money on X.
* __IF__ the feds are spending money on X, I want some of that money to go to my state.
Heck I would be happy just ti quit constantly changing the requirements.
Its hard to budget for a nuclear plant or offshore oil platform when you don’t know what tomorrows regulation will be.
Paul voted against it at the end. I’m not going to defend his practice of earnmarking and then voting against the bills, I never quite understood it. But he can say he never voted for these subsidies, that is the truth.
Something’s gotta power those shrimp boats, I guess.
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