All of the Many, Wide Ranging and Honestly Huge Benefits of Going to Green, Sustainable Energy

Yes, it needs to be known that going to green, sustainable energy is not just that we all pollute less though that's huge.  It's not just that we'll address climate change and global warming, though it certainly will.  It's more than that, more than even just those two huge benefits. 

From this article:

With 10-Point Declaration, Global Coalition of Top Energy Experts Says: '100% Renewables Is Possible'

Check out all these benefits.

"The solutions will not only save consumers money, but also

• create jobs and
• provide energy and
• more international security, while
• substantially reducing air pollution and
• climate damage from energy."

Incredible. And true.

Let's do this.

Who Are We, Really?

That Trump/GOP Budget?

With this President and the GOP presenting cuts in government programs, I offer this response.



Again.  We are #Strongertogether

Great Breaking News Out Of North Dakota Today--For Now

Yes, great news:

Army Corps of Engineers Denies Dakota Access Pipeline Route

Mind you, it's temporary. It's great news but it's temporary:

The Army Corps of Engineers has told the Oceti tribe that it will halt work on the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline in order to conduct an environmental impact study, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe announced.

We're just a bit over a month away from having a new president installed in the White House, of course, first.  Second, there's the fact that, actually, the president-elect has a financial interest in seeing the pipeline go forward.

Trump Owns Stake In Hotly Disputed 

$3.8 Billion Oil Pipeline

So, no surprise.

Trump stands with Big Oil, backs the Dakota Access pipeline

So sure, it's a win for today. It's good news. I just don't think it's permanent. I expect this pipeline will go forward.

Whither the Price of Oil

Think oil is cheap now?

It's at $1.52 per gallon now across many parts of Northwest Missouri.

Iran sanctions lifted: Brace for oil shakeup 

Brace yourself. Sanctions just came off Iran and heaven knows they need and want money.

I think gasoline under $1 per gallon is entirely possible.

Link:  Sanctions Lifted: Iran About to Unleash Tidal Wave of Oil Into Depressed Markets; How Big the Wave?

Gasoline: It Happened

I remember when gasoline crossed over the $2 per gallon price. I also remember thinking, at the time, that it would never go back, under that marker again.

But here we are.

This was yesterday, last evening, in Springfield, Missouri, anyway. It's likely lower in Oklahoma.

That Republican Keystone XL "Jobs Bill"?

Check out what the Republican Keystone XL "jobs bill" won't have in it (from The Daily Kos and Bloomberg News):.

Senate Republicans Block Keystone Export and Steel Amendments

Republicans like to point to Keystone XL as one of their signature jobs bills and, when oil prices are high, like to imply that it would mean cheap oil flowing free in America. But Tuesday afternoon they voted down two Democratic amendments aimed at just those issues.

Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey's amendment to the Keystone bill would have prohibited oil shipped through the pipeline from being exported. It was killed by a 57 to 42 vote. Minnesota Sen. Al Franken's amendment would have required that the pipeline be built with American steel. It was killed by a 53 to 46 vote.

Nice, huh?

First they won't promise the oil will stay in the US---because, of course, they're "Big Oil" overlords that own them don't want that. They want this stuff going out to the world oil markets where they can make more money than if they sell it to us Americans.

And then make it out of US steel?

FUGGEDABOUDIT!

Really could they be more shallow or transparent? It is precisely what it's been described all along. That is, it is foreign, Canadian oil, crossing the US and our pastures and fields and rivers and streams and creeks---and the huge, very important Ogallala aquifer--and then going out to world oil markets. And sure, for a short while we'll have some construction jobs but then it will create between 35 to 50 permanent jobs, tops. The CEO of the oil company, Transcanada, said as much, very publicly. 

This is not for you, America.

Let's not kid ourselves.

Canada's Tar Sands Oil vs. Clean Energy

A solar energy company from California is to be hiring 600 people for 600 jobs in Kansas City.

Sungevity shines on with office build, hiring spree

600 jobs.

Meanwhile, a Canadian tar sands oil company---TransCanada---would be bringing between 35 to 50 total permanent jobs TO THE ENTIRE NATION, if only we'll let them build a pipeline THAT WILL INEVITABLY LEAK AND SPILL THEIR TOXIC TAR SANDS OIL just so they can get this stuff to the Gulf coast so they can get it out to world markets.

And with the solar, "green", sustainable energy, there will never be any inevitable oil spill and environmental nightmare like we can count on with the Keystone XL pipeline.

So tell me how tar sands oil from Canada, for a foreign oil company, crossing our nation and our farmlands and aquifers and lakes and creeks and rivers and streams, threatening all those, so it can go out to world markets from the Gulf, is somehow a good idea and a jobs maker.

How does that make sense?

To anyone?

The Social Media Sell Job on the Keystone XL Pipeline has begun

With Republicans taking over Congress this week, it became clear the social media "sell job" has gotten under way. I was just pulling up a video to watch on YouTube---ironically, with Noam Chomsky and Chris Hedges---when this disgusting bit of advertising just came up:



Naturally "Comments are disabled for this video."  Of course. 

In the ad, they claim they're building it "to bring energy security to the United States."

Wow.

That is one gigantic lie.

Here's the YouTube video more should see:



And this one:



No to the KXL. No on the Keystone XL pipeline.

Missourians Against the Keystone XL Pipeline

Contact your representatives in Congress. Tell them no on the Keystone XL pipeline.


Contacting the Congress: A Citizen's Congressional Directory

With the New Year and New Congress

With the coming new year and a new, now Republican Congress, it's important---so important---that Missourians and Americans realize all that the Transcanada tar sands Keystone XL pipeline is and what it would mean to Americans. This only benefits the oil company, Transcanada and wealthy people. It takes that foreign oil, has it cross our country--it's fields and creeks and water sources---and goes out to world markets. This does not benefit America. No way.



More here. Links:

Oil field fumes so painful, Alberta families forced to move

Buyout packages allegedly silence Albertans struck with industry-related cancer

Broken trust: Alberta family without answers about oil sands' health impact

Enbridge Line 4 spills 56,700-gallons of oil, causing closure of pipeline to U.S.

Contact your representatives in Congress and President Obama. Tell them America neither needs nor wants this Keystone XL pipeline.  

Contact the U.S. Congress and the White House

Thank you, in advance.

We can do this.

It's back to dropping again. Some more

God love 'em

Republicans want SMALL GOVERNMENT, dammit!!!!

They want small government.

Well, unless it's about abortion.

And unless it's about women's reproductive rights.

And unless it's about 2 people of the same sex loving one another.

And unless it's about a new, upcoming car company, challenging the status quo.

And unless it's about tax cuts for "Big Oil."

And unless it's about creating a wholly unnecessary, new agency called "Homeland Security" that happens to make lots of money for the sitting Vice President's multi-million (billion?) dollar company.

And unless it's about gerrymandering district borders for votes for themselves.

And unless it's about tax cuts to offshore manufacturing.

And unless it's about tax breaks for fossil fuels.

Other than that, yeah, they want "small government."

I'm glad we could clear this up.

Lessons from Bolivia for us?

So it would seem:

Missourians--You do realize they want to put the Keystone XL pipeline across our state, right?

And what the KXL it is and what it involves:



Is this what you want for our state and our state's future?

It's a pipeline.  It will inevitably, inevitably leak.

Surely not.

Links:  Say No to Keystone XL - BiologicalDiversity.org‎

Against Keystone XL Pipeline‎

Against Keystone Pipeline - Over 100 Million Visitors

Stop Keystone Pipeline - SierraClub.org

Where more "welfare" in this country actually goes

There's so much talk and indignation of "poor people on welfare", I think it important to consider the numbers, the actual numbers.  The poor in this country...

Receive less in subsidized benefits than corporations. The US government spends around $60 billion on public housing and rental subsidies for low-income families, compared to more than $90 billion on  corporate subsidies. Oil companies alone get around $70 billion. And that’s not counting the nearly $60 billion a year in tax breaks corporations enjoy by sheltering profits offshore. Or the $700 billion bailout banks got in 2008. (Source:  Think By Numbers)

Want to fix our national spending and budget problems?

Cut corporate welfare.

Oh, and defense spending. Cut that bloated, wasteful, biggest source of spending in the country big time.  And soon as possible.

From the article:

20 Things the Poor Do Everyday That the Rich Never Have to Worry About

The real, actual "Matrix"

Or at least, the Republican, Right Wing Matrix they want you to stick with:

Quote of the day -- on science and common sense

Why Transcanada's Keystone XL pipeline shouldn't go through America

Quote of the day---on America's wars

One talented, brilliant man.

America, 2008 to today

Seriously, people.

Sheesh.