I can't think of a better way to show old thinking vs. new thinking than looking at a column in the Journal this morning by Michael Coleman. It shows old tired useless leadership and new visionary progressive thinking.
Congressman Steve Pearce is trying to aid robbery of the American Taxpayer by inserting language into a funding bill that the Bureau of Land Management can not charge higher royalty rates on oil and gas on federal lands. That is oil and gas owned by all Americans and the money is used for many good purposes. Can you imagine Pearce championing a law limiting the amount of royalty charged on private land by some of his big contributors in the dirty oil and gas industry? Of course not. They should get what the market will bear. But when it comes to his fellow citizens....well, screw them. Old dirty thinking from the fossil fuel barons who already get billions in subsidies in addition to low royalty rates. Republican thievery. Last century's thinking.
And then there is Senator Martin Heinrich with new thinking for the clean renewable energy folks. He has asked Congress to extend the Solar Energy Efficiency Property Tax Credit for five years. This enables citizens to get help in adopting solar photovoltaic panels, solar hot water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and wind turbines at their residences. Compared to subsidies for the dirty fossil fuel boys, this is a very young program that will require very little if any back end clean up costs like those associated with coal and oil. Watch the republicans try and gut this effort.
2 comments:
I completely agree with you on Pearce. That oil belongs to New Mexican taxpayers and the folks wanting it ought to pay a reasonable price for it. On the other hand Heinrich is giving New Mexican tax dollars to the few who can take advantage of the "credit". I personally know of zero folks taking advantage of it, they cannot afford it. I do see a few business putting the solar panels up, but very few. Either scenario posted, it is New Mexican dollars being spent or not gathered.
I would never support Pearce, and Heinrich has not convinced me yet. It all depends if he ever gets any "decent" Democratic opposition. He might, even if these folks are like wood ticks, once we elect them they are extremely difficult to unseat.
I suspect Martin Heinrich will have his hands full when he runs for re-election in 4 years and Susana Martinez is his opponent. She will be flush with big oil money, will be the first "latina" candidate to run for Senate and Martin will look like just another liberal white guy in the image of Tom Udall and Jeff Bingaman. Martin could also be in trouble if Hector Balderas decides and changes his mind and wants to be US Senator and not Governor.
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