“All-of-the-above” energy policy doesn’t mean just adding “clean coal” to campaign energy web page
This guy is so obvious it amazes even me at times.
He loses 41% of the Democratic vote in the West Virginia primary to a Texas jailbird and suddenly he’s all for “clean coal.” Does he really, honestly believe that now West Virginia will rally to his cause because he put “clean coal” on his campaign web site where it has been conspicuously absent prior to the primary? This is “smartest guy in the room” stuff?
After coming under fire for its consistent hostility to the coal industry, the Obama campaign quietly adjusted its energy policy website to include “clean coal” among the president’s energy initiatives.
The energy policy page of BarackObama.com now includes a section for “clean coal,” claiming the stimulus package “invested substantially in carbon capture and sequestration research.”
But until recently, that page made no mention of coal. Its Google cache shows a section for “energy efficiency” where “clean coal” now appears.
The change comes mere days after Obama lost 41% of the vote in the Democratic primary in West Virginia – a state heavily reliant on the coal industry – to a convicted felon and current federal inmate.
The chairman of the WV Democratic Party blamed Obama’s poor showing on his stance on coal energy. “A lot of folks here have real frustration with this administration’s stance on coal and energy,” said state Democratic chairman Larry Puccio. “They are frustrated and they are upset, and they wanted to send Obama a message.”
Of course everyone who has followed how Obama operates knows very well he’ll say anything. It is what he does (or doesn’t do) that matters. Just like being “for” gay marriage. That doesn’t mean he’ll do anything to make it happen. It is about how he calculates being “for” something will benefit him politically. The same holds true for “clean coal”.
Should he win re-election, “clean coal” will be removed as quietly as it was inserted onto the campaign web page.
Forward.
~McQ
Twitter: @McQandO
Economic Statistics for 11 May 12
The following statistics were released today on the state of the US economy:
The Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index rose to 77.8.
The Producer Price Index fell -0.2% last month, and is up 1.9% from last year. The core rate, ex-food and energy, rose 0.2% for the month and 2.8% for the year.
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Dale Franks
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What’s the subject today? Not the economy …
While President Obama tries to keep the subject on anything but the economy (and I think he miscalculated on the gay marriage thing), the economy continues to take its toll whether the center of media attention or not.
Americans are growing more pessimistic about the economy and handling it remains President Barack Obama’s weak spot and biggest challenge in his bid for a second term, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll.
And the gloomier outlook extends across party lines, including a steep decline in the share of Democrats who call the economy "good," down from 48 percent in February to just 31 percent now.
And yet we’re engaged in discussions about whether Romney was a bully and Obama was bullied or gay marriage.
The economy is the No. 1 issue in the presidential race, thanks to the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression and one of the shallowest-ever recoveries.
While the recession officially ended in summer 2009, unemployment remains stubbornly high, at 8.1 percent in April. Some 12.5 million Americans are out of work.
The increasing skepticism toward the recovery tracks a weakening overall economy as measured by the gross domestic product, and matches economic growth downgrades by many economic forecasters.
We keep hearing the “economy is the No. 1 issue in the presidential race” but we rarely hear about it in that regard.
Instead we’re continually diverted and distracted by the latest “issue du jure”.
You’d almost think it was a strategy.
Forward.
~McQ
Twitter: @McQandO