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**Written by Doug Powers

Spend even more money for batteries to power things that consumers either can’t afford or don’t want while debate over what to do about out-of-control deficits rages on? Hey, why not:

FLINT, Michigan — A federal bill expected to be introduced next week would create research and development grants to build advanced batteries like the one powering the Chevy Volt.

The bill would also push for domestic production of lithium for batteries, said U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who discussed the planned legislation during a stop at a Flint business on Friday.

“We don’t want to go from foreign oil dependency to foreign lithium dependency or foreign advanced battery dependency,” Stabenow said. “This is about doing it here.”

Stabenow said she plans to introduce the Battery Innovation Act this week.

The legislation likely will cost about $2 billion, according to Stabenow’s office.

It seems like only yesterday that President Obama and Sheriff Joe Biden were in Michigan touting the $1 billion from the stimulus that would be spent in the state for “alternative energy” R & D — in other words, the exact same thing. Has that money gone up in green smoke already?

This is like some Field of Dreams re-make in Bizarro World. These Democrats must be awakened a nightly basis hearing a soft voice speaking in an Al Gore-ish drawl whispering, “If taxpayers fund the batteries, demand for expensive hybrids will come.”

**Written by Doug Powers

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