Pelosi and Pickens sittin’ in a tree…
I’ve written before about Cozy Nancy Pelosi and her financial stake in the eco-adventures of billionaire T. Boone Pickens.
See August 2008 – Nan and the Big Wind Boone-doggle.
Refresher:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called congressional Republicans who want up-or-down drilling votes “hand maidens of the oil companies.” Let’s call Pelosi what she is: House girl of the Big Wind boondogglers.
Though she seemingly backtracked on labeling drilling a “hoax” this week, Pelosi refuses to consider GOP energy proposals that don’t include massive government subsidies for eco-fantastical alternatives that have never panned out.
Which brings us to Madame Speaker’s 2007 financial disclosure form. Schedule III lists “assets and ‘unearned income’” of between $100,001-$250,000 from Clean Energy Fuels Corp. – Public Common Stock.” Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is a natural gas provider founded by T. Boone Pickens. Yep, that T. Boone Pickens– former oilman-turned-wind power evangelist whose ads touting a national wind campaign are now as ubiquitous as Viagra promos.
Pickens and Pelosi now share the same talking points downplaying the need to drill and open up more access to American oil. Instead, the Pickens pie-in-the-sky plan campaign proposes to completely replace natural gas with wind power in power generation and theoretically free up natural gas for America’s transportation needs.
All well and good in la-la land. But let’s be real about the limitations and costs of wind power. Past and ongoing experience has demonstrated the notorious unreliability of wind and the miserably low operating capacity of wind power facilities here and around the world. Depending on wind requires supplemental fossil fuel plants as back up to be turned on and off to compensate for wind power supply shortfalls– nullifying any reductions in carbon dioxide emissions (which are miniscule, according to the National Academy of Sciences).
Not to mention the thousands of sliced-up birds and other wildlife that have become wind power casualties (a problem that scientists say would be solved by “repowering” old turbines at a cost of untold billions).
Fittingly, the environmental mascot of the Democrat National Convention– the showcase of their alternative energy approach — is an eastern Colorado wind turbine propped up with Democrat carbon credit funds that has never produced any energy because of chronic equipment malfunctions.
But I digress.
Naturally, the Pickens Big Wind plan is proudly endorsed by Do-Nothing Pelosi’s friends at the obstructionist Sierra Club. Through another company, Mesa Power, Pickens has committed upwards of $12 billion in wind farms on the Texas panhandle. CEFC and Mesa Power are separate entities. But what benefits one piece of the Pickens puzzle benefits them all. The wind venture, as Pickens himself acknowledges, depends on permanent federal subsidies.
Pickens is banking on ‘em. And Pelosi’s banking on him.
As reported on #dontgomovement.com, Speaker Pelosi bought between $50,000 and $100,000 of stock in Pickens’ CLNE Corp. in May 2007 on the day of the initial public offering:
“She, and other investors, stand to gain a substantial return on their investment if gasoline prices stay high and municipal, state and even the Federal governments start using natural gas as their primary fuel source. If gasoline prices fall? Alternative fuels and the cost to convert fleets over to them becomes less and less attractive.”
CLNE also happens to be the sponsor of Proposition 10, a ballot initiative in Pelosi’s home state of California to dole out a combined $10 billion in state and federal funds for renewable energy incentives. Namely: Natural gas and wind.
Follow the money. Or, to put it in economist terms as energy analyst Kenneth Medlock III did in an interview with the Dallas Morning News about the Pickens multi-billion wind farm investment: “A lot of what he’s trying to do is add value to a stranded asset…he’s obviously got millions of dollars on the line.”
And so, potentially, does the Democrat Speaker of the House windily wagging her finger at the financial motivations of others.
Fast forward.
Today, Daniel Indiviglio at Reuters reports that a Pickens-backed bill is quietly making its way through Capitol Hill in the Christmas chaos.
Amid the flurry of legislation Congress is rushing to complete by year’s end is the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act of 2011, or NATGAS Act. The proposal would, among other things, provide subsidies for driving vehicles powered by natural gas.
It’s a Pelosi legislative priority, but precious few are raising eyebrows about San Fran Nan’s conflict.
Where are the Big Biz/Big Government watchdogs when we need them?
Bueller? Bueller?
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Categories: Enviro-nitwits,Nancy Pelosi,Politics
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hopefully the “r”‘s won’t be dumb enough to let that pass. but lately the “r”‘s seem beyond belief.
T-Bone Pickens is the man. Someone who built a huge empire, lost it all and rebuilt it again. That is amazing in itself.
Of course, he has seen the green boondoogle that made Al Gore and lots of other people, including climate scientists, rich and richer. He’s just doing his capitalist part in getting in on the money train. He is no fool. He also gave about $800 million to Oklahoma State University, almost half of which went to academics.
So Pelosi is his benefactor and she herself invests in his success. She is no fool either. The fools are the ones that allow this eco ripoff time and time again.
Since the keystone pipeline has been tied in to the payroll tax cut bill, gasoline prices in my area have gone down 30 cents a gallon…
The Republicans, no doubt, have money in this project.Of course it will pass petee.
We’ve all read and heard about the stories where the Ds snuck in something to their advantage.
You would think that an R or a group of Rs would be combing ANYTHING that had any D fingerprints on it.
When will the Rs get their head out of their ass and wake up to the fact that the Ds are ____________ (fill in the blank).
Drain the swamp.
Ah yes, more money for wind farms here in CA. I wonder how much it will cost just to replace the current turbines in the Altamont Pass wind farm?
I say put them all in Nancy’s backyard.
T Boone also owns the most water rights of anyone in the country,his new “oil”.Who in congress is in bed with him on this?If you can control the water you control everything.
T Boone is a vast disappointment. His next book is Remaking the First Billion is the Toughest. It appears that far too many of the Celeb Billionaires & their crony government hacks are in on the rape and pillage of a great nation.
I say put it in Nancy’s office, if you want to really generate power from wind…
Or maybe her bathroom?
Pickens is giving natgas a bad name. We are swimming in natgas in this county and it is an essential component in weaning ourselves from our dependency on foreign oil. We could be exporting lots of it and soon if the government would just get out of the way and allow the construction of LNG liquification facilities and necessary pipelines required.
And there is no shortage of private capital willing to invest in this infrastructure either so large government subsidies are not necessary.
Boone’s has repackaged his failed wind investment by attaching a natgas component to it to make it sound legitimate. But if it only works with big and permanent taxpayer support, what’s the point? Crony capitalism on parade.
Funny thing is Boone is no crony with those guys. He is a republican using them as tools. He was one of the big contributor to the swift boat vets who torpedoed John Kerry.
Now John “I was in Vietnam you know” Kerry is his buddy because they share alternative energy ideas. Kerry because he is a fool and Boone because he sees a way to make money.
I think Boone does have a larger perspective of understandng that we have a foreign oil problem that needs fixing for national security but he buddys up with Pelosi and Kerry to pass laws that benefit his bottom line. Kinda like Ross Perot or Don Trump.
When government picks winners and losers why not cozy up to the trough? Look at all those who did and the lifestyle they now lead. Clinton was broke when he left office. Look at him today. Rahm, Corzine, Cheney? Ok I had to throw that last one in for effect.
Boehner? Boehner?
I don’t blame those who sieze the opportunities big govt affords. I blame the big govt statists that bring the wasteful “opportunities” into existance.
These deals don’t just fall on one’s lap for free. You will always find that certain pols were accommodating an important crony campaign contributor or personal friend lobbying them for government handouts.
Subsidies? You mean stealing from someone to give to another?
Here in Hawaii, the state as well as the fed gives subsidies to green companies that will put solar panels on your roof for an average of $34,000 per home.
The state and fed also offer tax credits to homeowners putting the panels on their roof.
Now, HECO (Hawaiian Electric CO.) is saying that, due to the large number of people putting solar panels on their roof, the company is not making as much money, so…….
….they’re raising their rates.
And, of course, raising the rates on electricity consumption will cause more homeowners to buy solar panels, which will cause the power company to lose more money, and raise their rates again.
It never ends.
Pelosi is the Tokyo Rose of our time; a traitor and hypocrite spewing out liberal/socialist propaganda on a daily basis. She is a character right out of an Orwell novel; a lying serpent slithering around the halls of Congress. Medusa in a pants suit.
And what’s with her hair? Has she hired James Brolin’s barber?
this money and power game asks the same question as the chicken and the egg. Which came 1st, power or money, they both corrupt, look at congress…seems more congresscritters go to Washington middle income and leave filthy rich, not many leave as they arrived.
Oh Michelle, you are HOT tonight!!!
Close.
Gary Busey’s.
*You did great on Hannity tonight Michelle; It was obvious Sean is leaning towards Newt rather than, like you, willing to shine the light on all his deficiencies; Stay conservative gal, it’s just common sense!
*Regarding Pelosi, or even Boehner for that matter, like I always say about politicians, “don’t trust, then verify why”; They will never, ever, ever let you down, as most of them are as dirty as the day is long; We need big changes in DC, and it’s going to take the common folk to do it!
WOT but just watched Michelle on Hannity and I really have to tip my hat to you Michelle. You are one gutsy lady to stand up to the “anyone but Obama” pressure that you must be getting non-stop. You may be the last one left fighting the good fight.
I don’t know if it is feasible considering the professional realities of your situation but are you really obliged to endorse anyone?
Easy for me to say but should we end up with yet another lousy establishment liberal globalist as the GOP candidate, I am hoping that you and the very few other conservatives who haven’t yet caved will declare something like (ahem, mi-mi-mi-mi-mi):
“I am very disappointed with this election cycle and cannot in good faith endorse anyone and don’t feel obligated to do so.
We conservatives worked hard over the past several years on behalf of the GOP and tried very hard to work within the party in restoring a sense of commitment to specific principles, particularly conservative principles, and failed utterly.
Now frustrated with a deep sense that we wasted our time fighting a determinedly entrenched party establishment that chose to war against us (remember Murkowksi e.g.?) rather than allow us into the process, many of us are now feeling betrayed and so demanding an explanation as to why conservatives should in the future try again to work within the Party. We sure don’t feel the love right now.
I will not endorsement anyone nor I will not reveal who I will be voting for. I will not begrudge anyone who values my opinion for voting their conscience.
Let’s try to do better next time.”
Just something for your consideration. You can now bounce me out of here. I’ll never get that book autographed anyway.
Rush is knocking it out of the park on Greta tonight too. Man I am glad I watched Fox tonite. I almost never watch Greta but tonite is fantastic.
T. Boone Pickens = P.T. Barnum
BTW, if you were watching Great, Rush mentioned the “Two if by Tea” video winners tonite, Colony Bay. These are the CA Tea Party people who put out the movies “Courage NH” in which I have been an extra in the first two episodes.
That is not New Hampshire in the background but Jim Riley’s farm in Tehachapi CA.
Greta, not Great
Here is the link to Rush’s site where the winning videos are available for viewing.
Of course this isn’t getting any attention. Everybody knows the real evils in the world are Dick Cheney and Haliburton. Anything else is small potatoes by comparison.
I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you referred to her as the Great Van Susteren.
Here is what Nancy Pelosi promised in order to become Speaker of the House…
Unemployment more than doubled under Pelosi’s watch.
Five years ago, in December 2006, Republicans controlled the House, Senate, and Presidency.
Since then Democrats have controlled a majority (2+ out of 3) of the House, Senate, and Presidency.
Everything Pelosi complained about and promised to improve is now far WORSE five years later.
In November 2010, voters voted for CHANGE,
and that is why Nancy Pelosi is no longer Speaker of the House.
Let’s keep up that change and take back the Presidency and the Senate in 2012.
Every time a Republican hears a Democrat talk about the Bush recession, he needs to correct him (or her) and recast the recession as a PELOSI/REID recession. When the two of them took charge in 2007, the economy was humming along just fine. In one year they managed to tip it into a recession and crash the economy in 2008. Bush may have been a lame duck, but they were the evil twins who set the plate for Obama and his socialist solutions which always meant BIG Government and Power to Democrats.
That may be true, but she left me with the impression that she likes nobody. She can’t just sit on the fence and dis every candidate that comes forward. I will only respect her opinion on this subject when she selects someone and then takes the slings and arrows that comes with supporting a candidate.
Hannity had a point, and MM missed it completely. Many of us are just tired of the circular firing squad. Its one candidate after another getting attacked.
Many of us now are so turned off by the attacks, that they just fuel us to like that candidate more.
I can reach my own conclusions about Mitt or Newt or Michelle B. I don’t need MM for the opinions, I only need her for the facts.
More from Pelosi in 2006, when she was trying to become Speaker:
On December 15th, 2011 at 7:34 am, Mister P said:
Exactly. Bush wrongly gets blame for what was done by a Democrat Congress in 2007 & 2008.
And Clinton wrongly gets credit for what was accomplished by a Republican Congress in 1995-2000.
The last time Republicans controlled a majority (2+ out of 3) of the House, Senate, and Presidency was December 2006.
Unemployment was at 4.4%.
And the national debt was under $8.7 Trillion.
Look what 5 years of Democrat control have done to unemployment and the national debt.
I’d like to take Pelosi’s mouth and turn it into some giant green wind tunnel, harness it and make a huge profit. It could work! She isn’t worth a plug nickel as she is now.
Off topic…I just heard this on the radio…soundbites.
In 2002, Mitt Romney said his views are “progressive”. Then in 2007, he said he wasn’t a Republican, he was a moderate. And having all Republicans in power would be a bad idea!
Fast forward to 2011. He is now a total conservative!
Spit.
And it won’t get fixed overnight. It will take decades. Fortunately, with Allen West, Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio and others, the GOP has a deep bench. We just have to be smart about our plays and batting lineup.
…S-C-A-M-M-I-N-G
On December 15, 2011 at 09:04 am, Dexter Alarius said:
S C R E W I N G, not each other, but us.
The love of money is the root of all evil and these two are proof of that.
On December 15th, 2011 at 9:19 am, Misscheryl said:
I know our Bibles say that, but Pelosi’s Bible says something completely different. On Earth Day, Nancy Pelosi falsely claimed:
If Pelosi will lie about what the Bible says, she’ll lie about anything!
Not only is she morally bankrupt, she’s coocoo – truly.
And more than a little creepy.
Mister P said:
What’s your hurry!? Not even to Iowa yet. Like it or not, Michelle’s endorsement and ‘opinion’ matters. It matters a LOT. Just as Obama could never have carried the election without DUPING Mooderates & InDepends, without a Tea Party/Conservative Seal of Approval, meet uphill!
Late hour endorsements can really energize a campaign and put it over the top. Keep yer’ powder DRY matey! I love Sean, but last night he sounded like a teetery Sales Manager rallying the ‘troops’ at the bar on Friday after a rough week.
We ALL want this nightmare to end. We ALL want this to be over. But what exactly is it that MM should be so impressed by? There’s time, let’s get this right.
She’s just creepy. Period.
I would be hard pressed to decide who is the biggest snake(slimy and forked tongue), dingy or nan? Both make me sick!
L
Ah, the game is afoot. Let’s see her at the next press conference podium blinking like a cat in a sandstorm when questioned about it. Who wants to bet that it all blows over and she skates?
Who wants to bet no one will ask her?
Michelle, you’re not suggesting that politicians shouldn’t be enriching themselves rather than doing the people’s business are you?
Really – half to academics? That seems like a waste at a University, why wasn’t it all spent on sports?
I thought James Brolin’s barber was Barbra Streisand’s gardener.
If she’s doing it, you can bet a lot of them are doing it (both repubs and dems). When they are not thinking about getting re-elected, they are thinking about getting rich. Throw them all out.
No…Barbra Streisand’s chef is Brolin’s cousin, who is Pelousy’s step-brother.
As far as I’m concerned, both are equal in slime and lies.
“I can reach my own conclusions about Mitt or Newt or Michelle B. I don’t need MM for the opinions, I only need her for the facts.” MisterP at 7:41am
Then why do you come here? Last I checked, this is an opinion blog…
Mister P #35: Don’t come to this opinion blog. Find somewhere else to get your facts. It’s freakin easy to do. Don’t hit MM’s site.
Had to say it too redgypsy.
Good one ACH, what happened to this guy? Could we have a speaker that really stands up to the Dems and Obama? This go along-get along attitude never works…they will stab you in the back every time!
Natural gas and wind, sounds like business-as-usual in Washington DC.
“Programs. Get yer pro-grammmmmmmms. Only 5 dollars!”
Hangfire @63. What? What? I didn’t make myself perfectly clear? Heh.