01 February 2010

Idiot

So, Barack Obama is offering millions billions in subsidies loan guarantees for the nuclear industry as a part of his cap and trade carbon emissions bill:
President Barack Obama is endorsing nuclear energy like never before, trying to win over Republicans and moderate Democrats on climate and energy legislation.

Obama singled out nuclear power in his State of the Union address, and his spending plan for the next budget year is expected to include billions of more dollars in federal guarantees for new nuclear reactors. This emphasis reflects both the political difficulties of passing a climate bill in an election year and a shift from his once cautious embrace of nuclear energy.

He's now calling for a new generation of nuclear power plants.
I understand how he might have to cut a deal with lawmakers who are bought and paid for by supporters of the nuclear power industry in order to get a global warming emissions bill passed, but you don't start the negotiations by giving into them.

You make them come to you to get a deal. If you give them everything they need at the start of the process, then they will just knife you later to get more, see Nelson, Ben, and Lieberman, Joe.

Even if you support nuclear power, you keep it in your back pocket until the time is right to get the votes.

At this point in the process, you have the threat of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) hanging over the heads of coal and oil companies, and you use that to twist arms.

Unbelievably stupid.

2 comments :

Sortition said...

As in the case of AIG, the banks, pharma and the healthcare industry, this is not a negotiation tactic. The guy is on their side.

Matthew G. Saroff said...

You are the one of the few people on the face of the earth who makes me feel like an optimist.
;)

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