McCain Proposes $300 Million Energy Prize
Ariz. Senator Wants To Give $1 Per American For Developer Of New Auto Battery
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Republican presidential candidate John McCain R-Ariz., speaks during a campaign event at Fresno State University Monday, June 23, 2008 in Fresno, Calif. McCain is hoping to solve the country's energy crisis with cold hard cash. The presumed Republican nominee on Monday proposed a $300 million government prize to whoever can develop an automobile battery that far surpasses existing technology. (AP Photo/Gary Kazanjian)
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The presumed Republican nominee on Monday proposed a $300 million government prize to whoever can develop an automobile battery that far surpasses existing technology. The bounty would equate to $1 for every man, woman and child in the country, "a small price to pay for helping to break the back of our oil dependency," McCain said at Fresno State University.
McCain said such a device should deliver power at 30 percent of current costs and have "the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars."
The Arizona senator also proposed stiffer fines for automakers who skirt existing fuel-efficiency standards, as well as incentives to increase use of domestic and foreign alcohol-based fuels such as ethanol.
In addition, a so-called Clean Car Challenge would encourage U.S. automakers to develop zero-emission vehicles by offering consumers the incentive of a $5,000 tax credit when they purchase one.
"In the quest for alternatives to oil, our government has thrown around enough money subsidizing special interests and excusing failure," said McCain. "From now on, we will encourage heroic efforts in engineering, and we will reward the greatest success."
The proposal comes as gasoline has reached a record cost of more than $4 a gallon. That has boosted the price of virtually all goods and services, sent commuters flocking to public transportation and increased tensions between the United States and its Middle Eastern oil suppliers.
Last week McCain suggested one way to ease supply concerns would be to lift a federal ban on offshore oil drilling if individual states want to allow it even though he favored the decades-old moratorium on drilling in the 2000 campaign. His Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, opposes that idea, saying it would do nothing to address immediate price concerns.
On Sunday, Obama told a Washington audience he would strengthen government oversight of energy traders whose futures speculation he blames in large part for the skyrocketing price of oil.
McCain told a town-hall questioner on Monday that he was unsure of the extent of any oil speculation, but if it has boosted the price of a barrel by 50 percent - as he has heard from some analysts - or just 1 percent, "then it seems to me there should be a thorough and complete investigation."
He added: "If there is anybody who took advantage of Americans in order to enrich themselves, then it's unacceptable."
In his remarks, McCain expressed exasperation both with the federal government and the private sector.
He said rising costs during a time of stagnant wages evokes the 1970s era of "stagflation."
Without blaming his fellow Republicans in the Bush administration or Democrats who control Congress by name, McCain said: "It feels the same today, because the unwise policies of our government have left America's energy future in the control of others."
The pork-barrel opponent also blasted "a hodgepodge of incentives" for the purchase of fuel-efficient cars.
"Different hybrids and natural-gas cars carry different incentives, ranging from a few hundreds dollars to four grand. They're the handiwork of lobbyists, with all the inconsistency and irrationality that involves," McCain said.
Following the speech, McCain was scheduled to attend fundraisers in Fresno and Santa Barbara, part of a money push that helped the senator raise a personal record of $21 million last month.
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See all 392 CommentsRegardless, gasoline prices, and politicians%u2019 frustrating search for solutions, dominated discussion Sunday by surrogates for Mr. Obama and Senator John McCain even as news emerged that Saudi Arabia planned a production increase. One Obama supporter, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, a former energy secretary, welcomed the Saudi move but said on %u201CLate Edition%u201D on CNN that it would dampen prices only %u201Ca little bit.%u201D
Obama supporters again assailed Mr. McCain for saying, in a reversal last week, that he now favors allowing coastal oil drilling by states that want it.
%u201CSenator McCain is basically following the policies of George Bush %u2014 drill, drill, drill,%u201D Mr. Richardson said. New offshore drilling, he said, would bring new oil online in a decade.
By BRIAN KNOWLTON
Senator Barack Obama on Sunday proposed tightening the regulation of oil speculators in an effort to ease record high gasoline prices and address one of Americans%u2019 top concerns.
Mr. Obama proposed closing the so-called Enron loophole, a legal provision requested by that company in 2000 that exempts crucial energy commodities from government oversight. He also proposed preventing traders of American crude oil from routing transactions through offshore markets to evade American limits and working with other countries to better regulate oil-futures markets, and he called on the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to investigate market manipulation and oil futures.
%u201CMy plan fully closes the Enron loophole and restores common-sense regulation,%u201D the senator said in a campaign statement.
How large a role speculative investment plays in pushing up oil and other commodity prices is not entirely clear. While some analysts believe that large flows of money into largely unregulated exchanges have distorted markets and pushed up prices, most energy experts see no support for that theory. They point out that traditional market forces, like growing demand from emerging countries, and limited growth in oil supplies, can easily account for the increase in prices.
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I find McCain''s proposals innovative and refreshing in the sense that we Yanks can do whatever it takes when it comes to creativity and innovation. He''s issuing a rallying call to all businesses and engineers, technicians, etc. to come forward and be creative. That''s the American way for all you little dolts who have no idea whan we Yanks can do when motivated. Good Job John, keep the momentum. DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW, PAY LESS.
McCain''s energy plan:
Keep the troops in Iraq.
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Posted by taotxzen at 09:06 AM : Jun 23, 2008
Strange isn''t it how you folks spin. It just said in this article McCain was offering a huge reward to somebody that could build and efficient affordable alternative fuel car. Seems like that''s encouraging somebody to do it!
And Yes, drill! In the interim we''ve got to get undependent on foreign oil! We need to filling our refineries with US oil, not foreign oil!
I guess for you Obama honkers, that''s just a concept that doesn''t compute since it doesn''t get Obama votes!
Posted by ddhinnyc
I have a question for the Republicans on here. If news came out that McCain was a nuclear powered clone of Hitler from the future, would you vote for him or for Obama?
And Yes, drill! In the interim we''''ve got to get undependent on foreign oil! We need to filling our refineries with US oil, not foreign oil!
I guess for you Obama honkers, that''''s just a concept that doesn''''t compute since it doesn''''t get Obama votes!
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Posted by RowdyWicca at 09:12 AM : Jun 23, 2008
Tell the stupid S.O.B. to send the reward to GM.They had a practical electric car ten years ago that they scrapped.Or he could send it to Chrysler.They had a practical turbine that would run on almost anything you wanted to dump in the fuel tank almost 50 years ago.Tell him to thank his buds in big oil for killing both of these projects.
I''ll add my own story for the day:
"This is not intended to be a mere discussion of violations of law that have occurred," stated Velvel in a press release. "It is, rather, intended to be a planning conference at which plans will be laid and necessary organizational structures set up, to pursue the guilty as long as necessary and, if need be, to the ends of the Earth.
We must try to hold Bush administration leaders accountable in courts of justice. And we must insist on appropriate punishments, including, if guilt is found, the hangings visited upon top German and Japanese war-criminals in the 1940''s."
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Bush_war_crimes_conference_to_convene_0622.html
Posted by jesterbelle
Unfortunately, you''re right. $300 mil is the loose change that the CEOs have in their car seats. If we want to get the auto makers off oil, we have to make it worth their while and $300 mil is nothing.
Someone should tell this inexperience rookie that the lions share of the oil commodities market is not under US control and there is nothing all these smoke and mirrors OsamaObama offers will have zero effect on it.
OsamaObama has already admitted he doesn''t believe this $4.00 a gallon is high enough yet. When he gets to be President his plans are for $7.00 - $10.00 a gallon gas.
Prizes don''t work when technology competitions are limited to one country McDumbass!!!!!
If we want to dominate the technology sector, the GOPigs need to get over their xenophobia play hardball with the world to get the best and the brightest to leave India, China and Russia to come to the US. Because if you grow up here, all the money''s in law and business. Why stay in engineering when some whippersnapper in India is driving down wages?
The Gooogle guys are Russian, the Yahoo guy is Chinese, 25% of all tech start ups are Indian . . .
PS As for Barack''s idea - hopefully he qualifies it by saying that he doesn''t think it''s going to affect prices so he doesn''t get egg on his face if his idea gets implemented and has no effect! Because it won''t!
Posted by ddhinnyc
I have a question for the Republicans on here. If news came out that McCain was a nuclear powered clone of Hitler from the future, would you vote for him or for Obama?
Posted by Rafterman1 at 09:20 AM : Jun 23, 2008
====================
Guess we can accept this as Raffy''s positive response to indicate he/she would perform a Lewinski on OsamaObama even if he were proven to be a pervert of Bill Clinton proportion.
and you have trips that instead of taking 12 hours lets say, it takes more than 36 hours, why ? Because you have to stop for 4 hours every 200 miles and pay a "charging station" by the VOLT delivered.
Great Plan McSame
As far as the pans go, do both. McCain''''s is long term and Obama''''s is the quick solution and both have merit. We need to get better batteries for electric cars to get off of oil and the the oil speculators are the top reason why gas is $4 a gallon.
Posted by rafterman1
Yeah, we need the everready bunny. George Soros is backing this ***** up the wazoo and it''s about time everyone sees it. Money buys a lot of things ratty and Soros has a lot of money. He''s the founder of MoveOn and he back Obama. Don''t for one minute fool yourself into believing that the American public is totally funding this guy.
Folks, no real American is stupid enough to support such a moronic position, thus all who suppor OsamaObama are not real Americans. You are a hyphenated-American just like OsamaObama admits to being.
Some percentage less American than us real Americans. Ya bunch of low life un-Americans.
Posted by Beastof70
Just pointing out the stupidity of ddh''s made up accusation.
Posted by mudrose
Hilarious how neocons get their panties bunched over one of the few massively wealthy libs (betcha can''t name another - I''ll give you one - Oprah), but when Rupert Murdoch controls a major biased news network, that''s all cool with you.
And if Soros is giving all that mokney to Obama, then you better report your findings to the Federal Election Commission since it would be illegal.
Posted by Rafterman1
Hey fool, the one wealthy person you can think of doesn''t even support republicans, so now you''re down to zero examples.
Does he plan on coming Back and Taking credit for it if it works?
So Funny Since he was the one who started the Hate Bush campaign, and hate the government campaign.
His History precedes him using others work and claiming it as his own.
Though I do think the true conservative position would be to offer solutions that would help perpetuate what Americans have already been doing by reducing their fuel usage by 1.5 million gallons of fuel per day in just the last couple of months.
If we could get this number down twice this much we would see the speculators getting nervous. And, we all know how tenous this OPEC coalition really is.
Especially if America would wise up and begin telling them we aren''t gonna take this any more.
How you ask....Turn against the HowdieDoodie character in black face who is running for President and shooting a large majority of us the middle finger on this issue. This would tell this nations enemies (OPEC) so much.
Wake up America....bring oil prices down tomorrow...turn your back on the Democrat Party.
Folks, no real American is stupid enough to support such a moronic position, thus all who suppor OsamaObama are not real Americans. You are a hyphenated-American just like OsamaObama admits to being.
Some percentage less American than us real Americans. Ya bunch of low life un-Americans.
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Posted by Beastof70 at 09:37 AM : Jun 23, 2008
Why do you waste peoples'' time on here?You were obviously dumb enough to fall for McWarpigs'' drill drill drill ploy for votes.You could save yourself a lot of time and trouble if you''d simply type "stupid sshit" in the box and hit the "publish" button.We''d get the message.I''m sure I can speak for every other "un-american" on here when I tell your Eugene McCarthy wannabe a$$ to kiss our collective a$$.
Turn your backs on the Democrat Party today and fuel prices will begin to fall tomorrow.
Posted by Rafterman1
Hey fool, the one wealthy person you can think of doesn''t even support republicans, so now you''re down to zero examples.
Posted by JoeCoolSwat at 09:47 AM : Jun 23, 2008
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I find it so funny watching these left wing pinko, un-American Democrats calling FOX news biases, when I don''t particularly care for FOX because they are the only network that is fair and balanced.
I simply don''t care to hear the drizzle FOX calls "balanced" dripping out of the poop chutes of the pinkos they offer.
Posted by another racist lying Republican.
How about those pictures of the great Republican appeaser George Bush holding hands and smooching with Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia?
Or that fact that 19 of the 9/11 terrorists were Saudi?
Or that it''s been 7 years and all your idiot leader hasn''t caught Bin Laden. You remember him? They terrorist leader you traitors ignore and allow to go free so you can slime your American political opposition with his name?
What we need is a President unwilling to play politics with America''s future, who will stand up the the Saudis and Iran and North Korea and who won''t cut and run like ALL Republicans do, like McSame will do.
We need Obama.
Posted by babykilller at 09:52 AM : Jun 23, 2008
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Hey courtjoke, and babybutcher, please allow me to make one thing perfectly clear to you two left wing pinko, un-American Democrats.
Absolutely nothing you two hyphenated-Americans have to offer is anything us real Americans working to save our nation has an interest in hearing.
Now run along and drop back to your knees, I think I see OsamaObama coming your direction...Mouth open, get ready.
Posted by Beastof70 at 09:59 AM : Jun 23, 2008
............
Okay Archie, now go back to watching your NASCAR highlights you recorded from yesterday.
Posted by jh6379 at 09:56 AM : Jun 23, 2008
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Give you credit....You are one of the few hyphenated-Americans I''ve seen willing to openly admit you are some percentage less American than us real Americans are.
Sounds good McCain, but unfortunately, many people have developed technology that has surpassed what exists today. The sad part is that the big oil companies buy up these patents and shelve them.
"Who Killed The Electric Car"...
...a movie everyone should watch... and learn why we COULD have had a viable alternative to oil based fuel, but we don''t because certain corporate entities ensure that we retain our addiction to the product they push (oil)!
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Posted by Beastof70 at 10:03 AM : Jun 23, 2008
LOL! Deflated the hell out of my ego.Think you could blow me back up?You''re so flippin'' dumb,you don''t even realize that it''s George Bush with a Hillary mask on that''s screwin'' you in the a$$,LOL!Flag waving idiot.
What the heck is this this NASCAR bashing I''m seeing on here???
Twice in less than five posts I have been bashed as a NASCAR lover?? Last year it was the same ratio of you folks attempting to use the "toe tapping" ******* tactic.
I suppose we can conclude that many of these little OsamaObama supporters have recently received a fresh breech loading and todays attack code is: NASCAR!!
ROTFLMGTBO!!!
BTW morons, I have never in my life watched more than a news clip worth of NASCAR. But, I am a dead serious nation loving redneck!!
You''re next President is going to be a black man.
God I love that. Truly if it makes idiots like you crazy I LOVE IT. I''m gonna go write the Obama campaign another check.
Prepare to meet your new LIBERAL leaders tinybrain.
A good solution for the short term, but attempting to close the "Enron loop hole" will be very challenging since many of the politicians, whose votes are required to do so, are financially supported by this "loop hole".
Closing the loop hole still does not put the U.S. on a direct path to a viable alternative to fossil fuels.
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Posted by Beastof70 at 10:11 AM : Jun 23, 2008
Remember my suggestion about "stupid sshit"?Case closed.
Posted by jesterbelle at 10:10 AM : Jun 23, 2008
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Seriously courtjoke, when I see any one of you halvAzz-Americans put on such a display as your above, I know without a doubt I left you sweating, panting, and quivering like a **** hound attempting to pass a peach pit.
ROTFLMGTBO!!!
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Posted by ddhinnyc at 10:16 AM : Jun 23, 2008
Hmm,that must be why he''s on the news everyday,eh,rocket scientist?
Now run along and drop back to your knees, I think I see OsamaObama coming your direction...Mouth open, get ready.
Posted by Beastof70 at 10:03 AM : Jun 23, 2008
+ r
Don''t you just LOVE these NAZI''s!! Now folks THESE are the FREAKS who gave us GEORGE W. Bush and them calling other American''s "Left-Wing" Pinko''s after THAT is SO funny! Just think IF we had thrown these jokes on the trash heap of time in 2004, we aren''t into all the LIES called Iraq and we have captured Bin Laden by now! ALL American''s should reject these modern day Joe McCarthy''s! WHY? Because they have NEVER, not ONCE, EVER done ANYTHING for this nation... except throw hatred at their fellow citizens that is!! Now stand freak!! Put that Hood and Sheet on BOOTLICKER!! Let Shooter and the Fuhrer hear ya today!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!! Good little nazi!!
Posted by jh6379 at 10:17 AM : Jun 23, 2008
================
Please include us real Americans in your above hyphenated-American boy.
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Posted by Beastof70 at 10:11 AM : Jun 23, 2008
You''re a NAZI who''s swallowed enough snake oil to float a small boat! Now stand.. sing it out!! SIEG HEIL GRAND WIZARD!! Good Bootlicker!!
Posted by faith_in_w at 10:18 AM : Jun 23, 2008
======================
I''m telling you....The Democrat Party has convinced many of you to don all kinds of hyphens over the years.
However, this year it does appear the most popular hyphen I see so many of you OsamaObama supporters willing to don is the "Un-" hyphen.
Posted by ddhinnyc at 10:19 AM : Jun 23, 2008
+
Some people see things to be beautiful because it makes THEM feel superior... other find things beautiful because they see the HUMAN COMPASSION in it. Nothing you "superior" types have EVER had is worth anything after you peel off the plastic Swastika Breath!! Ready!? Let''s let all those "Inferior" types hear ya now!! SIEG HEIL BUSH! Wow! Now folks THIS is a Bushbot!!
ROTFLMGTBO!!!
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Posted by Beastof70 at 10:18 AM : Jun 23, 2008
Quaking with laughter is more like it,LOL!Picturing your silly,obviously stupid,a$$ with a great big rubber weenie that says GOP on the side,gleefully taking all eighteen inches of it and begging for more,LOL!
Posted by MCVet at 10:19 AM : Jun 23, 2008
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Hey McVet, when you gonna admit the only army you are a Veteran of had USSR on their shoulder patches??
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