I gotta buy a bike

If you've been living under a rock for the past year, consider yourself lucky. You wouldn't be buying much gas so the rising prices wouldn't worry you. Every morning when I flip on CNN and the first thing I hear is "gas prices are on the rise, today the national average is $4.00 a barrel. After growling with frustration, I flip over to the Today Show to hear about more flippant things like exciting new summer nail polish colors. Got any extra real estate under that rock of yours?

We are being robbed and the worst part is, we don't know who it is that's picking our pocket. Fingers are being pointed at oil companies who seem to be profiting however, claim that that's just a facade.
"According to the Energy Information Administration, the US Department of Energy’s statistical agency, the recent increase in gasoline prices has been due to a “rise in crude oil prices, persistent refinery outages, and seasonal demand growth (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/may2007/gaso-m15.shtml).”
If it isn't crude companies or road trip season, one contributing source could be the war on Iraq.

One consumer, Megan Healy, said “consumers are going to have to change their mindset... our dependancy on gas is to blame. It is necessary that we open our minds to new transportation options.”

It's hard to believe that "100 years ago the road to prosperity was a streetcar line. The average urban dweller rode public transportation 250 times a year and the US led the world in the construction and use of mass transit. Today a very small 1% of US passenger travel, and just 5% of commuting, is on public transit (Alliance for Climate Control)."

From our 2009 presidential candidates, we’ve been hearing a lot of talk lately about gas tax holidays. None of them seem to be proposing any public trans. reform.
(Forget bank holidays, gas tax holidays are so in!)

To sum up their energy policies:
Hillary: “Supports putting oil company profits towards research on alternative energy.”
Obama: “Supports more renewable energies, and wants to look into clean coal uses to get the US away from foreign oil dependency. Proposed giving automakers help with health coverage in exchange for more hybrid production.”
John McCain: “Supports alternative energies, and wants to look at nuclear possibilities.”
(http://www.thebostonchannel.com/compare-candidates/index.html)


They talk about oil independence. They talk about reducing emissions, but they don’t talk about public transportation. As for McCain’s plan, the word nuclear puts a bad taste into anyone’s mouth.

I’d like to throw out a second suggestion, hydrogen fuels.
Environmental scientists at the University of Vermont agree that hydrogen fuels are better than Ethanol and could be the future more efficient energy. Unfortunately, according to the Energy Information Administration, it will take us a while to get there.

“Hydrogen has great potential as an environmentally clean energy fuel and as a way to reduce reliance on imported energy sources. Before hydrogen can play a bigger energy role and become a widely used alternative to gasoline, many new facilities and systems must be built. We will need facilities to make hydrogen, store it, and move it. We will need economical fuel cells. And consumers will need the technology and the education to safely use it (http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/IntermediateHydrogen.html).”
Perhaps this is what our candidates mean when they say “research for alternative energies,” but being politicians, they remain conveniently ambiguous.

Overall, I have to agree with Hillary: “It's time we kicked the oil men out of the White House.”

For more info, check out some of these sources:
http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/01/news/international/usgas_price/index.htm?cnn=yes

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/little-love-big-oil

http://www.newenergymovement.org/

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/IntermediateHydrogen.html

http://wvgazette.com/News/200804290456

http://www.climateprotect.org/al8

http://www.barackobama.com/2007/10/08/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_28.php

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=6530

http://dailybriefing.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/05/01/sen-clinton-criticizes-exxon-selloff/

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/compare-candidates/index.html

strategic thinking

CNN.com reports that Hilary has been marketing herself as the candidate that is in the "solutions business." I have to applaud Hilary for this strategic platform as it makes sense when applied to any of the issues but does not tie her too directly to one specific issue.

the fundamental difference that divides

In a recent debate, Senator Barack Obama said that there was a fundamental difference that divded he and HIlary. What I worry is whether or not the difference will divide voters. The candidates are obviously worried about this as well. In a CNN.com article Sen. Barack Obama was quoted as saying:
"If we don't bring the country together, stop the endless bickering, actually focus on solutions and reduce that special interests that have dominated Washington ... we will not get anything done," Obama said."

My questions...
How badly do these contenders want the White House and what kind of sacrifices are they willing to make? If one were to run as the others vice presidential candidate their ballet may be a powerhouse. However, could such big personalities/resume toters ever co-reign?

Another one bites the dust...

It appears that Rudy is stepping out of the race for presidency. Presidential frontrunner predictions currently: John McCain and...tough one, but I can see Hilary Clinton. My second prediction, I regret to say, is that this country will talk the talk, but not walk the walk. When asked whether or not a woman could be the president the majority would say "sure." But when it comes to casting the vote, I doubt we'll accept the challenge of change and fall back on what feels comfortable.
An early, and bitter, congratulations to McCain.

Bush approval ratings

What role does this play on election 08? Does it move voters to a more independent/liberal stance? On MSNBC one reporter said that non-republicans like McCain because of the fact that he is different and often rejected by his own party.

Mrs. Edwards vs. Clinton

Mrs. Edwards accuses Senator Clinton of not being "a more forceful advocate for women." Once again the race becomes more about race and gender than actual issues or leadership abilities.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/18/politics/purehorserace/main3070873.shtml

"His Wife's Campaign" - about Bill and Hilary in NY.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/29/AR2007102902179.html

a family that prays together...

Mitt Romney's five brothers started a blog in April of '07 and have collectively been blogging there since. They answer questions about their brother and family and post Youtube videos, including one of a prank that was pulled on their father. These boys may not be out of the trail with their brother, but they are certainly doing their part to help him in the race.