Bush proposing "energy independence" during State of the Union address... again

[ck4829]

"Yesterday, the Financial Times reported that energy “will be a central theme of President George W. Bush’s state of the union speech this month”:

Al Hubbard, chairman of the National Economic Council, who is co-ordinating White House energy policy, has also raised expectations. In a speech at De Pauw University he predicted “headlines above the fold that will knock your socks off in terms of our commitment to energy independence.”

In every one of his previous State of the Union addresses, Bush has promised to push America towards energy independence."

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/01/03/sotu-energy-independence/

Let's look back at 2006, when Bush made a similar call for energy independence during SOTU, and then basically that said that he didn't mean it only 24 hours later.

"On Tuesday night during his State of the Union address, George Bush said he would work to help the U.S. "move beyond a petroleum-based economy and make our dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past." Yesterday morning, less than 24 hours later, we learned that Bush didn't mean it.

Bush's energy secretary and his national economic advisor held a conference call with reporters Wednesday morning. Energy Secretary Bodman said "This was purely an example." He said Bush just wanted to dramatize the issue in a way that "every American sitting out there listening to the speech understands."

24-hours after Bodman's "clarification," Fox is touting Bush's "dramatization" as if it were a serious proposal and as if Wednesday's conference call (which a Fox News reporter was likely on) didn't happen.

During a "news break" roughly 15 minutes into Your World today (February 2, 2006), Uma Pemmaraju reminded viewers that Bush "talked up" switchgrass during his SOTU address and she wondered, "What is it exactly?" She said it "once covered the Great Plains," and that the University of Nebraska "has been working on converting it to alternative fuel. It's hoped switchgrass can help the U.S. become less dependent on foreign oil. The new fuel could be available by 2010.""

http://www.newshounds.us/2006/02/02/fox_touts_bushs_plan_re_energy_independence_after_energy_secretary_said_it_was_purely_an_example.php

[helderheid]

1. *yawn*

The best example of "Watch what they do, not what they say."

[Initech]

2. Yeah, somehow I don't think his corporate masters in the oil industry will allow that.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

3. Isn't that what Jimmy Carter was trying to do

until Raygun & the GOP dismantled all of his energy programs. All this means is more tax breaks for the oil companies if it comes from Bush. The amount of money for alternative research is minimal compared to what the Oil companies are getting. If someone, like Obama, made this a central theme of his campaign I would believe it could be done. Kinda like the JFK go to the moon vision. The only vision Bush has is the bottom of a bottle. :)

[ck4829]

5. Energy Independence is a great idea

But Bush is paying lip service to it while the oil corporations are maximizing their profits.

[BuyingThyme]

4. What about steroids?

[Jacobin]

6. Gee, doesn't he want to talk about Iraq and the Middle East

some more?

He's gonna pretend to be the environmental president now?

:rofl:

[tinfoilinfor2005]

7. I wish he'd save his energy and keep his trap shut.

Everytime he opens his mouth, he makes more garbage for someone else to clean up.

[Rex]

8. Same old lies. Yawnage.

If they croon all over George, I will puke.