Obama's plan would "bankrupt" coal plants, by his own admission.

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
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Just to get it out of the way, I want him to win, but these kinds of things are really bad to be on the record for:

link
I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter.
So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted.

Surprised that tonight is the first I've heard of this, especially with Biden touting clean coal.
 

jpeyton

Moderator in SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones
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Aug 23, 2003
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Stops polluters dead in their tracks.

I like it.

Clean coal plants shouldn't have this issue.
 

Butterbean

Banned
Oct 12, 2006
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Obama will stop the economy dead in its tracks. The idea this guy is brilliant is the scam of the election (after ACORN)
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
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Originally posted by: jpeyton
Stops polluters dead in their tracks.

I like it.

Clean coal plants shouldn't have this issue.

It's kind of difficult to build the necessary nuclear power plants overnight to replace what is lost. Energy production is kind of crucial, and I suppose so are the jobs at all of those plants.


 

Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
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From the linked interview-

The only thing I've said with respect to coal, I haven't been some coal booster. What I have said is that for us to take coal off the table as a (sic) ideological matter as opposed to saying if technology allows us to use coal in a clean way, we should pursue it.

I'll admit Obama wasn't really very clear- his reference was to conventional coal burning technology vs the clean coal technology being developed today. Coal has to be able to compete on the same environnmental field as other forms of energy if it's to survive, and I'm confident that it will.
 

frostedflakes

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
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Coal provides like 1/2 of our power -- if all the plants went offline, we'd be fucked. Obama may be a hippie environmentalist, but he's not stupid, and I'm sure he likes electric lighting in his house just as much as we do.

Existing facilities would likely be exempt, or grandfathered in if clean coal techniques and carbon sequestration would allow them to meet the new emission requirements. Notice he doesn't mention anything about shutting down existing plants, but only discourages new facilities from being built.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
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Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Topic Title: Obama's plan would "bankrupt" coal plants, by his own admission.

Good, we should be on Nuclear anyway.
I agree, but that will be a slow run-up.
I'll admit Obama wasn't really very clear- his reference was to conventional coal burning technology vs the clean coal technology being developed today.
Cool. He'll have plenty of time to clarify over the next four years anyway :)

 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
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I'm fairly certain that if went back to earlier this year, like January or so, I could find a quote snippet somewhere with McCain saying he was opposed to lifting to the oil drilling ban.
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
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Originally posted by: Butterbean
Obama will stop the economy dead in its tracks. The idea this guy is brilliant is the scam of the election (after ACORN)

Now now Butter, don't go irrational on us. Please offer data on how he's not so smart or otherwise it just looks like some other goof's silly opinion.
 

brencat

Platinum Member
Feb 26, 2007
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Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Good, we should be on Nuclear anyway.
Can't wait to see all the environmentalists cry like stuck pigs "Not in my backyard!" when we announce plans for new nuclear plants...
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
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Sounds like he means brand new dirty coal plants will be taxed too much to be feasible, not that he's going to get Ayers to bomb all the existing coal plants.

In other words, he'll force new energy production to come from clean coal, nuclear, wind, solar, tidal or geothermal instead.

In the short run, adding more energy production will cost more, but in the long run it will bring down the cost of clean power.

It will also push utilities running out of capacity for their area to offer customers credits for reducing energy use instead of building expensive new generation plants of any kind.
 

Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
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The problem with nuclear is that advocates haven't really addressed the waste issue in a comprehensive way. That has to be done before it'll be politically and environmentally viable. Implementation of walk-away safe designs will also be required.

That's where nuclear proponents need to concentrate their efforts if they're being pragmatic.

We don't need another shortsighted deal like cutting taxes w/o cutting spending...
 

Balt

Lifer
Mar 12, 2000
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Even if he actually wanted to, he couldn't. People don't react well to not having electricity.
 

GenHoth

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Jul 5, 2007
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Originally posted by: Jhhnn
The problem with nuclear is that advocates haven't really addressed the waste issue in a comprehensive way. That has to be done before it'll be politically and environmentally viable. Implementation of walk-away safe designs will also be required.

That's where nuclear proponents need to concentrate their efforts if they're being pragmatic.

Countries are running on 80% Nuclear, (France's number I believe) and you think they haven't solved these yet? The technology is out there, but stupid people are preventing us from building/shipping the required plants/waste.
 

Butterbean

Banned
Oct 12, 2006
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Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Originally posted by: Butterbean
Obama will stop the economy dead in its tracks. The idea this guy is brilliant is the scam of the election (after ACORN)

Now now Butter, don't go irrational on us. Please offer data on how he's not so smart or otherwise it just looks like some other goof's silly opinion.

I am one of most rational here because me pants dont tingle when Obama blows unholy wind out of his mouth. Its quite obvious Obama is trying to buy the election by promising one goody after another with no footing in reality how to pay for it - except hes going to steal the rich folks money tree. Its so phony seeing those calculators around the web - its like lottery commercials

Obama is a shape shifter who never commits to anything without a built in excuse in case he retreats latter. He has altered his view many times and explained it off as "modifications" . He reminds me of a 12 yr old making promises to buy his buddies off. None of it adds up

"Without question, the Barack Obama infomercial served as a very slick and powerful recitation of the biggest promises he's made as a presidential candidate. But the very bigness of his ideas is the problem: he seems blind to the concept his numbers don't add up."

Reality Check: The Cost Of Obama's Pledges
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories...tag=topHome;topStories


Obama Claus
http://blogs.abcnews.com/polit...08/10/obama-claus.html


And just what is is tax limit since it seems to go all over the place between him and Biden and now Bill Richardson has it at as 120,000 and under?

Obama is all smoke up your dresses
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
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Obama has the potential to cause Armageddon or be the second coming of JC.
 

SagaLore

Elite Member
Dec 18, 2001
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Originally posted by: Butterbean
Obama will stop the economy dead in its tracks.

How so? Our economy is not dependent on how inefficient our energy infrastructure is. New requirements drive new innovations. You would prefer stagnation of invention?
 

MovingTarget

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2003
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I'm willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt as he seems to allow room for pragmatism in his decisions. Ideology can never be allowed to trump reality. Punishing coal plants like what the OP portrays (his opinion notwithstanding) would get about as much traction as shutting down all oil refineries due to idealogical positions against the use of fossil fuels. Sure, with a LOT of time and proper technology investments we could do that some day, but not in our lifetimes. Coal isn't going to be going anywhere for a long time.
 

SagaLore

Elite Member
Dec 18, 2001
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Originally posted by: brencat
Can't wait to see all the environmentalists cry like stuck pigs "Not in my backyard!" when we announce plans for new nuclear plants...

Pebble bed reactors are safe, efficient, and nearly waste free.