Fmr. President George W. Bush takes aim at Obama's policies...finally (he's a Conservative again!)

Former President George W. Bush has apparently had enough at seeing the United States government take control of industries, attack capitalism, promoting socialized health care and he also talked about harsh interrogations at Gitmo.

Bush said he knows it's going to be the private sector that leads the country out of the current economic times that we are in.

Bush said he was not attacking President Obama, but instead his policies. The story is below. Is Bush a Conservative again?

IN THE NEWS:
The Washington Times: Bush takes swipes at Obama policies

Obama: No tension between he and Germany's Merkel

The most merciful President Barack Obama ended all speculation that there has been a rift between he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at today's press conference in Dresden, Germany.

A German reporter asked Obama about his relationship with Merkel. Obama responded saying, “I think your characterization of wild speculation is accurate — they are very wild and based on no facts. So stop it, all of you. I know you have to find something to report on, but we have more than enough problems out there without manufacturing problems.”

In reality, there is a rift. Merkel was close to President George W. Bush on foreign policy.

IN THE NEWS:
The Wall Street Journal: Obama Dismisses Talk of Tension With Germany's Merkel
The New York Times: Rift With Germany Is Next on Diplomatic Agenda

Newsweek compares Ahmadinejad to Bush

The once-famed Newsweek magazine is now comparing Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to President George W. Bush. They have a lot in common. Right? Not really.

Here's the Newsweek headline and the "getcha"

Iran’s President Bush
Disgruntled Iranians say Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has destroyed the country's image and dragged down its economy. Sound familiar?

Why are these people obsessed with President Bush? It's like they can't get enough of making fun of him or making him look evil or something. If they would just look in front of their faces, they'd see President Obama and he's a full-scale idiot.

The article is below.

IN THE NEWS:
NEWSWEEK: Why Ahmadinejad May Lose Iran's Election

Rove: Pelosi knew of interrogations

In an Op/Ed column written by Karl Rove, he says that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi knew of the harsh interrogations, known as waterboarding. This column is "In the News" below. Read and enjoy.

IN THE NEWS:
The Wall Street Journal: Rove: Nancy Pelosi and Waterboarding

Dems unite in attacking CIA

The Democrats don't care about law or common sense. They are out for their own best interests and attacking the Bush administration, as well as the Central Intelligence Agency. Now they are saying that the CIA may have broken the law.

Let's talk about breaking laws. The Dems do that every day. What exactly is the US Constitution for? Shredding? Oh, yeah, it's the law of the land. Look at it once in a while.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi got flustered today when she spoke about what she "knew" about the CIA and waterboarding.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

IN THE NEWS:
Politico: Dems: CIA briefers may have broken law
The Washington Times: The Speaker misspeaks
The Washington Post: Pelosi Acknowledges She Was Told of Waterboarding in 2003

Obama is not a fan of Churchill, sends back bust to England

After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, British Prime Minister Tony Blair sent a bust of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill to help President Bush with guidance in a post 9/11 world.

Churchill is considered the best and most popular prime minister in the history of Great Britain. He is an equivalent to Washington and Lincoln in the United States.

Yet, President Barack Obama has sent back the bust of Churchill. What is this supposed to mean? Is Obama not going to be as friendly with the UK as previous presidents? Does Obama just not like Churchill?

Day by day, we learn more about Obama.

IN THE NEWS
Telegraph: Barack Obama sends bust of Winston Churchill on its way back to Britain

Obama: Lincoln was a bipartisan

History is being re-written everyday. Abraham Lincoln was a bipartisan. That's what President Barack Obama things. He also believes that if Lincoln was alive today, he would be in favor of his stimulus package.

Now, let's look at the facts about our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. He was not bipartisan. If he was a bipartisan, the Confederate States of America would still be in existence. There would have been no American Civil War. Lincoln would have not suspended habeas corpus, where people were arrested for no real reason and could be held for no other reason than this person did not side with the Union and was a traitor. Around 18,000 Confederate sympathizers were held without trial.

Remember what the Democrats said about President George W. Bush having terrorists jailed at Gitmo? Bush actually is allowing a trial.

Would Lincoln have approved of the stimulus package? Most likely not. Why, you may ask? Lincoln was a Constitutionalist. He would most likely want the government to stay out of the private sector.

Look at the Founding Fathers of our nation. Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Adams and the others did not even want the government of the United States to even build roads. The Founding Fathers wanted the people of the country to work together to build projects. Franklin, himself, did not take any government money when he built the nation's first hospital, first library and college. He took donations from people who wanted these projects built. Just look at how far we have come! The government now builds everything. How would our Founding Fathers, not to mention Lincoln, think of the America of today?

By the way, today is Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. Happy Birthday President Lincoln!!

Obama wishes his best to Lincoln too during today's birthday celebration:


Obama says that Lincoln is his inspiration. Maybe Obama should look more into that. He should has himself, what would Lincoln do in this situation?

Obama bumps head while entering Marine One

Turn on the news right now. Watch what they are showing of President Barack Obama. Ok, you see him talking about the stimulus bill in Elkart, Ind. Is that all?

Think back to the previous president, George W. Bush. The news media would show Bush doing numerous stupid things. The news media tried to make Bush look as dumb and as bad as ever. Now, when Obama does the same, exact thing there is nothing of that on the news. Is this a double standard?

Below are some fascinating pictures of President Obama and the one picture that the media tried to make the defining picture of the Bush administration.


President Obama tries opening a door and finds out it is a window at the White House.


Obama attempts to enter Marine One and bumps his head.


Obama attempts to enter Marine One in live action and bumps his head.


In an effort to be Fair and Balanced, I present former President Bush trying to open a locked door.

All pictures are courtesy of: AFP, Associated Press, (New York) Daily News and Yahoo! News

IN THE NEWS
(New York) Daily News: Hey Bam, that's not the door

Carter blames Bush on Crisis, he takes no blame

Former President Jimmy Carter thinks that his four-years in office were all rainbows and unicorns. Apparently he had no connection to the oil crisis and to sub-prime mortgage.

Below is a Reuters article:

Ex-president Carter slams Bush on market crisis

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Former President Jimmy Carter said on Friday the "atrocious economic policies" of the Bush administration had caused the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Carter told reporters on a stopover in Brussels that "profligate spending," massive borrowing and dramatic tax cuts since President George W. Bush took office in 2001 were behind the market turmoil and economic crisis.

"I think it's because of the atrocious economic policies of the Bush administration," said the 84-year-old Democrat, who served in the White House from 1977-1981 during a period of high inflation and energy crisis.

Whoever wins next month's U.S. presidential election would inherit economic problems that would force them to postpone implementing some of their proposed reforms, he said.

"The economic situation is an entrenched problem. It is going to take years to correct what has been done economically," Carter said, adding he hoped Democrat Barrack Obama would win and immediately improve Washington's image in the world.

Eight years ago, the United States had a budget surplus, low inflation and a stable, strong economy, he said.

Carter said he was astonished that the United States now owed China "in the neighborhood of $1 trillion."

Deregulation and what he called a withdrawal of supervision of Wall Street had encouraged irresponsible elements in the U.S. financial system, enabling banks to borrow 30 times their value.

Carter was on his way back from a private peace mission to Cyprus with fellow elder statesmen Lakhdar Brahimi of Algeria and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, intended to give a push to talks between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders on a settlement to reunite the divided island.

(Reporting by Paul Taylor; editing by Sami Aboudi)

Obama doesn't like black people, prefers "bridge to nowhere"

Remember when Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans and everyone blamed President George W. Bush, FEMA and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco. There was a time when New Orleans' mayor Ray Nagin had some blame, but that all was swept away.

Remember when there was a televised Katrina relief effort where Kanye West said on air that "George Bush doesn't like black people"?

It turns out that the most merciful Barack Obama and his running-mate Joe Biden did not want to help those Katrina victims either.

Wondering what this was about? This bill was to amend the "Bridge to Nowhere" in Alaska. Instead of giving Alaska money, Sen. Tom Coburn proposed shifting earmark funds to Katrina relief. This, gave the senate a second chance to change their vote on this bridge, but it didn't change the minds of the "hope, change and yes, we can" team.

Here are some notables who thought a "bridge to nowhere" was more important than helping the victims in New Orleans:
Barack Obama (D-IL, 2008 Democratic Presidential Nominee), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Kerry (D-MA, 2004 Dem. Nominee), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Joe Biden (D-DE, 2008 VP Nominee).

Apparently, Sarah Palin was wrong by being for the "bridge to nowhere" before being against it. And, it was right to be like Obama and Biden to be for the "bridge to nowhere" and then on a second chance still being for the "bridge to nowhere". Yet, the Obama ad says differently. Watch this ad and realize how dumb Obama's campaign really is. Below the YouTube video are links in case you don't believe the facts about Obama's "bridge to nowhere" voting record.




Bridge to Nowhere Links
Chicago Observer: Obama and Biden voted for bridge to nowhere
Washington Post: H R 3058 Vote

Sarah Palin did the right thing. She is NOT Washington as usual.

Obama-Biden try to ruin GOP Convention, Want Bush Tried

If Barack Obama is elected president, he may pursue charges against President George W. Bush and others within his administration. Good grief. Did President Gerald Ford put Richard Nixon in jail? No. He forgave him. What is with this possible act?

The article is below. It is from The Guardian.

Obama might pursue criminal charges against Bush

· Biden says criminal violations will be pursued
· Democrats have issued subpoenas to Bush aides
· 3 staffers have been held in contempt of Congress

Elana Schor in Washington
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday September 03 2008 19:32 BST
Article history

Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden said yesterday that he and running mate Barack Obama could pursue criminal charges against the Bush administration if they are elected in November.

Biden's comments, first reported by ABC news, attracted little notice on a day dominated by the drama surrounding his Republican counterpart, Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

But his statements represent the Democrats' strongest vow so far this year to investigate alleged misdeeds committed during the Bush years.

"If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation, they will be pursued," Biden said during a campaign event in Deerfield Beach, Florida, according to ABC.

"[N]ot out of vengeance, not out of retribution," he added, "out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no attorney general, no president -- no one is above the law."

Obama sounded a similar note in April, vowing that if elected, he would ask his attorney general to initiate a prompt review of Bush-era actions to distinguish between possible "genuine crimes" and "really bad policies".

"[I]f crimes have been committed, they should be investigated," Obama told the Philadelphia Daily News. "You're also right that I would not want my first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt, because I think we've got too many problems we've got to solve."

Congressional Democrats have issued a flurry of subpoenas this year to senior Bush administration aides as part of a broad inquiry into the authorisation of torturous interrogation tactics used at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.

Three veterans of the Bush White House have been held in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to respond to subpoenas: former counsel Harriet Miers, former political adviser Karl Rove, and current chief of staff Josh Bolten. The contempt battle is currently before a federal court.

Ludacris writes song because "the world is ready for change because Obama is here"

The rapper and actor Ludacris (Christopher Bridges) has written a song for Sen. Barack Obama. The song is titled "Politics (Obama is here)." Ludacris and Obama are friends and Obama has talked in the past of his likeness to Ludacris' songs. Personally, I don't think Obama is as loving of Ludacris' songs as he says to the public. But that's just me.

The song attacks John McCain, Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush. The song is all about payback from the 2000 Presidential Election.



Lyrics (from LiveLeak, see link below):

I'm back on it like I just signed my record deal
yeah the best is here, the Bentley Coup paint is dripping wet, it got sex appeal
never should have hated
you never should've doubted him
with a slot in the president's iPod Obama shattered 'em
Said I handled his biz and I'm one of his favorite rappers
Well give Luda a special pardon if I'm ever in the slammer
Better yet put him in office, make me your vice president
Hillary hated on you, so that b^$&%* is irrelevant
Jesse talking slick and apologizing for what?
if you said it then you meant it how you want it have a gut!
and all you other politicians trying to hate on my man,
watch us win a majority vote in every state on my man
you can't stop what's bout to happen, we bout to make history
the first black president is destined and it's meant to be
the threats ain't fazing us, the nooses or the jokes
so get off your ass, black people, it's time to get out and vote!
paint the White House black and I'm sure that's got 'em terrified
McCain don't belong in ANY chair unless he's paralyzed
Yeah I said it cause Bush is mentally handicapped
Ball up all of his speeches and I throw em like candy wrap
cause what you talking I hear nothing even relevant
and you the worst of all 43 presidents
get out and vote or the end will be near
the world is ready for change because Obama is here!
cause Obama is here
The world is ready for change because Obama is here!

Links-

Ludacris- Obama is here

MTV News story about Obama song

LiveLeak.com- Ludacris releases song

Gore Wants Americans to Ditch Oil

You know by now what I think about ditching oil. This is not a solution. This creates a larger problem that no one seems to have an answer to. On second thought, let's just ditch oil right now and see what happens. It won't be good, believe me. (Read previous blog entries)
----------------------
(from the BBC)

Gore challenges US to ditch oil

The Nobel laureate and former US vice- president, Al Gore, has urged Americans to abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within a decade.

Mr Gore compared the scale of the challenge to that of putting a man on the moon in the 1960s.

He said it did not make sense that the US was borrowing money from China to burn oil from the Middle East which then contributed to climate change.

Critics say weaning the US off fossil fuels is not possible within a decade.

Mr Gore, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for his work on climate change, insists his goal is achievable and affordable.

"The answer is to end our reliance on carbon-based fuels," he said in a speech in Washington.

"When you connect the dots, it turns out that the real solutions to the climate crisis are the very same measures needed to renew our economy and escape the trap of ever-rising energy prices."

To secure this green revolution, Mr Gore said the single most important policy change would be to "tax what we burn - not what we earn".

-Cold turkey-

Mr Gore's ambitious plan would still rely on nuclear energy for a fifth of America's energy needs. Many see the goal as unachievable.

Robby Diamond, president of a bipartisan think tank called Securing America's Future Energy, said weaning the nation off fossil fuels could not be done in a decade.

"The country is not going to be able to go cold turkey," he told the Associated Press.

"We have a hundred years of infrastructure with trillions of dollars of investment that is not simply going to be made obsolete."

US President George W Bush has often been criticised for not doing enough to tackle climate change.

-Green campaign-

At the recent G8 summit of developed nations in Japan, he did move the US closer to a consensus on climate change, by agreeing to language which makes achieving 50% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 a G8 "vision".

The BBC's Warren Bull says that whatever those seeking to succeed Mr Bush in the White House think of Mr Gore's plan, they appear to agree on the need for progress on green issues.

Mr Gore said US presidential contenders Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain were way ahead of most politicians in the fight against global climate change.

Whether their enthusiasm for the environment survives into the White House may be influenced by how much the electorate warms to Mr Gore's vision, our correspondent adds.

Remembering Tony Snow

(From: Fox News)

Tony Snow Funeral Held in Washington
Thursday, July 17, 2008

WASHINGTON — President Bush and the first lady were among a throng of dignitaries, media members and other mourners who gathered Thursday for the funeral of former White House press secretary and FOX News anchor Tony Snow, who died Saturday after a long, public bout with cancer.

Speaking at the funeral, Bush said Snow had "amassed a rare record of accomplishment."

"He knew the job of a reporter was vigorous. He understood the profession and always treated it with respect," Bush said, adding that Snow's was a life that was "far too brief."

The services were being held on the campus of Catholic University at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Bush also remarked on Snow's "wry sense of humor and abundant goodness. We will also remember he was lots of fun."

And, speaking directly to Snow's children -- Kendall, Robbie and Krisiti -- he said he regularly called on Snow over weekends seeking advice to learn that he was spending time with them.

"He loved you a lot," Bush said. "I hope you know we loved him a lot, too."

The service, open to the public, was being held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception near Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

An enlarged photo of Snow was displayed, showing him smiling at the press secretary's podium in the White House press room.

"The measure of this man's life can be found in his character, in his optimism, in his joy and humor, in his courage, in his passion for what was good and right, and in his love for God and family and neighbor and country," the Very Rev. David M. O'Connell, president of Catholic University, said in his homily.

"Tony Snow did not need a long life for us to measure. It was, rather, we who needed his life to be longer."

Row after row at the shrine was packed with people, including White House correspondents who knew Snow.

Bush was accompanied by some familiar faces from earlier in his presidency, including former top adviser Karl Rove and one-time chief of staff Andrew Card.

White House press secretary Dana Perino, who succeeded Snow, said Monday that Snow touched everyone's lives at the White House.

"Welcome back from what was a very sad weekend for all of us in the room," she said at the start of her daily off-air briefing with reporters.

"We greatly appreciate your support and the prayers and for Jill and the entire Snow family. She does really appreciate it. There's a lot of love in this room for him and for the family, so we thank you. As the president said yesterday, Tony Snow was a great friend to everybody at the White House," Perino said.

Bush and his wife, Laura, visited on Monday with Snow's family. Snow is survived by his wife, Jill, and their three children. The Bushes went to Snow's home in Alexandria, Va., and hugged family members on the porch before going inside.

Cancer survivor and multiple Tour de France victor Lance Armstrong, who had befriended Snow during his illness, also weighed in Monday.

"Tony died of colon cancer, his second bout with the disease. He was a courageous soul, a true fighter and a very warm, decent guy. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and colleagues who face the world without him now.

"As many of us rode and ran the San Jose Challenge this past weekend, we kept them and Tony in our minds, and remembered all the more clearly why elevating the fight against cancer must be a national priority," he said in a note released by The Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Snow was remembered over the weekend by the president, Vice President Dick Cheney, members of the White House press corps and others who described him as a happy warrior who woke up each day excited about life, enjoyed engaging the media and most of all loved his family.

"Laura and I are really saddened by his death," Bush said Sunday with his wife by his side. Bush described Snow as "a smart and capable man," "an honest guy" with a "wonderful sense of humor."

Bush said he and the first lady went to church Sunday and prayed for Snow's family.

"I just hope they understand that Tony was loved here in the White House," Bush said.

A syndicated columnist, editor, TV anchor, radio show host and musician, Snow worked in nearly every medium in a career that spanned over 30 years. And he was remembered for being great at every job he did.

"I've known or worked with a lot of press secretaries, White House press secretaries, in my 40 years in Washington, and I'd have to say that Tony's the best," Cheney said on "FOX News Sunday," the show first hosted by Snow.

"He had this rare combination of intelligence, of commitment and loyalty to the president that he was working for, but also this great love of going out behind that podium and doing battle with what in effect were his former colleagues.

"And it was this capacity that he had to be unfailingly polite, to maintain good humor under the most trying of circumstances and do it, I thought, better and more effectively than anybody I've ever seen in that post," Cheney said.

Snow died at 2 a.m. Saturday at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

"It's a tremendous loss for us who knew him, but it's also a loss for the country," Roger Ailes, chairman of FOX News, said Saturday morning about Snow, calling him a "renaissance man."

Snow, besides being the original anchor of "FOX News Sunday" in 1996, hosting each week from historic homes in Washington, D.C., because the burgeoning network had no studio, also hosted FOX News' "Weekend Live" and a radio program, "The Tony Snow Show," before departing for the White House in 2006.

As a TV pundit and commentator for FOX News, Snow often was critical of Bush before he became the president's third press secretary, following Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan. He was an instant study in the job, mastering the position — and the White House press corps — with apparent ease.

"One of the reasons I took this job is not only to work with the president but, believe it or not, to work with all of you," Snow told reporters when he stepped into the post in 2006. "These are times that are going to be very challenging."

During a tenure marked by friendly jousting with journalists, Snow often danced around the press corps, occasionally correcting their grammar and speech even as he responded to their questions.

"He would unfailingly challenge the premise of many of the questions. I'd never seen this before in a press secretary," said conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. "He challenged the premise and told them that they were wrong in the narrative or the storyline that they were tacking, and this caused the president's supporters, those who had seen it, to stand up and cheer."

"Tony did his job with more flair than almost any press secretary before him," said William McGurn, Bush's former chief speechwriter. "He loved the give-and-take. But that was possible only because Tony was a man of substance who had real beliefs and principles that he was more than able to defend."

As he announced Snow as his press secretary in May 2006, Bush praised him as "a man of courage [and] a man of integrity." Snow presided over some of the toughest fights of Bush's presidency, defending the administration during the Iraq war and the CIA leak investigation.

"I felt comfortable enough to interrupt him when he was 'BS'ing, and he kind of knew it, and he'd shut up and move on," Snow said.

His tenure at the White House lasted 17 months and was interrupted by his second bout with cancer.

Snow had his colon removed and underwent six months of chemotherapy after he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2005. In 2007 he announced his cancer had recurred and spread to his liver, and he had a malignant growth removed from his abdominal area.

He resigned from the White House six months later, in September 2007, citing not his health but a need to earn more than the $168,000 a year he was paid in the government post. He was replaced by his deputy, Perino.

After taking time off to recuperate, Snow joined CNN as a political commentator early this year.

"The White House has lost a great friend and a great colleague," Perino said in a statement released to the media. "We all loved watching him at the podium, but most of all we learned how to love our families and treat each other."

Critics suggested Snow was turning the traditionally informational daily briefing into a personality-driven media event short on facts and long on confrontation. He was the first press secretary, by his own accounting, to travel the country raising money for Republican candidates.

As a commentator, he had not always been on the president's side. He once called Bush "something of an embarrassment" in conservative circles and criticized what he called Bush's "lackluster" domestic policy.

A sometime fill-in host for Rush Limbaugh, Snow said he loved the intimacy of his radio audience.

"I don't think you ever arrive," he said. "I think anybody who thinks they've arrived or made it, anywhere in the media — they're nuts."

Robert Anthony Snow was born June 1, 1955, in Berea, Ky., the son of a teacher and nurse. He graduated from Davidson College in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in philosophy, and he taught briefly in Kenya before embarking on his journalism career.

Because of his love for writing, Snow took a job as an editorial writer for the Greensboro Record in North Carolina and went on to run the editorial pages at the Newport News (Virginia) Daily Press, Detroit News and Washington Times. He became a nationally syndicated columnist, and in 1991 he became director of speechwriting for President George H.W. Bush.

"He served people, and we can learn from that. He was kind, and we can learn from that. He was just a good person," the senior Bush told FOX News.

Snow played six instruments — saxophone, trombone, flute, piccolo, accordion and guitar — and was in a D.C. cover band called Beats Workin'. He also was a film buff.

"He was a great musician," Ailes said. "And he loved movies."

More than anything, said Snow's colleagues, he was a joy to work with.

FOX News Chief Washington correspondent Jim Angle called Snow a "gentleman."

"He was a lot of fun," his former FOX News producer Griff Jenkins said. "This is a loss of a family member."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A Glimpse at Obama's Energy Policy

(Source: BarackObama.com)

In 2000, countries like Germany made a major commitment to increase the use of renewable energy and begin to get off oil. We elected George Bush and Dick Cheney -- who gave us a secret energy task force, a war in Iraq and the same old energy policies.

Eight years later, gas prices are soaring above $4 a gallon and the nation stands at a crossroads.

We can either “go big” and follow Barack Obama’s 2007 blueprint to create a new energy economy -- or we can rely on John McCain’s sudden 2008 urge to drill for offshore oil -- a distracting idea which won’t reduce gas prices but will boost oil company profits.

The facts are clear. Only one candidate has a detailed plan that is at Apollo moon-mission scale, using technologies that work right now -- Barack Obama. Clean energy isn’t pie in the sky -- the Germans created 250,000 jobs in less time than it will take for John McCain and Big Oil to drill for oil offshore -- and bring it to market. Failing to invest in new energy means we will continue to fall behind in the competitive race for new jobs and manufacturing. That’s not the road to smart energy independence; it’s a backwards formula for more Exxon dependence.

The Choice Is Clear
CHALLENGE Obama McCAIN
Immediate Financial Relief for Families This Summer

$300 per family in rebate checks from a second round of stimulus to help families offset the cost of $4.00 gas this summer.

(Obama Second Stimulus Plan)


No credible plan for immediate financial relief.

Proposed a gas tax gimmick that would provide at most 30 cents a day for the typical workers while increasing oil company profits and depriving our under-funded national highway trust fund of $10 billion.

(Tax Policy Center)

Making America’s Economy Vibrant and Competitive in the Long Haul Apollo-scale investment of $150 billion investment over 10 years to jumpstart renewable energy technology development and deployment.

No comprehensive plan for clean energy investments. Has repeatedly opposed any new investments and incentives in for renewable energy.

He rejects 99.8% of the Obama ideas for investing in our energy future – the advanced battery prize represents 0.2% of the overall investment in the Obama plan.
The Next 10 Years of Oil

3 million barrels of oil savings.

Plan will reduce U.S. oil consumption by about 3 million barrels of oil per day by 2018.

Supports new development on existing leases, which could nearly double total U.S. oil production, and increase natural gas production by 75 percent.

((PDF)Obama Energy Plan)


Not a drop more.

McCain plan to open up our coastlines to drilling would not bring meaningful new production on-line for ten years.

(U.S. Dept. of Energy)
Reducing Dependence on Foreign Oil

Plan to reduce oil consumption by 10 million barrels, or at least 35%, by 2030. That is enough to totally offset our imports from OPEC countries.


Says No to this goal, and has no plan to reduce our long-term dependence on oil.
Green Collar Jobs

Plan for renewables, fuel economy and energy efficiency will help create 5 million new green collar jobs.


No green jobs plan.
Ending Excessive Speculation in Oil Markets

Supports fully closing the Enron Loophole and eliminating offshore loopholes that encourage excessive speculation. Plan will ease the impact of rising prices.


No plan.

Sen. Phil Gramm – one of Senator McCain’s chief economic advisors – was responsible for sneaking the Enron Loophole into law.
Fuel Economy v Offshore Drilling

Supports doubling the fuel efficiency of autos within 18 years, saving American consumers from purchasing a half trillion gallons of gas.

Taking this one step will achieve more than three times the oil savings than could be produced under even the most optimist scenarios of drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

(Obama Energy Plan; Department of Energy)


No plan to increase fuel efficiency standards.

Repeatedly opposed legislative efforts to increase CAFE standards. Now supports simply enforcing existing standards.
Energy Efficiency

Plan will reduce the energy intensity of our economy 50% by 2030, through improvements in building efficiency, smart grid, and giving utilities an incentive to invest in efficiency rather than new production.
No energy efficiency plan.
Windfall Profits Tax

Supports implementing a well-designed windfall profits tax on profits made over $80 per barrel to help families pay energy bills.


No windfall profits tax plan.

Supports $4 billion per year in new tax breaks for major U.S. oil companies, including $1.2 billion per year for Exxon-Mobil – the most profitable company in the history of the world.

((PDF)Center for American Progress)