Time Is Energy

Not Cuddly!

After watching the inspiring and uplifting Democratic convention in Denver last week, I determined to watch the John S. McSame convention in Minnesota this week. It’s not over yet, McCain still needs to do his stick, but baring a “St. Paul on the road to Damascus” conversion, I think we have a clear measure of the state of the republican base. Four more years of unapologetic subservience to Big Business and the Super Wealthy with a cherry on top.

And speaking of what the Republican base swoons over…Sarah Palin came out swinging. Nobody will accuse her of being cuddly, after her “conservative” debut last night. Advice to the Dems; put away the kid gloves and pull on a pair of rawhides. Considering the barrage of “inane” nattering in the main stream media about her family, it was refreshing to see her and hear her say a few supportive words about them. Then came a stretch of McCain Idol worship—did you know he was a POW? Niceties aside, Sarah Palin ridiculed her opponent for “community organizing” and every worn out canard about tax and spend Democrats to the ecstatic (or possibly intoxicated) cheers of the assembled Republican base. Nowhere is it ever noted that the Democrats actually pay for their spending by raising taxes, the Republicans—who spend much more—simply raise debt, inevitably weakening our economy in the long run.

She told how “despite fierce opposition from oil company lobbyists…we broke their monopoly on power and resources” by bringing “about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history.” And in the very same breath “we began a nearly forty billion dollar natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence”.

Now that is the way to stick it to the oil and gas companies…throw them a $40 billion bone! So Mavericky!!

And speaking of energy, with Alaska awash in petro-dollars (or “filled up the state treasury” as she put it) due to the high price of oil, it’s no surprise that Sarah Palin feels we need a lot more drilling. Did you hear that fiercely defiant cry of “drill baby drill” mixed in with “USA” and “Zero”? Good thing they keep the cheers simple. USA has 3% of world reserves, but uses 25% of world production…leaves me wondering “and then what”.

The only whiff of economic hardship was hinted to in the line “families cannot throw away more and more of their paychecks on gas and heating oil” which was squeezed in between a reference to gulf coast hurricanes necessitating drawing on our strategic petroleum reserve and Russian desire to wield “energy as a weapon” against Europe.

So welcome to the new republican party a.k.a. the old republican party with some lipstick.

posted by Daniel @ 2:27 PM