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EDITOR:
On June 20, the Mountain Democrat reported “McClintock disses solar power.” So what’s new? McClintock’s positions against solar, wind and other forms of alternative energy are well known. McClintock does not hide the fact that he is in Congress to defend the interests of the coal, gas and oil industries and he has the campaign contributions to prove it.
Ironically, McClintock’s comments came on the day that Germany declared it was completely phasing out its nuclear plants and focusing its research money on wind, solar and related industries. Two days later, the National Academy of Science, backed by MIT, CalTech, Lawrence Livermore Laboratories and every reputable scientist in the world, announced that the climate change threat will make the seas off the coast of California rise far higher, and faster, than earlier anticipated.
In the face of this scientific onslaught, there is little doubt that Congressman McClintock favors the approach of the North Carolina Legislature. The GOP-controlled legislature did not like a state-funded report predicting that the Tar Heel state’s coastline would soon disappear due to the selfsame climate change predicted for the rest of the world. At the urging of real estate and developer interests, they took bold action by introducing a bill banning further publication, in North Carolina, of climate change matters that were not written through rose-colored glasses.
One can always laugh away the fundamentalist Christians’ biblical world view. Ignorance may be bliss as long as it does not harm anyone. However, the anti-science, anti-progress, anti-intellectual movement now in charge of the GOP cannot be ignored. Promoting head-in-the-sand ignorance as public public policy poses a direct threat to our national security and our future as a leading industrial and agricultural nation.
JOHN C. GARON
Placerville
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
BillJuly 02, 2012 - 8:49 am
Bashing the solar industry in comments to the El Dorado County Chamber on June 14, whos members seemed to agree with him, our Congressman McClintock said, “Solar power is not new, not promising and certainly not cheap,” “Solar power has been sold to us as a great thing," ..... "This new promising technology will lead us into a Valhalla of clean, cheap electricity,” he said. “That’s a lie.” “And it’s not just the panels,” he said. "PG&E’s local government relations spokesman Brian Jensen (former John Doolittle aid) sat to the congressman’s left nodding in agreement."
Ken SteersJuly 02, 2012 - 9:17 am
He's a witch burn him! Everyone knows that solar powered wind turbines are the only practical solution for global warming. I'll run him over with my volt.
from sea to rising seaJuly 02, 2012 - 9:36 am
Speaking of which, Al Gore isn't worried. The $4M condo that he bought in 2009 is just feet from the ocean in Fisherman’s Wharf S.F., a city he had explicitly warned about in An Inconvenient Truth. As for "every reputable scientist in the world", who among them will step forward to endorse his hockey stick proof?
laughing at the leftJuly 02, 2012 - 9:59 am
Less than 72 hours after becoming the first female Speaker of the House, an impeccably dressed and supremely confident Nancy Pelosi called a press conference to announce the complete reversal of global warming. Speaker Pelosi faced more than 1,500 awed reporters from all over the world including reporters from small African villages who had attended the coronation of Senator-Prince Barrack Obama earlier in the morning. “I am so sorry to be late but the Vanity Fair photographers were simply impossible to deal with. They kept insisting that a right angle was the most favorable for my shoot. ”Absolutely not, I told them, it’s either the left or nothing". In fact, one of them insisted " You are a strikingly beautiful woman and I'll be delighted to shoot you on the left side of your face " but we had to dismiss him because he seemed a bit too eager ,had no camera on hand and had a tattoo that read" Save the elephants" on his forehead. "But I am here to announce that, within the last 24 hours, I have received confirmation that our plan to reverse global warming is a complete success". http://www.citydebate.com/florida/miamibeach/stories/0111190608.htm
seriously nowJuly 02, 2012 - 10:01 am
Less than 72 hours after becoming the first female Speaker of the House, an impeccably dressed and supremely confident Nancy Pelosi called a press conference to announce the complete reversal of global warming. Speaker Pelosi faced more than 1,500 awed reporters from all over the world including reporters from small African villages who had attended the coronation of Senator-Prince Barrack Obama earlier in the morning. “I am so sorry to be late but the Vanity Fair photographers were simply impossible to deal with. They kept insisting that a right angle was the most favorable for my shoot. ”Absolutely not, I told them, it’s either the left or nothing". In fact, one of them insisted " You are a strikingly beautiful woman and I'll be delighted to shoot you on the left side of your face " but we had to dismiss him because he seemed a bit too eager ,had no camera on hand and had a tattoo that read" Save the elephants" on his forehead. "But I am here to announce that, within the last 24 hours, I have received confirmation that our plan to reverse global warming is a complete success".
RichJuly 02, 2012 - 10:04 am
Ken Steers from sea to rasing sea, wont you on this list not to long ago?..................... El Dorado County Republican Central Committee? Chairman: Dallas Sweeney 1st Vice Chair: Claire McNeal 2nd Vice Chair: Doris Miller Secretary: Roseann Livingston Treasurer: Todd White Parlimentarian: Kevin Brown Sergeant-at-Arms: George Turnboo FULL COMMITTEE Ex-Officio Claire McNeal for Congressman Tom McClintock Doris Miller for State Senator Ted Gaines Alyse Kolb for Jack Sieglock Supervisorial District 1 Joy Knight Roseann Livingston Supervisorial District 2 Kevin Brown Bernard Carlson David Dornbier Karen Huntsman George Turnboo Supervisorial District 3 John Bailey (Briggs family) Leigh Kolb Cathy Nerwinski Dallas Sweeney Supervisorial District 4 Alex Briggs (Briggs family) Art Marinaccio Todd White Supervisorial District 5 (open)
gato pelonJuly 02, 2012 - 10:18 am
How deep can the GOP stick it's head in the sand? Only the fundamentalist christian's and the tea baggers know for sure!
Dink LaneJuly 02, 2012 - 10:25 am
Back when I was in college (most of the people smoked then) we did an experiment for our science class..... A windy day.... Everyone filled the room with smoke then opened the windows and stepped out..... The outside wind COULD NOT CLEAR THE SMOKE OUT..... Why? Heavier particles attached to the oxygen molecule were not as easy to move... until it fell to the earth.... Think about it.... I have for years...
Ken SteersJuly 02, 2012 - 10:49 am
The election of Obama has temporarily halted the raising of the seas. Rich I am a Republican. How long have you been in support of solar powered wind turbines? I too find this concept to be interesting. Maybe if we give Solyndra, (Kaiser), another $500 million. This concept can become as successful as the Volt. Or at least they can throw a great party in Vegas.
Dink LaneJuly 02, 2012 - 10:56 am
McClintock received: $102,700 from OIL & GAS..... $0 from Solar & Wind.... Any questions?
Ken SteersJuly 02, 2012 - 11:03 am
Ah I know! Solar and Wind is broke? That's why Obama keeps giving money to his bundlers through those farce corporations. Why does he do that?
Dink LaneJuly 02, 2012 - 12:56 pm
LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK) got $8.97 "B" Billion from China Development Bank..... JA Solar (JASO) got $4.2 Billion, Suntech (STP) $7.29 Billion and Trina Solar (TSL) got $4.3 Billion..... All with the condition that they have their businesses in China..... Now USA Solar companies have to compete (bids to USA Companies) against that??? (per www.fool.com)
Jack MartinJuly 02, 2012 - 1:50 pm
Garon, the "scientific onslaught" by "every reputable scientist" in the world regarding the climate has been being shoved at us since the 1970's. Back then, it was Global Cooling. What was causing it? Well, every "reputable scientist" in the world said it was industrialization and the lifestyles enjoyed by western devloped countries. Then came Global Warming in the 1990's. What was causing it? Every "reputable scientist" in the world said it was for the very same reason as Global Cooling. And....their solutions for it were exactly the same. Now here we are almost 15 years further down the road. 1998 was the warmest year in modern history but we've been cooling, on average, ever since. But now every "reputable scientist" in the world os crowing about "Climate Change" or Climate Weirding" (Al Gore's term). The reason? The same as Global Cooling AND Global Warming. The solution? Also the same. What we see is that every "reputable scientist" in the world who claims to be able to predict what the long term climate is going to do, doesn't know his butt from a hole in the ground. However, their ironaically-similar proposed solutions appeal to global socialists like Garon and so he and his ilk are all for their society-limiting solutions. If you guys were any more transparent (or ignorant) you'd be jelly fish.
Ken SteersJuly 02, 2012 - 1:53 pm
Somebody made the statement the McClintock didn't receive a dime from solar or wind. Well quick check SunRay Wind is a big contributor of the Congressman. Why do the pseudonyms keep making silly erroneous statements? FYI almost all energy companies invest in wind and solar. But probably because they are evil.
Ken SteersJuly 02, 2012 - 2:00 pm
Hi Jack! Wouldn't the honorable John Garon be more credible if he would distribute his hatred toward religion. Maybe for the love of god attack the Hindu's. Or grow some balls and say something about the Muslims. Foe me he would quite possibly earn some street cred. But what if John Garon is actually a Christian hating member of the Taliban? That would cause his diatribes to make more sense.
BillJuly 02, 2012 - 2:41 pm
Quote from fellow Republican Central Committee member Mathat: "As for Ken Steers statement about his association with us during his short lived presidency of 2 yrs on the Central Committee, maybe he has the graphics on his fridge his personal business graphics shop designed and did not check the data and copy before mailing it out the first time! Quality repeats itself every time. The Central Committee, at least until recently, used the same design on their slate mailer we provided to them years ago. Let alone other support provided to their web site the last time I cared to look. Maybe his donation of $30,000 to the last sheriff’s campaign that is recorded on archived election 460s’ and the failure of his candidate to be elected on Nov. 2, 2010, while chairing his last meeting of the Central Committee on Nov. 8th, 2010, helped him to lose his cool in front of a packed room full of the entire Central Committee and guests and the newly elected sheriff, where he turned into an outraged, screaming, “bloviating bully” who came unglued when asked to allow the new Sheriff to be introduced or to delay the adjournment (for Monday night football) so others could speak, is putting it lightly! Some people that play in the game of politics whose worship of the almighty dollar or MPG can never be explained when they are called to balance their behavior against Values, Integrity and Principles."
BillJuly 02, 2012 - 3:00 pm
Ouote, Arthur March 08, 2012 - 12:37 pm MD... "Mr. Steers -like you're SUCH an upstanding citizen. NOT!! Why don't you get another hobby & quit making nasty comments about other people. GET A LIFE!!!"
Dink LaneJuly 02, 2012 - 3:01 pm
Why should we support Solar? -- LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK) got $8.97 "B" Billion from China Development Bank..... JA Solar (JASO) got $4.2 Billion, Suntech (STP) $7.29 Billion and Trina Solar (TSL) got $4.3 Billion..... All with the condition that they have their businesses in China..... Now USA Solar companies have to compete (bids to USA Companies) against that???
RichJuly 02, 2012 - 3:13 pm
Jan 2012 Google announced that it's investing $94 million in solar panel farms in the Sacramento area. The money will go toward four photovoltaic, or PV, panel farms built by San Francisco-based Recurrent Energy, owned by tech-giant Sharp, and will help fuel the project alongside funding from investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., said Axel Martinez, Google's assistant treasurer. The investment pushes Google's portfolio of clean energy investments to more than $915 million, $880 million of which has been invested since January, Martinez said. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Recurrent and Google did not disclose how much Kohlberg Kravis Roberts was investing in the project. "We're already committed to providing funding this year to help more than 10,000 homeowners install solar PV panels on their rooftops," he said. "But this investment represents our first investment in the U.S. in larger scale solar PV power plants that generate energy for the grid -- instead of on individual rooftops." Martinez said the effort will produce about 88 megawatts of power, or about the amount of energy needed to power "the electricity consumed by more than 13,000 homes."
BillJuly 02, 2012 - 3:20 pm
"Facts never, ever get in the way of Ken Steers's comments," e.g.
Ken SteersJuly 02, 2012 - 3:29 pm
Who says "not" after a sentence? Other than the felon Alarcon's wife. But I have to clear up Ms Piggy's statements. I gave 57k to one race. Because of the phoney web sites attacking a family. Anyone who was at the CC meeting knows that MNF starts at 7pm. Our meetings started at 7pm. The Sheriff didn't ask to speak. Scum bag Dan Dellinger did. My bloviating consisted of informing Judy and her (gulp) husband that I felt sorry for them and used them as a role model of how waste a life in hatred. Funny side note regarding the Mathats. They lobbied so hard for the Indian Casino and yet still couldn't get a job there. Sad
Ken SteersJuly 02, 2012 - 3:32 pm
Oh Bill, 2 things are a fact, my motorhome as well as my life a far more better than yours.
BillJuly 02, 2012 - 3:38 pm
Quote from James E. Longhofer, EDITOR: "When Mr. Ken Steers appeared on the Mountain Democrat Website with his letter “Tax the rich,” I decided not to reply as he said he didn’t care to know what I think. However, now that it has appeared in the print edition, and given recent events, it is imperative that I answer it." "First, some general comments. Mr. Steers alleges I have have called for a 100 percent tax on the well-to-do. Simply not true as a 100 percent tax rate is illogical. He must have had a nightmare in which the government taxed him 100 percent and seized all his assets." "Mr. Steers then strangely, given the subject of taxes, goes on to denigrate the French. Obviously he cannot get out of his mind the Republican talking points of 2002 when France declined to join the attack on Iraq. You remember, freedom fries, freedom toast, freedom poodles, etc."..............
James E.July 02, 2012 - 6:44 pm
Not sure how I got interjected into this discussion, as all I know about solar power is that the sun is hot, very hot.
prime timeJuly 15, 2012 - 9:57 am
129 Climate Scandals
IgnoranceIsBlissJuly 15, 2012 - 10:12 am
The pronouncement of "every reputable scientist in the world" (ya gotta be kidding!) is good enough for any ideologue.
iffy scienceJuly 17, 2012 - 8:03 pm
Mr. Garon cites "every reputable scientist in the world". Likely he had in mind the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). However . . . in August 2010 the InterAcademy Council (IAC) reported that IPCC lead authors fail to give "due consideration ... to properly documented alternative views" (p. 20), fail to "provide detailed written responses to the most significant review issues identified by the Review Editors" (p. 21), and are not "consider[ing] review comments carefully and document[ing] their responses" (p. 22). Further, "the IPCC has no formal process or criteria for selecting authors" and "the selection criteria seemed arbitrary to many respondents" (p.18). Government officials appoint scientists from their countries and "do not always nominate the best scientists from among those who volunteer, either because they do not know who these scientists are or because political considerations are given more weight than scientific qualifications" (p. 18). Here is how the IAC described how the IPCC arrives at the "consensus of scientists": Plenary sessions to approve a Summary for Policy Makers last for several days and commonly end with an all-night meeting. Thus, the individuals with the most endurance or the countries that have large delegations can end up having the most influence on the report (p. 25). See report: http://www.ipccreport.diamax.com/File.aspx?id=24131