US Rep. R-Greg Walden's Pitstop in Southern Oregon
Paulie Brading
A whisper that US Rep.Walden was going to be at the big Pilot car and truck stop at 2:00 PM at the Central Point exit off I5 came my way yesterday. I was told, "Walden's gotta plan to save the county payments problem." After attending a noon school board meeting in Medford I jumped in my "dog car" covered with Merkley, Obama, and Kroger bumperstickers. It's the car our big ol' Aussie gets to ride in with her head out the rear window or breathing her hot breath on the back of my neck. Speaking of hot, it was 91 degrees yesterday when I parked and walked toward a crowd of about 40 people standing on the baking black asphalt, semi trucks roaring and UPS trucks parked as part of the backdrop to the left of the speaker's podium.
I looked around at people with signs that read, "We Cut! We drill!" or "Drill Oil Now!" The crowd was filled with women from the Jackson County Republican women's group, R-Sal Esquilvel, R-Dennis Richardson, R-George Gilmore, R-Jack Walker County Commisioner and representatives from Avista Utilities, Pilot and UPS with lots of Pepsi employees scattered about.
Walden stepped up to the podium. "I plan to introduce the Security and Energy for America Act with a bipartisan group of my collegues when I return to Washington. By allowing environmentally sound and responible energy production on the Outer Continental Shelf beyond 75 miles off shore, we can pay for all the following while becoming more energy independent in the near term." Walden reeled off a list,
"$4 billion for five years of county payments, $600 million for geothermal energy production grants, $500 million for Wave energy production grants, $500 million for wind and soloar energy production grants, $500 million for Biomass energy production grants, $500 million for Hydropower production grants and $500 million for Cellulosic energy production grants." He went on to say, "This would be an unprecedented investment in renewable energy production. We can pay for hundreds of millions of dollars for on- and off shore fish and wildlife habitat enhancement. We can pay for hundreds of millions of dollars for education and job training programs, On top of all that, there would be enough money left over to help pay for the reduction of the national debt. And this plan would also provide approximately $1 billion dollars in heating assistance to low-income Americans. That's just with energy production past the 75-mile marker. Between 0-75 miles from the shore, states would control all energy development, giving unprecedented powers to the states."
OK, I confess, one of Walden's staffers strolled up to me and gave me a copy of Walden's prepared remarks from which I am quoting.
Walden went on, "It pays for $3 billion in renewable enery production. It lessons our dangerous addiction to foreign oil. And yes it's ambitious, and some will search for any reason and any excuse to opposse it, simply because it increases the energy supply for the folks standing behind me that run American businesses and provide the jobs our communities relay on."
I leave it to you the readers to come up with any reason or excuse to oppose Walden's plan.
Me, I'm still recovering from the most cynical display by a politician of raising false hopes of the folks who live in the counties who have lost their timber payments. Raising false hopes is as cheap a shot as I've ever witnessed. Walden thumped his chest over the AWFUL high price of gas in the early text of his remarks and then made the pitch you've read above. Check his recent votes supporting big oil.
It's your turn.
PS. The best part was the sound system didn't work. If you didn't have a copy of Walden's remarks a listener couldn't hear a darned thing.
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3:51 p.m.
Jul 2, '08
I'm getting tired of Republicans and the oil industry using the high gas prices as an excuse to increase drilling. It's already been shown that the oil companies are drilling on very little of what they've been leased to drill on already.
Since that isn't working, now they're trying to throw everyone a bone by throwing in some money for counties, alternative energy, etc.
Jul 2, '08
I looked around at people with signs that read, "We Cut! We drill!" or "Drill Oil Now!"
HAHAHA - Typical Oil Thirsty Republicans....
As Harry Reid recently said, and we all know "Oil Makes Us Sick"
I hope gas goes up to $15 / gallon. That way people will be forced to ride bikes and get in shape.
Jul 2, '08
Thanks for posting Walden's remarks. You are spot on with your observation that this is cynical politics and false hope raising at its finest. Walden's crackpot drilling schemes have far less chance of passing Congress than DeFazio's efforts to make the oil industry pay its fair share for public lands leasing. Its also Walden trying to cover his ass after fighting to kill the county payments extention last month. Awarding new drilling leases off our coastlines as a 'near term' energy independence strategy? That's just crazy talk.
Let's see, Walden, the Republicans, and their industry puppetmasters, want to open out our coastlines and the Arctic plain for oil drilling and clearcut the last of our old growth forests for a short-term four year phase-out of county payments. What's next, hunting down gray whales and burning their blubber as 'alternative energy?'
4:22 p.m.
Jul 2, '08
All this money, these billions of dollars Mr Walden speaks of, where do they come from? From fuel taxes consumers pay when buying fuel produced in these proposed sites? Does that mean Mr Walden guarantees the fuel will go exclusively to Americans and not to foreign nations or whoever is the highest bidder? Are the oil companies on board with this? How long will this supply last, and what will the effects on climate and environment be from all this great new oil? How long will it take for this wealth of fuel and the new public revenues to reach the consumers and public coffers? Is this money raised while reducing the price of fuel, or will the price remain the same or even higher? And after all these projects are paid for we still have enough left over to help pay down the near $10 TRILLION debt? And the oil companies will see a higher or lower profit margin than they do now? Sounds like ol' Greg is either a freakin' genius, or he has left out a few details.
Jul 2, '08
The easiest way to view what Walden and his hideous thug-uglycon compatriots are doing to America is to understand what SANCTIONS are. It is what was done by BOTH parties to Iraq. The sanctions against America will and are doing what was done to Iraq. That is to leave a small privi- leged class and to condemn the vast majority to poverty and a police state. Closing the trading specuative loop- hole would cut the price of a barrel in half in thirty days but Obama says in a carrot and stick moment that it can't happen until he is president. Is that any less dis- ingenuine than Walden who KNOWS THAT THERE ARE NO SHIPS TO do any off-shore drilling. They are all committed and no new ones are being built. A five year wait for the ships that are used to construct drilling rigs at a minimum. SO, DeFazio is correct. There are fifteen billion barrels available near a pipeline at the Naval Reserve. The wells are capped. Regardless of where it goes it increases the supply immediately. For Pete sake Democrats stop the shameless pandering. You sound just like Republicans.
Jul 2, '08
marv,
If speculation is the reason for the high price of crude, the price should come down by itself, as ample supply forces speculators to sell at a loss. If the supply is not ample, then the trading price of oil is not unreasonable, as demand is somewhat inelastic.
My guess is that speculation is being blamed for a problem caused by a situation no one wants to acknowledge: peak oil.
Jul 2, '08
Tom, There is an error on your part in ignoring that the panel which Bart Stupak chaired, a committee that Walden serves on, showed that speculation, the unclosed loophole in what is known as the Enron loophole, prevents the market price point from being reached. This is further complicated by having devalued the dollar some sixty percent since Bush and his pals have been in power. A Senate panel discussed this two years ago. The timing of the speculation during an election year, with a compliant right-wing media is intended to cover the asses of all the Republicans who like Walden have nothing to show for their profligate spending but profits for the ultrarich. It is known as socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor. But it is better defined as Disaster Capitalism. Please read Naomi Klein's book and ask Mr. Walden to urge the CFTC to use its existing power in this emergency to close the speculative loophole and ask that at least fifty percent be placed on any futures contract. That will help to find the price point in the market.
10:04 p.m.
Jul 2, '08
The IEA (International Energy Agency) again discounted speculation as a major driver of the current price of oil today (NY TImes, Business section).
It cited the fact that slightly reduced consumption in the US is now, and will continue to be offset by rising consumption from the developing world in stating that prices are not likely to decline significantly, and will probably continue to rise from current levels.
Given that in many oil producing countries (among others Iran, Mexico, several of the Gulf States, and even eventually Venezuela where prices are heavily subsidized and there is little incentive for conservation) rising domestic demand and (in some cases) falling production will lead to these countries reducing or even eliminating exports in the next few decades, we're just seeing the beginning of a long trend.
We better not just get used to it - we ought to stop deluding ourselves that it's all the fault of speculators and market manipulators. That only delays the momentum to make necessary changes to our economy, as well as the expectations of the public that we are somehow entitled to endless quantities of cheap fossil fuels.
10:44 a.m.
Jul 3, '08
One of the sharpest critiques of the speculator hypothesis about high oil prices is none other than Paul Krugman. See
10:49 a.m.
Jul 3, '08
I mean, see http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/opinion/27krugman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin%3C/a
Jul 3, '08
Oil is a finite resource. Old growth trees are a finite resource. Coal is a finite resource. I could go on but why. As demand increases the price does too. Many R's, I's and even D's pantingly salivate at the thought of increasing (temporarily) the supply. Why? So they can temporarily continue driving big gas hogs unnecessarily. This band aid panacea will not change dependence. Shared sacrifice is a better alternative. Decrease demand. Use energy sparingly. Consume all resources wisely. Mindful consumption along with personal energy expenditure is the answer. Try it. Lose some weight. Improve your health. The end. PS Creating more non-disposable nuclear waste is no panacea either.
Jul 3, '08
Yes. Lets put the military on a diet. No bid contracts providing aviation fuel at $300 per gallon to keep heli- copters idling 24/7,yep, reduce that. Carbon footprint? I have listened to the heart wrenching painful stories of people burdened with the guilt that their government does not respond to their wishes. Not a desire to drive 6000 pound fuel hogs but a desire for the plug-in hybrid that easily attains 100mpg. And knowing that that car is an alternative requires that we have $15 per gallon gas. OIL will not reduce its share of the pie no matter how diligently you wear your hair shirt.
Jul 3, '08
More Loony Tunes from Idiotic Lefties:
"HAHAHA - Typical Oil Thirsty Republicans...." "I hope gas goes up to $15 / gallon. That way people will be forced to ride bikes and get in shape." "Walden and his hideous thug-uglycon compatriots" "continue driving big gas hogs unnecessarily." "Yes. Lets put the military on a diet."
Jul 3, '08
Walden? Is he still around? I thought he lost hundreds of thousands of Republican $ thru his own incompetence?
Jul 3, '08
What continues to be discouraging is the weak democratic leadership in this state. They never investigate anything east of the Cascades. With Obama having very strong coat tails during this election cycle it would have been opportune to have a worthy challenger on the democratic side to rubber stamp plantation republican Walden. Instead the inept democratic leadership doesn't take the time to examine the changing and dynamic demographics east of the Cascades. They continue to assume things are the same as they were 50 years ago and concede the House seat to Walden of any other republican. Can anybody tell me who the democrat is who is running against Walden in 2008? Oh well the leader of the democratic party in this state (what's his name? Kulungoski) is still trying to get Hillary Clinton nominated. Has anyone told him that Obama won the nomination? Have no fear Walden your seat is safe in your state of East Cascadia!
6:18 a.m.
Jul 4, '08
Noah Lemas, from Bend is running against Walden.
11:31 a.m.
Jul 4, '08
Paulie... Lemas may be the Democratic candidate on the ballot, but "running" is too strong a term. The dude can't even be bothered to get set up on ActBlue - so that people could donate to him. (Takes about 3 minutes - they just need his federal PAC ID# and the address to send the check.)
Jul 5, '08
With polls showing Americans warming up to the idea of off shore drilling, we need to quickly counter with alternatives that lead us in the right direction.
Investing limited financial resources in a carbon based energy resource that is failing us is a bad idea. Not only would this not have an impact for 2 years, and a nominal impact at that, it detracts from alternative energy systems that we need to be implementing right now.
Senator Obama has been talking up an alternative energy "Appollo Project" or "Marshall Plan." Let's hope and pray that concept does not get derailed by those seeking short term oil profits.
Jul 5, '08
Kari, sounds like you would be a valuble member or Lemas's team by directly helping his campaign get set up on ActBlue! Although I've seen this comment from you twice, I'm not sure if Lemas reads these blogs!! :-).
11:33 p.m.
Jul 5, '08
Matthew... I've already done what I can, making a personal introduction for Noah to ActBlue's Oregon representative.
There's only remaining conclusion: He's not interested in raising money, which means he's not interested in seriously running.
He can't even be bothered to post a photo of himself on his own website.
Jul 5, '08
Perhaps someone living in the 2nd District can comment on Kari's remarks. Is the guy lazy, or are there challenges in his life which have led to his not rising to Kari's standard?
Given how folks in rural areas think urban folks (esp. in Portland) don't understand them, maybe we should hear from someone who actually lives in the 2nd District and/or knows the candidate.
Jul 7, '08
Kari, check out what his website says about contributions. Sounds like he just has a different philosophy. He must be running as I know he came through Jackson County on a campaign swing. We should support him, even though we may not agree with his strategy.
Here's a clip from his website on contributions:
"For those of you thinking about contributing, please know that your contribution is greatly appreciated. However, please think about donating your money to a worthwhile charity or two and, instead, simply spread the word about what I’m trying to do and how I might do it. Your support of me is most valuable; your financial contributions might best be left to those truly in need. I would be glad to recommend some wonderful charities. If you still have money burning a hole in your pocket, then, by all means, I welcome your contribution."
Jul 8, '08
I contacted Noah early on. Got a couple of emails back. Suggested he update his blog with issues of the day, FISA perhaps. He said he was willing to come to our county. We had no Democrat party here, but that has changed. So I have passed on my info to the local Party folks. I have some ideas I shared with him. I also suggested he sign up on ActBlue. I appreciate his comments on money, but I for one would like to have at least a yard sign to put up. I think I saw one sign for Carol Voison last time outside Unity Oregon of all places. Walden is not beloved over here any more. He is a long time incumbent and people could be persuaded to vote for a libertarian leaning Democrat. Health care is a big issue over here as well. I am from Grant County, the only U.N. Free County in the US. But we are also a Nuclear Free County. Walden is vunerable, but no one knows who is running against him.
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