Public Disagrees With GOP On Energy Policy

post from jobsanger on 28 April 2012 01:06:00 AM. © jobsanger

The above graphic was composed from the results of a new Yale University Project on Climate Change Communication survey. The survey shows that on most issues concerning energy and the environment the Republican Party is out of step with what the American public supports.

About 79% of Americans would like to see more funding for research on renewable energy, 76% would like to see tax rebates for efficient cars & solar panels, 75% want CO2 regulated as a pollutant, 63% would require utilities to produce 20% clean energy, 65% want the U.S. to sign an international treaty to cut emissions, and 58% are against building more nuclear plants. Those positions are all in opposition to Republican energy policy.

The survey also showed that only 17% of the public has bought into the Republican lie that protecting the environment hurts economic growth and causes unemployment. A full 58% of the public knows that protecting the environment actually improves economic growth and creates new jobs. The Republicans may not want corporate polluters to clean up their act, but the American people do.

But the survey also showed there are a couple of areas where the Republican propaganda seems to be working. One is in expanding drilling in the Gulf of Mexico -- which 62% of the public would support. Too many people believe that the high price of gasoline is connected to the amount of drilling done in the Gulf -- which is not true at all. More education is needed to convince the public of the truth -- that the high gas prices are due to Wall Street oil speculators and Big Oil companies reducing the amount of gas refined.

The Big Oil companies (especially BP) have also been very successful in covering up the serious and continuing environmental damage to the Gulf by drilling and oil spills (eyeless shrimp, fish with numerous large lesions, etc.). The sad part is that the environmental damage will most likely stretch far into the future.

The second area where the public seems to be misguided is on the huge subsidies given to the oil companies by the government. About 54% of the public says they are against eliminating all energy subsidies. Considering the giant oil and gas companies and energy producers are making record profits, those subsidies are no longer needed (especially when federal deficits are so large).

Perhaps the following facts can change some impressions about the "poor" oil companies. Chevron made about $6.5 billion in profits in just the first three months of 2012 (that's $71 million in profit every single day -- after all expenses have been subtracted). ExxonMobil did even better by posting a first quarter profit of $9.45 billion (about $104 million in profit for every single day). Here are some other facts about these companies:

EXXONMOBIL

13 percent: The tax rate Exxon paid last year, lower than the average American family.

60 percent of its first quarter earnings, or $5.7 billion, on buying back stock. Became world?s largest dividend payer by increasing dividends 21 percent.$1,091,000: Political contributions sent to federal politicians for the 2012 election cycle, making it the largest oil and gas spender.91% of these contributions went to Republicans.More than $52,000,000: Lobbying for the first three years of the Obama presidency, 50 percent more than in the Bush Administration.$34.9 million: Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson?s salary for 2011, a 20 percent raise.$52,300: Political contributions from Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson in the 2012 cycle, alone.

CHEVRON

Chevron paid a 19 percent effective federal tax rate in 2011, after making $26.9 billion profit.

Spent 19.2 percent of its Q1 profits buying back stocks ($1.25 billion), which enriches the largest shareholders.Production dropped by nearly 5 percent, from 2.76 million barrels per day in Q1 FY 2011 to 2.63 million barrels in 2012.Chevron CEO John Watson received $25 million compensation last year, a raise of 52 percent. Chevron?s Vice President received a 75 percent increase to $7.8 million.Chevron is sitting on even more cash reserves, $18.9 billion, up from$15.9 billion in January.Has spent more than $500,000 on federal political contributions in the 2012 election cycle. 87 percent of these contributions went to Republicans.Has spent $3.24 million on lobbying in the first few months of 2012, after spending $9.51 million lobbying in 2011. Some of the Chevron PAC?s major recipients for 2012 include House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) ($5,000), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) ($5,000), Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) ($5,000), Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) ($7,500), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) ($5,000).

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Party Of No

post from jobsanger on 28 April 2012 01:05:00 AM. © jobsanger

Political Cartoon is by David Fitzsimmons in the Arizona Daily Star.

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Corporations Are Hiring - Just Not Here

post from jobsanger on 28 April 2012 01:04:00 AM. © jobsanger

The picture above may be funny to many of you, but I don't mean for it to be. The fact is that it's far too close to the truth to be funny. Unemployment is still over 8% in this country and the millions of jobs that disappeared in the Bush recession have still not been replaced. The Republicans, who have blocked repeated efforts by the Democrats to pass a job creation program of any kind, tell us that the only way to create jobs is to cut taxes for the giant corporations (and some of them would like to cut those taxes to zero).

This position by the GOP has seemed ridiculous to many of us who are paying attention the economy. The giant American corporations are making record-breaking profits, paying a smaller tax rate than most middle class workers, and currently sitting on record amounts of cash. If the Republicans are right, then where are the new jobs. Why haven't these corporations been creating new jobs with all that new wealth?

We now have the answer to that question. They have been creating jobs. It's just that the jobs they've been creating are not in this country. In fact, about 75% of all the jobs created by the large American companies have been in foreign countries. While they are only creating a pitifully small number of jobs in the United States, these corporations are outsourcing like madmen.

And these are the corporations the Republicans don't think should have to pay taxes. Frankly, I'm fed up with it. If these corporations can't create any jobs in America, then the least they could do is pay their fair share of taxes (without subsidies or other tax breaks, and without hiding profits in other countries to avoid paying taxes on them).

It's time to stop the outsourcing. If companies want to shift jobs to other countries, they should be severely punished. Any tax breaks offered should only be to companies that bring jobs back to this country. And that's not class warfare -- just common sense.

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Not Interested

post from jobsanger on 28 April 2012 01:03:00 AM. © jobsanger

Political Cartoon is by Jeff Parker in Florida Today.

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Cowboys Draft Boise State Defensive End

post from jobsanger on 28 April 2012 01:02:00 AM. © jobsanger

It was a long stretch between the Dallas Cowboys first and second draft picks -- about 75 places (because they had traded away their second round pick), and that made for a fairly boring second night of the draft. I'm not really complaining. I think it was well worth losing the second round pick to get Morris Claiborne, the LSU cornerback, in the first round -- a player who makes the defense much better (and probably will for a long time).
The Cowboys finally got to pick again in the third round, with the 81st pick of this year's draft. The player they picked was Tyrone Crawford, a 6'4", 275 pound defensive end who played for Boise State. The Cowboys needed a little more help on their defensive line, but from what I hear Crawford is a little raw. Hopefully, he is a fast learner and a hard worker and can contribute in the coming season. Here is what NFL.com had to say about him:

STRENGTHS

Crawford is quick to get out of his stance off the snap and has the instincts to slant and hit a gap without being touched. He is consistently disrupting plays in the backfield and is a solid tackler. He is a strong player who shows an explosive arm jolt when keeping blockers at bay. Crawford shows good change of direction when stopping to pursue plays laterally. As a rusher, his motor is the key to his success. He never gives up on a play and can use a strong burst to get to the quarterback. He has a ton of upside, which undoubtedly increases his values to teams who are set at the position and willing to patient and work with him. Despite his size, he could even play special teams early on in his career because he has such a nasty demeanor.

WEAKNESSES

Crawford is a raw prospect who only has one year of collegiate playing experience at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. He would be a project early on for the team that selects him, and he could have a tough time adapting right away. He has had trouble getting off double teams, which could be a technique issue, a likely possibility given his well-documented strength. Crawford will need extra coaching and attention to adjust to the NFL.
Today, the draft finishes up with rounds four through seven. The Cowboys have five picks -- two in round four, one in round five, one in round six, and one in round seven. Will there be any future Cowboy greats among those five picks? There's no way to know. In picks past the third round a team can strike gold or strike out. It will be interesting to see who they are though.

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Jimmy Carter - Scaring The Teabaggers

post from jobsanger on 28 April 2012 01:01:00 AM. © jobsanger

Political Cartoon is by Rick McKee in The Augusta Chronicle.

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Late Late Night FDL: Your Cheatin Heart

post from Firedoglake on 28 April 2012 01:00:50 AM. © Firedoglake

Melissa Manchester -- Your Cheatin' Heart, from episode 512 of The Muppet Show.[...]

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Half Dome

post from Jesus' General on 28 April 2012 01:00:08 AM. © Jesus' General

Someday, I will fill my house with Edie Howe's work. You can buy this one, here. I'm not being compensated for writing that (and it's a shame I feel I have to make that statement, but that's what blogging has become). I just think her photos are so absolutely beautiful, everyone needs to see and own them.

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The Nightowl Newswrap

post from They gave us a republic... - Front Page on 28 April 2012 01:00:00 AM. © They gave us a republic... - Front Page

By BG & YD

Oh, dear me... @MittRomney just isn't connecting with young voters, Not. At. All. President Obama goes to a college campus, the crowd goes nuts and the decibel levels rival a sonic boom. Mitt Romney appears on a college campus and the students fall asleep during his speech. Literally.
It's just as well -- his advice to them amounted to avoid debt by borrowing the funds to start their own businesses from their parents.

It's been painfully obvious from the get-go -- over two months ago -- that Florida is not the least bit interested in seeing George Zimmerman convicted and sentenced to prison for the killing of Trayvon Martin.

When the sleazy for-profit schools start withdrawing from your ranks, your pooch is screwed. Kaplan, the sheister for-profit on-line college outfit, on Friday became the 14th company to abandon support for ALEC.

We are ot at all surprised to learn that money flowing into the leadership PACs established by Marco Rubio and Ayn-Rand-Paul is on a one-way glide path...money flows in, but it tends to pool there and not flow back out to help elect other candidates.

We think, therefore we are not religious. People who routinely utilize critical and analytical thinking skills are far less likely than people who don't employ them to profess to religious belief.

Austerity isn't working. But don't take our word for it -- just look at Spain, where the unemployment rate is 25%. That's the sort of economic turmoil that fascist revolutions are made of.

They're scared of change and they will use terror to preserve the status quo Congresswoman Yvette Clark, a Democrat from New York, had to call the police on Friday after edited video of her speaking was posted on Glenn Becks website and the knuckle-dragging dimwits who follow the pathetic douchenozzle Beck started calling her office and threatening violence against her and her staff.

Everybody who is surprised by this, stand on your head Earl Ehrhart, a republican state legislator from Georgia and the former national director of ALEC, is not happy about the attention the right-wing legislation sweatshop has gotten lately, and singled out one specific Occupy activist in particular, calling him a "pansy" and a dirty fucking hippie -- so in other words, the activist is winning and Ehrhart is scared.

And finally...

Stop being hysterical. There's no "war on women" you females are being ridiculous. It must be hormones...The anti-choice nutburgers have always feared medical abortions as the greatest threat to their movement because they can't protest outside a woman's bathroom door like they can a clinic entrance, and . In Minnesota, they have found a way to keep doctors from writing those prescriptions. They passed a TRAP law that fines the doctor and carries jail time for physicians when their patients don't come back for follow-up visits after they terminate their pregnancies medically.

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Sunday Classics preview: Is this the most
beautiful recording ever made

STEPHEN FOSTER: "Beautiful Child of Song"

That unique mezzo-soprano Jan DeGaetani (1933-1989) sings, and frequent collaborator Gil Kalish accompanies, this haunting Foster song, from their Nonesuch CD Songs of America.

by Ken

This is a somewhat unusual preview in that it's a preview, not of this Sunday's post, but of posts that are still in the cogitating stage, based on performances I've heard these last couple of weeks.

Last week there was the seemingly unrelated pair of concerts I mentioned I attended: on Thursday, one by the American Symphony Orchestra with three major works by the American composer George Crumb, and on Friday a Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center program built around two important American pianists, Leon Fleisher and Gilbert Kalish. And this week there's been a pair of concerts at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in which the center's quartet in residence, the San Francisco-based Alexander Quartet, played -- in chronological order -- one of the crucial bodies of 20th-century chamber music, the six string quartets of Béla Bartók.

It may just be that I needed an excuse to pop in the above clip of "Beautiful Child of Song." It's such a stupendously beautiful performance that it hardly seems to require an excuse, but I'm trying to retain some semblance of "form" here. The connection is kind of stream-of-consciousness, and I'll explain it after the click-through, where we'll also be hearing from Leon Fleisher and hearing a snatch of the Bartók quartet cycle.

FOR THE MYSTERIOUS LINK, AND TO HEAR MORE
FUTURE-POST PREVIEW MUSIC, CLICK HERE
#

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