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National
Conservation vs. new power plants
Jan 10, 2008The New York Times has an interesting article today about the potential benefits if power companies would give consumers tools to manage their energy use in real time.
Here’s the part that caught my eye: The results of the research project by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory of the Energy Department, released Wednesday, suggest that if households have digital tools to set temperature and price preferences, the peak loads on utility grids could be trimmed by up to 15 percent a year.
Over a 20-year period, this could save $70 billion on spending for power plants and infrastructure, and avoid the need to build the equivalent of 30 large coal-fired plants, say scientists at the federal laboratory.
The article goes on to talk about how government incentives, as they exist now, work against this sort of innovation because they don’t reward power companies for energy savings.
Instead, they provide guaranteed rates of return (read: profits) from new power plant construction.
We need to move toward this sort of innovation and away from the notion that American consumers will continue their wasteful, over-consumptive ways in spite of the fiscal and environmental costs.
Posted by Andrea Hopkins Huckabee and Obama
Jan 04, 2008Those who read my recent column about the presidential election know that I’m pretty delighted to see former Gov. Mike Huckabee’s victory in Iowa. I’m not surprised, either, by the results on the Democratic side - Obama, followed by Edwards, with Sen. Clinton coming in third.
Both Huckabee and Obama speak to a thirst for change in the way that Washington operates, although obviously they differ on the issues. Huckabee isn’t your father’s Republican—out to protect the interests of the country club set at the expense of middle America.
And, Obama, as the youngest candidate in the race and the only Gen Xer, clearly represents a new direction.
New Hampshire is the next challenge. It looks like Sen. John McCain will do well there; he’s not of the Republican Party establishment either.
Looks to be an interesting political year.
Election musings - 2008 edition
Nov 13, 2007The Virginia election is now history. As a Tennessee resident, my interest in the election was purely from a work-related point of view. Not so with the upcoming presidential primaries. I will be forced to choose from the pack of panderers, partisan hacks and otherwise unimpressive folks seeking the nomination.
Conventional wisdom says that Sen. Clinton will be the Democratic standard bearer and Rudy Giuliani will got the GOP nod. I don’t like either one of them. What’s an independent-minded, slightly right of center proponent of concensus government to do?
Anyone else dismayed by the choices? Feel free to make the case for your favorite candidate, but keep it clean and civil.
No surprise there
Oct 17, 2007Rep. David Davis says he won’t vote to override the president’s veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. No surprise. Davis votes pretty much in lock-step with the administration and the party bosses.
But is he serving the interests of his district?
Tennessee officials report that 56,000 children of uninsured working families will be denied health coverage because of Davis’ vote. Some of those children are bound to live in East Tennessee. Davis, who made his personal fortune in health care, would deny that care to children who by accident of birth don’t live in a family with his resources. Pretty cynical.
Davis trots out several strawman arguments to oppose the plan, including its supposed extension of benefits to illegal immigrants (actually, the amended version of the bill doesn’t even cover the children of legal immigrants). For a complete debunking of the SCHIP myths, check out this informative site by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
There is no good reason to oppose this bill. Davis should be ashamed.
Is health care a human right?
Sep 26, 2007I believe it is, but I’m curious about others’ thoughts. A newspaper Readers Advisory Panel member raised the question in response to this week’s editorial on the SCHIP fight.
What do you think and why?
