Energy in the U.S. Senate race
Cross-posted from Capital Beat.
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I spent some time researching and writing on energy policy in the U.S. Senate race this week. For those who might have forgotten, your players are incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, Democratic state Sen. Kay Hagan and Libertarian Chistopher Cole.
Click here for Sunday's story on the energy policy debate.
And click here to read the graphic that accompanies the story in the Sunday paper. (PDF)
Both Hagan and Dole did events this week where they talked energy policy. Dole visited with the Chamber of Commerce down in Lincolnton to chat about economic issues, which pretty much is headlined by gas prices and energy policy these days. Hagan visited the wind power demonstration site run by Appalachian State, wanting to highlight her commitment to non-petroleum energy sources.
Click here to listen to a portion of my conversation with Dole. We start out talking nuclear and end up on her telling how she went about turning the lights off in her hotel room that morning.
To read more from Dole on energy policy:
- * a recent blog post laying out some ideas. She also includes some bullet points on energy in her economic security plan.
- * a floor statement from July 23 on energy policy.
- * A June 4 floor statement on the climate security act.
- * more from Dole’s Senate office.
Click here to listen to a portion of my conversation with Hagan. We were talking at the top of Beech Mountain standing under the wind turbines, so I apologize for the wind blowing in your ear during this clip.
For more from Hagan on energy policy:
- * This is her campaign’s energy plan.
- * Back during the primary, Hagan put a campaign ad on the air concerning energy:
Cole isn’t on the campaign stump regularly, but did send along an e-mail after we chatted over the phone, highlighting his differences with the other two candidates. I’ll paste that after the jump.
And of course, your thoughts are welcome at the comments link.
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Cole’s e-mail:
- Elizabth Dole recently changed her position on offshore drilling. In response Democrat Kay Hagan complains that production from new fields offshore or in ANWR won't come in to the market for approximately ten years. Dole was right in changing her position, and Hagan is right about the time lag for new gasoline at the pump.
But where Hagan is wrong and Dole is silent is about the impact of such a policy change on CURRENT prices at the gas pump. Only Libertarian Christopher Cole explains how that FUTURE production can
lower CURRENT prices, prices which are dragging down our economy and strangling the family budget.
What Hagan ignores is the role of expected FUTURE supply on current price. Due to OPEC intransigence and possible interruptions due to Bush policy against Iran, speculators fear interruptions to oil supply for years to come. They have therefore bid up prices on present shipments, in order to assure their future inventory. With that future supply assured by increased access at home, that price pressure will be removed, resulting in immediate easing of pump prices.
Cole supports open access to offshore oil and natural gas deposits, as well as those under federal lands, such as the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve. Not only would that assure future oil supply, but it will provide economic growth and high-wage jobs in such regions as North Carolina's coastal plain. Cole also disputes the alarmist response of some on the left who complain of ecological risks, pointing out that major spills, such as the Exxon Valdez in Alaska, have always come from tankers, not rigs or modern land-based pumps.
For further information, Cole recommends this article from the Ludwig von Mises Institute, a free-market economics think tank, based at Auburn University: http://mises.org/story/3047
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Christopher Cole
Libertarian nominee, US Senate
Huntersville, NC
http://www.lpnc.org/2008/us_senate.php
http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12999
Comments (4)
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That was informative. There doesn't seem to be much difference between Hagan and Dole on energy. I keep waiting for Hagan's campaign to draw some distinctions between her and Dole.
BTW, Mark, did the paper run a correction to the item in your article a couple of days ago that said McCain has been a consistent supporter of off-shore oil drilling?
Posted on August 10, 2008 10:31 AM
Roch:
Thanks for dropping in.
Re: difference between Dole and Hagan, I find that policy-wise they sync up more often that either camp is willing to admit.
Re: McCain: your comment here is the first time I've heard anyone complain about the language in the McCain story. (Okay, it's the first time that I've heard anyone complain about THAT language in the McCain story...I did go through the whole why are you writing about a Republican thing with some of my Democratic friends.)
I'll go back and take a look. But let me give you some advice: if you really want to see something corrected or thought about, it serves you much better to send me (or JR, or whoever) an e-mail and point out what you see as an error rather than just post a comment on your blog which we may or may not read that week. (Go ahead and post the comment anyway, just send an e-mail so someone sees it.) I logged 825-plus miles on the road last week, which didn't leave a lot of time for web surfing.
Thanks.
Posted on August 10, 2008 10:52 AM
Will do, Mark.
Posted on August 10, 2008 10:57 AM
The federal response to the impending energy crisis and to the threat of global climate change within the next two years is critical, so energy is just as important in Congressional races as Senatorial ones. As the Democratic nominee for the US House of Representatives in NC's 6th district, I support taking immediate steps to reduce global warming and develop alternative energy sources, while my opponent has failed to demonstrate leadership on these issues during his extensive tenure in Congress. As a retired pediatric allergist, I understand that, when the environment is unhealthy, people are unhealthy. I also see the potential for federal investment in energy alternatives to bring more and better jobs to North Carolina's 6th District.
Posted on August 14, 2008 1:32 PM