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Thursday, July 17, 2008
Barr cheers Gore’s energy plan
Last week, oil mogul T. Boone Pickens unveiled a plan to increase the amount of electricity supplied by wind power to at least 20 percent as soon as possible. Environmental advocate and former vice president Al Gore called Pickens’ bet — and raised it.
On Thursday, Gore introduced his plan for all electricity in the country to be supplied by renewable, natural resources like wind, solar and geothermal within 10 years. This could be a tall order, considering more than 70 percent of U.S. electricity is supplied by coal, natural gas and petroleum, according to the Department of Energy.
The speech at Washington’s Constitutional Hall drew a packed crowd, which included several politicians, including Libertarian presidential candidate and former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr.
Barr did not hesitate to share his ideas with the media. He called Gore’s plan important for moving the country away from its dependence on foreign oil. He also criticized fellow candidates Barack Obama and John McCain for not showing up for the event, saying their absence showed “they don’t really care about the issue.”
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Bush and McClellan: Together again
Not much to report from the first time that President Bush and former Press Secretary Scott McClellan were in the same room since McClellan penned an unflattering book about his ex-boss.
Could have something to do with the size of the room and the event it housed.
Bush and McClellan didn’t get anywhere near other today at the Washington funeral for Tony Snow, who got the press secretary job when McClellan was forced out. Snow died of cancer on Saturday.
McClellan arrived early and took a seat about two-thirds of the way back in the massive Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the nation’s largest Catholic church.
McClellan stared in Bush’s direction when the president arrived in the church with Laura Bush holding his left arm. They were too far apart to come anywhere near making eye contact.
Bush offered a firm “no comment” when questioned about McClellan’s book at a Tuesday White House press conference.
McClellan saw many of his former administration colleagues but also was nowhere near them in the church.
After the service, he ran into Scott Sforza, formerly a top White House aide in charge of setting the backdrop for presidential events, outside the church. “Good to see you,” Sforza told McClellan.
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Ah, the good old days for housing
Conservative lawmakers are unhappy with much of the housing reform and rescue legislation that Congress likely will pass next week. They say it gives government too big a role in the housing market.
At a hearing Tuesday, Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., said the legislation amounted to “socialism.” He and other conservatives argue that the country should go back to a simpler time when Congress stayed out of the housing market.
On Thursday, a Commerce Department report on June housing starts suggested the country already is starting to relive those simpler days, at least in some ways. Housing starts are now on track to fall below the 1 million level this year for the first time since 1945, when the country was still fighting World War II.
“Even banks with solid balance sheets are reluctant to finance any project related to housing,” said Patrick Newport, an economist with the Global Insight Inc. forecasting firm.
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