"King Coal"?

Who said politics is off-topic here?

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/obama-clinton-woo-coal-vote-in-upcoming/n20080419042509990002

Or that coal burners should be Republicans?

i'm a libertarian coal burner

Nobody here has any thoughts on the "political comeback" of coal?

stockingfull wrote:Nobody here has any thoughts on the "political comeback" of coal?

I do......I think our government should give tax breaks for any coal burning appliance & coal itself. With oil as expensive as it is, why not give an incentive to switch to good old US coal to heat our homes, at least as an interim measure until we can get off oil?
Never happen with oll families running the country though.



Edit: Just sent an email to my Reps & Senators

Wood'nCoal wrote:

2007-10-28_085651.jpg

Great idea! Wonder if I could run my air conditioners this summer, that way??

Devil5052 wrote:

stockingfull wrote:Nobody here has any thoughts on the "political comeback" of coal?

I do......I think our government should give tax breaks for any coal burning appliance & coal itself. With oil as expensive as it is, why not give an incentive to switch to good old US coal to heat our homes, at least as an interim measure until we can get off oil?
Never happen with oll families running the country though.

Edit: Just sent an email to my Reps & Senators

While I agree with you whole heartedly, it will never happen. First of all, it makes too much sense. Second of all with all the emphasis on "Green" this and that, it would be political suicide for a politician to promote the idea of consumers burning coal. The "greenies" even fight wind turbines which are about as green and energy as you can get because some stupid bird might fly into the blades. When I grew up, they called that natural selection. Don't look for any tax relief for burning coal anytime soon. We'll have to settle for heating our homes for cheap.

Here: Drive yourself nuts:

http://www.treehugger.com/

coalkirk wrote:The "greenies" even fight wind turbines which are about as green and energy as you can get because some stupid bird might fly into the blades.

Maybe its time for the Greenies to get on treadmills an start whipping out some serious power.

Devil5052 wrote:I do......I think our government should give tax breaks for any coal burning appliance & coal itself. With oil as expensive as it is, why not give an incentive to switch to good old US coal to heat our homes, at least as an interim measure until we can get off oil?
Never happen with oll families running the country though.



Edit: Just sent an email to my Reps & Senators

I don't want the government involved with coal at all. It will only mean higher prices. As with any government program, it will create the exact opposite of its intent.

gambler wrote:I don't want the government involved with coal at all. It will only mean higher prices. As with any government program, it will create the exact opposite of its intent.

Higher demand for coal may drive prices up a bit but that would be more than offset with a tax credit. Besides, I think pellet & wood would be more popular as people think that coal is so dirty. I don't see how having the government authorize tax credits creates any type of gov. "program", it would just require one new line in the tax code??

I've been saying coal and nukes for electric generation for 30 years at least. My grounds? Energy independence and reserving portable fuels for portable things.

Never paid any notice to the "carbon footprint" until recently; the coal problem was always acid rain and such, which I always thought could be answered with "scrubbers."

How far away are we from realistic sequestration or some other workable carbon-balancing or disposal idea?

Devil5052 wrote:

gambler wrote:I don't want the government involved with coal at all. It will only mean higher prices. As with any government program, it will create the exact opposite of its intent.

Higher demand for coal may drive prices up a bit but that would be more than offset with a tax credit. Besides, I think pellet & wood would be more popular as people think that coal is so dirty. I don't see how having the government authorize tax credits creates any type of gov. "program", it would just require one new line in the tax code??

Don't take this wrong or get all hopped up as I am not here to argue. That is the main difference between democrats & republicans. You (democrat) want the government to give you something. Me (republican) want to take care of it on my own.

gambler wrote:Don't take this wrong or get all hopped up as I am not here to argue. That is the main difference between democrats & republicans. You (democrat) want the government to give you something. Me (republican) want to take care of it on my own.

You think it's fine for the government to give massive tax breaks to the big oil companies ( which they are doing now...with our money) but not help us homeowners with our heating bills? Democrat or Republican, it is grossly unfair & I disagree.