Posts Tagged ‘energy policy’

The recent release of the unemployment numbers indicate a very unsettling trend in our nations future for an economic recovery. In spite of the numbers showing a .2% decline in unemployment, the real disturbing numbers were the number of permanent jobs lost that are never to be recovered and the number of people who have simply given up on ever finding work.

There reasons for such miserable numbers recently cited by the L.A. Times include the following:

• Slump in retail sales and no plans for any expansion. Unemployed people simply can’t purchase things.
• Uncertainty on tax increases when the Bush tax cuts expire, increased government regulations on the financial sector, and uncertainty on energy costs as the Cap and Trade bill looms in Congress.
• Inability to obtain capital from previously available sources as well as uncertainty in the effect of the Financial Regulations being placed on our Banks and lenders.

Small business accounts for more than 70% of our workforce. In spite of incentives for new start up businesses, the growth rate among this group is near zero. Fewer and fewer people are willing to overcome the mountains of regulations, unwillingness to invest capital during uncertainty in the global economy, and uncertainty in taxation due to mounting government deficits. Add to the mix, the costs associated with the new Obamacare are directly impacting the bottom line of every small business and few are willing to venture into a new startup with requirements to provide healthcare benefits from day one, face the prospects of fines if they don’t, and have needed capital to overcome that 3 year window of uncertainty in which over 70% of the failures occur.

Let’s also add to the mix the increases in government jobs at every level of local, state, and Federal government. Those are additional taxes needed to pay the salaries and benefits of newly hired government employees. At the time when government deficits on every level are climbing due to losses of previously stable tax revenue, government still insists on creating jobs with the Stimulus dollars with “use it of lose it” rules. Instead of using those dollars to temporarily fund the deficits, new government jobs are created and more debt is incurred.

These state and local governments are also facing budget shortfalls that has resulted in the loss of many teachers, policemen, and firefighters. Yet, due to the rules of the Stimulus money, few of those funds are being used to save those jobs. The talk of tax increases to maintain these lost jobs are receiving push back from those citizens who understand they are being squeezed so much now in taxes, that there is nothing left to pay higher taxes with. Countless small businesses too, are feeling the burden of increased local government taxation needed to keep their budgets balanced.

We are in a death spiral of government debt, excessive regulation, and more mandates from the Federal government. Washington has failed to “get it”. The solutions are simple and lead down one path alone and Mike believes that until that uncertainty is removed, we will not see our economy recover. His plan is simple:

• Enact the FairTax. Removing the burden of Income taxes puts more money in peoples pocket and allows them to have the needed money to make buying decisions, not wishful thinking. It will bring over $13 TRILLION in private investment dollars into our economy and allow free market principles to work when there are no tax implications from those investments. This alone will begin the job creation needed to spur economic growth.
• Cut the deficits in half this year. Until our government can learn to live within it’s means and end the borrowing just to pay for basic government needs, taxes will escalate and those burdens are being passed through “generational theft” to our heirs.
• End any additional Stimulus and TARP spending. These programs have failed in their intent and are simply adding to the debt of this nation.
• Repeal Obamacare and end the uncertainty of higher taxes to our small businesses. The promises of lower health care costs are false promises and already escalating premiums, higher costs, and loss of coverages are occurring. The $1.3 TRILLION dollar price tag again, adds to the debt of this country and we can ill afford to be faced with increased taxes to pay for it.
• Begin serious reforms of our entitlement programs. We are faced with over $106 TRILLION in unfunded liability(DEBT) over the next 20 years in these programs. Since they are NOT part of the Government budget- that spending is on automatic pilot- we are facing financial collapse in paying for these programs.

We as a nation must return to the principles and foundation of our Founders of smaller government, regulations that do not impede business but PROMOTES it, and low taxes to fund a smaller and less intrusive government. It is time to head the warning of Jefferson:

A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take away everything you have.

Today, Rep. Corrine Brown introduced legislation that would ban all off-shore drilling and exploration for oil. Her ban would:

“permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer Continental Shelf of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.”

Mike would like to remind Rep. Brown that the Department of Energy was created for the sole purpose of “Eliminating the Dependence of Foreign Oil” in the United States. In spite of the fact that is its purpose, it has obviously FAILED miserably in its objective.

Yes, we have a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but to have this type of knee-jerk reaction to this disaster is far from what is needed to achieve the goals of the Department of Energy.

Mike believes in 3 basic goals that must be achieved and drilling resumed:

1. Determine the cause of this disaster and make sure that proper safeguards and controls are in place to assure that it will not happen again.
2. Clean up this disaster using all available private and public resources to do so.
3. Open other areas of this nation like the Bakken Reserves in N. Dakota and Montana for drilling.

Rep. Brown seems to forget that until there is available alternative energy sources that can fully meet the demands of this nations energy needs, oil will remain a needed resource for our nations survival. Even her “precious” rail transportation system she wishes to spend even MORE of taxpayers dollars on and continue to subsidize with even MORE taxpayers dollars, requires DIESEL FUEL to operate. Rep. Brown, THAT is an “oil based” product and to restrict the supply of DOMESTIC oil is going to be even MORE costly for Americans.

Instead of more legislation that will cost the people of this District even more in energy dollars, Rep. Brown would be better off working to create JOBS for the people and bring OPPORTUNITY to this District. Taking train rides to Miami to bring even more “high speed rail” to areas OUTSIDE this District is not making “Corrine Delivers” a truthful statement.

Today, Seminole Electric shelved a 3rd unit construction project at their Putnam County facility. With that announcement, the energy needs for growth in Putnam and Clay counties went with it. This coal fired unit was going to the largest of the generation units and capable of producing 750 megawatts of new, much needed electricity for Putnam and Clay counties. Seminole is one of the major suppliers of the Clay Electric Cooperative.

This project, located in the heart of the 3rd Congressional District, would have created over 1,500 new construction jobs at a time when the construction trades are at an all time low. Add to that, the economic impact it would have created to a very hard hit area because of this recession just washed down the St. Johns River with this announcement.

Seminole company spokesman, Jeff Fela announced the end of the project:

“because of the uncertain regulatory and legal environment related to coal-fired generation.”

Add to this, the price of coal is expected to rise with the closure of several coal projects in West Virginia due to the EPA revoking the licenses of several coal mines being planned. Consolidated Coal also announcing their “Christmas bonus” for 600 employees in their central West Virginia operations. They would be losing their jobs- all due to EPA regulations and permits possibly being revoked.

Mike’s statement is simple and to the point:

“This is but another indication of the insanity coming from this Administration’s policies. It’s not about creating private sector jobs but about government once again forcing an agenda on the energy needs of this District and this nation.”

Mike further added,

“They would rather spend $2.6 BILLION of taxpayers dollars on a SunRail project that is going to lead to taxpayers subsidizing millions annually than allow private enterprise to meet the future energy needs of our nation. This is but another example of abject failure of government and the insanity it is creating for our nations future.”

This project would have allowed more development in one of the most economically depressed areas of Florida. Again, it shows the failure of leadership by Rep. Corrine Brown for the people of Clay and Putnam counties. Instead, she would rather build a commuter rail project from Tampa to Orlando that is not going to meet the objectives of ridership that will reduce capacity on I-4. There is no transportation modalities at the ends of this project, and when people are going to want to see one of their kids at a ball game or school event, there is no way to get there except to drive.

Once again, Mike sees the wasteful spending and calls it what it is- more budget busting failures from Rep. Corrine Brown. To use the reasoning that “if we don’t use it (Stimulus money) for this, then some other State will” is far from justification enough to build the Sunrail. It was touted as “high speed rail” and now it is nothing more than a 61 mile above ground commuter rail project almost identical to the Tri Rail in S. Florida that consumes $10-15 million in taxpayers dollars. It’s wasteful “Spend and Tax” at it’s finest and more generational theft from the resulting debt.

The failed and forced policies of this Administration and the Pelosi/Reid/Corrine Brown Congress would rather put real JOBS, real economic growth, and the real job creators out in the cold and build a railroad that Putnam and Clay counties will pay for.

If you agree with Mike and want to see an end to the misguided and costly job-killing regulations, then your contribution today will bring real, common sense Conservative leadership to Washington. Bring real economic growth, real jobs, and real prosperity to the 3rd District by helping elect Mike and telling Rep. Corrine Brown to file her retirement paperwork.