Dakota Beacon

WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 23: U.S Secretary of Energy Steven Chu (C) speaks as former U.S. Vice President Al Gore (L) and Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) (R) listen during an energy summit at the Newseum February 23, 2009 in Washington, DC. The summit was to discuss “National Clean Energy Project: Building the New Economy.”

Big Coal won’t be very happy if Dr. Chu gets confirmed as head of the DOE—he’s really, really not a big fan. “Coal is my worst nightmare,” he said repeatedly in a speech earlier this year outlining his lab’s alternative-energy approaches.

In response to a friendly question from Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Chu explained his widely distributed comment, “coal is my worst nightmare.”

I said that in the following context. If the world continues to use coal in the way that we are using it today and by the world, I mean in particular, not just the United States, but China, India, and Russia, it’s a pretty bad dream……

This quote should be considered in context regarding Dr. Chu’s view of coal as a primary energy source. The trouble is, the EPA is now in charge of CO2 and if the Waxman/Markey Climate/Energy bill that just passed the U.S. House becomes law (prevails in Senate), there is a overwhelming that it will make coal and petroleum more expensive and there is abundant evidence that environmental groups HATE coal and petroleum. And the liberal Democrats and environmental activists are in charge.

Working the rope line in Maumee, Ohio, the Senator was asked by an environmentalist why he and Mr. Obama support “clean coal.” “We’re not supporting clean coal,” Mr. Biden responded. Then, riffing on China’s breakneck construction of new coal plants, he continued, “No coal plants here in America. Build them, if they’re going to build them, over there.”

The SF Chronicle published an interview with Obama in January 2008, but omitted any references in their story to Obama’s pledge to “bankrupt” the coal industry:

Let me sort of describe my overall policy.

What I’ve said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else’s out there.

I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year. So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it’s just that it will bankrupt them because they’re going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted.

In the coming election season you will see and hear what millions of out-of-state campaign contributions allow to be driven into your head….and that is that Byron Dorgan is fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting for North Dakota. But when was the last time that you know of Senator Dorgan fighting the Democrat party or the environmental lobby (who provide lots of the money that will be used to remind you that Dorgan is fighting, fighting……).

Will Senator Dorgan fight, fight, fight…by making impassioned speeches, having townhall meetings, calling for investigative hearings about the devastation the cap and trade legislation will visit on his home state? Or, Will Senator Dorgan be silent about the largest tax increase on American being perpetrated by the Waxman/Markey Energy/Climate bill? Will he say nothing as legislation that will hammer the ND economy marches through the U.S. Senate? Will he then ignore his silence and claim to the ND press that he was fighting for ND by voting “NO”? Does Senator Dorgan fight mostly for the next photo-op when he hands the proverbial “giant government check” as the press offers hosannas for bringing home the pork?

And why will he not say what is becoming increasingly obvious all around the rest of the world that anthropogenic climate change is a political and media concocted myth/scam/lie? Will Senator Dorgan have the guts to really fight for ND by yelling STOP! LETS SEE THE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE BEFORE WE REORDER OUR ENTIRE ECONOMY AND PUT OUR NATION IN ENERGY FARIY DUST HANDCUFFS?

Will Dorgan fight for North Dakota or simply roll over for Biden, Obama, Earth First, DailyKos, Al Gore, Dr. Chu, PETA, Code Pink, Cheryl Crow, …….? Follow the money. Always follow the money.