Letter to the Editor
Begich's plan
Published Wednesday, October 8, 2008
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To the editor:
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about energy. I wake up thinking about fuel prices, my own energy consumption and what that means for my children’s future. I worry. I think, “What can I do? Who has a realistic plan?” Mark Begich has a plan. A plan that will work.
Mark Begich will work with Alaska’s energy industry to regain the state’s stature as a major energy producer.
Now more than ever, Alaska is in a position to provide Alaska families, Alaska businesses, and the nation with cleaner-burning energy from an Alaska natural gas pipeline. Alaska also has an unprecedented opportunity to be a national leader in renewable energy development and implementation of energy efficient technology.
In addition to developing our vast resources, he also believes that the Senate should renew the 10-year renewable energy tax credits for those that have taken steps to power their own homes through alternative energies such as solar, wind and other sources. The tax credits also provide incentive for private industry to build new renewable energy sources.
Mark understands there are difficult obstacles to overcome in switching to new energy sources. That is why he has proposed that we open the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska on the North Slope.
This should bring both sides together in Congress. Drill more for the time-being in lands set aside for this purpose, while creating the greater incentive to build new sources of energy that break our reliance on unfriendly foreign sources of oil.
The people of Alaska need Mark Begich’s representation in the U.S. Senate. Alaska’s skyrocketing costs for all forms of energy require new thinking and new technological innovations to assure a more stable energy future for Alaskans. Alaska has world-class renewable and non-renewable energy resources; resources that can be tapped to not only reduce the cost of energy for Alaskans, but also to place Alaska in a world leadership role in developing resources sustainably and responsibly.
Lillian Morris
Fairbanks
Community Discussion
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I dont think so. What's Harry Reid going to say about all that drilling?
Having a "plan" and getting the Senate and House to follow it are two VERY different things.
It's easy to promise anything to get into the Senate or House, because if things don't work out you can just blame the other few hundred members for not working with you.
i don't think the democrats will be in the majority in either the house or the senate for very long.
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"I dont think so. What's Harry Reid going to say about all that drilling?"
And guns too. Mr Begich can support anything he wants, but until his party supports that position, he'll accomplish nothing.
I recieved a call from the Begich campaign a few weeks ago and had a very interesting conversation with the young lady on the other end of the line. When I asked her for specifics about his energy plans, she spouted the usual "alternative energy" party line. When I mentioned that wind and solar weren't real viable options here in the interior in the winter, she had no answer. She mentioned that he supported opening ANWR. I asked her how Mark was going to push that through the Senate when the likes of Schumer and Boxer et. al. didn't share those same views, she had no answer. The conversation was basically the same when she brought up the fact that he was a supporter of the Second Ammendment.
The bottom line: Begich can say he supports any position he wants, but when the rubber meets the road he'll be told to toe the party line or he can forget about any support for his bills or any funding for his pet projects back home. I'd rather support a candidate who, although they may be in the minority, I know has the support of his fellow Senators, even though that support may come from the minority of the senate.
Unless he "plans" to blow himself up on the Senate floor, I wouldn't expect him to change anything.
Not so much a condemnation of Mr. Begich, just an observation about the general incompetence of the Senate and Congress as a whole.
Lillian....The NPRA is already open for drilling and we have been punching holes in it for several years. So we Mark can't be of much help there....as for everything else you and Begich are promising....well if Uncle Ted couldn't bring it home I don't think some freshman senator will stand a chance.
Actually as a Democrat he may stand a better chance than our Republican representatives in congress.
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