McCain Calls for Nuclear Power

FINALLY! A presidential candidate takes a position based on something other than hope, dreams, and change. I said the same thing two weeks ago when blogging about the Climate Security Act. Gee, choosing to succeed with proven technology rather than gambling on a 7 trillion dollar tax scheme seems like a no-brainer unless you are in D.C.

It's virtually zero carbon. It doesn't take massive carbon taxes to make it cost-effective. And thanks to the French and Japanese engineers - it's safe. If it hadn't been around for 60 years we would call it a miracle.

Nuclear Power.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Sen. John McCain called Wednesday for the construction of 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030...

McCain said the 104 nuclear reactors currently operating around the country produce about 20 percent of the nation's annual electricity needs.

Every year, these reactors alone spare the atmosphere from the equivalent of nearly all auto emissions in America. Yet for all these benefits, we have not broken ground on a single nuclear plant in over thirty years," he said. "And our manufacturing base to even construct these plants is almost gone."

Even so, he said he would set the country on a course to build 45 new ones by 2030, with a longer-term goal of adding another 55 in the future.

One additional thing that politicians and bureaucrats have a hard time with is placing these things in context of our population. Oh, and we have not built a new oil refinery in those same 30 years.

US population (US Census Bureau)

1978 222 million
1988 245 million
1998 270 million
2008 301 million

Kyoto-type math - pegging our carbon emissions to a year (e.g. 1995) instead of some ratio of our actual population will make energy prohibitively expensive if the Pew research center estimates of our population (450 million) by 2050 are accurate.

Climate Security Act: The Talking Killer

Turns out the great climate act of 2008 wasn't going to be quite the political football Barbara Boxer and Harry Reid had hoped for. In a not too stunning reversal, the Senate punted the issue until next year when they hope to avoid the scrutiny of a debate. I guess a 7 trillion dollar tax hike on energy the same weekend gas hits 4 bucks a gallon would have come off a little "uncaring" for the plight of the little people who pay to drive to work every day.

The bill died without actually dying; sort of the Senate's version of the talking killer that has been shot in the shoulder. You know he is going to get up as soon as the girl (who picked up the gun) turns her back on the killer to check on her witless boyfriend.

Jun 6, 2008 9:03 AM Senate On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Boxer Amdt. No. 4825 ) Cloture Motion Rejected 48-36, 16 not voting (3/5 required).

In other words. Since only 84 Senators voted on the Cloture Motion, it would have taken 51 (3/5) to end the presumptive filibuster. Since only 48 did so, the Bill is now on the floor with a winged shoulder.

Of note: 16 senators no-voted...McCain skipped this one...Obama continued a stellar history of not putting himself on the record.

Climate Security Act (2191/3036)

Looking at the list of subject terms for the Climate Security Act was enlightening. Read through the list and you will know just how far-reaching this bill will be when passed - and becomes law next year.
Link to Gov Track

Here are some subject terms that are missing: guaranteed recession, junk science, socialism, unintended consequences.

Actions and defenses
Administrative procedure
Agricultural pollution
Agricultural research
Agriculture
Air conditioning
Air pollution
Air pollution control
Airports
Alternative energy sources
Animals
Armed forces
Auctions
Automobile industry
Automobile repair
Biomass energy
Budgets
Building laws
Business
Carbon cycle
Carbon dioxide
Cellulose
Clean coal technology
Climate change
Coal mines and mining
Coastal zone
Colleges
Commercial aviation
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cooperative societies
Coral reefs
Corporations
Defense policy
Diesel motor
Earned income tax credit
Economic impact statements
Economic policy
Ecosystem management
Electric appliances
Electric power distribution
Electric power plants
Electric utilities
Electric utility rates
Electric vehicles
Electronic benefits transfers
Emergency management
Emissions trading
Employee training
Endangered species
Energy
Energy conservation
Energy efficiency
Energy prices
Environmental law enforcement
Environmental protection
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental research
Environmental technology
Estuaries
Executive departments
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to Indians
Finance
Fire fighters
Fire prevention
Fishery management
Flood control
Fluorocarbons
Foreign policy
Forest conservation
Forest fires
Forestry
Forestry research
Forests
Fuel cells
Fuel consumption
Gas companies
Geology
Geothermal resources
Government information
Government liability
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Greenhouse gases
Habitat conservation
Hazardous substances
Heating
Higher education
Import restrictions
Income tax
Industrial buildings
Information disclosure (Securities law)
Infrastructure
International affairs
International environmental cooperation
Investments
Job training
Labor
Labor statistics
Landfills
Law
Manufacturing industries
Marine ecology
Marine mammals
Marine pollution
Marine resources
Mercury
Methane
Minorities
Montana
Motor vehicle pollution control
National security
Natural gas
Natural resources
Negotiations
Nitrogen oxides
Nonprofit organizations
Ocean energy resources
Petroleum industry
Petroleum refineries
Pipelines
Potable water
Presidential powers
Presidents
Public lands
Recycling of waste products
Research centers
Rural affairs
Science policy
Scientific education
Social security
Social security taxes
Social services
Solar energy
Solid wastes
Standards
State and local government
State laws
Sulphur dioxide
Taxation
Technological innovations
Technology
Telecommunication
Tidal power
Trade
Transportation
Treaties
U.S. Agency for International Development
Water pollution
Water pollution control
Water quality
Water resources
Welfare
Wind power
Wyoming