Things That Make You Go Hmmm.... Why Isn't The United States FORGING AHEAD Toward Energy INDEPENDENCE? Why Are We Helping Every Other Country Do This?

I have remained befuddled and disturbed by the news I posted last night regarding China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I am like a child that asks many questions. I don't accept things at face value. I want to know why? Which is what I would like to encourage you to do. Ask why? Isn't the Obama administration supposed to be PUSHING for GREEN JOBS??? How about this quote President Obama keeps making from Ted Kennedy:

"'What we face,' he wrote, 'is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country.'" Obama said.

Are we not the country that has always paved the way for innovation? Are we not the country who has always led by example? Are we not the country who has been insisting on alternative forms of energy? Are we not the country who fought for and DECLARED our independence?

Well then if you answered yes to all of my questions, why on earth is it the opposite? What President Obama repeatedly claims as a MORAL ISSUE is TOTALLY CONTRADICTED by what he does!!! Read on and you will understand the point I am trying to make. President Obama is outsourcing both ENERGY and GREEN JOBS that could easily be created by pursuing ENERGY INDEPENDENCE!!! I wish President Obama actually BELIEVED in the BORROWED words and quotes that come out of his mouth.

While I am happy that First Solar a Tempe, Arizona based company is reaping a return for their innovative product, I am not delighted to find out that China is having First Solar build the FIRST LARGEST SOLAR PLANT enough to power 3 MILLION Chinese households. If this plant were built in the United States it would cost us $6 BILLION. Our government has been spending 100s of BILLION of taxpayer dollars on the most inconsequential things. I believe building these ENERGY EFFICIENT plants across the United States would be taxpayer money WELL SPENT! Don't you? Shouldn't our government have JUMPED at the opportunity to lead by example and WALK THE TALK? Can you now understand what I mean by government WASTE? The Obama administration CLAIMS many things, but when it comes to delivering on their promises they fall short. This is a perfect example!

Why China? It is great news that China is ACTIVELY ENGAGING in the eco-friendly revolution. Who would have thunk it? I know that I was shocked to learn this news. I would have thought the United States would be the FIRST. But not only has China EMERGED as the leader in eco-friendly ENERGY EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY, but they have actually laid out an agressive plan to expedite the overall use of this techonology. Here is a little snipit from the Reuters article I posted yesterday:

The project is part of China's program to generate 10 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2010 and 15 percent by 2020 to help meet its growing energy appetite that has made the country the world's top emitter of carbon dioxide.

One last thing I would like for you to think about... China is known for copying everything. This has to be one of the smartest moves they could ever make. This investment is priceless. They know this is the wave of the future. They know this is the direction the United States CLAIMS to be moving toward right? Well then who the heck do you think will be POISED to SELL us and the rest of the world this technology at a lower COST down the road? CHINA! How brilliant is that.

Now I would like to move on to the other news I posted yesterday regarding the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE is in the process of awarding the largest ever energy contract in the Middle East for the development of nuclear power plants. Isn't the UAE an OIL RICH nation? Yes, so much so they have OIL coming out of their ears and the wealth that comes with exporting this oil. So I want you to ask yourselves WHY on earth would they be building several nuclear power plants? Not just one, but several. Why? Here is a little snipit from the Reuters article I posted yesterday:

Record oil revenues have driven an economic boom that has strained domestic power grids in the UAE, and to keep the export cash coming in, Abu Dhabi is looking to nuclear energy to help cap fuel burned for power at home, analysts said.

"Right now the country only burns fossil fuels, bringing in nuclear energy will help it to free that (gas) up for industrial or for international exports," said Raja Kiwan of PFC Energy.

Okay, now we know both China and the UAE are seeking ENERGY EFFICIENT alternative forms of energy to use in their country's and EVENTUALLY for international EXPORTS! Wow isn't that BRILLIANT?!?! Here we are completely DEPENDENT on them and they are already thinking about how the United States can REMAIN COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON THEM! Hhmmm.... can you see how this is totally WRONG?! I am disturbed by our future outlook. This is CAPITALISM at it's BEST and it is NOT the United States who is leading the way!!! Our government has the POWER to change this here and now and they are NOT DOING A DAMN THING ABOUT IT. In fact, it is our government who is ENCOURAGING THEM! And here we are, all of us STILL TALKING ABOUT THE ECO-FRIENDLY CHANGES WE WANT TO MAKE! My gosh what a shame...

One last thing I would like to mention. The Obama administration just loaned $2 BILLION dollars to Brazil's state-owned oil company, Petrobras, to finance OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING. Okay, we all know that our very own shores are RICH in oil reserves. Let's just say for the sake of argument that our government actually believes in the laws that they pass such as banning offshore oil drilling in order to PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT. Hhmm... do you honestly believe they give a damn? No. It's all a game and you need to pay attention to the players. Why are we helping another country REAP the benefits of the natural resources they have been blessed with? Here is a little snipit from a Wall Street Journal article I posted last month:

The Bush Administration's five-year plan (2007-2012) to open the outer continental shelf to oil exploration included new lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico. But in 2007 environmentalists went to court to block drilling in Alaska and in April a federal court ruled in their favor. In May, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said his department was unsure whether that ruling applied only to Alaska or all offshore drilling. So it asked an appeals court for clarification. Late last month the court said the earlier decision applied only to Alaska, opening the way for the sale of leases in the Gulf. Mr. Salazar now says the sales will go forward on August 19.

This is progress, however slow. But it still doesn't allow the U.S. to explore in Alaska or along the East and West Coasts, which could be our equivalent of the Tupi oil fields, which are set to make Brazil a leading oil exporter. Americans are right to wonder why Mr. Obama is underwriting in Brazil what he won't allow at home.

Isn't this hypocritical of our country to ban offshore oil drilling for the sake of the environment and preventing us from becoming INDEPENDENT all the while helping another country claim their economic independence??? It doesn't make any sense! I want you to know that Brazil's Petrobas and China have been MAJOR PARTNERS in the field of energy. Now here we are again helping another country ACHIEVE ENERGY INDEPENDENCE and become major international EXPORTERS with the United States as one of their clients. Here is a little snipit from The Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) MUST READ article:

AS/COA Online: Now that the Obama administration is in office, what ways do you see Brazil, and Petrobras in particular, partnering with Washington in the fields of energy security and climate cooperation?

Gabrielli: I think that Brazil has a very big opportunity to become an important exporter of oil and oil products in the future. With our big discoveries in the pre-salt area we are going to be one of the main producers worldwide by 2020. AND BRAZIL IS A POSSIBLE SUBSTITUTE FOR OTHER SOURCES THAT TODAY PROVIDE OIL TO THE UNITED STATES. [emphasis mine]

As I mentioned, Petrobras is also preparing itself to be a big player in the international logistics and trade of ethanol and could also be an important contributor to the United States in relation to ethanol supply. In the biodiesel area and in new technologies that are being developed, we have already advanced several patents in new types of second-generation biofuels but we also can cooperate with the United States. On the other hand, the U.S. government does not really have an institutional architecture that can allow a sole point for negotiation and for contact between a company like Petrobras and the U.S. government. We have to deal with several different agents and bodies and this, sometimes, creates slows movement in the system.