Bush's long-term energy strategy begins with short-term cuts to energy eff

[papau]

Bush's long-term energy strategy begins with short-term cuts to energy efficiency research programs.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0602220102feb22,1,2253435.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

Budget cuts may dim president's energy plan

By William Neikirk
Tribune senior correspondent
Published February 22, 2006

WASHINGTON -- President Bush's new energy program banks on new technologies with a long-term payoff in improving the nation's energy picture, such as expanded ethanol production, hydrogen cars, more powerful batteries, nuclear power and renewable fuels.

Yet Bush's budget shows that programs to increase the energy efficiency of buildings, appliances and vehicles--which their advocates say represent the only way to reduce energy demand in the short run--are being cut back sharply.

In addition, these advocates say, the president could reduce the nation's gasoline demand more swiftly by dramatically strengthening fuel-economy standards for gas-guzzling vehicles, but the administration is unlikely to make more than modest changes in the mileage standards this year.

Bush has long been cool to regulating higher fuel-economy standards. Energy Department spokesman Craig Stevens said it would likely entail lighter vehicles, and "American consumers have spoken out that they want safer vehicles."<snip>

Congress authorized more than $1.8 billion for key energy efficiency programs in last year's energy bill, but the president's budget for fiscal 2007, beginning Oct. 1, called for only $638 million in spending on these programs, with funding in most cases at levels less than in fiscal 2006.<snip>

One politically sensitive program due to be cut would help low-income families weatherize their homes. The 2005 bill authorized spending $500 million in fiscal 2007 for this program. But Bush recommended only $164 million, far short of the $242.5 million being spent in fiscal 2006 to weatherize homes, prompting protests from the Alliance to Save Energy, an umbrella organization of efficiency organizations.<snip>


Bush came to the lab only a day after the administration, seeking to avoid a public relations embarrassment, announced it was shifting another $5 million to the lab so that 32 workers who recently had been fired could be put back on the payroll. Democrats had criticized the firings, saying Bush was cutting a key organization that could be instrumental in achieving energy breakthroughs.<snip>

[A Simple Game]

1. He was going to spend the money on energy saving programs

till one night he couldn't sleep and he saw this documentary on late night tv.

Seems this man was hunting for food, you know, like Cheney.

And like Cheney he missed his food.

When up from the ground came a bubbling crude. Oil that is.
Seems the fellow found a bazillion, bazillion barrels of oil right here in the good old USA!

Who needs energy conservation now?

[louis-t]

2. Typical, say one thing, do another.

Smoke and mirrors, phony up something to make yourself look good for a few days, then move on.

[papau]

3. That seems to be the pattern --- :-(

:-(