This'n'That; March Eighth #1; Unremarkable Remarks!

The "Condemning-Conservatives" Tour
Compaigning on the "Taxpayers's Dime;"
"Clown Prince" Blather from Mount Holly, N.C.
....the Freighterline trucks that you’re making here at this plant run on natural gas, and that makes them quieter, it makes them better for the environment, it makes them cheaper to fill up than they would be with diesel. I hear you sold your 1,000th natural gas truck last November -– (applause) -- the first company to reach that milestone. And it was made right here in Mount Holly. (Applause.) And last year, this plant added more than 1,000 workers, hiring back a lot of folks who were laid off during the recession. (Applause.) That is something to be proud of.
    Relative to the trucks you're building here in Mount Holly, my regime has not taken a stance on the on-going 'fracking' controversy in New York and other states where it's not an approved method of natural gas extraction.  We plan to let the kerfuffle play out and take the side of 'the winners.'You're building trucks that use less oil. And you know that’s especially important right now because most of you have probably filled up your gas tank a time or two in the last week, and you've seen how quickly the price of gas is going up. A lot of you may have to drive a distance to work. Higher gas prices are like a tax straight out of your paycheck.  And for companies that operate a whole fleet of trucks, the higher costs can make a big difference in terms of the profitability of the company.  Now, here's the thing, though -- this is not the first time we've seen gas prices spike. It's been happening for years. Every year, about this time, gas starts spiking up, and everybody starts wondering, how high is it going to go? And every year, politicians start talking when gas prices go up. They get out on the campaign trail -- and you and I both know there are no quick fixes to this problem -- but listening to them, you'd think there were.  As a country that has 2 percent of the world's oil reserves, but uses 20 percent of the world's oil -- I'm going to repeat that -- we've got 2 percent of the world oil reserves; we use 20 percent. What that means is, as much as we're doing to increase oil production, we're not going to be able to just drill our way out of the problem of high gas prices. Anybody who tells you otherwise either doesn’t know what they’re talking about or they aren’t telling you the truth.
    My blather about  today's fuel price increases is only a partial lie.  Oil prices--and by extension, the retail fuel prices--are cyclical in nature; driven by both demand and production.  What I leave out of every 'energy' blather event is that the national retail fuel price average has doubled--actually gone up about 105%--since my immaculation, and still climbing!!
    Those oil statistics I quote are complete obfuscations of the actual facts as well as the listeners' perceptions of their meaning.  I take advantage of the public ignorance as to the definitions of various numbers I quote.  When I speak of '2 percent of the world oil reserves....' I actually mean 2% of the worldwide amount of oil actually extracted, NOT 2% of the world's DISCOVERED oil reserves.  If what I say were actually true, wouldn't it stand to reason that we'd have to import 98% of our annual oil usage?!?
    "We're not going to be able to just drill out way out of the problem of high gas prices." 
    I like to make  that statement in my campaign speeches.  Most attend my blather opportunities due to my notoriety, not because they believe--or agree with--my message.  Look at the production problem logically:  From application to the first production well, the drilling process is several years long.  From that perspective, we'd have lower gas prices today if only that evil George W. Bush would have approved more drilling permits.  It's all his fault, I'm just following his lead!!  If the country will always have high fuel prices relative to the number of producing wells; why drill at all?!?  Why not just import 100% of our oil needs?!?  One of the most contradictory actions to come along since my immaculation has been the KeyStone XL pipeline.  It has nothing to do with oil exploration, with oil drilling, with oil production; it's only involved with the transportation of crude oil from Canada to the refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.  And yet, I refused to approve it even though the various federal departments could find no area in which the pipeling was not in compliance!!Here is the truth. If we are going to control our energy future, then we’ve got to have an all-of-the-above strategy. We’ve got to develop every source of American energy -- not just oil and gas, but wind power and solar power, nuclear power, biofuels. We need to invest in the technology that will help us use less oil in our cars and our trucks, in our buildings, in our factories. That’s the only solution to the challenge. Because as we start using less, that lowers the demand, prices come down. It's pretty straightforward. That’s the only solution to this challenge.  And that’s the strategy that we’ve now been pursuing for the last three years. And I’m proud to say we’ve made progress.  Since I took office, America’s dependence on foreign oil has gone down every single year. In fact, in 2010, it went under 50 percent for the first time in 13 years.  You wouldn’t know it from listening to some of these folks out here -- (laughter) -- some of these folks -- (laughter) -- but a key part of our energy strategy has been to increase safe, responsible oil production here at home. Under my administration, America is producing more oil today than any time in the last eight years. Under my administration, we’ve quadrupled the number of operating oilrigs to a record high. We’ve got more oilrigs operating now than we’ve ever seen. We’ve opened up millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration. We’ve approved more than 400 drilling permits that follow new safety standards after we had that mess down in the Gulf.  We’re approving dozens of new pipelines. We just announced that we’ll do whatever we can to speed up construction of a pipeline in Oklahoma that’s going to relieve a bottleneck and get more oil to the Gulf -- to the refineries down there -- and that’s going to help create jobs, encourage more production.  So these are the facts on oil production. If somebody tells you we’re not producing enough oil, they just don’t know the facts.
    The 'development' I speak of should be true development, not  a method of reward!  How much actual development was financed by federal pork paid to Solyndra?!?  I contend, very little!  And, Solyndra was but one of those we financed that filed for bankruptcy a few short months--in some cases, just weeks--after accepting the federal 'checks.'  In all cases, the corporate hierarchies involved were paid--and even received substantial bonuses--as many thousands were laid off--in some cases--with unfulfilled final paychecks.  Many contend--and in most cases, it's proven out--that these federal alternative energy SCAMS  are little more than rewards to the regime's donors, supporters and campaign workers. 
But how much oil we produce here at home, because we only have 2 percent and we use 20, that’s not going to set the price of gas worldwide, or here in the United States. Oil is bought and sold on the world market. And the biggest thing that’s causing the price of oil to rise right now is instability in the Middle East. You guys have been hearing about what’s happening with Iran; there are other oil producers that are having problems. And so people have gotten uncertain. And when uncertainty increases, then sometimes you see speculation on Wall Street that drives up gas prices even more.  But here's the thing. Over the long term, the biggest reason oil prices will go up is there's just growing demand in countries like China and India and Brazil. There are a lot of people there. In 2010 alone, China added nearly 10 million cars on its roads. Think about that -- 2010, 10 million new cars. People in China, folks in India, folks in Brazil -- they're going to want cars, too, as their standard of living goes up, and that means more demand for oil, and that's going to kick up the price of oil worldwide. Those numbers are only going to get bigger over time.  So what does that mean for us? It means we can't just keep on relying on the old ways of doing business. We can't just rely on fossil fuels from the last century. We've got to continually develop new sources of energy.
    Every country on the planet has ever-increasing fossil fuel demands, that's just a fact-of-life.  Doesn't make sense that the United States become more involved in oil exploration, oil production and oil refining?!?  My regime's complete lack of a beneficial domestic energy policy is--by design--forcing the country into the same circumstance as any third-world rathole.  Rather than continuing on a "Saul Alinsky-esque" socio-fascist path, logic would tell everyone--excepting those regime 'followers and supporters'--that America needs to be 'in-the-game!!'
    Constantly, the regime attempts to convince the naysayers that all these alternative energy sources will be workable subsitutes for fossil fuels.  They may replace small percentages of other fossil fuels, but there's no--across-the-board--subsitute for refined oil!  Can you imagine a solar-powered or--funnier, yet--a windpowered Boeing jetliner!?!  That's unrealistic, whether your name is George Soros or not!!  All those countries I mentioned as leaders in increasing their national oil demands and usage?!?  Did I tell you that they're also stepping up their oil exploration and production levels?!?  Didn't think so!!
And that’s why we've made investments that have nearly doubled the use of clean, renewable energies in this country. And thousands of Americans have jobs because of it. It also means we’ve got to develop the resources that we have that are untapped, like natural gas. We're developing a near hundred-year supply of natural gas -– and that's something that we expect could support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade.  And that’s why we've worked with the private sector to develop a high-tech car battery that costs half as much as other batteries and can go up to 300 miles on a single charge. Think about that. That will save you some money at the pump. And that is why we are helping companies like this one right here and plants like this one right here to make more cars and trucks that use less oil.  When I ran for office, I went to Detroit and I gave a speech to automakers where I promised that I was going to raise fuel standards on our cars, so that they’d go further on a gallon of gas. I said we should do the same thing on trucks. I have to tell you, when I said it, I didn't get a lot of applause in the room, because there was a time when automakers were resisting higher fuel standards -- because change isn't easy. But you know what, after three decades of not doing anything, we got together with the oil companies, we got together with the unions, we got together with folks who usually do not see eye to eye, and we negotiated new fuel economy standards that are going to make sure our cars average nearly 55 miles per gallon by the middle of the next decade. That's nearly double what they get today -- nearly double. (Applause.)  Now, because of these new standards for cars and trucks, they're going to -- all going to be able to go further and use less fuel every year. And that means pretty soon you’ll be able to fill up your car every two weeks instead of every week -– and, over time, that saves you, a typical family, about $8,000 a year.
 Eight thousand dollars -- that's no joke. We can reduce our oil consumption by more than 12 billion barrels. And thanks to the SuperTruck program that we’ve started with companies like this one, trucks will be able to save more than $15,000 in fuel costs every year. Think about that, $15,000.  So these trucks can save $15,000 every year. I want people to think about what that means for businesses, what it means for consumers. It is real progress. And it's happening because of American workers and American know-how. It's happening because of you. It's happening because of you.
    It's easy for people like me--who rarely drive; who never fill a gas tank--to demand higher CAFE standards.  It's far more difficult to meet those more demanding standards!  The increased standards are at the expense of affordable vehicles; the retail costs go up a bit each model year, so the consumer doesn't fully realize the increase-over-time.  Safety becomes an issue as well, with more-and-more of said vehicles being 'plastic' and aluminum rather than steel.
....and electric cars....  Don't get me started on electric cars!!  They're selling so well that 'owe-bama Motors' is curtailing Chevy Volt for a couple of months so over-zealous inventory can catch-up with dismal demand.  Who would want one?!?  They barely get TWENTY-FIVE MILES on a charge!  There's very few charging stations... anyone wanna get stranded?!?  Not to mention the battery fires!! Oh.... and talk about payoffs to my buddies!! 
You--of course--know about the $7,500 bribe that benefit Chevy Volt buyers ONLY.  
Are you aware that the regime is considering raising the bribe to $10,000 for Chevy Volt buyers ONLY?!?
Are you also aware that the average annual wage of Chevy Volt buyers is $174,000?!?  Shouldn't there be a "Buffett Rule" for Chevy Volt buyers?!?We’re also making it easier for big companies -- some of your customers, like UPS and FedEx -- to make the shift to fuel-efficient cars and trucks. We call it the National Clean Fleets Partnership. And since we announced it last year, the number of companies that are taking part in it has tripled. And that means more customers for your trucks. (Applause.) We're creating more customers for your trucks.  And I am proud to say that the federal government is leading by example. One thing the federal government has a lot of is cars and trucks. We got a lot of cars and we got a lot of trucks. And so what I did was I directed every department, every agency in the federal government, to make sure that by 2015, 100 percent of the vehicles we buy run on alternative fuels -- 100 percent. (Applause.)  So we’re one of the biggest customers in the world for cars and trucks and we want to set that bar high. We want to set a standard that says by 2015, 100 percent of cars, alternative fuels.  So we’re making progress, Mount Holly. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how much natural gas, or flex-fuel or electric vehicles you have if there’s no place to charge them up or fill them up. So that’s why I’m announcing today a program that will put our communities on the cutting edge of what clean energy can do.  To cities and towns all across the country, what we’re going to say is, if you make a commitment to buy more advanced vehicles for your community -- whether they run on electricity or biofuels or natural gas -- we’ll help you cut through the red tape and build fueling stations nearby. (Applause.) And we’ll offer tax breaks to families that buy these cars, companies that buy alternative fuel trucks like the ones that are made right here at Mount Holly. (Applause.) So we’re going to give communities across the country more of an incentive to make the shift to more energy-efficient cars. In fact, when I was up in New Hampshire, in Nashua, they had already converted all their dump trucks -- they were in a process because of this program -- they were converting it to natural gas-driven trucks. This is something that we did in education -- we called it Race to the Top. We said we’ll put in more money but we want you to reform. We’re going to give you an incentive to do things in a different way. And if we do the same thing with clean energy, we can save consumers money and we can make sure the economy is more secure. So we’ve got to keep investing in American-made energy and we’ve got to keep investing in the vehicles that run on it. That’s where our future is.  And in order to continue this progress, we’re going to have to make a choice. We’ve got to decide where our priorities are as a country. And that’s up to all of you. And I’ll give you an example. Right now, $4 billion of your tax dollars goes straight to the oil industry every year -- $4 billion in subsidies that other companies don’t get. Now, keep in mind, these are some of the same companies that are making record profits every time you fill up your gas tank. We’re giving them extra billions of dollars on top of near-record profits that they’re already making. Anybody think that’s a good idea?   It doesn’t make any sense. The American people have subsidized the oil industry long enough -- they don’t need the subsidies. It’s time to end that taxpayer giveaway to an industry that's never been more profitable, invest in clean energy that's never been more promising. (Applause.)  So I called on Congress, eliminate these subsidies right away. There’s no excuse to wait any longer.  And we should put every member of Congress on record: They can stand up for the oil companies or they can stand up for the American people and this new energy future. (Applause.) We can place our bets on the fuel of the past, or we can place our bets on American know-how and American ingenuity and American workers like the ones here at Daimler. (Applause.) That’s the choice we face. That’s what’s at stake right now.  So, in between shifts, get on the phone or email or send a letter or tweet -- (laughter) -- your member of Congress; ask them where they stand on this -- because it will make a difference. And you’ll know where I stand on this. Let’s make sure our voices are heard. The next time you hear some politician trotting out some 3-point plan for $2 gas -- (laughter) -- you let them know, we know better.
    We're forgetting the affects of natural gas-fueled trucks in two segments, the military and the over-the-road trucks.  First the military.  Military vehicles from staff cars to pickups, to 5-ton trucks to tanks, must be 'multi-fuel (fossil)' engines, meaning that they'll run on practically any liquid the soldier can get into the fuel tank.  During those armed conflicts I get the country into, the vehicles can't always make it to the 'gas station.'  They have to find fuel--any kind of fuel--any place they can.  The military vehicles  must be of 'diesel-fired' design.  For those who don't know--including me-I was recently told of this--a diesel engine can start and run with no required electricity, with the exception of turning the engine over to start it.  Diesel engines fire by the heat developed in the compression stroke of the engine.  Natural gas military vehicles are not practical.  Natural gas fueling stations are not available on the battlefield!!
    The over-the-road trucking fleets are not practical users of natural gas as a fuel either.  The fuel tanks aren't compatible with travelling great distances.  The expense involved in complying with their CAFE standards have increased the trucks' purchase prices by at least $6,000, to an off-the-rack price in the $90,000-$100,000 range.  That's for a 'plain-jane' model with only the necessities aboard.  To upgrade to natural gas fuel will add another $10,000-$15,000 to the purchase price.  Pretty soon, the largest segment of the transportation industry--the 10-truck-or-fewer company--out of business.  When that happens, you'll be pissin' and moanin' that the government do something!!

    The only things I have to run for re-immaculation on are the various 'warfares' I use in nearly every blather opportunity.  We have to continue the use of class and economic warfares as they relate to the oil industry.  We whine-and-bitch about the subsidies Congress sees fit to give to "Big Oil," but without them, retail fuel prices would be even higher than I've driven them thusfar!!  Without the $4 Billion in annual oil company subsidies, the prices would be several cents-to-a-dollar higher than they were the last time you got gas!!  Many of those in Congress that I suggested you contact; are likely to support the continuation of said subsidies.  And rightfully so!!  They keep the fuel prices down a bit and any reduction in price is a good thing, whether I can claim credit or not!!