As GM-Volt readers know, this week’s Volt news was about politics and GM’s efforts to rebuild its falsely maligned image. But even as certain congressional Republicans targeted GM, the Volt, and President Obama, the president said he is doubling down on his agenda for energy security.
The president’s Blueprint to Make The Most of America’s Energy Resources – delivered Wednesday during the last State of the Union Address for his term in office – focused on initiatives Obama hopes will lead to clean sources comprising 80 percent of U.S. energy by 2035.
In a fact sheet released by the White House, Obama’s plan calls for transitioning to cleaner sources of energy to “enhance national security, protect the environment and public health, and grow our economy and create new jobs.”
The White House said U.S. renewable energy use has nearly doubled over the past few years, and in 2011, the U.S. again became the “world’s leading investor in clean energy – but staying on top will depend on smart, aggressive action moving forward.”
Actually, the White House began by also calling for reliance on non-renewable and fossil fuels.
“This commitment includes the safe and responsible production of our oil and natural gas resources,” the White House said, echoing thoughts the president had already spoken:
“Nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy. Over the last three years, we’ve opened millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration, and tonight, I’m directing my administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources. Right now—right now—American oil production is the highest that it’s been in eight years. That’s right—eight years. Not only that—last year, we relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past 16 years. But with only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, oil isn’t enough.”
Following are the fact sheet points in their entirety:
President Obama’s Plan to Advance Safe Production of Oil and Gas Resources To Create Jobs, Enhance Energy Security, and Cut Pollution
Make a new lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico to move forward on our national commitment to safe and responsible oil and gas development: In his State of the Union Address, the President directed the Department of Interior to finalize a national offshore energy plan that makes 75 percent of our potential offshore resources available for development by opening new areas for drilling in the Gulf and Alaska. On Thursday, the President will take a concrete step forward to develop our oil and gas resources, announcing that the Department of Interior will hold a new lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico. This lease sale will make approximately 38 million acres available, and could result in the production of 1 billion barrels of oil and 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Promote safe, responsible development of the near 100-year supply of natural gas, supporting more than 600,000 jobs while ensuring public health and safety: In 2009, we became the world’s leading producer of natural gas. In the State of the Union, the President directed the Administration to ensure safe shale gas development that, according to independent estimates, will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade. These actions will include moving forward with common-sense new rules to require disclosure of the chemicals used in fracking operations on public lands.
Reducing our dependence on oil by encouraging greater use of natural gas in transportation: The President’s plan includes: proposing new incentives for medium- and heavy-duty trucks that run on natural gas or other alternative fuels; launching a competitive grant program to support communities to overcome the barriers to natural gas vehicle deployment; developing transportation corridors that allow trucks fueled by liquefied natural gas to transport goods; and supporting programs to convert municipal buses and trucks to run on natural gas and to find new ways to convert and store natural gas.
Harnessing American ingenuity to catalyze breakthrough technologies for natural gas: The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) will announce a new research competition in the coming months that will engage our country’s brightest scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to find ways to harness our abundant supplies of domestic natural gas to lessen our dependence of foreign oil for vehicles. The breakthrough technologies they will develop, whether they are for new ways to fuel our cars with natural gas or a method to turn that gas into liquid fuel, promise to break our dependence on foreign oil for our cars and trucks, allow us to breathe cleaner air, and ultimately save consumers at the pump. To date ARPA-E has hosted four rounds of competitions and attracted over 5000 applications from research teams, which has resulted in approximately 180 cutting edge projects.
The President’s Commitment to Clean Energy
Doubling the share of electricity from clean energy sources by 2035: The centerpiece of the Administration’s strategy is a Clean Energy Standard, or “CES” – a flexible approach that harnesses American ingenuity and innovation, and channels it toward a clean energy future. By creating a market here at home for innovative clean energy technologies, we will unleash the ingenuity of our entrepreneurs and ensure that America leads the world in clean energy.
Supporting clean energy with targeted tax incentives: The President supports renewing and extending a number of proven and successful provisions that are crucial to the continued growth of the domestic clean energy sector. This includes tax incentives for clean energy manufacturing, which could create up to 100,000 jobs, and the Production Tax Credit to support investment in the deployment of clean energy technologies like wind and solar.
Opening public lands for private investments in clean energy: To enhance energy security and create new jobs, the Department of the Interior is committed to issuing permits for 10 gigawatts of renewable generation capacity – enough to power 3 million homes – from new projects on our public lands by the end of 2012.
Securing renewable energy for the U.S. Navy: Securing a safe, clean and reliable energy supply for our nation’s defense forces is essential to carrying out missions vital to the security of the United States. The Department of Navy has committed to adding 1 gigawatt of renewable energy produced from sources like solar, wind, and geothermal to its energy portfolio for shore-side installations – enough to power 250,000 homes. Using existing authorities such as power purchase agreements, the Navy will ensure these energy projects are cost neutral and require no up-front investments by the government.
Energy and politics
It would appear everything in the country where it has been said “United we stand, divided we fall,” has political ramifications about which various factions rally around or oppose.
With regard to energy, in which billions of dollars, millions of lives, and the future of this society depend on how it is managed, political considerations are quite explicit.
But what do you think? Is the president’s outline feasible?
His call for clean energy is harmonious with the Volt, as his opponents have more than pointed out, and his agenda naturally goes far beyond the automotive sector.
We’ve seen for decades how presidents have championed energy issues, made poignant statements, observed critical facts, warned the hand writing is on the wall …
Will facts finally sink home, and will positive “change” really take place soon enough?
Looking at the points above, would you amend the president’s focus in any way?
If the thought of “politics” turns you off, fine. You can alternately think about this as being about life as we know it.
So what are truths, policies, or directions that more people need to agree upon?
At this stage, the one truth we can all see, if nothing else, is that solutions are needed.
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This entry was posted on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 5:55 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (7:07 am)Don’t know if this is a compressive summary or nor since I haven’t listened to the speach or read the release, but efficiency should part of any plan.
Utilize more while wasting less. Growth means more utilization of energy but by increasing efficiencies it can accomplished by using similar or even less energy resources.
+29
Jan 27th, 2012 (7:42 am)He says the right words but means something different by them. I tolerated his election in the hope he might act on the energy issue but instead he wasted his political capital on the healthcare issue which can’t be solved without the rewards to the federal treasury of addressing the energy issue.
Much like Congressman Issa, this episode of political theater is meant to paint the President as a reasonable centrist by cribbing GOP talking points and altering them slightly to support a different agenda.
I’ve become more and more convinced that if we want something to happen we have to do it ourselves and let our “leaders” tag along behind us after they’ve stuck a moist finger in the air.
I’m getting a Volt and a solar panel.
+10
Jan 27th, 2012 (7:42 am)I am a great Obama fan, but being Canadian, I can’t vote for him. However I am a little disappointed at his “drill baby drill” approach. Why is there no mention of LFTRs? Liquid Flouride Thorium Reactors are inherently safe, do not produce any long term radio-active waste, run on plentiful and literally free thorium and are unsuitable to make nuclear weapons. Only China is pursuing this design. I guess we will have to wait until they perfect it and after they have built enough for their own use maybe they will sell some to us. See flibe-energy.com
Jan 27th, 2012 (7:52 am)Shock Me,
I gave you a -1 for the first half of your comment. But I do agree that we will have to find a way to fund LFTRs without government support.
+8
Jan 27th, 2012 (8:10 am)Roy_H,
By all means feel free to pile on the negatives. I’m just calling it based on the President’s performance to date. I think reality has been a stern teacher for him. He seems to be learning but not fast enough. He also spends and borrows too much.
On LFTRs however, you and I can strenuously agree. The left has hyped rational and largely born out concern about light water reactor design to an irrational fear of all nuclear power variants. We should be building LFTRs like crazy to replace the few hundred aging reactors we now have. We should also be using the spent fuel rods (waste) as fuel.
Natural gas should be replacing coal not gasoline.
I wonder how small a LFTR can be made?
+10
Jan 27th, 2012 (8:25 am)We’ve seen for decades how presidents have championed energy issues, made poignant statements, observed critical facts, warned the hand writing is on the wall …
Will facts finally sink home, and will positive “change” really take place soon enough?
Looking at the points above, would you amend the president’s focus in any way?
———————–
I don’t think it will sink home until it affects people’s pocketbooks. Then, once the public is angry, the politicians will actually care about the issues because they need to get elected or stay elected.
Either we let oil reflect its real cost (how much is all this extra drilling & exploring going to cost?) or put a bigger tax on it. To me that’s the only safe way to get off foreign oil. If we wait for a war in the middle east, it’s too late, and panic sets in.
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (8:40 am)I am not an economist so someone will have to explain to me how it is that our consumption has gone down, our production up – yet the price of gasoline has almost doubled since he took office. On the bright side natural gas is very low so the heating bill (Minnesota) has been quite tolerable this year especially given the easy winter we’ve had. When he was touting his energy credentials and taking credit during SOTU all I could think was this is the president who put a moratorium on drilling in the gulf, this is the president who opposes drilling anywhere new, who opposes new pipelines etc. The only reason we have increased energy in this country is because of the oil in North Dakota and the only reason we have it is because it is on PRIVATE land. Alternatives are great, I have been an alternative energy fan since I was a kid reading popular science but it seems instead of supporting the industry we pick and choose winners and losers by supporting individual companies via loans. I am vehemently opposed to that. If we have a national interest in an industry then find a way that supports all players in the industry not just those who have the right connections in government. Crony capitalism is just as bad in the green sector as any other and should be opposed by all. The ethanol subsidy, regardless of your stand on it, is an example of supporting an entire industry. All ethanol producers received the subsidy and succeed or fail they couldn’t point to a competitor and claim they had an unfair government sponsored advantage. And when some failed the government (tax payer) did not lose their investment.
+5
Jan 27th, 2012 (8:48 am)The key is the private sector. The government is ill equipped to guide energy policy, as has been demonstrated by their use of goals without consulting if the tech is even possible. Did you know the fuel companies are getting fined for not having a certain percentage of a particular biofuel mixed into their fuels, even though that particular biofuel doesn’t exist outside the regulation?
The government needs to get out of the business of trying to pick winners and losers in the private sector. Get rid of ALL energy subsidies, and see how everything stacks up. If oil becomes cost prohibitive, an alternative will be found, and much more efficiently than if the government were calling the shots. The sad fact is that no renewable energy source, outside of possibly nuclear, has the energy density of oil. Not even close.
I am all for the electrification of the automobile, since I think it is easier to make efficiency changes in generation than in millions of smaller locations. But this has to happen from the private sector. Allowing the government to lead this charge will just keep resulting in more inefficiencies. The only true path to energy independence is an “all of the above” strategy. The president mouthed that option at the SOTU speech, but his past actions show that he has no interest in actually doing this.
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (8:54 am)I would have liked to have seen some mention of nuclear power in the presidents statements. We need a national program to get IFR “Integral Fast Reactor” up and running on a commercial scale. The IFR solves all of the current problems with out existing BWR’s: the main being that it eats waste fuel (which really isn’t waste as it has in the neighborhood of 80% of it’s energy content.) The second is that there is an unlimited supply of fuel.
Nuclear Power and electric vehicles go hand in hand.
and this 80% from “clean sources” means NATURAL GAS not renewable.
So we will see our economy rely more on “home grown” natural gas and oil from tar sand etc. You can count on it. The oil companies are already making this happen….they are carrying the banner of energy independence.
If you are worried about AGW you might as well give up. It’s fossil baby.
+5
Jan 27th, 2012 (9:05 am)Totally agree. I don’t care if it’s LFTR or IFR either is fine w/ me.
Most people don’t know that we already have developed the IFR and it is pretty much ready to go. However after 10 years of additional study at Argonne w/ a running passive safety system plant, the program was cancelled by Clinton in circa 1994.
+6
Jan 27th, 2012 (9:10 am)Agree on that.
Combined cycle!!
-1
Jan 27th, 2012 (9:10 am)That does appear to be the case. All of the fossil fuels will be burnt up over the next century. We can stop using them if we like but others (China, et. al.) will finish them off anyway.
+10
Jan 27th, 2012 (9:17 am)Clinton did zero out funding for nuclear research of this type but that is not the biggest issue. In reality, none of these little systems are “ready to go” in the US regulatory environment. Not even close. From my position, I have seen many of these great designs rise and then fade quickly when the curtain is pulled back and the safety and/or cost analysis begins.
******************************
Here are some Admiral Rickover Quotes that are as true today as they were when he stated them before congress many years ago.
An academic reactor or reactor plant almost always has the following basic characteristics: (1) It is simple. (2) It is small. (3) It is cheap. (4) It is light. (5) It can be built very quickly. (6) It is very flexible in purpose. (7) Very little development will be required. It will use off-the-shelf components. (8) The reactor is in the study phase. It is not being built now.
On the other hand a practical reactor can be distinguished by the following characteristics: (1) It is being built now. (2) It is behind schedule. (3) It requires an immense amount of development on apparently trivial items. (4) It is very expensive. (5) It takes a long time to build because of its engineering development problems. (6) It is large. (7) It is heavy. (8) It is complicated.
The tools of the academic designer are a piece of paper and a pencil with an eraser. If a mistake is made, it can always be erased and changed. If the practical-reactor designer errs, he wears the mistake around his neck; it cannot be erased. Everyone sees it.
The academic-reactor designer is a dilettante. He has not had to assume any real responsibility in connection with his projects. He is free to luxuriate in elegant ideas, the practical shortcomings of which can be relegated to the category of “mere technical details.” The practical-reactor designer must live with these same technical details. Although recalcitrant and awkward, they must be solved and cannot be put off until tomorrow. Their solution requires manpower, time and money.
Unfortunately for those who must make far-reaching decision without the benefit of an intimate knowledge of reactor technology, and unfortunately for the interested public, it is much easier to get the academic side of an issue than the practical side. For a large part those involved with the academic reactors have more inclination and time to present their ideas in reports and orally to those who will listen. Since they are innocently unaware of the real but hidden difficulties of their plans, they speak with great facility and confidence. Those involved with practical reactors, humbled by their experiences, speak less and worry more.
+4
Jan 27th, 2012 (9:17 am)$ -> Oil companies (have to pay for all those lobbyists)
I would have liked the $7500 tax credit to be for US manufactured cars only (So yes, if Nissan or Japan built theirs in the US that would have been OK for this), and for the first 500,000 cars only. Not 200,000 per manufacturer. That would have driven the competition to work faster.
Another option would have been for the government to place an order for 1,000,000 Volts.
Regarding loans to companies (I wont talk about the GM loan as it was a different situation), but loans to green companies; I see this like a VC investing in a company. Should the government be a VC? A VC is looking to invest in a company to make $ for himself, but when the government is acting like VC, their goal is to benefit the welfare of the country. Their version of “profit” is making our country safer by getting off foreign oil, etc. So in those cases, I’m OK with them acting like a VC.
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (9:28 am)My understanding of this from watching the talking heads on the tele is that 1. our consumption is down because of the poor economy and 2. the price is up because we are exporting away a large portion of the gasoline that we refine.
I guess it is good to be exporting more.
+1
Jan 27th, 2012 (9:28 am)nuclearboy,
Agreed (pretty much).
However,in the book “plentiful energy”: by Till and Chang, it is pointed out that Rickover basically declared that oxide fuel was the fuel of choice and spent another 10 years refining a reactor running on the wrong fuel. Metal clad fuel was defined as the fuel of choice during the IFR’s final development years circa 84-94.
Is nuclear expensive??
Yes and that is why NATURAL GAS combined cycle will win out.
However, it is cheaper than renewables. Instead of spending lot’s of money on renewable why not just get it done with nuclear?
but alas—-it will happen in due time. Somewhere around the year 2099 I suppose.
It would be very interesting to be alive then and be able to see how this all worked out.
+3
Jan 27th, 2012 (9:31 am)Problem is that is very risky to just let it happen. We need to be smarter than that & proactive. Remember people lined up waiting for gas? No one wants to see that again, or something much worse. We are talking about the entire infrastructure of the country. At this level the government has to be involved.
+4
Jan 27th, 2012 (11:15 am)It is .Its replacing coal fired power plants here in PA.
Jan 27th, 2012 (11:29 am)Roy_H,
One thing the “drill baby drill” message is really STFU. When they already have it, and surprise! it doesn’t help, then they can’t say anything. Most experts (outside of the oil companies) already have acknowledged that opening up a few areas to drilling will fall far short of what America really needs for energy independence. With the Republicans repeating the mantra “drill-baby-drill” they will have to come up either with another mantra (it will probably be “Kill EPA”) or actually start listening to real solutions.
-5
Jan 27th, 2012 (11:30 am)Real cheeezy looking photos. Hard to believe that’s the president.
+8
Jan 27th, 2012 (11:44 am)For almost 40 yrs., both Parties have acknowledged these energy problems. When energy prices are relatively low; we tend to focus more on other issues. When energy prices are relatively high; we tend to want the Gov. to do something about it. Most people want Gov. Out of private business; yet don’t seem to care about all the tax breaks and subsidies given to Big Oil Companies. So when we try to research and develop new & better solutions with the help of Gov.; usually those same people complain about Gov. Involvement. Of course; nobody really wants higher gas prices; because of how it has a profound effect on the economy. The best solution is to create more jobs in all practical Clean Energy. IMO, it would be better to slide the money the Gov. Gives to Oil and use it to jump start more jobs for Clean Energy. Also, the tax breaks for the wealthiest were started when we had a budget surplus to afford this; stimulant for job creation. We have been borrowing more money to continue this experiment without the desired result. We aren’t asking for “food stamps”, we want our Middle Class back; which will grow the economy the most and helps everyone JMO.
+29
Jan 27th, 2012 (11:49 am)Back when Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space and the Soviets were beating our pants off in tech achievements, President Kennedy issued his mandate:
“…I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.”
Back then it was a matter of national pride to get behind that idea; to be #1 and put the “commies” in their place.
So today, Obama says something similar in his speeches, and it is The Press that has decided that small setbacks (like the NHTSA test) should put an end to the dream of Electric and EREV vehicles. If The Press gets their way, every other country will develop those kinds of vehicles in large numbers before the USA can, and again it will be the American car makers playing “catch up”.
I don’t like Obama, but this kind of development work should not be a political football. I would say that the mission of developing EREV cars like the VOLT is of greater importance than putting a man on the moon, as far as how many BILLIONS of dollars per year we can save as a nation by NOT sending that money to middle-east crazy people.
Check out the Crystal City of Dubai on Google Earth sometime. That’s where our money goes. It makes me sick. Remember when Saddam fell? Remember when the reporters sent back video of the gold plated toilet in his bathroom? I’m sure all of the Oil Sheiks have one just like it and laugh their A$$ezz off at America every time they drop a load.
Imagine what problems we could solve in this country if all of that money stayed in our own economy. Really.
-3
Jan 27th, 2012 (12:06 pm)We better start dealing with our economy … none of this clean energy matters if you don’t have a job and are forced to pay more and more taxes while getting less and less for the dollar.
The problem is… more than 40% of employees work for the government now and have not been affected by this depression…. they still don’t pay for medical and still are getting raises…. I don’t think we will turn this country around until these people face reality… no more free medical, pension, benefits and time off no company could ever offer… our government has to cut costs like any company… and we have to stop UNFAIR TRADE… stop giving foreign automakers $7500 for every electric car while they put a $20,000 tariff on our vehicles!
-20
Jan 27th, 2012 (12:34 pm)(click to show comment)
+7
Jan 27th, 2012 (12:54 pm)Are you referring to state governments too? In Michigan, our new governer put an end to a lot of this. New hires will not get pension when they retire, and they have to help pay their own medical premiums.
+9
Jan 27th, 2012 (1:01 pm)#23 pjkPA We better start dealing with our economy … none of this clean energy matters if you don’t have a job and are forced to pay more and more taxes while getting less and less for the dollar.
Investing in Clean Energy does create new jobs. Which tax’s are you referring to: paying more and more tax’s? Despite Congress gridlock; the economy is slowly improving.
pjkPA The problem is… more than 40% of employees work for the government now and have not been affected by this depression…. they still don’t pay for medical and still are getting raises…. I don’t think we will turn this country around until these people face reality… no more free medical, pension, benefits and time off no company could ever offer… our government has to cut costs like any company
Which Government employees are you referring to? I don’t know of any that get free Medical; in fact my wife now pays almost $600. Every 4 weeks for Aetna HMO, FEHB. Many Government agencies have freezes on pay rate and hiring and some state workers have to take time off without pay to meet budgets. In fact, the only thing I would agree with you on is the benefits of our Congress are ridiculous IMO.
+6
Jan 27th, 2012 (1:08 pm)I agree with you 100%, especially for the $7,500 credit changes.
Raymond
+8
Jan 27th, 2012 (1:35 pm)And how is it working for Michigan ? I mean, do the workers are knocking at the door to get employed with this new reality or are they going to the private sector even more ?
What I’ve seen in my experience is that when the hiring conditions are not competitive enough with the private sector ($ and benefits), the public sector ends up with the unqualified workers; the talented ones are just not coming.
Generally speaking, are these the workers we want to serve the public ? Usually, you get what you pay for…
+19
Jan 27th, 2012 (1:59 pm)I haven’t been real worried about politics since the sixties.
Now, it seems, I need to switch from being a line-voting Republican to an AARP class Democrat. Nobody I’ve seen in the Republican camp is even close to the slick, agile, funded, and photogenic Obama machine.
Since Reagan, the presidential campaign has been TV, TV, TV and now social media. Most of these old Republicans don’t have a clue.
Who is for EVs. Check Obama.
Who is for old people like me (social security and medicare). Check Obama.
Who is for moving forward (new tech energy) instead of moving sideways (drill baby). Check Obama.
Who is holding up the train in DC? Republicans.
Who is voting Dems this time? Me.
-2
Jan 27th, 2012 (2:09 pm)Wow Loboc. I’m almost shocked. but certainly don’t blame you for it.
As far as I am concerned the whole political process is screwed up. I pretty much give up. Nothing will happen. The government will make some token efforts to cut spending but basically it will be business as usual. I really am concerned where this countries finances will be in another 5-10 yrs. Neither party will do anything about it.
I guess I will vote for Ron Paul in the primary and then perhaps not vote at all in the final election since it makes no difference anyway.
+18
Jan 27th, 2012 (2:27 pm)I see this article as quite appropriate for the audience of this website: Volt owners and those interested in the Volt.
I do not see this article as any kind of political endorsement, it is a factual report of what the head of the current administration has said he is directing his administration to do. Like his politics or not, President Obama is the curent President and he directs his administration to do things.
If you look at other comments, you will see all types of replies. Some want more Nuclear, others don’t like Drill baby Drill and yet others are simply engaging in a civil discussion of the topic as presented as well as related areas. I see this article as entirely appropriate and directly related to the purpose of this website.
+8
Jan 27th, 2012 (2:27 pm)In Florida, 12 years ago, it made a hell of a difference. Back then, the budget of the country was in the black (arguably) and it was planning on how to clear the deficit once and for all.
We’ll never know how things would have turned out if Al Gore had been elected. Better ? Same ? Worse (is that possible) ? But it would have made a difference in policies I’m pretty sure.
+12
Jan 27th, 2012 (2:50 pm)I too, Loboc, have always voted GOP —but like you I’m voting for Obama this time!
//When Mitch McConnell said in Oct 2010 that defeating Obama should be the Dem’s #1 priority
for the next 2 years, that TORE it for me!!! See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-A09a_gHJc
+1
Jan 27th, 2012 (3:27 pm)I don’t know, since it just happened. I have a friend who works for the State and he says a few people wer upset. I don’t think anyone jumped ship. Most everyone in Michigan is happy if they even have a job (or a job offered to them). Supposidly we are the #2 job growing state, but we fell pretty hard, so this is expected.
+3
Jan 27th, 2012 (3:34 pm)Do you really think a republican president is going to do anything about the budget?? Even if the Repubs had a majority in in the house and senate they would do nothing….guaranteed. Don’t delude yourself. It’s all just gum flapping.
Jan 27th, 2012 (3:39 pm)CorvetteGuy, A relative worked for a company that customized jet airplanes for wealthy Arabs; they actually had sold gold toilets installed in them!
+11
Jan 27th, 2012 (3:48 pm)As an Independant, I generally volt more Conservative. I will likely vote for Obama because at least he is aiming toward a future where America can lead – the Repbilicans seem to want to go back 50 years to when the US starting using its military to extend our oil-based superpower timeframe. We need to realize, we haven’t produced the most oil since WWII, and we haven’t been able to control the worlds oil since the 70s. We need to move on, lets use the resources we have to launch us into the lead again, this time based on electic drive!
-4
Jan 27th, 2012 (4:01 pm)Political articles on a green website, so surprise there. Just remember it’s the innovators combined with the wealthy who create jobs, not politicians. Fiscal conservatism is the only way to save our country. Don’t believe it, then drink the kool-aid & sleep well.
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (4:03 pm)People in my circle are already mad as hell. Some of us thought that going tea-party would shake things up a bit. It did. But the unintended side effect is no action what-so-ever. Gridlock like never before.
People remember more than we think. We’re not all click-click-click gamers that forget everything in 5 minutes. Some of us have some history and elephant-like memories and realize that $4 gas is way higher than $1.50 gas. (Heck, I filled up my ’60 Falcon on 19CENT gas many times.)
I predict right now that Dems will win big on the coattails of Obama in 2012. Even Texas will be more purple than red.
I also predict that no matter how much oil China buys, the lack of demand (and diversification) in the US will drive energy prices inevitability down. The US going to alternate energy will be a BIG deal worldwide.
If we invent something cool, oil could go the way of salt. Look out for bad hair-cuts and cheap watches. It’s a force like no other!
+5
Jan 27th, 2012 (4:04 pm)Shock Me,
+1 to you sir! Solar has a 5-7 year pay back at this point and then you are electric company free. Fantastic investment if you have the sun exposure. 7 years down the road people will still be bitching about oil prices and you’ll have a paid off Volt and free electricity.
+10
Jan 27th, 2012 (4:22 pm)This is what I don’t understand. Oil companies are buying up/shutting down private refineries as fast as they can. They also tell the Department Of Energy that oil prices must rise due to the lack of enough refineries to refine the oil we import. In 2008 ( June – middle of our gas crunch ) Standard Oil was caught shipping domestic oil out to South America whilst simultaneously justifying unheard of price hikes of a gallon to the American people by saying it was supply and demand – that we just didn’t have enough oil!
This is where my inherent distrust of Big Oil originates from. When the government got wind of this in 2008, it wasn’t publicized, and Standard was fined a couple million bucks, just about what it would have profited from half of the tanker a whistle blower informed them he loaded for S. America. In other words, we ( you and I ) are being taken. For the oil companies it’s all about price control, and control of every single one of us.
If American companies mass-produced thin film solar shingles so affordable that apartment/condo developers and housing contractors could just blend their addition into the price of their construction – it would take large chunks of demand off the grid. The product is there, it doesn’t need to be developed. Economies of scale make it a no-brainer. Yet here we are theorizing new mass public projects to bring our supply in line with future demands. If you and I could get a $10,000 loan and replace half our current roof’s square footage with thin film, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Some could later add an $8,000 Bloom box gas or electrically powered fuel cell the size of a home air conditioner to their system ( Bloom’s proposal not yet materialized ), and we’d be contributing to the grid and be energy positive.
Big Oil is so influential in Washington D.C., it seems the tail always wags the dog. Even Obama, in all his sustainable-energy flag waving glory – bows to Big Oil and the Right Wing during his State Of The Union speech. Last summer, his solution for dropping oil prices that quickly were getting out of hand was to sell off some of our national oil reserves! This year, it seems he’s been forced to bend further to Big Oil by making grand statements that do not sound much different than the G.O.P.’s 2008 mantra: Drill Baby Drill. 2012′s version of the Republican chant is “energy independence” – same thing, different verbiage. Obama seems just another in a long line of politicians who so badly want to rule – they go past compromise and just fold to Big Oil. Two weeks before the BP Oil Crisis he opened up more Florida and Georgia coastline to near shore oil exploration – Something he said he would “never do!” during his 2008 run for the presidency! Obama seems very Teflon in that he’s warded off much if not all the criticism from his faithful about this.
Instead he mixes a blend of “jobs, jobs, jobs” with “clean energy” in his speeches, yet behind closed doors his solution to our energy ails is to open up more oil fields. Even today his contradictions stun. One day in a week, he shuts down the Canadian pipeline, and a few days later tells America we need to open up 75% of potential oil fields! Doesn’t this just tell you how big our dilemma is? Mainstream America has zero clue and just continues to drool over the latest SUV offering from GM, Ford or whomever at the Detroit Auto Show!
Even more puzzling is breakthrough new tech that seems to just sit on the shelf. Like thin film solar. Obama gives hundreds of millions to Solyndra who makes conventional solar panels while just down the road is a firm who pioneered thin film solar that can be printed on tin foil, can be incorporated into building materials, formed into rounded shapes and cost one-fifth what conventional solar costs. This company’s website claims it is now selling it’s product to large corporations and it will not be available to the private sector because due to economies of scale!
I agree 150% with Shock Me. Read the above and tell yourself: “We’re in a big heap o’ trouble!”. What this means is: Every Man For Himself! No government taxation and intervention is going to pull us out of our dire energy situation. Dow Chemical makes thin film roofing shingles that cost less than conventional solar panels. I’ve read for years that you and I could purchase these at Home Depot soon. No way. Aint happening soon. Why?
I believe that government pick-and-choose favoritism is at the bottom of 80% of our problems. Which company lobbies best, and pays off whom. This isn’t changing any time soon, so be it as it may. Wealthy folks who pay over $7500 in income tax can get an EV or PHEV. I cannot. Wealthy people can be green and boast of their $80,000 solar panel installation – I cannot. It’s in our national interest to be energy independent, and for individuals to be free from power grids. The solution for every homeowner and landlord is there but year after year political influence and jobs peddling we get the same rhetoric and it has worn very thin.
Today as we speak I don’t see any politician short of Ron Paul ( and maybe not Ron Paul ) who is not in some way bought off by special interests. Even during political campaigns, you can read the polls and whomever is lagging behind suddenly gets a boost, running TV ads, and suddenly starts sounding like a Texas oilman! Watch BP and Exxon Mobile TV spots about “investing in renewable sources of energy” and just wretch. Then watch an Obama speech and the Republican debates and heave.
I have actually stopped saving for my Volt ( which a lease made the only financial sense ) and begun directing my savings efforts towards a Honeywell light wind turbine and Dow solar panels. Once my energy source is intact, then it seems the correct priority to find transportation solutions better than my current hybrid. Any other strategy seems like getting the cart before the horse.
VOLT – MORE DRIVE, LESS FILLING! ,
James
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (4:47 pm)George S. Bower,
Natural gas should be replacing coal not gasoline.
Please explain how coal will replace gasoline used in vehicles? I guess your answer would be that the coal should be converted to gasoline. Nature made petroleum and natural gas, and IMHO does it much more efficiently than man will ever be able to do. My point is: natural gas is available to power our transport fleets right now and we have the technology to do it now. When we finds ways to make coal cleaner, we will be one of the richest and fortunate (i.e., fuel source that won’t pollute as much) countries on the planet because of our vast coal reserves.
OT, sort of! Via motors will be making all electric trucks with a range extender within the year for sale to utilities and users of truck fleets. This is the outgrowth of Raser Technologies effort to take its Symetron A/C induction motor and current light-weight trucks like the Ford F150 and the GM Silverado to provide companies that use fleets of truck in their business. The powertrain is an advance in EREV design providing the capability onsite power to run tools and even power one or more homes when the grid is down. It’s all electric drive; the range extender merely generates electricity from the ICE connected to a Symetron generator! This added capability is one that many here have asked GM to do with the Volt. It won’t be long before you’ll get your wish to buy such a vehicle. There is a lot of interesting info on their website: http://www.viamotors.com/
In reference to the previous blog on Issa, no effort by the Pro-Oil lobby will end the current trend toward electrification of our vehicles. One view of the info on Via website will convince you of this belief.
As for the drop in use of gasoline, there is this article: “EIA 2035 reference case projects drop in US imports of petroleum due to modest economic growth, increased efficiency, growing domestic oil production, and biofuels” :
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2012/01/aeo2012-20120123.html
It contains a lot of statistics and projections; albeit questionable projects but definitely indicates where the mix is on energy production. As one person commented about the article, it doesn’t take into consideration of new technological developments. What do I gather from all this? The future off new job creation can be seen in the new emerging technologies. Clean energy already is making a mark and will continue to gain in use. Take a trip out to Bolder, Colorado, just to see the impact of home grown energy through solar panels on homes. Through advancements in the science of photovoltaic cells and their production methods, it will soon be competitive with power provided by utilities. Simply stated the demand for utility produced power will be offset by home energy power. The are many variables in play here that will effect petroleum importation in the years ahead.
+3
Jan 27th, 2012 (4:49 pm)That’s nice.
Who was it that you think is going to save our country from financial ruin?
Our new republican leader??
How naive.
I’ve been around long enough. I’ve seen this all before. It’s all BS and you know it.
The budget is around 1000 billion. half of it is borrowed. Yesterdays article in the WSJ says that the pentagon is asking for 86 billion just to fund the war in Afganistan. They have said that they will cut 33 billion out of their general spending (not Afganistan). They are already crying big tears because of the cut of 33 billion.
So let’s calculate how much this big 33 billion dollar cut will do to the deficit. 33/500=.066.
Wow what an impact!! Now, how much will the repubs cut SS and medicare?? They talk big but there is just too much opposition for that to happen and all they will do is shoot themselves in the foot trying to do it. so that won’t happen.
The point is that the deficit is so huge and so out of control that there is no way to stop it. It has the momentum of a 2 mile long freight train.
and…
what will get done about it??
squat, zero, zilch
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (4:57 pm)That’s right Loboc. …but remember what alternate energy is:
NATURAL GAS–not solar, not wind
It is pre ordained (see above) and the oil companies have already made it happen
+1
Jan 27th, 2012 (4:59 pm)Amazing how the gop sheep buy into propganda on Fix news … Going after Volt by the House where no real life crash has resulted in fire. Some complain here abiut GM getting the $$ help ..Look at GM now Was it worth it? You bet it created millions of jobs, a whole new industry may spring from it.. Buy the gop will sptead the false propaganda on it … reminds me the history how powerful it can be – Look back to Germany in 40′s … Oil industry, farming, ethanol all get $$ from Govt. We give billions every year to the dictaotors in Arab world. Alternate energy is the way to go all jind nuclear, wind, solar. ocean .. What is wrong with Govt providing some help! Look at the other countries ..China stands out ..Look with Govt help what that country has become … But some will always complain & think private capital is the only way to go .. No doubt some $$ will be wasted but overall it is a big plus.
Just look back (sorry it may look political) Bush gave away trillions in tax breaks (I got $300 too) and when he left – the economy collapsed ..What happned to the notion that giving away that large $$ will increase economic actvity and in return will being increase revenue .. that was the biggest bs I ever heard. the same thing is being thrown now by Gop …Alas we will never learn ..Oh well
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (5:00 pm)The general meaning of this statement is that we should be using natural gas in power plants to generate electricity. Not converting vehicles to run on it instead of gasoline.
+1
Jan 27th, 2012 (5:09 pm)TheFuture,
Great George, great for corporate and public fleets and large public utilities. I have a truck – it’s a 1995, and I purchased a new Toyota T100 back then because, unlike it’s American counterparts ( the Dodge Dakota’s seat I tested back in ’95 broke when I tried to slide it forward to see the rear jumpseats ). Back in 1995 when I looked at the Chevy Silverado ( S-10 was too small ) my brother’s Silverado was making large jerking clunking noises when he shifted the auto trans ( it had 3,000 miles on the odometer ). Upon multiple trips to multiple dealers, he was told, “it’s normal, all of them do it!” and sure enough, when I asked guys at the hardware store if their C/K Chevy was clunking when shifted, they all said…”well, yes, I guess it does that too!”. Later, I found that secret memos were uncovered at GM wherein the problem/flaw was identified, yet GM told it’s dealers that it had decided to do nothing, and fix it for the next generation of trucks! 16 years later my Toyota keeps doing it’s job smoothly.
The Toyota wasn’t perfect, but mechanically it’s been flawless and I still own and drive it daily getting about 17-21 mpg combined ( V-6 ). Via’s basic Chevy standard cab EREV truck is $57,000. I am sincerely happy for you if you can afford this – but that is far outside my budget to replace my faithful Toyota. GM quality has improved, thankfully, and I’d love to have an American-made EREV truck in my garage. $57,000 aint gonna make that happen – and I need a back seat.
RECHARGE! ,
James
+6
Jan 27th, 2012 (5:16 pm)James,
James, I agree with much of what you state about our need to go to home grown solar energy. Just read my post that follows yours. I look at what Obama has done already to help make our nation more energy independent. He has done a lot that many are not aware of and his view of what we can do as a nation is more optimistic than what his opponents state. Where they wish to return to the previous administrations policies, Obama’s vision is forward looking and realistic. If you listen to the rhetoric of the Republican candidates for office, you should realize that they are self-deceiving; they make statements about Obama that are not true, do not measure up to the real facts, are loaded with negativity. Listen to what Obama is stating and you will hear positive statements about what we can and ARE doing to recover economically.
You find fault with his statements about using green energy but opening up oil exploration. Think about that again. We are well aware of the threats that Iran has made about closing the Strait of Hormuz. They could carry out their threat tomorrow or next year or a few years later. So everything we can do to increase our domestic production is important and the sooner the better, just in case. I have more hope backing Obama then any of the potential Republican candidates.
Jan 27th, 2012 (5:31 pm)George S. Bower,
I would guess form your comment that you didn’t catch the quip. Of course i didn’t think that!
Go to the link on “EIA 2035″ that I gave. Use of natural gas to produce electricity is actually declining. I’ll agree that it is clean which is a good reason to use it instead of coal. But the really serious problem in the immediate future, is the cost of foreign oil. I back T. Boone Pickens plan for Independence from foreign oil. With increased production of NG from shale, there is enough NG. As T. Boone said, it is only temporary until technology develops a better battery or new device.
+4
Jan 27th, 2012 (5:33 pm)James,
You made some good points. I was surprised about the opening of more drilling in the Gulf. I think it is part of the President’s all-the-above strategy and I think it is his way of reaching-out to the Republicans. Were you getting some Tums? when the President said something like: the Oil companies have been getting subsidies and tax breaks for almost 100 yrs., so it is time we stop that and use that money to help Clean Energy. The Media seems to focus more on the negative; so we don’t hear about a lot of good things being done. It’s going to be an enormous task getting this country on a safe, clean prosperous state; especially when there is so much adversity.
Jan 27th, 2012 (5:38 pm)James,
Not right now! But they do expect to achieve economy of scale in production and bring that price down. Like everything else the proof is in the pudding; we’ll see but I see it as very exciting. And if you believe them it is not far off in our future. When they succeed, and I am optimistic it will be soon and also within my lifetime!
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (5:42 pm)BLIND GUY,
I liked that statement Obama made about giving some money to clean energy too, Blind Guy!
Thanks for mentioning it.
+2
Jan 27th, 2012 (6:55 pm)No BG, I heard the “no more subsidies for oil companies” rhetoric. My point is – he was all over the map, trying to please everyone – sounding like a Republican one minute, and a die-hard environmentalist the next. In the end, it’s just BS…Pure and simple.
Grandma taught me to look at a person’s actions over what comes out of their mouths. Obama or Bush, or Clinton or Romney can say whatever they wish to get elected. By opening oil fields and using our oil reserves, it proves to me that Obama has no clue what to do, or how to do it. He gets advice from political strategists re: polls and what Americans want to hear. This is to get re-elected. Once elected, he or any president, no matter his party affiliation seems to have much more affiliation to the corporations and rich folks that funded his campaign and got him his job rather than his constituents or the American people as a whole. It’s a whole lot of talk and very questionable actions that do not add up.
We have domestic oil. We have enough if we look to country’s like Brazil as an example. See that they became fed up with Hugo Chavez, and his lording over them the price and control of oil. Brazil said “screw you, Chavez!” and just converted their entire nation to home-sourced ethanol in just a few years. If they can do it, don’t you think a concerted national effort on our part could also?! Brazil is also pursuing more offshore oil exploration. What they extract today goes as export and bolsters their economy.
Problem with USA is it is all….ALL…politics. Whose hand gets greased for what concession, and what special interest is able to pay more for what they want. This is not the system our founding fathers envisioned when they mapped out a free and liberated nation that stands high on a hill – a guiding light to all nations.
If a person who listened to Obama’s speech and actually believes oil companies will not be getting any subsidies, they probably also believe his comments re: Universities. He said if colleges do not stop raising tuitions, they’ll just stop getting government funding….Like THAT is gonna happen!!!
Grandma said, “if it sounds too good to be true, it IS too good to be true!”.
When a standing president claims oil companies will stop getting subsidies, then says he’ll give them their big carrot and open up drilling wherever – do you see the doublespeak in this? What will actually happen is most of this grand hot air ends in Congress where people argue the issues to death and nothing really happens out of it all – because another election is around the corner, and one needs millions of dollars to fund one’s campaign. It’s a vicious cycle where less and less actually gets accomplished for the common good. It’s just like when grand ideas like campaign finance reform are highly spoken of during campaigns, yet nothing ever really happens. McCain/Feingold, a bipartisan bill to limit campaign finance corruption passed, but in a watered-down form, only to last awhile and now be totally shelved.
Seriously, true reform will never ever happen until a grassroots effort rises up to stop it. Just like in the movie Network where people started hanging out of their windows and shouting – “I’m Mad As Hell And I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore!”. Problem is, there are so many idealists out there on both sides of the aisle, and so many new immigrants watering down the voting rolls that a great percentage of them buy the Candidate Kool-Aid and vote popularity over substance. This is where we are today, if a man can give a rousing speech and looks handsome, he has a shot – I wonder if Winston Churchill or Abraham Lincoln would ever have a shot in today’s modern political environment.
So much for Hope And Change!
RECHARGE! ,
James
Jan 27th, 2012 (7:13 pm)#8
My answer to Jeff’s questions is that yes, the President’s suggestions are feasible and doable and should be implemented immediately, if not sooner.
Alas, my experience tells me that HarryM is probably right above. This is the USA. It takes a crisis to move us off of dead center.
#17
I totally agree. +1
Alas, it probably makes too much sense to happen IMHO.
+1
Jan 27th, 2012 (7:40 pm)I say, whoever causes the price of oil to become prohibitive, will be “calling the shots”. At least the government is accountable, I don’t know who these people who want the price of oil to be prohibitive are.
+3
Jan 27th, 2012 (8:20 pm)James,
If we fill the Halls of Congress with Tea Party mentality, they would cut spending way too deep much too quickly and worsen the economy. I agree that borrowing needs to stop ASAP, but you can’t just slam on the brakes of this runaway train without a lot of injury. We absolutely have to eliminate all influence from Big Money; so our Gov. is doing what is best for our country, not lining its’ own pockets. Congress is about representing you and me by coming together with ideas and be willing to compromise when needed. So far President Obama has gotten no cooperation from the Republicans, especially Tea Party members. I believe if we get enough Dems in Congress this next election; many improvements will happen. Trickle-down economics has not worked and severely hurt our middle-class which is where we need to be the strongest. I like some of what Mr. Paul and Mr. Romney suggest. I also fear that some Republicans want to blur the line for separation of Church and State. Have a great weekend.
+9
Jan 27th, 2012 (9:26 pm)James,
Grandma said, “if it sounds too good to be true, it IS too good to be true!”.
No disrespect of your Grandma; I wonder what she said when Kennedy proposed this nations goal to put a man on the Moon? It’s amazing what man can imagine. Take science fiction for example. Kennedy’s dream to go to the Moon was science fiction. But once committed, the dream became reality. So, if it sounds too good to be true, to those who choose to believe that it will never happen!
You are such a sceptic. Much of what Obama said in his State of the Union Speech has already begun: as for NG used for truck, Clean Energy has already begun plans for a “LGN backbone network for America’s Natural Gas Highway; 150 LNG stations by end of 2013″
So much for “It’s a vicious cycle where less and less actually gets accomplished for the common good.” It time to stop listening to the negative bashing that goes on between political parties, wake up, open your eyes and realize the progress is being made to solve this nations problems. If Congress doesn’t break the gridlock, and President Obama doesn’t get their cooperation to get things moving faster, then he has stated he will take whatever action he can to improve the conditions brought on by the bad policy of the previous administration. Republicans call them selves Conservatives and Christians while they attempt to demonize Obama. If anyone is doing their job in government, Obama stands out among them! We would be better off without the obstructionism of a Republican controlled House of Representatives. All their delays in passing bills that would have created jobs in building our infrastructure, etc. just to make Obama look bad, doesn’t fool me one moment. They have only convinced me that they are for the rich and don’t give a care about those how really work to make a living. There are a few decent rich people like Bloomberg and others but those who run the Republican party are hypocrites, IMHO. Issa bashing the Volt is just a tip of the iceberg!. The elections this year will be evidence of what foreigners have been saving about American politics and the American voter. I pray this time that they are wrong about what they say. When Obama got elected there was a new hope about this country. James, you find fault with the American system government but you should look to those who are really manipulating our politicians, not all of them, but those who back Big Oil and ignore other sources of energy. You are right that actions speak louder than words; you can identify politicians in Big Oils pockets: they speak oil exploration and nothing else. They keep saving, he isn’t for sea exploration but that isn’t true. Even before his SOTU speech, plans were under way to resume such exploration.
Mit Romney talks about creating jobs; he didn’t create any jobs. He just manipulated and restructured companies. The companies were created by individuals who made their ideas become a business. Obama comes closer to creating jobs by backing industries like the battery start-up companies. For sure we can expect complaints by you know who when subsidized companies fail but isn’t that a complaint about Mit; he and his company decided which companies would be restructured and which would be trashed. As for Obama’s supporting upstart battery companies, one can point to this as one of his most important achievements in light of the need to electrify our transportation. Much credit for the creation of the Volt, goes to GM and Bob Lutz, and to Obama for seeing the need to +”bail out”+ GM. Mark my words, we will all be thankful that GM survived and has regained number one ranking in the World! GM has begun the final transition to electrification of the automobile.
+3
Jan 27th, 2012 (10:21 pm)TheFuture, Spot on! +10, I certainly hope that you are the future.
+3
Jan 28th, 2012 (8:37 am)I have voted Republican for many presidential elections, but I too will vote for Obama at election. The Republicans are not looking for the good of this country. They are more interested in getting richer and not caring to what’s happening to the middle income people.
+2
Jan 28th, 2012 (8:47 am)“The future” I cud not have said it better … If nothing else folks look at the legacy of Bush when he left … He was a nice guy but run by the likes of Cheney & brought this nation to its knees .. we lost treasury in Iraq and our economy at home collapsed. No regulation…trillions given to Rich (yes I got $300 too) and where was the trickle down effect – that all republicans claim cuz that result will come after 4 years or 8 when they wud have left the office.
I say it we are the fools who keep electing the gop … Now O has tried to stabilize the employment but when you have dug a deep hole it will take time (years) to get out .. On top of that countries like China/India & many others dont play by the rules .. China supports its industries..even Europe provides $$ to Airbus program … Now having said that I read Coda from china will go an sale here. My wish is that no american will buy this car. Support American jobs and manufaturers. Best wishes
+3
Jan 28th, 2012 (9:26 am)Last week I received a letter from my condo association regarding installation of solar panels on all units. Asking for a yes/no vote on having a consultant formulate the specs and meet with contractors. This is not a ballot. Simply an okay on spending for the inspection and estimate.
If approved, cost is approximately $5000-$6000 per unit with a small increase in monthly dues for long term maintenance. The association totals 280 units. Each group of 4 condos has a South facing roof.
Typical monthly electric bill is $120 in summer, $180 in winter. Including Chevy Volt recharge.
Jan 28th, 2012 (9:37 am)That sounds good for Michigan… but here in PA teachers are still going on strike that make over $90K per year and retire at age 55 with 65% of their salary and pay nothing for medical. Fact is .. government funded paychecks have not reflected the economy for many years and these people feel no pain while the people who pay for their jobs have to live in the real world of no raises .. fear of losing jobs and have to pay for their medical… no one is talking about the hundreds of billions just plain given to miss managed teacher pension funds while they have no problem bringing up and hating GM for getting much smaller loans to stay in business when there were no banks to borrow from. You never hear about how much and how fast GM is paying back these loans… but everyone forgets the much larger bailouts that the government will never see.
The Volt is one of few really bright spots in this economy.. and many are threatened by it… it’s that good.
+1
Jan 28th, 2012 (10:02 am)Hi all,
The Democrats, Republicans, Tea-party, etc will not solve our problems. The number one problem that I see is the national debt. When I listened to the State of the Union speech, all I heard was spend, spend, and spend. The government has it hands in too much stuff.
Clean energy should be market driven. The government should not be involved in the energy game. Our Taxes that we pay are why to high. When you add up Fed, Social Security, Medicare, State, Local, and sale taxes it all ends up being a big chunk of our salaries. And then there are all of those so call user-fees (more taxes), tack on all of the services that we receive. Take a look at you phone, cable, cell, sat bills and you will see what I’m talking about.
The government has gotten so big, that we have too much of a tax burden in this country. This tax burden is squeezing the life out of the country. There should be no tax incentives for buying green technology. The government should not be subsidizing big oil, farming or anything else. The government should not be involved in education.
Look how long it takes to build new Nuclear Power Plants. Wait a minute, we haven’t build one of those in a long time. And you guys speak of using coal, stripping away at the mountains, boy that really helps
I’m am a Republican. I believe we should drill, build new Nuclear Power Plants, burn natural gas, and develop our green technology. But it should all be market driven.
I also believe that we as Americans have sold our freedom to China. How many of your local Mom & Pop businesses closed down in the past 20 years? How many of the local manufacturing plants those were around 20 years ago closed down? How many of you have Wal-Marts, Targets, Best-Buys in your back yard. Do you really think Wal-Marts, Targets, Best-Buy, etc sale quality products. The shutting down of America Mom/Pop businesses, manufacturing, etc is our own fault. When we as a people start promoting and purchasing more American made products, our country will turn around, the economy will grow, and we will get our Freedom back.
-4
Jan 28th, 2012 (10:08 am)I love your positivity and enthusiasm. I can’t wrap my head around your grand visions of Obama’s ideal for what is good for you and me. Like Clinton before him, with a mixed House and Senate, he has has to learn the fine art of compromise. Clinton pulled it off. Obama’s core is so liberal, and so steeped in liberalism, power to the inner city and social programs, he just cannot allow himself to really truly compromise in ways that move us along in our way to economic recovery. It’s very easy to point a finger at the other side, use catchy phrases like “the party of no”…etc, and place blame. Thing is, a huge new government bureaucracy like GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTHCARE is NOT what an economy trying to recover from a banking disaster that was bipartisan in it’s roots of greed, oversimplification of thought and a desire to boost home ownership to people who really could not afford to purchase a home.
Breaking news today ( Saturday ) is that a Chinese oil company is building an oil rig off the coast of Florida, and it’s oil will go to China! HOW IS THIS ADDING TO AMERICAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE?!
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Look at the disasters, the Democrat and Republican involvement and multimillion dollar payoffs that led to an extremely failed plan to provide low interest home loans. Today middle class, upper mid, and upper class folks can rarely find a loan. While you and I disagree on how to chip away at the mess, we both have to admit there is a mess, and I think you would concur. What is less fuzzy is how we got into the mess and it was greed more than anything that led us down this path.
Mr. Obama spent two years on, of all things – HEALTHCARE. It’s something he was told he could win. Now in a mixed Congress he has had to try to paste together enough consensus to provide a boost for our economy, yet the best he can muster is all sorts of variations of “tax the rich, feed the poor” – just another extension of his life’s work as an inner city organizer.
Stop the blame game in your own heart. Obama can’t. The mixed blessing of our democratic system is balance. If one like Obama is given free reign, he very likely could send us all down a road of heavy-on-governance and taxation. The route France and the rest of Europe has taken and look where it has gotten them. You may want a “one world, one currency, one government” world. I do not. I prefer to hack away at improving what I feel is the most supremely effective system of governance the world has ever seen. God Bless America.
What is eating away at our system is corruption and greed. It only makes plain sense to end or limit lobbyist power over each and every person who claims to seek public service. Today it’s self service. Huge ideologies such as you speak of, are not the core of the problem. Politicians use polling to determine what a large demographic wants and then they pander to those groups. To get their jobs, remember a Congressperson is guaranteed lifetime healthcare better than you’ll ever see – as well as many perks better than any of his constituents will ever enjoy. There’s huge incentive to gain such a job. Making promises they’ll never keep is just part of that process. To keep such folks centered on serving those who elected them – they need to become a lot more transparent as to who funds their campaigns. Many unions force their members to vote Democratic, in fact, I know a union member who told me they literally told them to vote for Obama or they would be forced out! Oil companies play both sides. Today, if Obama is not making them happy, they’ll fund a Republican. Obama responds by making promises to oil companies. Meanwhile he tells you he is all for sustainable energy. But only the companies that back him to gain office get the cheese.
It’s an incredibly innefficient system that leaves promising and superior technologies out in the cold. The companies that go overseas or just fold because they cannot compete with ones that have gotten the public dole. How can you say this is working? You completely disregarded my examples from solar energy development and the same goes for the auto industry. Elon Musk is talented and bright. He knows he has to suck up to the Obama administration to survive. Is that how we should live? Or should we level the playing field by not allowing corporations, special interests and huge lobbying groups run our country?
GM absolutely abhors it’s current situation. On one hand they have to be tugged to and fro by the government since it’s their largest stockholder. On the other they protect and defend themselves to the government when otherwise they could just go about the business of developing good product and make an honest profit. The nannying isn’t going to make things great. GM has UAW picketers daily in front of it’s Orion Sonic plant because a deal was cut with the union to be able to allow temporary line workers who make less than the current union full-time employee. This deal enables GM to configure a factory for Sonic and make the ONLY subcompact car sold by an American company that is actually MADE IN USA! GM is straddling huge future pension plan payoffs and other incredibley large challenges. Meanwhile, when GM prospers, the unions want to go back to the bargaining table – and the Obama administration stands behind them. GM is stuck in a very precarious spot.
Today, GM is not outperforming Ford, as Ford is gaining world market share faster than GM is without the benefit of government intervention. Don’t ask me how they are doing it, Ford took immense loan risks and mapped out a conservative/aggressive plan to build hybrids and EcoBoost engines that unit-to-unit outperform GM’s engines hands down. Their strategy is proving to be ahead of GM since the gas powerplant is the dominating mode of propulsion in cars that can be afforded by the masses – even in current hybrids. Cars where the electric propulsion system is dominant are too spendy for the average family. Ford put their priorities in the most prudent place, and are reaping huge rewards. Today, Ford is meeting C.A.F.E. standards by rolling out hybrids using their superior EcoBoost engines, and the product line looks very promising. GM on the other side, is faltering. GM is counting on China to save it. On the domestic front, the product line is looking anemic. The Cruze cannot save GM. GM must do better than a 36 mpg Malibu Eco. Ford just blew GM out of the water with a car ( 2013 Fusion line ) that can move Camry buyers over to a domestic brand. The Malibu looks like a gargantuan flop that will fill rental car lots and fleets.
The 2013 Fusion compact sedan gets better mileage in it’s entry-level ICE version than GM’s Malibu Eco with hybrid drive, lithium battery and electric motors! Add to this mix the hybrid Fusion and PHEV Fusion to come soon after. GM really was counting on the new Malibu to bolster U.S. sales. Look at this and you can see U.S. government intervention with your tax money hasn’t really done all that much. At the 2012 NAIAS in Detroit, GM rolled out a rehashed Opel SUV for the American market and lauded it as something “new” and great… But it’s Opel division is hurting badly in Europe and every day we read that it’s not profitable and on the edge of failure. Buicks are rebadged Opels. If Opel fails, what will GM do? GM stock is doing badly and I would not buy GM stock. Just thinking of what happened to poor GM stockholders two years ago is enough for me to place my money elsewhere.
I implore you not to be a GM-fan but a realist with a wide view of the current industry. The two movers and shakers today are Ford and Hyundai. Volkswagen is playing Toyota, and claiming it wants world domination. But Ford and Hyundai are using clever strategy and timed competitive, highly-styled product to hit the market with precise timing.
GM has Voltec. This is their one shining technology that outpaces everyone else worldwide. So what are we hearing of – new Voltecs in SUV, larger sedans, cheaper 20 mile PHEVs at $25,000? No. GM says – “look to 2015, and we may have something for you”. To me, that holds hope – but it doesn’t bode well for those trying to build confidence in the brand.
Right now, today – GM fan websites and the GM store are filled with “Camaro, Camaro, Camaro” hype. GM will die if they place the future of the company on retro gas hogs and not future powerplants that push the envelope in efficiency.
I’ll stick with my Grandma, she’s lived much longer than you or me. You can place your hope in Obama Change. Obama is no Kennedy. Kennedy had vision and a brother who kept him focused on what is right. If Obama had vision he’d set a challenge to get off oil completely by 2020. Some may place their hope in Tea Party values which are not bad values to have. I’ll stay independent and a realist ( not a skeptic ) and hope election reform saves us from the brink of global economic disaster before it’s too late.
RECHARGE! ,
James
+5
Jan 28th, 2012 (10:20 am)It’s nice to have a president with a three digit IQ.
-1
Jan 28th, 2012 (11:09 am)Seriously, it’s tax time, and my mind wonders why the Obama administration projects EVs as the future, yet it’s tax benefit for EVs extends only to the rich.
On one hand, he constantly berates the rich and tells us they have to pay more taxes. Then he extends the EV tax credit to only those who make enough to actually pay $7500 in income tax each year! It makes zero sense.
The $7500 tax credit would make the difference between me keeping our current ’07 Prius or buying an American-made Volt. I have a good accountant, and an average amount of deductions, so I do not even come close to paying $7500 to the IRS.
For this system to actually make sense and make a dent in the amount of ICE vehicles on the road, it has to be a point-of-purchase credit and not some backdoor bonus to only those of the highest income brackets.
RECHARGE! ,
James
-5
Jan 28th, 2012 (11:20 am)Under your influence, Jeff, this site no longer has any appeal to non-Greeniacs.
We need EVs to get off oil – that’s the message to sell to conservatives. Conservatives will always say “Prove that it’s practical.” Its part of our nature. The problem the Volt has is that it costs so much and it doesn’t look like there is much hope to resolve that issue in the EREV world. A better battery, which we all hope for, will make BEVs more practical and EREVs less so. A small tariff on foreign oil for battery R&D and even production could probably be sold to conservatives but perhaps it would violate all our bogus Free Trade Agreements which every one of the Presidents from both parties has wholeheartedly supported. Remember the little, big eared fella who remarked about that great sucking sound? The USA has deliberately de-industrialized in the misbegotten hope for world peace and at the cost of millions of middle class jobs.
If you know how to multiply and how to count the number of taxpayers, you can easily compute that the USA is already broke – we can’t pay our debt back. We cannot fund our future liabilities for Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. The Fed cannot raise interest rates because the debt service would swallow the Federal budget whole. So whining for more from the government is too,too silly and inane to merit response. Hopefully, after the crash, we will turn to new forms of nuclear generation and EVs. Americans are not thoughtful enough to make it happen before then.
Good-bye GM-Volt.com. It was nice while it lasted.
+5
Jan 28th, 2012 (12:25 pm)James, I read this entire post (I read all posts here, from you as well as by everyone else) & I gave you a -1 for it —not for content, some of which I agree with, but because it’s very difficult to read with comprehension.
Your post #64 fills my 23″ monitor’s screen 4 times over & has a total of roughly 2,000 words (my estimate). I want to offer a bit of advise based on having edited a large number of lengthy technical reports as well as having read many, many more in my career. Here it is…
1) I read a book ~45 years ago, “Good Reading is Hard Writing”, by a professional writer. The book is no longer in print, but it’s main message is embodied in the title: Good writing is hard work!
2) In other words, write so as to keep a reader’s attention —and believe me, that’s not easy to do!
3) Remember, you’re writing a comment on a limited topic, not a section of a book or a magazine.
4) So my primary suggestion is to break any post of >400-500 words into several shorter posts.
5) Within any post, limit most paragraphs to 2-3 sentences (e.g., see Jeff Cobb’s opening article).
And please accept that my suggestions here are only intended to be constructive, not derogatory!
+3
Jan 28th, 2012 (12:37 pm)So if big oil wants to buy the rights to every green energy that comes around and squash it, that would be OK with you since it’s just the “invisible” (and oily) hand of the market deciding? Do you think the EPA is a waste of taxpayer money?
Hey, Corporations are people, and you shouldn’t discriminate against people. LOL. Seriously though, this contradicts your ealier statement where you said you just want the market to decide. If the market decides they want cheap crap from China so some guy in a suit in Wall Street makes more money so be it….right?
+1
Jan 28th, 2012 (12:56 pm)The teachers got screwed in Michigan. While the state employees who lost their benifits got a *new* benefit of a 2% match. The teachers got nothing (even they are also state employees). Seems sort of BS to me.
Jan 28th, 2012 (1:01 pm)I dont like Gov. Rick Snyder but here’s an article from Mlive where he has facts & figures showing the state employees make much more than the private sector.
http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/02/peter_luke_gov_rick_snyder_str.html
Jan 28th, 2012 (1:22 pm)Step 1. Everyone go to their local gas station and take the pennies from the “take a penny – leave a penny” jar
Step 2. Gather all the pennies and put them all towards the deficit
Step 3.. PROFIT
anyone else working today
+2
Jan 28th, 2012 (1:27 pm)Between Newt wanting to spend billions to put an outpost on the moon (to do what exactly), and, Mitt dissing the Volt as something he would not support, it is easy to understand why President Obama wants to “double down” on getting electrics on the road, which is the correct goal.
Why is it that legislators and party leaders (except The President) can’t understand how extremely successful that electric and erev’s would make America. It is just ridiculous that more do not understand how powerful this change would be.
+3
Jan 28th, 2012 (2:27 pm)#58
Second the motion. +1
+3
Jan 28th, 2012 (2:28 pm)#65
Amen. +1
+1
Jan 28th, 2012 (6:55 pm)Guys Dont forget how powerful propaganda can be ..With Fox (Fix) news spreading lies, non factual info like each Volt costs the average Joe/jane $250k … and wud you believe that there millions who go for this bs and even have the audacity to tell you in a parking lot. It is frightening how the low IQ folks run with this bs and accept it.
This shows total lack of any intlect and capacity to think on your own. ‘Future’ has laid out the case very well and these goppers are ready for NO to anything O has proposed to wean ourselves from the oil.
Jan 28th, 2012 (8:58 pm)+1
Jan 28th, 2012 (9:16 pm)I do support goverment regulation when it makes since. But taking over 10 years to get a new Nuke plant approve is stupid. I am not against the EPA. Your problem is tha same as with many Americans you hear the market, you think Wallstreet. If you could get you head out of the sand long enough, you might understand what my orginal post said.
The Market is US, the people of the UNITED STATES, you know the country we live in. Go into a Wal-Mart, Target, or BestBuy and look on the product labels. What you will see on the product label is “MADE IN CHINA” Stuff the comes from China is crap. And China steals its technology from US, the Undited States. So before you buy another China made product, think about whet you are doing to your fellow Americans. Just look at the real unemployment numbers that are really around 20%.
Any by the way, when I turn sixty in two years, I will be buying a Volt. I’ am totaly for clean AIR, clean Water, etc.
But I say one more thing, go ahead and volt for Obama, see our country credit rating fall even more. Keep on thinking that goverment can solve this. Just forget that we really cause all of these problem.
Jan 28th, 2012 (9:56 pm)#66 James Seriously, it’s tax time, and my mind wonders why the Obama administration projects EVs as the future, yet it’s tax benefit for EVs extends only to the rich.
On one hand, he constantly berates the rich and tells us they have to pay more taxes. Then he extends the EV tax credit to only those who make enough to actually pay $7500 in income tax each year! It makes zero sense.
The $7500 tax credit would make the difference between me keeping our current ’07 Prius or buying an American-made Volt. I have a good accountant, and an average amount of deductions, so I do not even come close to paying $7500 to the IRS.
For this system to actually make sense and make a dent in the amount of ICE vehicles on the road, it has to be a point-of-purchase credit and not some backdoor bonus to only those of the highest income brackets.
James, the President is for an instant rebate of 7500 at time of purchase for qualifying EVs. People like Rep. Mike Kelly are the problem. I too cannot afford a Volt without this incentive and I could not at least break even on my trade-in as well. We now put about 23K miles on a year; so leasing is no good for me. Hopefully Congress will pass this change. To be fair; I understand that Rep. Lamar Alexander TN. Bought a Leaf and said he would not take the tax credit. He also resigned and there is reason to believe that he could no longer work affectively from pressure from his right. Again, this is hear say.
+1
Jan 28th, 2012 (10:12 pm)I think too many people listen and believe what the Media and what politicians say about each other; instead of what the actual person says and more importantly, does. If you talk enough trash about someone, some people will start to believe it.
+1
Jan 29th, 2012 (7:41 am)The government will not change overnight no matter who gets elected. Decisions are not made by one person and it will take more than electing the right person to change the government. The only way to get a major change is to do it over time by repeatedly electing the right people and toughing it out. I never expect any president to get in and make massive changes because it just won’t happen. Note the recent health care changes – whether you agree or not. It started with most people wanted it and the health care advocates got complete control of the government. Progress was being made, but then the anti-healthcare people started spreading lies (Death Panels) and look how support decreased. By the time it passed it was hardly alive. The same will happen with EVs. The EV supporters and anti EVs supporters will have a knock down long draw out fight until one becomes the winner.
The government does have a role in making decisions for the country. One role is to help ensure there is a level playing field. In this country MONEY is power and larger corporations with lots of money have power that enables them to kill competition.
One thing I would want the government to make a priority is to eliminate the fraud so that the people who truly need the help get it and those who don’t do not. But you can not eliminate fraud if you do not have the information to find out who is committing fraud. When people get government funds they should report to the government how they spend the money so the government can root out fraud.
I have seen a lot of hypocrisy from people. I had a fellow co work who gripped about taxes and the Democrats all the time, but was thankful the government paid for the special teacher his child needed ‘because if I had to pay for it I could not afford it.’ He probably received more $$$ in services for that special teacher than he paid in taxes.
I had a discuss with someone and the subject of rural school closing came up. He stated that the people in certain areas did not want to pay taxes so the schools were shut down. Of course now those people, who did not want to pay taxes, are angry because the schools are closed.
Off soapbox
Jan 29th, 2012 (8:36 am)Which would require “the government” to root out the fraud in that government first. Good luck on that one. |-)
Jan 29th, 2012 (10:33 am)Very true. There are too many politicians who benefit from the fraud in the government.
Jan 29th, 2012 (11:39 am)BlindGuy,
When I read your note – I have to ask if you fully understand the tax credit. You mean you don’t owe 7500 at the end of the year when you file taxes or your annual tax liability is not 7500? It’s not that hard to reach 7500 of tax liability with a typical married income about $60K. With $60K income, 5000 deductions (maybe mortgage interest, etc.) and no children – that is $6250 of tax liability and that’s refundable as a check even if you have already paid that tax through work or quarterly estimates. So, I don’t know your income level and don’t need to but I wanted to check if you fully understand the liability issue. If you’re working with an accountant, I have to “guess” you would qualify for the tax credit.
I’d like to see the 7500 at point of sale too, it would surely help move EVs at twice the rate they are now. Were the hybrid incentives back in the Prius build-up at point of sale or at federal tax filing time?
+3
Jan 29th, 2012 (12:06 pm)It appears that 911 and the wars in the middle east are obviously about controlling the remaining non-renewable oil resources. The known oil resources in the world will only last forty years at present consumption rates, with the U.S. using 25% of all oil produced. Unfortunately, it also appears that Big Oil wants to hold off renewables until they have sucked all possible profit out of the oil left in the ground.
It should also be clear to anyone thinking that national Republican politicians are just Big Oil puppets, and anyone who expects any real solutions from them, when it comes to the average person’s needs and what would really be good for the country as a whole, is dreaming.
I was very glad to see GM embrace the move towards renewable energy and develop and launch the Volt. The series hybrid extended range choice was perfect, as 67% of people drive less than 40 miles per day and can do most of their driving on electric, but the extended range on gas doesn’t hold you back from a long trip if necessary.
If enough people who can afford the Volt at the present cost buy them, then battery costs should be reduced through economies of scale and manufacturing process efficiency improvements. If that happens, then the Volt, and other vehicles like it, will become affordable for the average person, without subsidies, in the near future.
Jan 29th, 2012 (12:34 pm)I agree. However, try to buy a television, cell phone, Ipod, clothes, etc.. made in the USA. It’s not as easy as you may think. Unless you want to pay US workers Chinese wages, and put 8 of them in dorm rooms, with suicide nets set up, we are not going to be able to compete w/the cheap slave labor. When it comes to people’s personal pocketbooks, most will buy a Chinese (or whatever non-US) product to save $1. All of the big stores will carry foreign products to make more $. Investors (Wall Street), fund these actions, and demand them, because increases in corporate profits means increases in there personal pocketbooks. The only way to break this system is government intervention. Domestic private industry has no means of protecting its US factories and intellectual properties against a foreign government, especially one as big & powerful as China.
-9
Jan 29th, 2012 (12:35 pm)It makes sense you are an Obama fan. Coming from Socialist Canada, how can that be different? Good that you are there and can’t vote for Obama.
Listen, we are fed up with Obama trying to micromanage our economy. GM is an example of on what happens when Obama try to play with our money.
The GM Volt, as I predicted, unfortunately turned out to be a failure. News out there is that the car is too limited in range, “not cute” enough and simply can’t stand against competitors.
I tried a Tesla Model S yesterday and the GM Volt can’t even come close to the Tesla, which offers 160 miles priced around US$47K in California.
+1
Jan 29th, 2012 (12:57 pm)Except when GW started a war and tapped everyone’s phones.
+1
Jan 29th, 2012 (1:05 pm)First, the base Model S is $57,400. Second, the estimated range of 160 miles is just that, estimated, and at only 55mph. I’d love to borrow one for a week here in Michigan and drive 75mph on the expressway. I think 160 will look more like 80. And then what happens when my battery is dead, but I need to drive somewhere? Or what if I want to go somewhere further than the battery range?
Speaking of government interference, Tesla also gets the $7500 tax credit. They also took ~500 million of DOE money. I guess Tesla is just another Solyndra right?
Jan 29th, 2012 (1:06 pm)Who are you shouting at?
Jan 29th, 2012 (1:38 pm)James,
James, at chevrolet.com/volt staring at you from your monitor is this: Lease the Volt from $349.00 a month with about 6% up front including destinatiton. The $7,500 tax cred is already captured by US Bank or Ally Bank, thus the low monthly payment. 3 Yr/ 36,000 mile lease.
Per my silly post thismorning, with your generally good credit, you WILL qualify for this low cost way to drive this amazing machine. The ah ha moment hits you in the wallet or purse when you realise that you Will save $160.00 to$240.00 a month-No GAS!-Each month, year thereafter!
+2
Jan 29th, 2012 (3:02 pm)Ah ha Laura: yes the same ole socialist this easy to label fols …care to look back at GBW (also called Dubya) the guy cud not speak proper english … Started a war in Iraq what did we get out of that? Lost trillions + lives of marines and 45k injured ..? he gace trillions to rich (y I got $300 too) mine was pennuts compared to the millions rich got and trickled down economy as proposed by many Gop never panned out? Dit it? Instead the economy collapsed!
Easy to run with propaganda from Fix news ..Pl think a bit with clear head. Hope some reflection on few Q above will help clear the foggy mind. Gop cud not care less for its citizens ..It is the rich they are after. Alas many fools among us fall for it. Best wishes
Jan 29th, 2012 (9:36 pm)#84 Bonair,
Clarification: With both my wife’s income and my earned income; we easily qualify for the 7500 tax credit. For us, I want to purchase at the end of the year in order to get the refund back quicker and adjust our payments down using that refund. I don’t want to claim a lot of dependents during the year to get the money, that way. Basically I meant that buying the Volt would be out of my comfort zone without that 7500 tax credit. An instant rebate would make it easier for all buyers. I would not have a problem with people getting an instant rebate; even without the tax liability; as long as they qualify to make the payments. Too me; it’s about selling more EVs faster and each manufacturer has a limit of qualifying EVs. I would rather see tax money temporarily spent that way; then spend it on wars that help protect oil sources or given to help buy corporate jets etc…
+2
Jan 29th, 2012 (10:03 pm)Shock Me,
Have been driving a Volt since early October.
Am going through the regulatory process to put 11,000 Watt solar on the roof of our home…
We must lead through action not words.
Jan 29th, 2012 (10:28 pm)Bonair, I re-read your response at #84 and wanted to point-out that the first half was James’s post from #66 with the Prius etc. I had bought a Prius as well, and any tax credits that were given out were tax credits not instant rebates.
If I understand it correctly: Let’s say I have a total Fed. Tax liability of 15000 and I have a total of 8000 in direct tax credits from all my tax deductions. If I bought a Volt, I could only get 7000 back instead of the full 7500, right? In other words, I can’t get more back in tax credits than I have in total tax liability. If I’m wrong, please let me know. Thx.
+2
Jan 29th, 2012 (10:42 pm)You are sort of correct, depending on what you mean by “direct tax credits.” The $7500 max credit is limited by your tax liability, but that is the liability calculated on 1040 line 46, which is after deductions and exemptions. The EV tax credit is found on line 53, and can’t be more than line 46. There are other credits calculated in lines 64 through 71, that have no effect on the $7500 figure.
What I just found out is that if you are also trying to get credit for a charge station, you are further limited by an AMT calculation. If line 55 (line 46 minus line 54) is less than the AMT you can’t get credit for the charge station.
Jan 30th, 2012 (7:35 am)Steven J.,
Perhaps he wants to mine Helium 3?