Pickens Plan District Group MI-08

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Comment by Tim Heming on April 17, 2009 at 8:39pm

Eric, I am reading this comment of yours, and agree with you on some points. I will go in depth another day. But the real reason I am writing, is to call out all our group members in District Group MI -08 to join in? I am sure you are reading our comments, don't you have anything to add. I respect Eric's idea's and comments, and I hope he does mine, and this is what it takes to solve problems, idea's from everyone's perspective. It is late I got to go, thanks Eric, I will respond later when I am not so tired. As for the rest of our Group???????

Comment by eriddering on April 17, 2009 at 6:57am

Tim,
Actually that is a great idea, especially now since people can't afford things and are losing their retirements. That might really help people in their retirement if they had to worry less about energy needs in their home and money spent on it. It amazes me when politicians block legislation of good ideas. I was listening to NPR yesterday and they were talking about the "Hope for Homeowners" program. 300 billion dollars set aside but due to Bush and the Republicans forcing a change in eligibility it's helped 1 homeowner.....
I think calling republicans "conservative" is a joke, with the exception of conserving religious morals, if you believe they even do that( I don't! ) nothing they touch is conserved, more like exploited. But that's modern day republicans, I know they were built on other stuff. It just seems to me that they've been taken over by Big buisness.
I am pro-socialism, it is and will always be the ideal social philosophy. It's what we teach our children(to share). I think large corporations have killed capitalism. I also think if our judicial system was stronger they could change that. Unfortunately we are all capitalists and it's pretty ingrained into us, also our government especially, has been demonizing it for more than 100 years. We don't have any good examples of Social Democracies, since communism is a social dictatorship. It just doesn't seem to work, but I definately don't agree with bailing out these banks. Capitalism is officially dead in this country when that happened. I think Ron Paul should be listened to, not sure if you have listened to him. sorry about all that, the state of affairs in our country really gets me angry.
I do think that we can take a good look over at Europe and use some of there models of social health care. I personally think that would solve a variety of problem is our country including unemployment. Of coarse that's my opinion but I am laid off from work because an older guy I work with, who would retire if he could afford health care on his own. Actually he's now uninsured as well, only because he's 59, has diabetes and individual health care for him is either turned down or ridiculously expensive.
This country needs to look inward and regroup. We have what in takes to overcome this, we need the right leaders for the job though.
Tim have you read about the Michigan Fair Tax movement? if you haven't take a look I think that might help us out here in Michigan, 17 other states have changed over to it.

Comment by Tim Heming on April 15, 2009 at 5:30am

Hi Eric, seems that we are the only two in our group that want to address the problem of a working sollution for our energy needs. Wait till gas goes to $6.00 a gallon and they will be on here kicking and screaming again? I was at our local carpenters meeting a couple days ago, and they were discussing wind power, and the company that is debating on buildling turbines in Novi, Michigan. I guess they have been discussing with the carpenters, about using carpenter/millright labor at this facility. The Carpenters have a training facility in Las Vegas, for Wind Turbines, and it would not be a problem to incorporate the same training at the Carpenters school in Ferndale. Problelm is the State Senator from Novi district trying to block alot of this legislation from going thru, that would allow companys to build in Michigan. I don't agree with all this stimulus money being thrown around, but if Michigan is to receive it , we need to insure that it is used wisely. Now is the time to move forward with wind and solar farms. Repair our road infrastructure, maybe go back to the rail system to move passengers to and from work, and other places rather then jumping in the car. One thing that I admire about Mr. Pickens, is that he has got this country to get off their duffs, and think about our future. I don't agree with everything he says, but I do have that right.

If Michigan would give a tax rebate to a homeowner to install a combination of solar/wind, that was capable of producing enough power to maintain the household on peak producing days, and leftover power sent back to the grid, to be used on days when power output by these two systems is low. Sort of like banking it for a rainy day. Say the complete system could be installed for $20,000, and the homeowner could pay out of pocket for the entire system. The State offering an rebate incentive, would make this more appealing to the average homeowner. For those that couldln't afford it (about 90% of us in todays economy) make it a low interest loan like 2% to 4% to be paid either as an assessment, or a loan, and be tax deductable.

Think about what we as an average American has for alternative fuel or transportation, that is available today? A $30,000 to $40,000 electric vehicle? It is a step but an expensive step. I do not want government mandate on solving our energy needs, everything that they touch turns to crap, I am not for socialism, I believe in the American way of doing things, we as Americans need to quit subsidizing foreign oil, and products!!! Buy American when you can, lets solve our energy problems with American know-how, and American Labor, put Americans back to work!

Comment by Jessica Vanden Berg on April 15, 2009 at 2:01am

From the desk of T. Boone Pickens


Hey Army!
Congress is on its Spring break, but that doesn’t mean they’re out of touch. Most U.S. Senators and Representatives are back in their home states and districts willing to meet with and listen to their constituents.
That’s you!
When they left for their recess legislation had been introduced to promote natural gas; to promote energy efficiency; to promote a 21st century transmission grid; and to promote a national Renewable Energy Standard – in short to promote THE PICKENS PLAN.
In my business career I have seen too many people miss out because they thought that getting close was good enough. You and I know that when you are close, that’s the time to turn up the heat and push the ball over the goal line.
Click here to send your Member of Congress an e-mail - today. Drive over to one of their local offices and chat with a staffer. Click here to coordinate an event with fellow Pickens Plan supporters in your area by joining your District Group.
Let’s keep the pressure on and we’ll win for the Pickens Plan, but more important, we’ll win for America.


T. Boone Pickens

Comment by eriddering on April 6, 2009 at 9:28am

No Problem Tim, I love a good discussion. I agree with you and Mr. Pickens agrees too that Nuclear is the answer to our problem, that was actually in one of the first videos he released. He said in that video that it just takes too long to build them, and his plan even in using more nat. gas vehicles is just a stepping stone to hydrogen cars. His plan is a ten year plan to divert huge amounts of money from leaving the country, which I definately agrees with. I hear you on the oil shale or even the oil sands in Alberta. I watched a John Stossil report a few years back and it was about our fear that we'll run out of oil. He had news clippings from a hundred years ago that say we'll run out in ten years! The show basically reported that yeah we may run out of the liquid cheap stuff in the middle east but with advances in science we are finding it everywhere. WHat's really Ironic is that they were saying if they were to switch to the oil sands for oil gas prices would have to be close to almost $4, to cover the processing costs, where was that when gas went up to $5? Also Nat. Gas is our countries second most abondant natural resource behind coal. Our own vehicle manufacturers make Nat gas burning vehicles, but not for our country...
The problem I have is I think we should be working to get away from having to burn anything.
I like your grant idea, and I don't think you should let it die because our country has a track history of not only not doing things that make sense, but we also seem to let one idea rule out all others. Like any problem of this magnitude I think making multiple possible solutions would have the greatest affect, and if some don't work and some do at least we'll know rather than guess.
In regards to China, well.... I think it's a problem with modern Capitalism. Everyone wants it cheap, and that's what they get, cheap lead filled toxic bloodied goods from sweat shops in China! But they own alot of our treasury so what are we gonna do....
Looking forward to your comments

Eric

Comment by Tim Heming on April 4, 2009 at 11:05am

Hey there is life in this group after all! eriddering thanks for your comment, and it brings to light several important issues. Providing electricity using wind turbines is a step in the right direction, but not answear to our nations problems. I think we have to combine wind and solar together under one grid. I don't think natural gas is the answear for providing the electricity when these systems fail to keep up with demand. It will put extreme hardship for the people who heat their homes with natural gas, because the price will go thru the roof. I think our answear for a backup system to supplement solar and wind, has to be nuclear energy. Why do we want to spend a ton of money retro-fitting vehicles to burn natural gas? Why not invest in producing gasoline from oil shale that is abundent in North America?
I agree, something has to be done, and I admire Mr. Pickens for taking the steps to make it happen, but he is biased in the fact that natural gas is his choice of fuel, because he has alot of vested interest in natural gas.
As far as wind turbines being made in China? I think they will go with the cheapest bid, and just like everything else China will make these because they pay their workers next to nothing, and don't have to pay benifits for their workers. So we will get an cheap product for a cheap price.
I read your idea on savings bonds for funding this Pickens Plan, it sounds good. How about this plan, the government grants a low interest loan to a homeowner who wants to install a solar pv system or a wind turbine system, which could transfer to a new owner if the orginal homeowner sold his home. A loan granted providing the system or system's are 100% made in the U.S.A. and installed by qualified legal U.S. citzens. It would never happen because it makes to much sense, and closes the loophole for someone to get extremely rich creating a monopoly on fuel or services, like Consumers Energy, and the like.
Again thanks for your comment, and feel free to correct me if I am wrong, I will listen and take note.

Comment by eriddering on April 4, 2009 at 6:07am

Tim,
From what I understand of the pickens plan by reading and watching the various interviews in regards to your questions is as follows.
Will your property be in danger from eminent domain? That depends where you live of coarse and powerlines Right of Ways(ROW) are alot smaller then highways so they will have less of an impact and but the answer is hopefully yes. It is one of the bigger obstacles in the plan, but a new power grid is necessary in order to move power from the heart of the country.

Will your taxes increase? from my understanding no, although there will have to be some sort of tax insentive to get trucking Co. to switch to running on Natural gas. T. Boone has stated that he believes that this can be done with private investors.

Will China be making the turbines? I actually don't know who's manufacturing the large turbines, but I do know we are installing them. I also know that we have some of the bigger manufactures of the smaller turbines. My dad has a 6 foot diameter wind turbine and I know about a years and a half ago that manufacturer landed a multimillion dollar deal to make wind turbines for India. I also know that there is a manufaturing plant for solar panels being constructed in Battle Creek and I have heard of another one in the U.P.

We are behind the world in almost everything now a days because our egos have led us to believe otherwise. This plan to me is a step for our country to start looking ahead like it used to, and maybe we can be world leader again. Otherwise we will crumble like the Romans and like every other empire that has wanted to be Greek (I say Greek because that's really what Rome was doing). Those are my thoughts, either way it gets the discussion going.

Comment by Tim Heming on April 3, 2009 at 5:54am

If the Pickens Plan is adopted by our government officials in Washington, will my property be in danger of government eminent domain powers? Will my taxes increase even more than they are now with the Billions of dollars in government subsidies that it will take to create these wind farms and grids to supply the power to households? One last thing, will these wind turbines create jobs for Americans living in the United States? Or will they be built in China at one of General Electrics plants that they have there? These are questions that need to be addressed. I don't want to be unemployed while some chinese worker makes this product, while my land is stripped from me under government eminent domain powers (Eisenhauer plan), and be taxed on top of it all! Does this mean I might get dis-honorablly dis-charged from your "Army", Mr. Boone?

Comment by Jessica Vanden Berg on March 10, 2009 at 2:41pm

The Pickens Plan is organizing a Virtual March on Washington to be held April 1-3, 2009.


So what is a "Virtual March"?

We are going to utilize the size and unique capabilities of the New Energy Army to have an enormous impact on the White House and Congress. The Army will focus its energy during those three days on e-mails, calls and faxes to every Member of Congress.

Between now and then we will be engaging in a series of activities to get ready for the event, including:

* Contacting Members of Congress through email and phone calls to encourage support for key aspects of the Pickens Plan.

* Recruiting new members of the Army in every Congressional District.

* Submitting letters to the editor and op-eds to newspapers around the country.

* Holding district meetings and house parties with members of the Army to discuss ways to have an impact.

* Participating in webcast events.

We will be communicating with members of the Army via email, Push, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and LinkedIn to build support and enthusiasm for the event. Make sure you are connected to us on any of these platforms where you have a profile!


Be sure to take photos and videos of your activities over the next couple months - we will soon be inviting you to submit items to be featured here on the Virtual March homepage.

Sign up today to participate in the Virtual March and recruit your friends and family to join you!

(If you are interested in visiting your Members of Congress during the virtual march, please contact your Regional and/or District Leader for more information.)