What is our government's role in Pickens Plan?

Pickens Plan needs to be approved by our government before it becomes a reality.
Mr. Pickens needs our government’s help, not to invest but to help him set up the infrastructure needed to carry the power from his proposed wind and solar farms and natural gas deposits to the rest of the country, a project likened to the building of our Interstate Highway system in the 50’s. If his plan is adopted by the next administration he and others will eventually be seeking the private funding needed, estimated at about $700Bill. to build the system. Only the government can acquire the necessary land to do this through eminent domain. They may be even able to help raise the funds through a federal bond issue. And all this does not even address the changes required by the big automakers to give us dual fuel vehicles or changes needed by our heavy duty transportation industry that uses 38% of our imported oil.
We need to be pushing Pickens Plan on our government officials as well as getting more people to join in.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Lance on August 22, 2008 at 8:35am: If you think Congress is there to help us, you are living in a dream world. Congress is there to help themselves.
The big automakers (GM and Ford ) are going down the drain and they will have Congress help them. Why? They made the mistake of building low MPG cars while Honda and Totota continues to build high MPG cars. Honda and Toyota will not try and buyout Ford or GM, they will just expand when the US car makers down size.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by FredDC on August 22, 2008 at 12:29pm: I wasn't refering just to Congress. It's going to take the approval (or acceptance) of government from the local level to the Executive Branch. It's a big project.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dave on August 22, 2008 at 5:04pm: FredDC,

Your right that all aspects of the government need to be involved. Our next President has to use his bully pulpit to put pressure on the Congress and Federal Agencies to support the Pickens Plan concepts. However, I don't think the Fed's should use this to create another beaurocrasy.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tom Zellars on September 7, 2008 at 8:51pm: Hi everyone!

I've been doing research into the bill S.3335. It's officially called the Jobs, Energy, Families, and Disaster Relief Act of 2008, or you probably know it as the Renewable Energy Tax Credit extension bill. Sen. Max Baucus [D, MT] is sponsoring the bill and Sen. Harry Reid [D, NV] is the Co-sponsor. I've had conversations with another member about researching the initial results of S.3335 and publishing the results on PickensPlan.com. My hopes for this research is to help you, the voter, make an informed decision of which Senators you want voted back into Congress. We all support green jobs, and we need leaders that truely represent the needs and interests of the American people. Once I publish my findings, I urge you to contact the Senators that aren't in support and pressure them to support S.3335 and push for a 20 year extension with no strings attached.

Listed below is the full 18-page summary of the bill in the web link. Also listed are the links from the website I'm using to look up the initial senate results, www.opencongress.org.

S.3335 Initial Senate results and info:

main page
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-s3335/show

Senate initial vote results
http://www.opencongress.org/roll_call/show/4940

S.3335 summary link:
http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/leg/leg072408S.3335.pdf

If anyone has any ideas on how best to publish my findings, please let me know!

Thank You!
Tom Zellars; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by FredDC on September 7, 2008 at 9:21pm: Excellent research Tom but what a great example of how screwed up our governments is. What on earth do wool tariffs, Internal revenue permanent power to investigate terrorists (permanent power, that alone scares me) and all the other junk in the bill have to do with the tax credits. Would it be too much to ask that they separate each issue? Anyway, I don't see or hear Mr. Pickens asking for this bill to pass, I see that Democrats are behind it but Republicans are not. Why? if it is not bipartisan it doesnt have a chance in hell of passing anytime soon. I think something new and more inclusive will come after the elections are over. Sincerely, FredDC; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steve DiGiantomasso on December 20, 2008 at 4:30pm: I am unclear as to why 700 billion is needed are we talking about putting a new connection to each dwelling or business?
Or just to tap into the existing structure. how much eminent domain is needed? why not just go to the locations needed and make offers that any right minded human should except. if then there is eminent domain issues have the energy czar disallow years of court battles. The key is to not allow people who are only interested in arguing the points to get in the way.
In my opinion the only way to get the money for this would be to force American companies to "come home" and start paying the proper taxes.

CLEAR PLAN = CLEAR WAY FORWARD. every 'dot' , 'T', and '?' taken care of .
All the "what if's" answered before asked by some penny anti person. There should be no side of the isle on these energy issue's just get them done! Yes citizen we are taking care of it Is what I want to here!

I believe there should be no foreign investment to America's infrastructure. And by our Automakers and Other major industry leaders taking on cheap labor around the world and meddling in other countries infrastructure they have already sold out the American worker and have taken multi-million dollar parachutes!. They should lose there company to someone interested in AMERICA. Americans like T, Boone. And Some around the room who are dedicated to America and America alone.

I need to say something.
When Ross Perot ran for president he had foresight of the problems facing America today and everyone just called him a crackpot! wont someone please call him for help already?

I have a friend on facebook from china he works in a plastic's manufacturing plant 18 hours a day. 2 shifts of 9 hours. he was late for work 1 day after working for 2 years. They didn't fire him. They Fined him. His friend that was often late for work was asked why are you always late for your second shift and he replied, well I work a third job as a crossing guard for kids and it is 3 miles on the other side of town. This Guy sleeps 2 to 3 hours a day Max. he earns what is equal to 30$ a week at all 3 jobs. Americans want 1 and a 1/2 the pay as soon as the bell rings at 5pm. My point which is not obvious here is that All issue's whether small or large need to be addressed in some shape or form to allow the country to move forward. Greed and Corruption is what is blocking all that is good. It is time to put Cap's on things.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steve DiGiantomasso on December 20, 2008 at 4:45pm: I was also wondering why does everything have to be enacted by congress? Is this a way to dip companies fingers into the pocket books of Americans?

Shouldn't there be "The Big Book on whats Right for America"?
A group 100 of the most intelligent voted on people for the specific purpose of fixing Issue's and Direct Mandates to address them? I dont call that socialism I call it in New York English " JUST FIX THE FRICKEN PROBLEMS"
If the smartest most intelligent people can come to a conclusion on fixing things would be a Clear way forward in my heart.
The flip side is how it is 500 or so of the most greedy no solution hand shakers on the planet with only an argumentative tone!
I vote for there needs to be a new Government!
This government seems to me as similar to a tainted Jury.; ▶ Reply to This