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daryll dickson left a comment for Jim VanNatta

July 2

Joe Rippel replied to Jim VanNatta's discussion 'Stimulus package' in the group Pickens Plan District Group IL-08

Jim, I understand your call to action but I wonder if we as a group should be more specific about how we want the Illinois Senators to respond to this call. Just asking or insisting that the Senators support energy independence may not change anyth…

February 18

Profile Information

Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?

Yes

Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:

I have been involved with political campaigns where candidates have been very active in programs dealing with alternative energy sources. I started an energy company to work with state and local government officials to revamp their energy policies.

What excites you about this campaign?

I lived in Texas for nearly 12 years, and was very familiar with Mr. Pickens. When I heard his message, I instantly knew that if anyone on the planet could get this done, it was him. The Pickens Plan is one of the most clear and conscise solutions to the energy crisis (or any crisis for that matter) that I have ever seen.

What do you want to do to help?

I would love to become a part of the Pickens Team, serving the program here in the Chicago and MidWest, or nationwide. I have extensive experience in politics, government services, and even more in sales and marketing in the high tech arena. I have also been responsible for creating unique service organizations, from a readiness program following 9/11, to a troop support network helping troops, their families, and Veterans.

Jim VanNatta's Blog

Stimulus package

Well folks, this is going to be a big test. There is going to be a vote on the stimulus package probably tomorrow sometime. As usual, there are several sides to the issue. It reminds me about the old saying that there's 10 people in the room, and 15 different opinions.

This is very confusing. One side says this is the perfect plan to stimulate the economy, and the other says that it can't stimulate anything if the spending is going to be several years out. Even the different sides use the Congr… Continue

Posted on January 27, 2009 at 4:05pm —

This was inevitable

I'm not going to say "I told you so" because there is no pleasure in what's happening. Over the past few weeks, we have seen oil prices, and in turn, prices at the pumps, fall dramatically. Today, December 17th, oil closed at just over $40 a barrel. A few short months ago, when T. Boone Pickens started his visionary energy plan, gasoline was north of $4 a gallon (almost $5 in some areas) because oil had reached a record $147 a barrel.

As prices began to slide, many of the naysayers and critics… Continue

Posted on December 17, 2008 at 9:14pm —

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At 2:21am on January 28, 2009, Michael Shawn Kendall said…: Hi Jim, Would you be willing to share this with the people in your district? Here is a way to help and give tools to all of us for getting more RE projects started. I have been pushing for the sell of US Treasury "Energy Independence Savings Bonds". Savings bonds are normally purchased in $25 increments. This gives a way for just about any American to tighten their belts just a bit by skipping a meal at McDonalds or Pizza Hut and buying a RE savings bond to support a project. I need help pushing this project, I've faxed and emailed many in Congress/Senate already. My email is ke6cvh@yahoo.com. Here is a copy of a fax sent to Nancy Pelosi yesterday:
27FEB09

Honorable Speaker of the House Congresswoman Pelosi,

I am an Electronic Technician Chief in the US Navy with 27 years service stationed overseas. I’m outlying an idea to assist and work with current plans for achieving energy independence. I urge you, as speaker of the house and the driving force to form the select committee on energy independence and global warming, consider for discussion and introduction into the house US Treasury Savings Bonds for Energy Independance.
In WWII America sold war bonds supporting the war effort. When young, my mother told me her primary school raised enough money through bonds to build a tank to support troops. I am impressed with the patriotism and purpose of our greatest generation that accomplished so much.

Selling energy bonds for RE (Renewable Energy) development would lower foreign oil imports and assist with the complex problem of funding. Bonds sold as “Energy S” could support new solar trough plants, “Energy W” to support wind farms, Energy “H” to support hydroelectric plants, Energy “T” to support RE transportation such as electric bullet train routes powered by RE, Energy "C" COOPS for small communities only needing a small quantity of turbines, and Energy “I” for needed infrastructure high voltage power lines to the RE site. Bonds will have the project name and include an artist’s perspective of the project and an American flag. President Obama had great success with the internet during his campaign. In a similar manner, using the internet, energy bonds could have a website listing current projects and an “electronic checkout” could purchase a bond $25 or higher. Simpler methods of payment such as “PAYPAL” and credit cards would be available and after an electronic purchase is complete a color print out of the bond is available with a follow up of the bond in the mail. The website would limit quantity of projects for each category until funding is complete. After a project becomes funded, a new project will be available. A tab on the site will show history and status of previous projects. Purchasers may take great pride in “collecting” and displaying bonds of various RE projects and participating at different levels of financial support. Solar trough plants in the multi-hundred MW size capacity with molten salt energy storage in California, Arizona, and West Texas can provide a major portion of electric needs. North Dakota has potential to support 1/3 of our nations electric needs in it’s class 4 wind zone areas. There are plenty of suitable proposed wind turbine farms now around the nation to significantly increase our RE if funded. Mid sized hydro-electric has not been used in America to it’s full potential. Following the example of our neighbor, Canada, it would provide a significant increase in percentage of electric production. Developing all three we could provide the majority of our electric and heating needs through renewable energy in a "New New Deal" fashion allowing natural gas for transportation as T. Boone Pickens is working for. Bullet train routes have proven a viable alternative to commercial domestic air service and when powered by electricity provided by RE suppliers America would be in the forefront of world technology. Example, I heard of discussion for a commuter train from Denver to Colorado Springs. Such a route built as a renewable energy project with charter requirement legally requiring to only purchase electricity from available renewable energy sources would be a model example. There are many train routes, city bus systems, and government vehicles that can be converted to run from alternative energy sources and fuels. Jobs created would bolster the economy, lower trade deficit, and strengthen national security. I would take great pride in print outs of bonds with graphics of each project I supported and many other Americans would also. The energy bonds could have tax breaks. BLM lands may be a viable place to start for some projects.

I contacted the US treasury department and was told that the marketing department for savings bonds closed several years ago. I was told there would be problems because savings bonds are at the federal level while the projects will be at the state and local level. I disagree and believe that these can easily be figured out in the way of grants to the state and local level using money from the bonds for those specific projects. I was told to check out auctions on the www.treasurydirect.gov website and found them to not apply to citizens wanting to buy savings bonds to support a cause such as energy independance. I was told by the treasury department to look into CREB (Clean Renewable Energy Bonds). I found CREB to be large scale funding that a citizen would not be able to participate in as a US Treasury Energy Independance Bond would provide. If given the tools to participate directly, the power of the citizens of the United States to help achieve energy independance could not be denied. Americans mean well and the Energy Independance Savings bond program will give citizens the power at their level to make it happen. If marketed through a web page, commercials, and to federal employees the word would get out and participation would spread like wildfire.

Mr. Paul Gipe, a resident of Bakersfield CA, an author of several books about wind energy, and recipient of multiple awards as a pioneer in the industry since the 1970's has put a letter I wrote to Senator Dorgan on this subject as well as an older letter I wrote on wind COOP in JAN07. These websites are:

http://www.wind-works.org/coopwind/RenewableEnergyBondsforEnergyIndependence.html

and

http://www.wind-works.org/articles/AmericanEnergyIndependencethroughCooperativeInvestmentinWindEnergy.html

Sincerely and very respectfully,

ETC(SW/AW) Mike Kendall USN

Mailing address: PSC 476, Box 879, FPO AP, 96322 USA

Telephone (803) 265-4756, Email: ke6cvh@yahoo.com

At 1:45pm on January 24, 2009, Howard William Singer said…: I was energized by the excited discussions about E85 just four years ago, & even more so when reading Barack Obama's Audacity of Hope in which he extolled the virtues of that alternative fuel. My wife & had both of our cars converted for E85 use, of course not to save money, but to experience the thrill of protecting the environment while sticking it to OPEC with a domestic product. Since then, ol' Bush scuttled E85 programs, & Obama has quietly placed it on the back burner in favor of industry-favored but expensive electric cars. (Forgive me, but I can't afford a new $40,000 car right now.) The Pickens Plan is eminently sensible, but it too seems stymied by the powers that be. I'll exhort my legislators for their support, but I feel there are many in my shoes who struggle to ward off cynicism. Organization behind Pickens seems the right way to go, but all avenues must open. I need to hear more about butanol, another domestic product (for which a process has been developed at U of I & elsewhere) that will power internal combustion engines without any convertor at all.

At 9:33am on December 25, 2008, Flamingo3950 said…: Zion, IL here.

There is a lot of wind in Lake County
When can we organize a wind assesment for our new subdivision?

At 3:36pm on December 18, 2008, TnJ said…: Lets get moving!

At 2:18pm on December 15, 2008, Patric Lass said…: I would love to help with the Pickens plan in any way. Please let me know what I can do to help.

At 12:46pm on November 28, 2008, M.D.Fleming said…: Welcome Jim. Mark Fleming
Xtreme Cars and Stars

At 1:56am on November 6, 2008, Michael, Houston said…: Hello Jim
Have you joined Green Jobs Now! group yet?
http://push.pickensplan.com/group/greenjobsnowcom Also If you know someone looking for a Green Job,they can upload their resume FREE at:
http://www.green-jobs-now.com
Thanks!
Melissa
coordinator@green-jobs-now.com

At 3:54pm on October 27, 2008, Kim Anderson said…: Hey JIm

Thanks for the friend. Glad you are here. You sound like a great man for the team. I started the welcome wagon to greet all new members and the 100CLUB to encourage folks to spread the word AND take names. I am working on the March on Washington, as well. There is much to be done. None of it will matter if we do not achieve a complete paradigm shift in thought on energy on this country. When we educate every American about the existing situation, they get it. If it weren't so sad, it would be laughable.... we borrow 700 bilion from the Chinese to give to the Middle East for our oil, when we have the brains and the ability to do it all here, and become a net exporter of energy. If the last four weeks have shown us nothing... we must keep American money here, providing us with American jobs and American solutions to our energy crisis. This could be one of the driving forces pushing for an upside of this economy.

Best to you Jim!
Kim

At 1:30pm on October 27, 2008, John Rake said…: Looks like we've chewing some of the same dirt. I see you posts as a fellow Rapid Responder....and I love em.

Thanks for all you do.

John aka "TheDoctor912"

At 9:27pm on September 28, 2008, James "Gator" Fiske said…: Jim,

Welcome and THANK YOU for joining Pickens Plan. Here is how you can help.

EMAIL A LETTER TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES BY USING OUR EASY RED "CONTACT CONGRESS" BUTTON -This is urgent, because the Energy Bill in Congress is in danger of not passing! With little effort, we have the ability here for you to send a letter to our Representatives in Washington and Governor, too. Go to THE PLEDGE (at the very top of this page on the blue header) On the top of the pledge page there are three rectangular buttons- two blue ones and ONE RED BUTTON, that reads "CONTACT CONGRESS" . Fill in the short, standard form. Done!

YOU CAN ALSO HELP BY BRINGING 5 FOLKS TO JOIN the site today, so that we can build a voice big enough that Congress will finally have to listen to us, instead of the lobbyists and special interests, who are trying to derail this historic effort.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE PLEDGE on the main page. Print out 10 or more of them, get them signed and fax them back to Boone ASAP. This is how we build our numbers fast! Be a leader, be a part of the "100 CLUB", by faxing in 100 signed pledges. Let me know when you are done and I will add you to the list.

THERE IS NO TIME TO DELAY
…to wait and see…or to see if someone else will step up to the plate. It is time for US to roll up our sleeves and go to work. Right now momentum is working in our favor, but if gas prices retreat, the public will forget the pain, and our moment may be lost.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Check out Pickens "August Call to Action"- for a course of action! Here is an informative video "Topeka, Kansas Town Hall Meeting": http://www.pickensplan.com/news/2008/08/04/video-of-the-topeka-town...

PERSONAL ACTION OPTIONSWe need to do more than “preach to the choir”. Sharing ideas with each other is encouraging but that will not 1) increase our membership nor 2) influence public policy. If you know someone in the press or someone who blogs - get them to cover this. Ask those in the public eye to support this plan.

A GROUP FOR EVERYONE. Join the Guides and Materials for New Members Group. Lot's of good information there.
Check out the many groups for Solar, CNG, your area, etc. Connect, learn and share. We grow stronger with your input. If you don't see a group that speaks to your interest, then start a group of your own.

PLEASE FRIEND ME so we can keep in touch.

Thanks again for joining this historical effort. WE CAN DO THIS .

Gator - Welcome Wagon Volunteer - Palm Coast, Florida