| Eric's Position on National Energy Policy |
Families are feeling the crunch at the pumps and we simply cannot drill our way out of this oil crisis. The time to enact an energy policy with real requirements and real goals is now. I propose the following five steps on the path to true energy independence.
- Stop spending our tax dollars on Big Oil handouts. Start investing in the accelerated development of hybrid, low cost automobiles, as a national priority.
- ExxonMobil's retiring CEO Lee Raymond received a $400 million retirement bonus in 2006.
- Thus far in 2008, ExxonMobil has made over $15 billion in profit.
- We have continued handing millions of tax dollars to these giants - Working families pay their taxes, it's time for Big Oil to start paying their fair share through windfall profits taxes.
- We need to reinvest this money into offering incentives for American Automakers to produce fuel efficient, American-made hybrids. A massive national program should be designed to manufacture low-cost, high-quality hybrid vehicles within 3 years.
Sources: AFL-CIO & The New York Times
- Invest in Clean Energy Sources
- The solution to our crisis lies in the progress from outmoded fossil fuels to more efficient biofuels.
- In NY-29 we can grow a plant called switchgrass on land not currently arable for corn production. This alternate feedstock for enzymatic ethanol is also more efficient than corn-based processes, and does not compete directly with foodstock production. This "second generation biofuel" will significantly reduce carbon emissions and save us billions of dollars while giving our farmers a new and significant source of income.
Source: Cornell University, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
- Raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for vehicle emissions to 50 miles per gallon by no later than 2020.
- CAFE standards need to rise to 50 miles per gallon, using a comprehensive plan to slowly raise requirements.
- Americans have the technology for more fuel efficient vehicles. This will make the utilization of hybrids a linchpin of the plan.
- We can put an American hybrid in the garage of each and every middle class American family.
- Protect our strategic oil reserve
- Drilling in ANWR is strategically, environmentally, and economically inefficient.
- This reserve must not be used to manipulation supply and demand. It must be used in a strategic manner.
- Thus far, John McCain has opposed drilling in ANWR and I agree with him on this issue.
- If ANWR's oil reserves are drilled, 20 years later the American consumer will save no more than $1.44 per barrel and a possible minimum of 41 cents per barrel... With oil trading at around $136 per barrel right now, and 20 years of waiting ahead, this will do nothing to alleviate the prices right now.
- ANWR's oil supply would peak at approximately 780,000 barrels/day; however, we use, on average, 20 million barrels/day.
- We cannot drill our way out of this problem, we must address it with the technologies of tomorrow.
Source: US Energy Information Association
- Let each coastal state decide whether or not to drill offshore.
- Individual states, not the federal government, should decide whether to drill offshore.
- Right now 2/3rds of oil on land and 4/5ths of oil offshore is already accessible to drilling and roughly 3/4ths of the land currently being leased by oil companies for drilling is not being used, why not start here rather than expanding?
- This oil belongs to our children, not ExxonMobil, so offshore drilling profits should go to green America energy initiatives.
Source: Mineral Management Service
2008 can be a year of productive change in America. Voters have the opportunity to decide between the same old Washington driven spin; or supporting creation of many more good jobs with decent benefits. Right now gas prices are making life much harder for working families. This campaign offers a more intelligent and fundamentally better direction for our nation. I ask the voters of Western New York to stand with me, so we can permanently bring down energy costs and build the financial security of working families.
SOURCES FOR ENERGY INDEPENDENCE PLAN
STOP SPENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS ON BIG OIL HANDOUTS
AFL-CIO
Retirement bonus calculated for AFL-CIO by the Corporate Library
http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/retirementsecurity /case_exxon.cfm
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Byline: Jad Mouawad
Title: Exxon Mobile Profits Sets Records Again
Published: February 1, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/business/01cnd-exxon.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
INVEST IN CLEAN ENERGY SOURCES
CORNELL UNIVERSITY:
Byline: Jerry H. Cherney
Title: A Burning Rational for Grass Biomass
Cornell University, Department of CSS
The Forage Leader
September/October 2007
RAISE THE CAFE STANDARDS
NPR (additional information, not a source)
Byline: Maria Godoy
Title: CAFE Standards: Gas-Sipping Etiquette for Cars
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5448289
PROTECT OUR STRATEGIC OIL RESERVE
US ENERGY INFORMATION ASSOCIATION
US News and World Report
Byline: Marianne Levelle
Title: Artic Drilling Wouldn't Cool High Oil Prices
Published: May 23, 2008
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/national/2008/05/23/arctic-drilling-wouldnt-cool-high-oil-prices.html
ALLOW STATES TO DECIDE WHETHER TO ALLOW OFFSHORE DRILLING
MINERAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES
The New York Times.
Title: The Big Pander to Big Oil. Published: June 19, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/opinion/19thu1.html
Homepage Mineral Management Services: http://www.mms.gov/
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| Articles |
Kuhl votes against energy bill: Congressman says late bill, tax increases prompted decision from Hornell Evening Tribune on Dec 8
By ROB MONTANA - STAFF WRITER
Published: Friday, December 7, 2007 9:46 AM CST
An energy bill approved by the House Wednesday isn't how U.S. Rep. John "Randy" Kuhl, R-29, would proceed.
Kuhl voted against the legislation, which passed by a 235-181 margin. President Bush has indicated he would veto the bill, and it still needs approval from the Senate before being passed along to the White House.
During his weekly telephone press conference call Thursday morning, Kuhl took issue with the 1,055-page bill being handed to him at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, less than 24 hours before the vote was to take place.
"This is disgraceful," Kuhl said. "Record-high gas prices and increasing costs for home heating this winter have put a real strain on family budgets - giving this Congress an opportunity to help American families by passing energy legislation that makes sense."
Eric Massa, the Democratic challenger for Kuhl's 29th District seat, said Kuhl is able to see the pieces of the bill as the legislative process moves along. He said Kuhl may not have seen the whole bill until Wednesday night, but that's no excuse for not knowing what's in it.
"It may be the first time he could look through it as a single document, but there are no surprises," Massa said....
Full Story
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| Blogs |
Rescuing our Environment from one of the Worst Members of CongressJune 3 by Eric Massa
Last month, I announced my New Bill of Rights. This Declaration is my way of expanding upon the Rights listed in FDR's 1944 State of the Union message to Congress, which I have touched upon in some of my more recent DailyKos Diaries. I know that the way forward for the Democratic Party is to stand with the people against President Bush and the Rubberstamp Republicans, who have taken the side of Corporatists rather than the American family. Together, I know we can make this world a better place.This is the fourth in a ten part series where we will discuss some of the most important issues facing the American people today. I want to hear your opinions and thoughts on each and every one of these topics. Normally, I hold a weekly liveblog right here from 3-6 pm Eastern Time, but today I have a number of meetings and thus cannot make it. Please do leave me your thoughts and questions though and I will return to answer them as soon as possible.
Global Warming and People-Powered PoliticsApril 29 by Eric Massa
First, let me extend another heartfelt thank you to the netroots community for the support my team and I received in the Democracy for America Grassroots All-Stars Contest. Circumstances prevented me from responding directly to many of your comments and questions to diaries posted during the week as I was constantly traveling from one event to another, all the while feverishly making phone calls in my free time during the competition. But today I am here and will be answering questions for the next few hours.
Today I want to talk about Global Warming and Climate Change and how it relates to people-powered politics. During this past week we talked a lot about people-powered politics. One important goal is to speak truth to power when power is threatening the liberty of the people and/or working against the best interests of the people. This is especially true with respect to Global Warming where the damage we are facing is not just to a singular group but rather to the entire planet.
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| News |
On Independence Day Massa calls for a commitment to true energy independenceJuly 3
CORNING, NY- On Tuesday Saudi Arabian King Abdullah stated that America needs to get used to skyrocketing gas prices. Abdullah, leader of the largest oil exporting country in the world, claimed that the United States must adapt to the market and that Saudi Arabia has nothing to do with the price of crude oil. Retired Navy Commander and Congressional candidate in New York's 29th district, Eric Massa, issued the following statement:
As gas prices skyrocket, Massa calls on Congress to end Big Oil tax handouts... As American families struggle to afford $4 per gallon at the pump, Big Oil loyalists vote to continue the corporate welfareJune 11
CORNING, NY- As the Big Oil loyalists in Congress continue to argue on behalf of Exxon Mobil's record profits and against energy independence, Eric Massa has called for a responsible approach to our nation's energy future. As record profits continue to climb for the Oil Giants and the national average of a gallon of gas has surpassed $4.00, it is time for a windfall profits tax on Big Oil, not more spin and corporate handouts. Massa issued the following statement as Senate Republicans blocked the windfall profit tax for Big Oil:
"While Big Oil is making billion dollar profits, hardworking middle class families are struggling to afford skyrocketing gas prices -- this simply cannot go on," said retired Navy Commander and Democratic candidate for Congress in New York's 29th district, Eric Massa. "The Republican rubberstamps in Washington are sending a clear message to American families that they support Big Oil first and middle class families second. We need long term solutions to our country's addiction to foreign oil. Drilling in Alaska will reduce the cost of gasoline by one penny over twenty years -- clearly that will not help families struggling to pay at the pump. It's time to stop wasting our money on $400 million retirement bonuses for CEO's and start using it to break our addiction to foreign oil."
Kuhl takes political blame shifting to a new low... Big Oil Congressman disregards his own Bush voting record in full out attack April 29
CORNING, NY - Randy Kuhl, a man who has continually voted to extend corporate welfare for Big Oil, has now decided that he and George W. Bush are not to blame for our skyrocketing gas prices. As middle-class families across Western New York struggle to keep up with record gas prices, Kuhl continues to support Big Oil above New Yorkers.
"Randy Kuhl has taken political blame shifting to a new low," said retired Navy Commander Eric Massa. "I for one am tired of Washington insiders saying one thing and doing another. Randy Kuhl's 'believe as I say, not as I do' attitude toward our rising gas prices is disingenuous and New Yorkers know it. It's time to end President Bush and Randy Kuhl's policy of Big Oil corporate welfare and take real action to help families at the pumps. Our political future cannot be about running away from voting records and blaming others, it must be about a new direction for the American people."
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Massa calls on Kuhl to stop lining the pockets of Big Oil with our tax dollars... As gas prices reach record highs with no end in sight, retired Navy Commander calls on opponent to end Big Oil subsidiesApril 23
CORNING, NY - With gas prices continuing to rise around Western New York with driving season upon us, families across the 29th Congressional District are feeling the strain on their wallets. Last winter Randy Kuhl took a tax payer funded vacation to "study" energy independence while taking a river tour on the Amazon River and then returned to vote for continued Bush-Big Oil give-aways and against energy independence, and now we are paying the price.
"Randy Kuhl and George W. Bush refuse to take responsibility for our skyrocketing gas prices," said retired Navy Commander Eric Massa. "Exxon-Mobil has been raking in billions of dollars while middle class families are struggling to fill up their tanks just to get to work. Randy Kuhl has voted to continue corporate welfare handouts for Big Oil, and I think this is the wrong direction. I continue to reject corporate contributions while Randy Kuhl has taken $29,600 from Big Oil - it is clearly time to change the way things are done in Washington."
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The Hypocrisy of Washington Incumbency... Kuhl votes against Energy bill citing too much pork, but fails to mention his own reckless spendingDec 10
CORNING, NY- On Friday, Randy Kuhl voted against the Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation Act ( H.R. 6). Kuhl lashed out against the bill claiming it was full of earmarks, but he often forgets that back in April, he set a new standard for using tax dollars for unnecessary purposes [ Hornell Evening Tribune, 12/7/07]. Before Kuhl took a tax payer funded vacation in Brazil, he announced a $2 million government loan for the Canandaigua Bowling Alley (press release attached as it's been removed from Kuhl's website). What $2 million will buy you at a bowling alley has yet to be explained, but that hasn't stopped him from continually attacking Western New York priorities like reducing home heating costs and breaking our national addiction to oil. "Instead of fighting for New York families, Randy Kuhl touts a $2 million he secured for a bowling alley," said Democratic candidate for Congress, Eric Massa. "Randy Kuhl's priorities are clearly in the wrong place. It's unconscionable that Randy Kuhl would vote against putting a stop to enormous George Bush tax breaks to oil companies as they rake in record profits. Gas prices continue to grow here in Western New York, and it only becomes more and more of a struggle to heat our homes in the coldest months of the year. When I am elected to Congress, I will stop these government hand outs for oil companies and will certainly put our community over funding for a bowling alley. It's time for independent leadership and a new direction."
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| Neighbor 2 Neighbor |
Judith Bennett
6/18/2007
Our image worldwide is based on pop culture, bad TV and violent movies.
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Eric J. Martin
6/17/2007
I do not live in Eric Massa's district, but I am in favor of his ideas on free trade.
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Dan Maloney
6/17/2007
He will stand up for American industry, creating American jobs.
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Lori Bartkovich
6/17/2007
His position on immigration, gun control, energy and environmental conservation.
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Eileen Spence
6/17/2007
The country is in peril as is the population.
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Linda Fedele
6/17/2007
He is approachable, he answers questions fully, he is not negative.
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Paul Stuart
6/11/2007 9:49:25 AM
Eric Massa's mind is a comprehension of contemporary issues.
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