New Energy Czar---Sarah Palin? OH! NOOOO!!!

[sixdogsmom]

Gov. Sarah Palin "knows more about energy than probably anyone in the United States of America." --John McCain, ABC interview, Sept. 11, 2008.
"My job has been to oversee nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of oil and gas." --Gov. Sarah Palin, Campaign event in Golden, Colorado, Sept. 15, 2008.
The woman touted by John McCain as the most knowledgable person in America on energy issues has been having a lot of trouble getting her basic energy statistics straight. Last week, Sarah Palin told Charlie Gibson of ABC News that her state, Alaska, produced "nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy." Yesterday, she told a campaign rally in Golden, Colorado, that she had been responsible for overseeing "nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of oil and gas." Both claims are way off.

The Facts
While Alaska is a leading producer of crude oil, it produces relatively little natural gas, hardly any coal, and no nuclear power. Its share of oil production has been declining sharply, and now ranks lower than Texas and Louisiana. As the following table shows, Alaska is the ninth largest energy supplier in the United States, accounting for a modest 3.5 percent share of the nation's total energy production.

State Total production Percent of U.S. Total
Texas 10,829 Trillion Btu 15.6
Wyoming 9,154 13.1
Louisiana 6,760 9.7
West Virginia 4,061 5.8
California 3,198 4.6
Kentucky 3,097 4.5
New Mexico 2,752 3.9
Pennsylvania 2,694 3.8
Alaska 2,417 3.5

SOURCE: Energy Information Administration

After the non-partisan Factcheck.org pointed out Palin's error in her interview with Gibson, the Alaska governor revised her claim somewhat, limiting it to oil and gas. But data compiled by the Energy Information Administration contradict her claim that she oversees "nearly 20 percent" of oil and gas production in the country. According to authoritative EIA data, Alaska accounted for just 7.4 percent of total U.S. oil and gas production in 2005.

It is not even correct for Palin to claim that her state is responsible for "nearly 20 percent" of U.S. oil production. Oil production has fallen sharply in Alaska during her governorship. The state's share of total U.S. oil production fell from 18 percent in 2005 to 13 percent this year, according to the EIA.

The McCain-Palin campaign did not respond to a request for an explanation.

The Pinocchio Test
The Republican vice presidential nominee continues to peddle bogus statistics three days after the original error was pointed out by independent fact-checkers. Four Pinocchios.




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Posted on September 16, 2008 at 6:00 AM ET  | Category: Candidate Record, Candidate Watch, Economy, Sarah Palin
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[frawin]

The truth of the matter is that Alaska has some of the largest readily avaiable Natural Gas in the entire United States, Trillions of Cubic feet of Natural Gas have been reinjected back into the North Slope oil reservoirs over the years as there is no Pipeline to move the gas to the Lower 48 states. ConocoPhillips and Partners have been trying to get Government approval to build a $30Billion pipeline to move the gas to market. I doubt that it will happen soon as it is a 10 year project that will cost between $30 Billion and $50Billion and with no return for ten years. Why would any oil company or major investor group take that risk when Hussein Obama, Pelosi and the Democrats are saying they want to put big tax burdens on the oil and gas industry The other part of this biased report referred to Alaska's Oil Production.

THINK OF ALL OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE HAD ON THIS FORUM ABOUT DRILLING IN ALASKA, WHY HASN'T IT BEEN DONE, BECAUSE NANCY PELOSI AND THE DEMOCRAT CONGRESS WON'T EVEN LET IT BE BROUGHT TO A VOTE. IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE AND OUR ENERGY INDEPENDENCE YOU BETTER THINK ABOUT WHICH PARTY HAS DONE MORE TO INCREASE OUR OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION. I ADMIT THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TENDS TO BE PRO ENERGY AND PRO OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, BUT THAT IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO THIS COUNTRY AND OUR FUTURE. LISTEN TO WHAT THE LIBERALS/DEMOCRATS SAY ON THIS FORUM DO YOU THINK THAT TYPE OF THINKING IS GOING TO GET YOU MORE OIL AND GAS FOR THE FUTURE, NOT HARDLY.

[sixdogsmom]

Are you yelling at me Frank? 

[Warph]

Are you yelling at me Frank? 

ah.... yes, I do believe he was.  I'm sure he's wondering why you insist on believing all that liberal dribble out there....  btw sdm, Alaska may have been ninth but how many people in those other eight states received an Oil Bonus check of two thousand plus??  Huh?

                   New Energy Czar---Sarah Palin?   I would say: OH! YESSSS!!!

The truth of the matter is that Alaska has some of the largest readily avaiable Natural Gas in the entire United States, Trillions of Cubic feet of Natural Gas have been reinjected back into the North Slope oil reservoirs over the years as there is no Pipeline to move the gas to the Lower 48 states. ConocoPhillips and Partners have been trying to get Government approval to build a $30Billion pipeline to move the gas to market. I doubt that it will happen soon as it is a 10 year project that will cost between $30 Billion and $50Billion and with no return for ten years. Why would any oil company or major investor group take that risk when Hussein Obama, Pelosi and the Democrats are saying they want to put big tax burdens on the oil and gas industry The other part of this biased report referred to Alaska's Oil Production, THINK OF ALL OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE HAD ON THIS FORUM ABOUT DRILLING IN ALASKA, WHY HASN'T IT BEEN DONE, BECAUSE NANCY PELOSI AND THE DEMOCRAT CONGRESS WON'T EVEN LET IT BE BROUGHT TO A VOTE. IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE AND OUR ENERGY INDEPENDENCE YOU BETTER THINK ABOIUT WHICH PARTY HAS DONE MORE TO INCREASE OUR OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION. I ADMIT THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TENDS TO BE PRO ENERGY AND PRO OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, BUT THAT IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO THIS COUNTRY AND OUR FUTURE. LISTEN TO WHAT THE LIBERALS/DEMOCRATS SAY ON THIS FORUM DO YOU THINK THAT TYPE OF THINKING IS GOING TO GET YOU MORE OIL AND GAS FOR THE FUTURE, NOT HARDLY.

Frank, I couldn't have said it better.  The democratic clowns in congress ARE NOT going to do a damn thing until this election is over.  It is a crying shame when they put the their crappy party first and the American people LAST!  The American people aren't stupid and that is why McCain/Palin will win the election in Nov.

[Diane Amberg]

Alaska's permanent fund started back in the mid 70's I think. It's a wonderful thing since a good many residents there are "subsistence locals." But I don't think any of people of the current Alaskan Gov't can take credit for it. 

[dnalexander]

Alaska's permanent fund started back in the mid 70's I think. It's a wonderful thing since a good many residents there are "subsistence locals." But I don't think any of people of the current Alaskan Gov't can take credit for it. 

The state of Alaska and many Alaskan cities have "permanent funds" that dwarf the wealth of many US states. The vast wealth does not come from oil money any more than that of a person that worked an average job at an oil company and made millions of of dollars investing their meager pay in wise investments. Alaskans took a resource they had and made sure they got a share. They took royalties from oil companies for the oil resource, they sold bonds to build some of the infrastructure, they provided some capital for development. The vast majority of the wealth of their permanent funds came from investing their money wisely. Yes their hourly wage came from the oil company but they made their wealth on wise investments which continue to thrive under their current government. Alaska permanent funds have earned most of their money by investing in the stock market and venture capital.

David

[Diane Amberg]

Thanks D. I wasn't criticizing. You are much more knowledgeable about this than I.

[Catwoman]

I have always found David to be a reliable source of information...much like his uncle Frank!

[momof 2boys]

Oh no the big, bad democrat is going to speak!!! Hold on to your hats!!   
I agree that we must tap these sources in Alaska.  Something has to be done now!! Are you shocked at my response?  Well there is more.     The oil in Alaska won't solve the energy crisis permanently.  It would be a temporary relieve for us, but what about the future generations.  We can't go on relying on oil.  We MUST find other ways to supply our energy needs for the future.  One of these days oil won't be an option due to its limited quanity on earth.  I for one believe we must find these other alternatives before that day gets here.    I don't want my children and grandchildren to have to bear this burden.

[frawin]

Gina, I think that alternative renewable energy sources should be a priority. I have Grandchildren and Children and lots of family that I am concerned for their future. Our efforts should include developing enough Crude Oil and Natural Gas as soon as possible to lessen our dependence on importing foreign crude and importing Natural Gas (LNG) much of what comes from our enemies. The Oil and Gas industry, Major OIi companies, Automobile Manufacturers and other private industry are investing Billions in research for renewable energy sources, it is going to take time and lots of research.
Unfortunately our achilles heel is Crude Oil and we continue to delay drilling in the major reserve areas because we have a bunch of politicians in Washington that are not suffering from the energy crisis and continue to play games with our future. They recently passed a bill that the Democrats are trying to say is a comprenesive energy bill ,but closer scrutiny reveals it is a band-aid on a massive wound. Why anyone would believe that the current congress would pass a big all encompassing energy bill in less than a week when they have been in recess and refusing to even allow a bill to be brought before the house for a vote. I would like to see a brain trust gathered and given a big budget to work on all facets of energy solutions including, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Battery Power, Hydrogen Fission and anything else they can come up with. The clock is ticking and we are so vulnerable to cut off of oil from our enemies, we need to come together as a Nation just as we have in past major problems, WWI, WWII, the depression, etc.