King Coal
In Deadwood (we refer to the town in South Dakota, of course, not our beloved Legislature), the Western Governors' Association unanimously approved a bold initiative to expedite development of clean energy.
The bipartisan resolution calls for massive spending on energy research into everything from genetically engineered compost heaps to good old coal.
Of course in true Western-style, the fiercely independent Western governors called on the federal government to provide all the money -- with no strings attached on how the states spend it.
Did the resolution suggest the governors go back to their own legislatures and citizens and ask for them to cough up money for the risky technologies or to guarantee loans to energy entrepreneurs? No.
It's the historic rule of manly politics of the West: No matter how dire the need, whenever possible, spend OPM*.
The ghosts lurking in historic Deadwood must have been perplexed. Surely Calamity Jane never would ask Wild Bill Hickock to bet his chips on her hand, sight unseen -- not unless she was a heck of a lot more comely than she is portrayed on HBO.
Despite several panelists' attempts to call attention to ready-for-market renewable energy sources, such as solar energy farms and wind power -- the guvs seemed fixated on finding a way to burn coal without smoke.
Memo to high-tech entrepreneurs: Solar may be sexy, but the West's got an entrenched coal lobby.
*Other People's Money.
-- Glen Warchol
The bipartisan resolution calls for massive spending on energy research into everything from genetically engineered compost heaps to good old coal.
Of course in true Western-style, the fiercely independent Western governors called on the federal government to provide all the money -- with no strings attached on how the states spend it.
Did the resolution suggest the governors go back to their own legislatures and citizens and ask for them to cough up money for the risky technologies or to guarantee loans to energy entrepreneurs? No.
It's the historic rule of manly politics of the West: No matter how dire the need, whenever possible, spend OPM*.
The ghosts lurking in historic Deadwood must have been perplexed. Surely Calamity Jane never would ask Wild Bill Hickock to bet his chips on her hand, sight unseen -- not unless she was a heck of a lot more comely than she is portrayed on HBO.
Despite several panelists' attempts to call attention to ready-for-market renewable energy sources, such as solar energy farms and wind power -- the guvs seemed fixated on finding a way to burn coal without smoke.
Memo to high-tech entrepreneurs: Solar may be sexy, but the West's got an entrenched coal lobby.
*Other People's Money.
-- Glen Warchol
4:28 PM
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1 Comments:
I'm glad you clarified the Deadwood reference. Initially, I thought you were either talking about the editorial board or that other newspaper in town.
But seriously, why these governors would decide to feed at the federal trough is beyond me. Either let the market fill the need or look to each of the western states to address the issue (separately or jointly). It's no wonder we have the problem of an overbearing federal government when our governors invite even greater dependence.
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