In a speech to Greene County Republicans, the incumbent 1st District Congressman David Davis made some claims which capture the imagination, but blur the facts.
He says "There is more oil in Colorado than in the entire nation of Saudi Arabia".
Well - Saudi Arabia has crude oil aplenty, yes. Colorado and other western states have huge shale oil deposits, which could create trillions of barrels of oil. Emphasis is on "could". In the 1980s, the Exxon corporation spent some $8 billion on the Colony Oil Shale Project, which ultimately failed. The cost of production plus the then-low price of oil per barrel made it a losing game.
" ... the plan to develop synthetic fuels was to be another Manhattan Project, a dramatic, accelerated national effort to meet energy needs from American resources and help make the U.S. less dependent on foreign crude."
Ah, the well-worn "Manhattan Metaphor" sure has been around for a long time. And experts agree the oil from shale does not make gasoline quality products. But the hopes remain that it could ... one day .. be viable.
Many patents exist to try and make it a more worthwhile project - but we aren't there yet.
The current pricing for crude oil may change that, and a 2006 federal program called for development of such technologies, but again, we're just not there yet. A 2006 Congressional report on the shale oil deposits in the western U.S. says:
"However, because oil shales have not proved to be economically recoverable, they are considered a contingent resource and not true reserves. It remains to be demonstrated whether an economically significant oil volume can be extracted under existing operating conditions."
But saying all of that is not nearly anywhere as catchy or as quotable as what Rep. Davis says, is it? (He's also on record saying OPEC sets oil prices, when they do not.)
Rep. Davis goes on to say "China is 90 miles off the coast of the U.S. drilling for oil, and the (Democratic-led) U.S. Congress won't let us drill there ourselves".
Well, again, that's not a factual statement.
China has partnered with Cuba's national oil company to allow Cuba to use Chinese-made equipment to explore and drill, and they (along with Spain and Canada) are drilling off of the coast of Cuba. Last time I checked, that would make it a Cuban coast and not a U.S. coast. True, though, that getting to Cuba from the U.S. is a 90-mile trip.
Once again, the facts just don't make the same snappy campaign talking points as Rep. Davis makes.
Oh, and it's the state of Florida which has prevented more oil exploration and drilling off of their coasts and Congress has agreed with them.
Alternatives to imported oil, alternatives in all areas of energy creation, are absolutely needed. But fudging the facts to score campaign-trail points serves only to keep the public ill-informed.
Showing posts with label Rep David Davis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rep David Davis. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Will The 1st District Ever Emerge From The Shadows?
After decades of empty-handed, self-serving Congressmen in the 1st District, I too am wondering if the seat might fall to a Democrat this fall. Randy Neal at TennViews points to some of the elements in this year's race. And as I have been saying for a while, many in the East Tennessee GOP want Rep. Davis to be a one-term federal representative. Randy points to the primary battle underway, as reported in The HIll:
"Johnson City Mayor Phil Roe (R) finished fourth in 2006 with 17 percent of the vote, but has quietly become one of the few challengers in the country this year to out-raise an incumbent. He reported collecting $120,000 between January and March, compared to $80,000 for Davis, who still holds a 2-to-1 advantage in total cash.
One would have to be deeply uninvolved to realize that Rep. Davis has had a lousy term. And also worth noting is that the GOP machine, which really runs this district is split over Rep. Davis. I know this area is totally filled with Conservative voters - but they too are angry with their leadership. Our area has been changing quite a bit lately in terms of who is living and working here.
If a GOP challenger or if the Democrats would organize a smart campaign converging on how this section of the state has been allowed to dissipate into the far background instead of a priority for state attention and national concerns, I think that person could win by a landslide. But with precious few media outlets, local control also in the hands of a few party leaders and their crony-filled staff, new ideas and new directions are very hard to market.
"Johnson City Mayor Phil Roe (R) finished fourth in 2006 with 17 percent of the vote, but has quietly become one of the few challengers in the country this year to out-raise an incumbent. He reported collecting $120,000 between January and March, compared to $80,000 for Davis, who still holds a 2-to-1 advantage in total cash.
Davis has signed up Bill Snodgrass as his campaign manager. Snodgrass served as district director for former Rep. Bill Jenkins (R), who served in the seat for five terms before retiring in 2006. Also, Keith Spicer, a co-chairman of Davis’s campaign last cycle, is now an adviser to Roe.
Davis’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment for this story.
Bruce Oppenheimer, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University, said it’s generally tough to beat incumbents in the state but that Roe does have an advantage in that the district is focused on a singular media market in the Tri-Cities area of Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport.
“That’s the one district where there is largely one media market, although you might have to do Knoxville as well to hit the whole district,” Oppenheimer said. “So it’s probably an affordable district to campaign against the incumbent.”
Despite the challengers’ enthusiasm, David Wasserman, a House race analyst for the Cook Political Report, said Davis will likely have to do something wrong for the voters to kick him out.
One would have to be deeply uninvolved to realize that Rep. Davis has had a lousy term. And also worth noting is that the GOP machine, which really runs this district is split over Rep. Davis. I know this area is totally filled with Conservative voters - but they too are angry with their leadership. Our area has been changing quite a bit lately in terms of who is living and working here.
If a GOP challenger or if the Democrats would organize a smart campaign converging on how this section of the state has been allowed to dissipate into the far background instead of a priority for state attention and national concerns, I think that person could win by a landslide. But with precious few media outlets, local control also in the hands of a few party leaders and their crony-filled staff, new ideas and new directions are very hard to market.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Congressman Davis Says Gasoline Price High Due To Democrats
1st District Congressman David Davis provides his views on the causes of the skyrocketing cost of gasoline and oil - he blames Nancy Pelosi and them mean ol' Democrats. Yessir, that's all there is to it. If only blame could be converted to energy .....
"Davis said he voted against the latest energy proposal to come before the House because it contained billions of dollars in tax increases on American oil companies.
"Davis also pledged to compete hard for his re-election against his primary opponent, Johnson City Mayor Phil Roe.
Even if whatever it takes is blaming others.
Now go buy something American, you slackers!!
"Davis said he voted against the latest energy proposal to come before the House because it contained billions of dollars in tax increases on American oil companies.
“I’ve never known a business to actually pay a tax. Businesses take taxes and fees and pass them on to their customer. ... The same thing is going to happen to energy,” he said.
Davis reiterated his contention that America needs energy legislation to reward those who partake in alternative energy practices and allows the United States to drill for oil on American soil.
“(Pelosi) has blocked energy drilling in (the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge), basically doing away with clean coal technology and basically doing away with the advance of nuclear energy,” he said. “Those are the things that make us competitive globally. ... Heritage (Foundation) said the current energy bill would move gas from $3 a gallon to $5 a gallon. ... (Democrats) believe you can tax and spend yourself into prosperity, and it can’t be done. ... China is going from bicycles to cars, and America is going from cars to bicycles if you follow the logic that is coming out of the leadership in Washington, and that’s not where we need to go.”
When asked how he has worked with House Democrats on a bipartisan basis, Davis cited the recently passed economic stimulus package as an example.
“That had some good leadership in it from Speaker Pelosi and President Bush,” he said of the package. “When people get those (tax rebates from the package), I hope they go out and buy some American products.”
-----"Davis also pledged to compete hard for his re-election against his primary opponent, Johnson City Mayor Phil Roe.
“I won Washington County last time (in 2006),” Davis said. “My opponent is from Washington County, and I think I will win Washington County again. ... I think I will win the election again. I will do the things it takes to win.”
Even if whatever it takes is blaming others.
Now go buy something American, you slackers!!
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Rep. Davis Rallies GOP With Old Time Revival
"The crowd responded very enthusiastically when Davis quoted Psalm 33:12, which says: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." He noted that the verse does not say "whose God was the Lord," and pointed out the difference.
All comments from your local Congressman, David davis, as reported in the Greeneville Sun.
Davis was certain to invoke his unending support for war in Iraq, was certain to mention 9-11, and other concerns of the fearful and he did not disappoint. No mention of enforcing the laws on business which relies on illegal immigrants, just distaste for immigrants.
I hope voters take note of all the current office-holders and candidates who share these views. Are they representing you? Or do they represent a view more 19th Century that 21st Century?
"We should protect 'Under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance: return prayer to our schools; maintain 'In God We Trust' on our money; and allow the Ten Commandments to remain on courthouse lawns and walls," Davis said, to considerable applause.
"And finally, we must protect the rule of law," he said. "During the 45 years leading up to the Immigration Act of 1965, 10 million immigrants came to the U.S. and were successfully integrated into American culture." But the onset that began then and accelerated has "overwhelmed our ability to assimilate."
This year, Davis noted, 1.3 million immigrants will enter this country, 400,000 of them illegal.
All comments from your local Congressman, David davis, as reported in the Greeneville Sun.
Davis was certain to invoke his unending support for war in Iraq, was certain to mention 9-11, and other concerns of the fearful and he did not disappoint. No mention of enforcing the laws on business which relies on illegal immigrants, just distaste for immigrants.
I hope voters take note of all the current office-holders and candidates who share these views. Are they representing you? Or do they represent a view more 19th Century that 21st Century?
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Congressman Davis Plans Long Stay in Office
The straight-up fact is that when a person nabs the 1st District Congressional seat, it's pretty much theirs for as long as they wish to have it. Since 1963, only three Republicans have held the seat - Jimmy Quillen (1963-1997), Bill Jenkins (1997-2007) and current Congressman David Davis.
So it is no surprise to read in the Rogersville Review that he plans to run again, and that the seat is already locked up in his view:
"I haven’t made any official announcement yet, but I do plan to run for re-election,” Davis said.
The congressman said he is not aware of anyone “seriously” looking at mounting a challenge in the Republican primary, and he noted a Democrat has not been elected to serve the district since 1878.
“There is a possibility somebody might come out in the primary, but I have run in primaries before and I think I would be able to win again,” Davis said. “When you look at the history of the district, once you win the primary and are elected the voters tend to send you back if you do a good job of representing the values of East Tennessee."
However, I continue to hear rumblings from the upper East TN GOP that they wish to make Davis a one-term man. I'd expect a small battle in the primaries - though as Davis said, history is his ally.
Still, I wonder if no changes over a 100-year period indicate contentment or indifference.
So it is no surprise to read in the Rogersville Review that he plans to run again, and that the seat is already locked up in his view:
"I haven’t made any official announcement yet, but I do plan to run for re-election,” Davis said.
The congressman said he is not aware of anyone “seriously” looking at mounting a challenge in the Republican primary, and he noted a Democrat has not been elected to serve the district since 1878.
“There is a possibility somebody might come out in the primary, but I have run in primaries before and I think I would be able to win again,” Davis said. “When you look at the history of the district, once you win the primary and are elected the voters tend to send you back if you do a good job of representing the values of East Tennessee."
However, I continue to hear rumblings from the upper East TN GOP that they wish to make Davis a one-term man. I'd expect a small battle in the primaries - though as Davis said, history is his ally.
Still, I wonder if no changes over a 100-year period indicate contentment or indifference.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Davis Talks Nuclear and Alternative Energy with Alexander, Wamp and Shuler
The headlines this summer about Erwin, TN's Nuclear Fuel Services plant were focused on how the company had used national security concerns to halt even information the public should have known - such as a small radioactive spill. This week, Senator Lamar Alexander and Rep. David Davis toured to plant and said all was well. No mention from them in press reports that the plant may be sold in the near future.
Earlier this summer, stories followed the facts that security concerns allowed company officials to designate all documents as secret, an action going back for years:
"[NRC] Agency commissioners, apparently struck by the significance of the event, took a special vote to skirt the "Official Use Only" rule so that Nuclear Fuel Services would be identified in the report as the site of the uranium leak.
Some 35 liters, or just over 9 gallons, of highly enriched uranium solution leaked from a transfer line into a protected glovebox and spilled onto the floor. The leak was discovered when a supervisor saw a yellow liquid "running into a hallway" from under a door, according to one document.
The commission said there were two areas, the glovebox and an old elevator shaft, where the solution potentially could have collected in such a way to cause an uncontrolled nuclear reaction.
"It is likely that at least one worker would have received an exposure high enough to cause acute health effects or death," the agency wrote.
"We don't want any security information out there that's going to help a terrorist," agency Commissioner Edward McGaffigan Jr. said in a newly released transcript from a closed commission meeting May 30. But "that's entirely separate" from dealing with an event that could have killed a worker at the plant.
-----
"Nuclear Fuel Services Executive Vice President Timothy Lindstrom, a Navy veteran who joined the company in September, said the company had already made "significant progress."
"I think it is important that the public recognize that we do have a very robust safety program at NFS. We live in this community and take our stewardship very seriously," he said.
"I think if we were to have an event like this again, we would push to make it public," he added. "Clearly it would have been better to have this discussion 18 months ago than it is to have it now."
Meanwhile, NFS told its 700 employees this past week it will be "exploring the possibility of a sale" over the next 12 months - not because of the commission's disclosure, but because of the company's increasing value to a booming nuclear power industry."
I have to wonder if safety records and public notification must be on the public record BEFORE a sale could occur. Meanwhile ....
Late this past week Sen. Lamar Alexander and Rep. David Davis toured the facility, which is Unicoi County's largest employer. They said they think the public needs to be better informed on accidents at the plant and Davis praised security measures at the facility as being as good as those in Iraq:
"Both lawmakers said they believe rules can be relaxed that prohibited letting the public know about a spill of radioactive liquid at NFS last year that did not endanger public safety, and that they will support such a change to loosen the information restrictions. "
-----
"Rep. Davis, who grew up in Unicoi County near where the NFS facility is located, told the media that his mother-in-law has lived for years within a half -mile of the facility, and still does.
He said, “I don’t think my mother-in-law would live within half a mile if she was worried” about the plant’s safety.
Davis said he also believes the plant, which employs 715 people and has its own large plant security force, is safe from terrorists.
The congressman noted that he recently returned from Iraq, where he saw several military bases. He said he believes NFS’s perimeter and internal security is as good as, or better than, the security at U.S. military facilities in Iraq."
Rep. Davis was making several public appearances this week to talk about (or more accurately listen to others) on the topic of energy needs and costs for businesses in East TN. One stop was made with N.C. Congressman Health Shuler.
Democrat Shuler said he was happy that Republican Davis was willing to "cross party lines to talk about what was right for America."
Another visit was a conference in Morristown , where he was joined by Rep. Zach Wamp and others from the University of Tennessee to hear ideas on alternative fuels, like 'grassohol', which though perhaps full of potentials, is likewise problematic for a wide range of reasons:
"Currently, the market for fuel made from switchgrass is limited, because so few vehicles can burn it. Not enough switchgrass is being grown currently, and transportation of the harvested grass to a refinery is also an issue that will have to be addressed, though plans are in place, [agricultural economist and is director of external operations for bioenergy programs at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Dr. Kelly] Tiller said.
Plans call for $8 million in incentives for farmers to grow switchgrass for the pilot refinery, over a five-year period. As a practical matter, most of those farms will need to be within a 50-mile radius of the refinery, [chairman of biofuels farmer education programs with UT Extension, Dr. Clark] Garland said.
About 92 acres of switchgrass have been grown with Department of Energy funding on five farms in Benton and Henry counties, both of which are in West Tennessee. One acre, on average, can produce enough switchgrass to convert to 500 gallons of “Grassohol,” Garland said."
Earlier this summer, stories followed the facts that security concerns allowed company officials to designate all documents as secret, an action going back for years:
"[NRC] Agency commissioners, apparently struck by the significance of the event, took a special vote to skirt the "Official Use Only" rule so that Nuclear Fuel Services would be identified in the report as the site of the uranium leak.
Some 35 liters, or just over 9 gallons, of highly enriched uranium solution leaked from a transfer line into a protected glovebox and spilled onto the floor. The leak was discovered when a supervisor saw a yellow liquid "running into a hallway" from under a door, according to one document.
The commission said there were two areas, the glovebox and an old elevator shaft, where the solution potentially could have collected in such a way to cause an uncontrolled nuclear reaction.
"It is likely that at least one worker would have received an exposure high enough to cause acute health effects or death," the agency wrote.
"We don't want any security information out there that's going to help a terrorist," agency Commissioner Edward McGaffigan Jr. said in a newly released transcript from a closed commission meeting May 30. But "that's entirely separate" from dealing with an event that could have killed a worker at the plant.
-----
"Nuclear Fuel Services Executive Vice President Timothy Lindstrom, a Navy veteran who joined the company in September, said the company had already made "significant progress."
"I think it is important that the public recognize that we do have a very robust safety program at NFS. We live in this community and take our stewardship very seriously," he said.
"I think if we were to have an event like this again, we would push to make it public," he added. "Clearly it would have been better to have this discussion 18 months ago than it is to have it now."
Meanwhile, NFS told its 700 employees this past week it will be "exploring the possibility of a sale" over the next 12 months - not because of the commission's disclosure, but because of the company's increasing value to a booming nuclear power industry."
I have to wonder if safety records and public notification must be on the public record BEFORE a sale could occur. Meanwhile ....
Late this past week Sen. Lamar Alexander and Rep. David Davis toured the facility, which is Unicoi County's largest employer. They said they think the public needs to be better informed on accidents at the plant and Davis praised security measures at the facility as being as good as those in Iraq:
"Both lawmakers said they believe rules can be relaxed that prohibited letting the public know about a spill of radioactive liquid at NFS last year that did not endanger public safety, and that they will support such a change to loosen the information restrictions. "
-----
"Rep. Davis, who grew up in Unicoi County near where the NFS facility is located, told the media that his mother-in-law has lived for years within a half -mile of the facility, and still does.
He said, “I don’t think my mother-in-law would live within half a mile if she was worried” about the plant’s safety.
Davis said he also believes the plant, which employs 715 people and has its own large plant security force, is safe from terrorists.
The congressman noted that he recently returned from Iraq, where he saw several military bases. He said he believes NFS’s perimeter and internal security is as good as, or better than, the security at U.S. military facilities in Iraq."
Rep. Davis was making several public appearances this week to talk about (or more accurately listen to others) on the topic of energy needs and costs for businesses in East TN. One stop was made with N.C. Congressman Health Shuler.
Democrat Shuler said he was happy that Republican Davis was willing to "cross party lines to talk about what was right for America."
Another visit was a conference in Morristown , where he was joined by Rep. Zach Wamp and others from the University of Tennessee to hear ideas on alternative fuels, like 'grassohol', which though perhaps full of potentials, is likewise problematic for a wide range of reasons:
"Currently, the market for fuel made from switchgrass is limited, because so few vehicles can burn it. Not enough switchgrass is being grown currently, and transportation of the harvested grass to a refinery is also an issue that will have to be addressed, though plans are in place, [agricultural economist and is director of external operations for bioenergy programs at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Dr. Kelly] Tiller said.
Plans call for $8 million in incentives for farmers to grow switchgrass for the pilot refinery, over a five-year period. As a practical matter, most of those farms will need to be within a 50-mile radius of the refinery, [chairman of biofuels farmer education programs with UT Extension, Dr. Clark] Garland said.
About 92 acres of switchgrass have been grown with Department of Energy funding on five farms in Benton and Henry counties, both of which are in West Tennessee. One acre, on average, can produce enough switchgrass to convert to 500 gallons of “Grassohol,” Garland said."
Monday, August 27, 2007
House Ethics Group Not Done With Davis Aide
It turns out that despite efforts from the 1st District Congressman David Davis, the House Ethics Committee is still reviewing what actions might be taken for Davis' PR Chief Timothy Hill who was caught removing factual details about contributors to Davis from the WikiPedia website.
Hill took the 'ethics training' classes earlier this year, and Rep. Davis said last week it was 'up to him' to decide what disciplinary actions Hill should get, which Davis said would be more ethics classes.
But the committee itself hasn't ruled on the case yet and likely won't until Congress re-convenes next month:
"[Chief of Staff Brenda Otterson said Friday] the committee asked her to clarify her Thursday announcement noting that Davis decided Timothy Hill should be required to take ethics training classes in September for editing Davis’ and Matthew Hill’s Wikipedia entries by using a congressional office computer.
"This is not uncommon. (Wikipedia) has an edit button. I’m sorry Timothy actually took the word edit literally,” Davis said.
The facts remain that Hill's work is likely a violation of ethics rules, despite protests to the contrary.
The full report is in the Kingsport Times-News.
Hill took the 'ethics training' classes earlier this year, and Rep. Davis said last week it was 'up to him' to decide what disciplinary actions Hill should get, which Davis said would be more ethics classes.
But the committee itself hasn't ruled on the case yet and likely won't until Congress re-convenes next month:
"[Chief of Staff Brenda Otterson said Friday] the committee asked her to clarify her Thursday announcement noting that Davis decided Timothy Hill should be required to take ethics training classes in September for editing Davis’ and Matthew Hill’s Wikipedia entries by using a congressional office computer.
“My communications with the committee regarding the issue at hand have been proactive, but informal and with committee staff, not formally with the committee itself. The committee has not taken any formal, official position on this matter,” Otterson said in an e-mail. “I just want to make it clear that this was an informal inquiry by phone with staff on the committee to see how we should handle this matter, and I sought advice and counsel from them — no formal investigation by them — just our seriously looking into what the precedents were, and to see how we should or could address the issue.”
Davis, during a stop Friday to tour Kingsport’s Holston Business Development Center (HBDC), said he didn’t think the House committee will take further action.
“It’s not worth going through the process. I don’t think there will be another statement coming out of that committee. They left it up to me to decide,” Davis, R-1st District, said before addressing business and government leaders at the center.
The U.S. House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is chaired by U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, who represents a Cleveland area district. Congress is currently in recess and will not convene until September."
"This is not uncommon. (Wikipedia) has an edit button. I’m sorry Timothy actually took the word edit literally,” Davis said.
Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia project run by the Wikimedia Foundation (WF), encourages “appropriate participation” from politicians, WF Chairman Emeritus Jimmy Wales said in an e-mail.
“We hope that in the future, this participation will take the form of posting comments and requests to the discussion pages, rather than directly editing articles where people have a conflict of interest,” Wales stressed.
"Nobody pays any attention to Wikipedia,” Davis said. “My daughter is a college student and was told in her college classes ‘If you use Wikipedia, you will lose a letter grade.’”The facts remain that Hill's work is likely a violation of ethics rules, despite protests to the contrary.
The full report is in the Kingsport Times-News.
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