McCain Hearts Nuclear Energy

I knew John McCain liked nuclear energy, but I didn't it know it had captured his heart. I stumbled upon this piece today and found out that McCain wants to build a nuclear plant near you! Here's a snippet from a speech he gave back in April of 2007:

We have in use today a zero emission energy that could provide electricity for millions more homes and businesses than it currently does. Yet it has been over twenty-five years since a nuclear power plant has been constructed. The barriers to nuclear energy are political not technological. We've let the fears of thirty years ago, and an endless political squabble over the storage of nuclear spent fuel make it virtually impossible to build a single new plant that produces a form of energy that is safe and non-polluting. If France can produce 80% of its electricity with nuclear power, why can't we? Is France a more secure, advanced and innovative country than we are? Are France's scientists and entrepreneurs more capable than we are? I need no answer to that rhetorical question. I know my country well enough to know otherwise.

Problem is, when you take into consideration increased energy consumption, replacing old reactors among other factors, we would need to build 700 new reactors to produce that much energy. Who wants a nuclear energy reactor built near their community?

Joseph Romm explains what it would take for the U.S. to become 80% dependent on nuclear energy:

What would it take for us to be 80% Nuclear?

We would have to quadruple the number of reactors to 400, which would take decades even if we could somehow return to -- and sustain -- the fastest decadal rate of U.S. nuclear plant construction. But that wouldn't mean just building 300 new nuclear plants, for several reasons.

First, by 2050, almost all of the existing plants would need to be replaced, so that is another hundred to build if we want to hit the 80% goal.

And then, since McCain is not a big booster of energy efficiency (his McCain-Lieberman climate bill has no substantive energy efficiency provisions in it at all), we have to deal with some 1.1% annual electricity growth, which means we'll need more than 600 nukes in 2050.

Romm also breaks down the cost of building that many new reactors at the bargain price of 4 trillion dollars:

Since $6,000 per kw is $6 billion per GW, 700 GW would require a cost of some $4 trillion, assuming there was no significant cost escalation from production delays and from the serious bottlenecks in the nuclear supply chain

We spent around that much in Iraq right? Why not invest that much money into dirty energy rather than solar and wind power? In the same speech McCain did address the issue of how communities will benefit from safely storing the used nuclear energy:

Let's provide for safe storage of spent nuclear fuel, and give host states or localities a proprietary interest so when advanced recycling technologies turn used fuel into a valuable commodity, the public will share in its economic benefits.

Well, that clears everything up doesn't? I'll make sure to sign my community up for the next nuclear waste repository.

The Perfect Attack Ad

The Merkley Campaign for Oregon Senate released their first attack ad. Was it against their primary opponent Steve Novick? No! House Speaker Jeff Merkley is aiming his fire at "special interest" Smith. Just this past week Gordon Smith attacked both Jeff Merkley and Steve Novick and Merkley is wasting no time in responding to Smith's nonsense. Check it out:



This is a great attack ad against Smith. With energy prices at an all time high, how do you think Oregonians will react when they realize he's in the pocket for big oil? How will Oregonians react when they realize that Gordon Smith voted against lowering prescription drug prices?

Over at MYDD, Todd Beeton questions whether it's smart for the Merkley campaign to attack Gordon Smith rather than their Democratic primary opponent. The thing is, Merkley is showing Oregon Democrats that he's not afraid to take Gordon Smith on and expose his hypocrisy. By airing this ad, Merkley is showing Oregon Democrats that he'll run an effective campaign against Smith with a solid message that appeals to all types of Oregonians. I'm impressed by the ad, are you?

McCain: Compassionate Conservative?

Do the two words compassionate conservative ring a bell? We are all very familiar with Bush's example as a compassionate conservative. When kids need health care, Bush made sure to block it. When Bush submits his budgets year after year, he makes sure to give tax breaks to the most profitable industries and cut programs for the poor. America is so much better off with Bush's compassionate actions. That is why it's no surprise John McCain is trying to follow in his footsteps. In a showing of immense generosity, John McCain is trying to help pay off Rudy Giuliani's campaign debt. From the WSJ:

“The Giuliani campaign is trying to retire the debt they incurred during the primary campaign. As the leadership of this campaign, the Senator and I are asking you to help in this effort,” wrote Davis, who praised the former New York City mayor as “a national hero” and thanked him for his “dedicated support” of McCain.

It looks as though paying off Rudy's debt is a big deal for them. It's a moral imperative for them to help out a fellow wealthy Republican who has found himself deep in debt. Here's another snippet from the WSJ:

In the memo, written to the “McCain Finance Leadership” with the subject line “Help Unite the Party,” Davis acknowledges that some donors might raise eyebrows at the appeal.

“While this is an unusual request, it is extremely important for the McCain campaign and the party. We need to help Mayor Giuliani retire his debt as soon as possible so we can move forward with everyone spending 100% of their time helping to get John McCain in the White House,” wrote Davis, “The time Rudy Giuliani has to spend raising money to pay down his debt is time he could be spending raising money and reaching out to voters for us.”

I know what you're thinking. You've been wrong about John McCain for so long. You assumed because he voted against SCHIP and is rated the worst Senator in Congress on children's issues by the Children's Defense Fund that he lacks compassion. You assumed he wasn't a generous man considering he thought bailing out Bear Stearns was the right thing to do while helping out homeowners was the wrong thing to do. You were wrong. We all were. While John McCain may not want to help the poor or middle class, he will reach out for the wealthiest among us. That's true compassionate conservatism in action. Makes me want to cry.

OR-Sen Candidate Merkley Hits the Tubes!

Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley has released his first major ad in hopes of wooing voters before the primary on May 20th. It's the first major ad buy from the Merkley Campaign after entering the race back in August. Since Merkley's entrance in the race he's received the enddrsement of the AFL-CIO to Basic Rights Oregon and the SEIU to name a few. Now that his organization has been building steadily, it's time for the voters to get to know Jeff Merkley. Here's the new ad:



The reason I liked the ad was because it addressed the issues that matter in America. I have a thing for candidates who stick to the issues! In our political climate today, Democrats should be focused on the economy, health care and Iraq IMO. Here's a little backround on where Merkley stands on the issues brought up in the ad.

The Iraq War

Jeff Merkley opposed the invasion of Iraq from the beginning. He did not believe that Saddam posed a threat to America. At a blogger meeting not too long ago, Merkley spoke about his time at the Defense Dept. When he found out that Richard Perle was one of the people pushing for an Iraq invasion, he knew that there was something very wrong about it. Merkley was the first Senate candidate to sign on to the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq. Merkley has proposed a withdrawal plan on his website and is adamant about making sure every American contractor leaves Iraq.

The Environment

As Speaker of the House, Merkley presided over the greenest session Oregon has seen in the last 30 years. Merkley has been endorsed by The Sierra Club and received the coveted endorsement of The Council for a Livable World. He championed a bill that gave incentives for bio-fuel production and helped pass legislation that would make 25% of the electricity in Oregon produced by renewables by 2025. Merkley has a detailed plan to combat climate change and create a green energy economy here at home.

A Woman's Right to Choose

Merkley is a staunch supporter of a woman's right to choose, Republican Gordon Smith, otoh is not. On the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Jeff Merkley released this statement:

“The anniversary of Roe v. Wade today reminds us how far we have come in the struggle for basic family health care, but it is also a reminder of just how far we have left to go.

“The right to choose is under attack every day at the local, state and federal levels. And the fight isn’t just limited to abortion rights. Access to birth control and even the right to medically accurate information are prime targets.

“I am proud that last year the state legislature guaranteed that victims of sexual assault are able to access emergency contraception in every hospital emergency room. We also made sure that health insurance companies could not discriminate against women by denying them coverage for birth control.

“Right now, protection for Roe is very tenuous among the justices on the Supreme Court. That’s why it is critical to elect a President and a U.S. Senate that will stand up for American families. Just like I did in the state legislature, I will always stand up to protect the right to choose as a U.S. Senator.”

Jeff Merkley has proven that he'll be a very strong progressive Senator with the skills to get progressive legislation passed. There are only six weeks to go before the primary folks! Political signs are popping up out of nowhere and things are getting fired up here in Oregon. The Obama Campaign has moved in to town, and it will be the first time in a long time that Oregon will get political attention. I'm excited to vote on May 20th, and even though I'm still not sure which Presidential candidate will get my vote, Jeff Merkley has my vote for Oregon Senate.

If you'd like to learn more about Jeff Merkley go here. If you live in Oregon or in a nearby state and want to volunteer for Merkley go here. If you'd like to give a little, consider giving to Merkley via my Act Blue fundraising page. Thanks!

Will McCain Honor MLK's Legacy?

Just like Vice President Dick Cheney and Newt Gingrich, John McCain opposed the federal holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. I'm not sure what kind of American does not believe that a revolutionary leader like King does not deserve a day of remembrance. We're all bettered by being reminded of his calls for equality no matter your race, religion, gender or economic status. MLK Jr. helped make our country what it has become today; a more tolerant society. I'm not saying we don't still have a ways to go, but King certainly helped shape our nation for the better.

McCain has a troubled past when it comes to honoring the legacy of Dr. King and recognizing impact he had on American society. During the assassinations of King and RFK, McCain was being held as a POW. McCain spoke about the kind of news the POW's would receive. Here's a snippet from an interview with USA Today back in 1987:

"They never gave us any meaningful news," McCain said. "They told us the day that Martin Luther King was shot, they told us the day that Bobby Kennedy was shot, but they never bothered to tell us about the moon shot. So it was certainly selected news."

The assassinations of MLK and RFK was not meaningful news to report? The leader of the civil rights movement had his life cut short, and you don't find that meaningful to report?

The above statement reveals a level of blatant ignorance on the part of McCain. IMO, the civil rights movement would not have been as effective if it weren't for King's message of non-violence. To complain about learning about King's assassination rather than the advances in space exploration shows a total lack of understanding and compassion. While our strides in space innovation during the 1960's bestowed a feeling of inspiration and pride to our nation, Dr. King was teaching us tolerance and peace rather than hatred. It wasn't "selected news", to report on the assassination of Dr. King. His message was part of the soul of this nation and still is today. To not tell the POWs about something as grave as the assassination of one of America's most influential leaders, now that would be reprehensible.

On today's anniversary of King's assassination, McCain gave a speech in front of the hotel where King was shot. He spoke to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Memphis, and did receive some applause and some boos. He was quick to apologize again for his vote against the federal holiday. Here's a snippet of what he had to say:

A mistake I myself made long ago. I myself made long ago when I voted against a federal holiday in remembrance of Dr. King. I was wrong. I was wrong. We all make mistakes. We all make mistakes. I was wrong and eventually realized that in time, in time to give full support, full support for a state holiday in my home state of arizona.

I'm a staunch believer that people can change. People do it all the time. We realize the mistakes we made in the past and we grow beyond them. So, maybe he has changed and fully realizes the kind of man MLK was. Or, maybe not. Here's an exchange from McCain just one year ago recanting the moment he heard the news about MLK's assassination. From ABC:

"I was in prison when they announced over the loudspeaker in my cell," McCain told reporters in Jacksonville, Fla. "I was living by myself, that Dr. Martin Luther King had been assassinated. They always told us the very bad news, but somehow avoided telling us minor events such as landing a man on the moon. I didn't find that out until a couple years after the event itself. I didn't know Dr. King. I was a member of the military. Obviously I admire him as all Americans do.

Obviously. You're not very convincing McCain. How about I give you a chance to redeem yourself? MLK Jr. was against the Vietnam War, and there is not doubt in my mind that if he were alive today he would be opposed to the current War in Iraq. If you want to honor Dr. King, you should start calling for an end to the Iraq War. MLK Jr. was a fighter for economic justice in America. If you want to prove that you have changed for the better, you need to start supporting programs that lift people out of poverty. You said you won't "bail out" homeowners out in their time of need. It's time for you to change McCain. There's no doubt in my mind that MLK Jr. would want every American to have access to medical treatment no matter if they're rich or poor. Prove that you're a changed man and start supporting UHC for all Americans. Prove that you really honor the legacy of Dr. King and start pushing for a more compassionate society that thrives on gender, race and economic equality.

Momentum Growing for OR-Sen Candidate Merkley

In the upcoming election, all eyes won't just be on the Presidential race, they'll also be looking to Oregon. After nearly six long years, Gordon Smith is finally up for re-election here in my home state. I have been very happy with one of my Senators, Ron Wyden, who has been a dependable progressive vote in the Senate. Gordon Smith, otoh, has been a rubber stamp for Bush's disastrous policies. There were numerous rumors about who was going to jump in the race and challenge Smith. There was the talk of Reps. Peter Defazio and Earl Blumenauer, and even former Governor Kitzhaber. Lawyer/activist Steve Novick threw his hat in the ring at an early date, but I wasn't convinced he could take on millionaire and faux moderate Smith. Back in August, we finally got ourselves a formidable challenger to Smith, Speaker of the House Jeff Merkley.

Admittedly, I didn't know enough about Jeff Merkley. I knew that the state legislature had been doing wonders for Oregon labor and the environment. 2007 was labeled the greenest session by the OLCV in thirty years. I knew that we were successful in passing domestic partnerships legislation. I knew that we were successful in passing the first payday lending law in the nation. BTW, some payday lending companies are leaving Oregon because they can't handle a cap on outlandish interest rates. Boo hoo. I also was happy when the Rainy Day Fund for schools was passed considering our financial challenges regarding Oregon's public schools. At the time I didn't know who the force behind many of these victories was. I do now. As Speaker of the House, Jeff Merkley was instrumental in gaining support from both sides of the aisle to help pass these bills.

I know that some shudder at the word bi-partisanship. Some people immediately think it means that we have to compromise our values. With Merkley as House Speaker, he was able to get Republicans on board with progressive legislation. That really impressed me. It's part of the reason I'm such a staunch supporter of his candidacy. We need more Democrats that won't compromise their values and will push progressive legislation. Right now, the Senate is filled with weak Democrats. We cave to the minority party. The minority party! We need progressive legislators who will not let the people down, when they're in the minority or the majority. Period.

On May 20th, Oregon will hold its primary. I still haven't decided which Presidential candidate I'll vote for. When it comes to the Democratic primary for Oregon Senate, there's no doubt in my mind who I'll cast my ballot for, Jeff Merkley! I'm not the only Oregon progressive lining up behind Merkley for Senate. The campaign just released this video of all his endorsements by progressive legislators and labor/environmental groups. Check it out:



With all the recent endorsements for Merkley, from the SEIU to the Sierra Club, it looks as though Merkley's got all the momentum in the world. Barack Obama just came to town and met with Merkley at a rally in Eugene. When it comes to fundraising, Merkley has raised more money than any challenger in Oregon history. We're going to need to funds and the organization if we want to unseat Smith. If you'd like to get to know more about Merkley go here. If you'd like to see where he stands on the issues go here.

OR-Sen Candidate Joins Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq

As we approach the 5th anniversary of the Iraq War, there is a movement building to end the war. The Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq is a growing coalition of congressional candidates and military leaders who are pushing a swift and responsible withdrawal plan. The coalition includes candidates like Darcy Burner WA-8 and Donna Edwards MD-4, Major General Paul Eaton who was the former Security Transition Commanding General in Iraq and Dr. Lawrence Korb who is the former Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration. The coalition to end the war just got gained another endorser, Oregon Senate candidate and current House Speaker Jeff Merkley.

Yesterday, the Darcy Burner campaign posted a diary about the Responsible Plan to End the Iraq War. Here's a snippet from Darcy about how the whole movement began:

For five years we have asked our political leaders these questions, and for five years the answers never came. Well, about six months ago, some fellow Democratic challengers and I got tired of waiting, and today we introduce the fruit of our impatience: "A Responsible Plan For Ending The War In Iraq." It is intended to map out how we can end the war and prevent a mistake like this from ever happening again.

Working with such military experts as Major General Paul Eaton, who was General Petraeus' predecessor in Iraq, and building off the work of the Iraq Study Group and existing legislation, we have created a plan for congressional action to answer these questions and fundamentally change the debate on national security. This is the conversation our public officials, citizens and the media need to be having, but have not – until now.

This plan presents a set of actions that Congress can take to remove all troops from Iraq while engaging in a diplomatic, political and economic offensive in the region. It is designed to convert our current costly and unsuccessful military approach to a more effective civilian one that addresses the root problems we face in Iraq. It moves us away from the use of military tools and enables more robust diplomatic and humanitarian work. It offers a path to rebuild the military, the State Department, and a commitment to take care of returning veterans.

Here in Oregon, my preferred Senate Candidate Jeff Merkley has signed on to the plan. Jeff Merkley was opposed to the Iraq War from the beginning and has been a staunch proponent of a withdrawal, so it's no surprise that he's joined the movement. Here's a snippet from his website:

On the eve of the five-year anniversary of the Iraq war, House Speaker Jeff Merkley endorsed A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, authored by Major General Paul Eaton (U.S. ARMY RET.) former Security Transition Commanding General, Iraq; Dr. Lawrence Korb former Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration; Brigadier General John Johns (U.S. ARMY RET.) specialist in counterinsurgency and nation-building; and Capt. Larry Seaquist (U.S. NAVY) and presented by Washington Congressional candidate Darcy Burner and other House candidates around the country.

"I opposed this war publicly from the very beginning. It's now long past time to bring our sons and daughters home, repay the debt we owe our veterans, and restore America's standing in the world," said House Speaker Jeff Merkley said. "Gordon Smith and the Bush Administration led us into this war and have never offered a plan to get us out. Smith has manipulated and confused the media and the public and done nothing to bring an end to this war."

If you'd like to read more about Merkley's endorsement of the plan go here. I hope that more candidates like Jeff Merkley join the House candidates and the Military leaders in supporting this growing movement. It's encouraging that numerous Democratic candidates are taking the lead on this issue. What about our current Senators and Reps? Where are they? Democrats were not successful at gaining a sixty vote majority to override Bush's veto to pass a timetable for withdrawal. We can't let them give up! They should be joining this coalition and adding strength to the movement to end the war. Please contact your Senators and Reps and encourage them to sign on to the plan.

As of today, We've lost 3,990 soldiers in Iraq and tens of thousands have been injured. How long can we afford to let Congress do nothing?

To learn more about the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq go here.