Time to ask SAM some real Questions...

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The Democratic Party Candidate for the sixth district of Virginia has been active for sometime now and has gained some traction with those who “want” to hear what he is saying without being asked the real questions to issues.

Today’s article in the NewsVirginian has SAM standing in the middle of The Augusta Free Press delivering his ideas for renewable energy to the local press. It should be noted that the headquarters for The Augusta Free Press has numerous signs surrounding the building supporting SAM and campaign literature throughout the office. The owner, editor, and reporter of The Augusta Free Press is also the Chairman of the Waynesboro Democratic Committee and strong supporter of SAM. I have little problem with this association as long as the reader is aware of it and understands in the majority of the time this results in a “bias” or lack of harder questions being asked.

SAM is campaigning to become the Democratic Party Virginia Representative to the House in Congress and is on track to fit right in with Pelosi and her “Alternative” version of the House. Like Pelosi and her gang, who cut town last week to start their FIVE WEEK vacation without allowing debate and a vote on drilling for our own and known oil reserves, SAM is being allowed to present his energy “solutions” without being asked real questions… NewsVirginian reporter Bob Stuart has been fair in his reporting in the past and perhaps he did not get the opportunity or print space to ask pertinent questions, but the NewsVirginian reporting of this event lack the questions needed to be asked.

Now SAM stated: “We can manufacture wind turbines and solar panels here. We can also create service-oriented jobs with the installation of these,” Great idea but where are the questions asking how many jobs? How long will the service or installation jobs last once the turbines are erected and operating? With all of the opposition to wind turbines for they destroy “vista’s” and injure wildlife(?), where will these wind farms be allowed? Several attempts to develop wind farms in this area have been met with powerful “Environmentalism” forces favored by the Democratic Party and how would SAM vote? Wind turbines now only produce 20-25% of their rated capacity so what is the effective or “real” amount of open space needed to produce enough energy to make a difference?

SAM also stated: “If we can put a man on the moon in less than a decade, we can become energy independent in the same time.’’ Very good but what will you do to increase or maintain the economy to take on such a great effort? The Democratic Party that SAM is striving to become a voting part of claims that additional drilling efforts would not deliver any oil for another ten years. How will SAM pay for the next Ten year project with present fuel\energy costs continuing to rise? Higher and increasing energy costs will result in a slower or receding economy so how will Pelosi and SAM pay for their Ten year “Moon” project?

SAM continued with: “America’s car industry needs hybrid technology, and the U.S. rail system needs an upgrade so freight can be moved more quickly on it from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast” More great ideas and I agree with both ideas but how much will Hybrid technology save and at what “cost”? Hybrid vehicles do save gasoline but what is the true cost to the taxpayer as our government dumps millions into projects like this to make them work? Look at the cost of a forced ethanol program that is resulting in a actual higher cost in producing the same energy. Many of Pelosi’s friends are calling for electric cars as a solution to energy and fuel consumption problems, but where does the electric come from that recharges these quick and “Stage One” solutions?

SAM finishes with: “Rasoul said it is also a question of national security given America’s dependence on foreign oil. The U.S. imports more than two thirds of its oil.” I agree! So how will preventing drilling for known American oil reserves reduce our dependence on foreign oil? By allowing drilling for the known and easier locations of oil this will result in those millions of dollars that are going to our “foreign enemies” to go into American companies and paychecks, thus financing the new and “alternative” sources of energy that we all agree must be developed…

A few weeks back SAM stood at a local gas station paying a $dollar$ for each gallon, up to $10.00 pumped while talking to each gasoline customer. Now I am sure this made the consumer feel good at the moment, but what happened in a day or two once that ten gallons of “cheap” gas was consumed? Now unless SAM plans on standing as the Democratic Virginia Representative to Congress at every gas station in the sixth district handing out $1 for every gallon pumped, (tax money?) how was that a real solution to the problems we face?

Both national and local media needs to start asking the harder questions to these “Alternative” energy solutions….