Webb advocates for nuclear and coal technology

By J.R. | July 14, 2008
Filed Under Campaigns and Elections |

How did I miss this last week? Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), when at a book signing in Arlington, made comments advocating for nuclear and coal as alternative energy sources. This is sure to get the left in a twist.

First nuclear:

“We need to look at nuclear. We need to have a sensible nuclear policy. We haven’t built a nuclear power plant in this country in 30 years. Technology’s changed a lot in the last 30 years. You know when I was saying this two years ago, as some people in this room know – there were people who were Democrats whose hair would get on fire when I started talking about nuclear. But it’s sensible.
….
“It’s safe when it’s done right. France has shown us that. Japan has shown us that. It has to be done right, but it’s environmentally friendly.”

Then, coal:

“In terms of coal, we need to find technological solutions – and they’re available – that will go after carbon dioxide emissions and these sorts of things,” Webb said. “When we were doing the discussion of global warming, one of the things I started saying to my staff was … ‘Somewhere out there, in a lab at MIT, or Cal-Tech or George Mason – there is somebody out there who has figured out how to break apart a carbon dioxide molecule and put a carbon bi-product and oxygen going up in the air and that person is going to make a billion dollars and will help us solve this problem.’”

Now, if we can just get him to recognize that off-shore drilling has withstood hurricanes and the climate of the North Sea without any environmental threat, keeping the fjods and beaches as pristine as they ever were, we’d be all set.

Drill here. Drill now. Pay less!

Comments

7 Responses to “Webb advocates for nuclear and coal technology”

Webb’s Foot-in-mouth disease: in remission? « The right-wing liberal on July 14th, 2008 9:57 am

[...] Foot-in-mouth disease: in remission? My junior Senator suddenly sounds healthy (J.R. at Bearing Drift): How did I miss this last week? Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), when at a book signing in Arlington, made [...]
ragnar on July 14th, 2008 10:23 am

Sen. Webb (as usual) is right on the money with common sense solutions. The opposition to nuclear is no longer rational, there was a time when it was less safe but the techonolgy has caught up and we should be ready to embrace it.

Also, on both clean coal and nuclear I recently read an economist who stated that the best way to reduce energy costs/ supply is to produce energy that can’t be shipped off of N. American shores. Electricity is the energy he recommended.

Not only can any oil we drill be shipped out of the U.S. depending on demand - which will necessarily limit any negative impact on price, but it also won’t be available for 7 years. Moreover, a report on NPR this morning reported that there were only 3,600,000,000 barrels of oil on the entire eastern seaboard per a number of estimates. This is the amount of oil currently used by the U.S. in 6 months.
Brian Kirwin on July 14th, 2008 10:58 am

NPR???

You gotta be kidding me?

First the left opposes drilling because there’s so much oil on the coast that it’ll ruin the shoreline.

Now the left opposes drilling because there’s not enough oil there?

Make up your mind!
ragnar on July 14th, 2008 11:40 am

BK - Does your post even make sense to you?
J.R. on July 14th, 2008 11:46 am

Also, thanks to an email from Jason Kenney, Politico is reporting Webb has reconsidered off-shore drilling…

Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), fresh from his GI Bill victory, said that he is now making energy a major priority. “We need to look at all our assets,” he said, suggesting a large package including expanded offshore drilling, alternative energy, nuclear power and technology to make coal cleaner.
President lifts executive order on off-shore drilling; Webb advocates offshore drilling as option | Bearing Drift on July 14th, 2008 11:51 am

[...] Sen. Webb has stated that drilling is an option. addthis_url = [...]
Duck on July 14th, 2008 4:00 pm

Like Ragnar said Webb usually makes sense. Too bad it took $4.10/gallon for him to start making sense. I just hope he has some influence on his party.