R.F.K. Jr.: The U.S. Gives Over $2 Trillion Per Year In Oil and Coal Subsidies Out Of The Total Federal Budget of $2.9 trillion?
 Thanks to Newsbusters for catching this blatant lie from Robert Kennedy Jr.:
 The other point I would make is what John Stossel is saying, a free market would be good. We don’t have a free market in the energy industry. Everybody knows that. We give a trillion a year in subsidies, direct and indirect subsidies, to oil, and somewhere near a trillion dollars to coal. We also — nuclear energy is also highly subsidized. If we had a real free market that does what a market is supposed to do, which is to reward good behavior and punish bad behavior and inefficiency, wind, solar, geothermal and tidal would easily triumph in the marketplace. You would see them immediately taking over the marketplace. The biggest impediment is these huge subsidies we’re pouring into incumbents.
Two trillion in subsidies to oil and coal … out of a total federal budget of $2.9 trillion?
July 1, 2008 - 06:11 PM on July 1st, 2008
RFK Jr has proven himself to be an idiot. He is a sad legacy…
July 1, 2008 - 09:17 PM on July 1st, 2008
Since when has Wind, solar or any of the alternative energy sources other than Nuclear EVER proven to be more efficient than a good old fashioned coal fired power plant? Oil fired power plants aren’t even as efficient as coal. They just were converted to burn oil to satisfy an EPA mandate during the Carter Administration. The coal mine Dad worked for was owned by a power company, so they installed the smoke stack scrubbers and kept burning coal. The power companies that didn’t already own mines, switched to oil, even though dollar for dollar it was less efficient than coal. It is a LOT less efficient than coal now.
I do have one little question for the mental midget RFK. Exactly how do you make a sterile disposable needle from solar or wind power? Same thing for polycarbonite eyeglass lenses, or contact lenses, or any of a number of other daily use products made from PLASTIC, an oil derivative?
Oil self sufficiency isn’t just about driving around in SUVs people. Get a clue.
July 1, 2008 - 09:31 PM on July 1st, 2008
I think wind and solar will eventually be more efficient then coal, but its not going to happen unless you invest in the technology to make it work.
I hate references that include ballooned dollar figures. Unless you have reference right there in hand, I don’t want to hear it.
Coal is cheap and plentiful, hence its legacy. Many towns today are alive due to a thriving coal market. Its also very dirty unless scrubbers or other processes are added to help control the emmissions. No company would have done this on their own unless forced to by the government.
As for its dollar efficiency as an energy source, probably right. Still doesn’t justify its use due to the pollutions overhead.
RFK, Jr. is passionate about his topic, just frustrating to get into a dialog with because of the blanket references.
NY-David
July 2, 2008 - 07:29 AM on July 2nd, 2008
I think it’s rather funny that Ethel Kennedy’s fortune came from coal!
July 2, 2008 - 08:34 AM on July 2nd, 2008
[...] RFK Jr.: The US Gives Over $2 Trillion Per Year In Oil and Coal …Two trillion in subsidies to oil and coal : out of a total federal budget of $2.9 trillion? Tags: Coal, Industry, , , , , Economy, , , , , Environment, , , , , Oil, &, Gas, Prices, , , , Larry, King, , , , , Robert, F., Kennedy, Jr., … [...]
July 2, 2008 - 10:27 AM on July 2nd, 2008
Interesting point, Pam.
July 2, 2008 - 05:25 PM on July 2nd, 2008
NY-David,
Your pal, Clinton, locked up a huge deposit of CLEAN burning coal in that Utah Escalade that his donors wanted off limits to miners.
July 2, 2008 - 08:16 PM on July 2nd, 2008
Can you believe it? The Government giving out $2 Trillion to the robber barons who are already stealing us blind!
That does it! I am going to get my share! The guy on TV wearing the suit with all the question marks on it says the Government gives out over $350 billion per year. I’m going to get my share!
July 2, 2008 - 09:40 PM on July 2nd, 2008
NY-David You are starting to come back from the dark side. Let me explain why I say that.
You are at least willing to consider that burning fossil fuels is necessary until alternative energy sources can be brought to technological and economic viability. You are also willing to accept that the money to bring about that technological advancement will not be available if the economy goes into a tail spin over high fuel and energy prices.
Coal is much more efficient to use because a ton of coal has more btus than a number of barrels of oil. It also costs so much less. The problem with the EPA mandates was how it was done. The government spends fortunes on subsidies for ethanol, wind, solar etc etc in the alternative fuel arenas. That means that they are a net drain on the economy. They are receiving true corporate welfare as they are receiving more money from the government than they are paying in. The government refused to even consider helping subsidize the proven scrubber technology, it wouldn’t even give tax credits (deductions yes, but not credits) to the power companies to encourage them to add scrubbers. With oil prices artificially regulated, the price of oil was only slightly higher than coal, but the conversion to oil was a LOT less than the scrubbers. Since there was no real tax advantage to continue coal usage, most power plants converted to oil. A decision that is now costing power company customers tens of millions. It is also costing those who use heating oil and those who fly as well. As the oil that would otherwise be used for those activities is being used to generate electricity.