At the risk of fence straddling, you’re both right. It’s entirely true that we must move away from fossil fuel and the sooner the better. Then there’s the fact that it won’t happen overnight. There’s nothing worse than a mealy-mouthed democrat who incrementally nibbles around the edges for so long that progress never takes place. Talarico’s approach gets us down the road while revealing the advantages of alternative energies to the point where the advance will be irreversible and will decrease our dependence on traditional oil and gas. It’s pussy-footed, but it’s movement in the right direction, and eventually the cat will pounce.
Corporations have no soul. They are useful economic tools, but they are not to be worshipped, nor should they be allowed to govern real people. As Talarico said, corporations can have a seat at the table. They just can't have all the seats.The oil and gas industry should not be allowed to have a free ride. It must be regulated in such a way that its projected profits do not override our health, safety and welfare. If putting regulatory safeguards onto its operations cuts into their private profits, or even makes their current extraction processes infeasible, so be it. We do not owe them a living. Even the soulless artificial persons called corporations have to be good citizens.
I think of the AI dividend as less of a cut of the AI industry's profits and more of a return on our investment. Taxpayers funded the research and other support for the innovation that is AI. We did not do that because we are a conquered people paying tribute to our overlords, despite what Musk, et al wants to believe. We supported the innovation process of the computer industry because it was supposed to lead to better living for us. And, besides it is very, very "free market" for AI companies to compensate us for all our intellectual property it has appropriated.
That said, Texas Democrats are on fire. We are getting the serious attention of formerly Republican voting people here. We won't win all of them, but we are definitely going to cut Republican margins. They cast a "gateway" Democratic vote for Taylor Rehmet. It's going to be easier for them to do that in the fall, especially since I don't see Talarico, Hinojosa, and the others making a lot of missteps. Texas Republicans have made themselves very easy to dislike and we're showing ourselves to be very likeable indeed. I doubt Glen Whitley is alone. His endorsement is going to have an impact.
You know my stance on energy, and we will always disagree on that. But I am all in on energy independence. And Oil and Gas as well as solar and wind actually create jobs not remove them, which is all AI data centers are. We have to stop the tax breaks. I mean did you see Westlake! Bonkers! And Keller is pissed! What will turn the rural and Republican vote is continuing to support oil and gas (and solar and wind) stop AI Data Centers and flock cameras. And we have to get rid of vouchers (prohibit on a federal level) and expand Medicaid and Voting Rights! Day 1 is voting rights.
At the risk of fence straddling, you’re both right. It’s entirely true that we must move away from fossil fuel and the sooner the better. Then there’s the fact that it won’t happen overnight. There’s nothing worse than a mealy-mouthed democrat who incrementally nibbles around the edges for so long that progress never takes place. Talarico’s approach gets us down the road while revealing the advantages of alternative energies to the point where the advance will be irreversible and will decrease our dependence on traditional oil and gas. It’s pussy-footed, but it’s movement in the right direction, and eventually the cat will pounce.
Corporations have no soul. They are useful economic tools, but they are not to be worshipped, nor should they be allowed to govern real people. As Talarico said, corporations can have a seat at the table. They just can't have all the seats.The oil and gas industry should not be allowed to have a free ride. It must be regulated in such a way that its projected profits do not override our health, safety and welfare. If putting regulatory safeguards onto its operations cuts into their private profits, or even makes their current extraction processes infeasible, so be it. We do not owe them a living. Even the soulless artificial persons called corporations have to be good citizens.
I think of the AI dividend as less of a cut of the AI industry's profits and more of a return on our investment. Taxpayers funded the research and other support for the innovation that is AI. We did not do that because we are a conquered people paying tribute to our overlords, despite what Musk, et al wants to believe. We supported the innovation process of the computer industry because it was supposed to lead to better living for us. And, besides it is very, very "free market" for AI companies to compensate us for all our intellectual property it has appropriated.
That said, Texas Democrats are on fire. We are getting the serious attention of formerly Republican voting people here. We won't win all of them, but we are definitely going to cut Republican margins. They cast a "gateway" Democratic vote for Taylor Rehmet. It's going to be easier for them to do that in the fall, especially since I don't see Talarico, Hinojosa, and the others making a lot of missteps. Texas Republicans have made themselves very easy to dislike and we're showing ourselves to be very likeable indeed. I doubt Glen Whitley is alone. His endorsement is going to have an impact.
Thank you, Michelle!!! Just shared on bsky. Glad you could give us a first-hand account!!!
You know my stance on energy, and we will always disagree on that. But I am all in on energy independence. And Oil and Gas as well as solar and wind actually create jobs not remove them, which is all AI data centers are. We have to stop the tax breaks. I mean did you see Westlake! Bonkers! And Keller is pissed! What will turn the rural and Republican vote is continuing to support oil and gas (and solar and wind) stop AI Data Centers and flock cameras. And we have to get rid of vouchers (prohibit on a federal level) and expand Medicaid and Voting Rights! Day 1 is voting rights.
Thank you for sharing all this with those who can’t get to the various venues that politicians haunt!