A request to Barack Obama

I have recently sent a message to Barack Obama with a plan and a request:

Hello Mr. Obama & Mr. Biden,

I cannot tell you enough how excited I am about your campaign. This year has been a very interesting turn of events. Originally, I was a Hillary Clinton supporter, mainly because of her previous experience with President Clinton and the ideals she gained during his presidency, who I believe made a change in America, though, after his eight years in office and the following eight years of complete turmoil, I feel that both you and Mr. Biden have what it takes to get America back on track. I feel you know that America is "Of the people, by the people, and for the people", otherwise there wouldn't be an America and you wouldn't be running for office.

With that said, I wanted to bring up a few points that I am discussing in my blog, "http://altenergypolitics.blogspot.com/".

First, I would like to discuss Recycling and our landfills. Just in Missouri alone, there is 1.9 million tons of recyclable materials per year thrown away into our landfills, which according to a 2006-2007 study performed by Midwest Assistance Program Inc., equates to $208 million in potential economic commodities, though multiply that by 50 states, and you could see a massive surplus of potential. Can you imagine if these materials were recycled and what we could do with the money? I have a plan that if we were to use free or nearly free labor sources to harvest these materials in all of the U.S., this money could go toward many of our goals: Alternative Energy research and development, college grants, local education funding....the list could go on and on. The labor sources could be community service programs, prison work programs, welfare-to-work programs, etc. Please give this a thought!

Second, I want to discuss Alternative Energy. We really need to take a hard look at the Picken's Plan, as I feel Mr. Pickens has some really good ideas. I've written to my Congresspersons and have presented both Mr. Picken's ideas, as well as my own, and wanted to pass these same thoughts to you for consideration. We need to eliminate our need for foreign oil by developing our own means of energy, which can all be acquired freely after the initial investment: Solar, Wind, Hydro, Geo-Thermal, etc. With as many farmers as we have across America, there has to be a way to borrow small pieces of their land, in an energy sharing agreement, where Wind & Solar farms can co-exist with crop farms to produce both our vegetables and our energy. If I financial had a way to do this, believe me, I would. I'm working on a plan to personally do this, but until I come up with one, I would like to request your assistance with the Picken's Plan. Also, please look into legislation to force a stop to the monopolizing energy companies throughout the U.S., specifically in Missouri. I believe if an individual, regardless of trying to make a profit or not, wants to generate renewable energy in excess, the energy companies, such as AmerenUE, should be required by law to purchase the excess energy at the going rate and not take it because its available and attached to the grid! At the present, negotiations at their discretion must be performed. Please give consideration to these plans.

I wish both you and Mr. Biden all the best of health, strength, and luck in the upcoming elections. I will be speaking to everyone I can that a vote for you is the only choice they have if they wish America to once again to return to the prosperity we once had eight years ago.

Good Luck and God Bless!

--Ken Stulce

MO Clean Energy Initiative

The Missouri Clean Energy Initiative is definitely a policy that needs to be put into place. I'm baffled as to why for the last 8 years this bill has been introduced, but has failed to pass. This Initiative will require Missouri investor-owned electric utilities (Ameren, Empire, Aquila, and KCP&L) to get 15% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021. At the present 86% of Missouri's energy comes from coal, though thousands of cases of asthma and lung cancer cases are a direct effect from the air pollution created by the coal plants.

Think about it and visit the official website: "http://missouricleanenergy.org".

Here's a special note to pass along to everyone in Missouri:

Hi,
On November 4, Missouri voters will have the chance to bring clean, renewable energy to Missouri by Voting Yes for the Clean Energy Initiative. This Initiative will require electric utilities to get 15% of their electricity from clean, renewable sources by 2021. The Clean energy Initiative moves Missouri toward energy independence , utilizing the wind and sun to meet our energy needs instead od relying on fossil fuels imported from out of state. This policy invigorates Missouri's economy, creates new jobs, saves consumers money, and lessens air pollution.

Help bring Clean Energy to Missouri. Learn more about the Initiative and find ways to get involved by visiting www.MissouriCleanEnergy.org.

Response from Congressman Russ Carnahan

Here's the response I received from Congressman Russ Carnahan:

Dear MR Stulce:

Thank you for contacting me in regard to America's energy needs. I appreciate hearing from you and I welcome the chance to respond.

When talking with people here in Missouri, I repeatedly hear about the pain at the pump. I, like you, grimace every time I fill up my gas tank.

In order to address this energy crisis, we need to fundamentally change the way America powers itself. While the United States has almost 3 percent of the world's oil reserves, we use 24 percent of the world's oil. We have more oil wells than any other country on Earth. And no matter how many more we drill, we will never again pump as much as we did during the1970s. In fact, our oil production peaked around 1970. Since 2000, the number of wells drilled on land has climbed about 66 percent - from 3,000 to nearly 5,000 - while the price of gasoline has more than doubled since 2001. Even self-described oilman, T. Boone Pickens said, "This is one emergency we can't drill our way out of." I agree with this statement, and believe that we must address the root of the problem - America's addiction to oil. With high gas prices crippling the American economy, this country needs a long-term energy plan to lower gas prices, make American more secure, create green jobs, and combat climate change.

While I am not against domestic drilling, I am against giving oil and gas companies more drilling rights, whether in ANWR, on the Outer Continental Shelf, or elsewhere on U.S. soil, when they are not drilling on the land currently available to them. I voted in favor of a bill to require the oil companies to drill on the 68,000,000 acres federal land that is already leased to them for drilling. Moreover, the areas with the vast majority of oil and gas are already open to drilling. According to federal government surveys, 82 percent of the area which contains natural gas in the outer continental shelf and 79 percent of the outer continental shelf with oil is available for leasing. Significantly, this was before Congress opened more space for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in 2006.

While Americans are spending record amounts at the pump, oil companies are raking in record profits. This past quarter, the top 5 oil companies posted a combined profit of $44 billion in second quarter profits - up 42 percent more than last year. And this year, profits for the top five oil companies are projected to top $160 billion - far exceeding last year's record of $123 billion. Since 2001, the major oil companies have amassed close to $600 billion in profits. These record profits are not being used to invest in alternative and renewable energy, nor are they being used in such a way as to offset the price of gas for consumers. For example, in 2007, ExxonMobil spent only $10 million on renewable energy.

I believe we need to seek out short-term solutions to bring prices down while developing a long-term strategy to power our future with less oil. We have not sufficiently harnessed our renewable natural resources. Since coming to Congress, I have been working hard for all of my constituents to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, bring down record gas prices, and launch a cleaner, smarter energy future for America that lowers costs and creates hundreds of thousands of good paying green jobs.

In the short term, I, and other members of Congress, have been calling on President George Bush to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is almost filled to capacity. This has a proven track record of reducing the price of oil within weeks. When President Bush released a small portion from the Reserve in 2005, the price of oil dropped 9.1 percent.

While continuing to advocate for immediate relief at the pump, I have advocated for increased utilization of our enormous natural gas reserves, as we transition into a low carbon economy. In order to make this transition, we need more investment renewable energy such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and biomass waste, while upgrading our transmission power grid, so that more energy gets from its source to its destination without losing it. We can fund these bold renewable energy investments by repealing billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies for oil companies that are raking in record profits. Lastly, we must curb excessive oil speculation that is causing major market disturbances which prevent the market from accurately reflecting the forces of supply and demand in the energy commodity market.

In the coming weeks, Congress will continue to debate energy solutions to bring real relief to American families. Please know that I will continue to support and encourage legislation that will lower energy costs, decrease our dependence on foreign oil and protect our environment. Once again, thank you for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future on this or any other issue of concern.

Please voice your opinion and contact your congressperson today!

Response from Senator Claire McCaskill

In response to my letter to Senator McCaskill, I received the following reply:

Dear Mr. Stulce:

Thank your for contacting me about renewable energy. I appreciate having your comments and welcome the opportunity to respond.

My colleagues and I are looking for ways we can successfully use energy sources that are both sustainable and clean. Renewable energy like wind, solar, hydropower and biomass are all great alternatives to fossil fuels. Integrating them into the national energy plan would reduce the effects of global climate change and ensure a sustainable energy source for generations.

Just this past December, I supported an amendment to a comprehensive energy bill that would have encouraged utility companies to generate 15 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by the year 2020. Utilities could also earn credit towards that objective through efficiency measures that would reduce electricity consumption. Additionally, I supported a tax benefits package that would have encouraged utilities and homeowners to invest in new energy technologies. Though these measures were not included in the finalized energy bill that was signed into law, I am hopeful my colleagues and I will address them again later this year.

Once more, thank you for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to let me know of any other issue that is important to you.

All best,
Senator Claire McCaskill

Please contact your congressperson today and voice your opinion!