Climate Change! The Platforms.

First, The Republican platform 2008 states:"In caring for the land and water, private ownership has been the best guarantee of conscientious stewardship, while the world’s worst instances of environmental degradation have occurred under governmental control" http://www.gop.com/2008Platform/Environment.htm
Second,the Democratic platform states:"We reject the false choice between a healthy economy and a healthy environment. Farming, fishing, tourism, and other industries require a healthy environment" http://www.democrats.org/a/national/clean_environment/
This is a contrast in how to manage a problem like global climate change. The GOP wants to let the market, private owners, and our industries to figure out what is efficient and what reduces CO2 in the atmosphere! BRILLIANT!
Wow! these guys tell me that all my studies in environmental geosciences are false. Their platform says "No" to global warming and cooling as it relates to global fossil fuel burning. It is now a fact that no one can pinpoint only one local source of pollution from one industry or one community, and then go after them to remedy this global problem. "No" to climate change as it pertains to anthropogenic sources, evolution as a paradigm for adaptation, and philosophy as a paradigm for religions.
Many ask if Obama is wrong about his ten year endeavour to curb the effect of global warming... Well, there is plenty of science and research done.. Look it up. NASA is a good source. We don't need more research. Now, it is the "apply what you learn phase", it just needs backing from the market or government.
The problem is simply GLOBAL not local. It needs federal government regulations and oversight. Climate change transcends boundaries and borders, it deals with long term problems that most industries never have on their 'yearly business forecast' sheet.

Energy and Campaign.

"In recent days I have set before the American people an energy plan, the Lexington Project -- named for the town where Americans asserted their independence once before. And let it begin today with this commitment: In a world of hostile and unstable suppliers of oil, this nation will achieve strategic independence by 2025." John McCain, June 25, 2008. The plan includes: Expanding domestic oil And natural gas exploration and production. Taking action now to break our dependency On foreign oil By reforming our transportation sector. Investing in clean, alternative sources of energy. Protecting our environment and addressing climate change. Promoting energy efficiency. Addressing speculative pricing of oil. The plan includes a $5,000 tax credit for each and every customer who buys a zero carbon emission car. $2 Billion Annually To advancing clean coal technologies. http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/17671aa4-2fe8-4008-859f-0ef1468e96f4.htm
Obama-Biden Energy plan is as follow: Provide short-term relief to American families facing pain at the pump. Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future. Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined. Put 1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars -- cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon -- on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America. Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025. Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/newenergy
The one difference between the plans is that Obama wants to set a Windfall Profits Tax on oil companies, a measure that McCain is against. It is also one of the major differences between the GOP and the DEMs since Carter set a similar measure into place during his presidency.

Money! IKE!

It is odd how the 77024 zip code still doesn't have full electricity after being K.O. ed after IKE!. Wow , according to the Money Trail of contributions to their elected officials, they are one of the highest concentration of private and PACs contributions to the GOP... Too bad ... FEMA and their REDCROSS MREs are not up the their culinary palates!. I happened to live about half a mile south of the infamous zip code, however my mortgage, paycheck and SSC deductions don't amount to even a day of their profits or contributions.... One last note: Houston residences along memorial drive contributed the most of any other city in the US to both DEMs and REPs. A new info for me. This area includes the highest concentration of MILLIONAIRS on this continent. Most of their assets are in Oil/Energy, land and acquisitions ( whatever that means....), legal services , securities and banking. My city contributes one of the most to both campaigns at about equal amounts, only one exception UNIONS for DEMs and ENERGY for REPs. In that case Houston would be sound and safe regardless of who is in the White House! IT's TEXAS .Big, Bold and BEAUTIFUL.

Campaign and Media.

As the polls show a tightening of the race between Obama and McCain, The media is getting ready to increase its cover of the election. CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS are dedicating increasing amount of coverages for both candidates; Yet, only 1 in 3 people on the street can name the three branches of government.... It is easy for the "MEDIA" to market their consumer goods ( ie. analysts books, more commercial for clean coal by Exxon-Mobil) ... "Information is the last thing we look for as we watch TV... it's entertainment" said a regular Joe on CNN "Street Talk" . An other political analyst said:" Politics: don't hung your hopes on it , just watch!.. the greatest Marketing of ideas to the misinformed masses.."

Republican Convention.

The campaign for John McCain finally got a day late start for the Republican convention, due to hurricane Gustav in the Gulf of Mexico. Tonight President Bush addressed the GOP delegates at St Paul, Minnesota via live feed as he highlighted the services of the republican nominee for the job of President of the United States. According to many interviews conducted by the major media covering the event, the delegates seem very enthusiastic about the Vice-President choice in Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska. However, all major television, namely ABC, NBC and CBS are covering the response of many people outside the convention to the VP choice. The ongoing investigation in the abuse of power by the Governor in Alaska, and the announcement of the Governor's teenage daughter pregnancy put a question mark about the choice. Now , the issues will be debated as we will finally get to compare the message of the Obama-Biden and the McCain-Palin tickets. Yet, if hurricane Hanna heads for the eastern coast of Florida or the Carolinas, the McCain campaign might find themselves trying to condense the message and speeches. The campaign still needs to highlight the major differences between the Republicans and the Democrats policies and direction for the next four years.