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Aiden Cohen's Obama Campaign Blog for November 2008 Elections

Gov. Palin (R) Alaska - Pleased with Obama's Energy Plan

By Aiden Cohen - Aug 29th, 2008 at 4:14 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

From the Governor of the State of Alaska's Website as it appeared on Aug 23, 2008 16:56:14 GMT.
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State of Alaska > Governor > News > News Details

Palin Pleased with Obama's Energy Plan
Includes Alaska's Natural Gas Reserves Print Now Printer Friendly

No. 08-135

August 4, 2008, Fairbanks, Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin today responded to the energy plan put forward by the presumptive Democratic nominee for President, Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

"I am pleased to see Senator Obama acknowledge the huge potential Alaska's natural gas reserves represent in terms of clean energy and sound jobs," Governor Palin said. "The steps taken by the Alaska State Legislature this past week demonstrate that we are ready, willing and able to supply the energy our nation needs."

In a speech given in Lansing, Michigan, Senator Obama called for the completion of the Alaska natural gas pipeline, stating, "Over the next five years, we should also lease more of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska for oil and gas production. And we should also tap more of our substantial natural gas reserves and work with the Canadian government to finally build the Alaska natural gas pipeline, delivering clean natural gas and creating good jobs in the process." Read More »

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Sen. Cornyn (R-TX): Response to HR6049 (Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008)

By Aiden Cohen - Aug 5th, 2008 at 12:10 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Dear Mr. Cohen:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008 (H.R. 6049). I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

American needs a comprehensive and balanced energy approach which is why I support extending clean energy tax incentives. However in addition to these important incentives, H.R. 6049 increases taxes on Americans across the country and includes various extraneous spending provisions including; a $1.2 billion tax earmark for New York City to build a rail line to the JFK Airport, and a new $1.6 billion tax benefit set aside for trial lawyers. This benefit would allow high-priced trial lawyers to claim a tax deduction for their up-front expenses in contingency cases, cases in which the lawyer’s compensation is based on what he or she wins for the client. Under current law, only trial lawyers whose compensation is based on winnings without regard to up-front expenses can take a deduction. Because of these measures and the impact this legislation would have on taxpayers I am unable to support H.R. 6049.

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Letter from Congressman Doggett: Energy Policy

By Aiden Cohen - Jul 4th, 2008 at 2:09 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Dear Aiden:

Thank you for your communication regarding clean and green energy tax policies. On May 21, with my strong support, the House passed the Energy and Tax Extenders Act of 2008 to provide vital tax incentives for producing clean, renewable energy such as solar and wind, and to strengthen our national security, lower energy costs, and help reduce global warming. Sadly, Senate Republicans yet again prevented these vital incentives from being extended.

You might also be interested to know that I recently introduced the Climate Matters Act - a cap-and-trade bill that sets strong yet achievable limits on greenhouse gas emissions. My bill establishes a cap-and-trade mechanism to limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, using the free market to cut pollution and control costs. By capping the emissions and auctioning allowances, the revenue raised will be used to assist consumers transition to a low-carbon economy, to establish a "Healthy Families Fund" to help cover the costs of providing quality healthcare, and invest in energy efficiency and new, clean energy technologies by giving billions of dollars to offer tax credits for renewable energy technology research.

In Texas, we started part of this discussion years ago when I joined local energy leaders to launch the Plug-In Partners campaign. Our goal was simple - to create a demand for the next generation of hybrid vehicles. With a plug-in hybrid vehicle, you can drive up to sixty miles on battery power before switching to a conventional gas engine.

This bill includes provisions I authored that help create the incentives for consumers to purchase plug-in hybrids. It establishes a new credit for each qualified plug-in electric drive vehicle. Plug-in hybrids can potentially eliminate gasoline usage from the daily commute of millions of Americans. If you have an extension cord, you have all the technology you need to drive a plug-in hybrid.

You can see my House floor speech from an earlier debate on this issue here or read it below.

To better ensure that your priorities are my priorities, it is important that I hear from you and that you have the opportunity to receive updates about developments in Washington. By filling out my "Lloyd's List" webform here, you can choose to receive periodic updates regarding issues that concern you. By signing up for "Lloyd's List," you are authorizing me to send regular e-mail updates from my office to your e-mail account. Help me work for you by signing up today.

I would also appreciate your thoughts on other issues that may be considered in Congress. If you have not already, please take a moment to visit my website at www.house.gov/doggett where you can complete a survey online.

Please keep me advised of any federal matters on which I may be of assistance. Read More »

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Republicans claim Obama "voted 94 times for higher taxes."

By Aiden Cohen - Jul 3rd, 2008 at 4:17 pm EDT

Also listed in: 9 groups

The McCain campaign and the Republican National Committee both claim that Obama has voted 94 times "for higher taxes." We find that their count is padded.

After looking at every one of the 94 votes that the RNC includes in its tally, we find:

Twenty-three were for measures that would have produced no tax increase at all; they were against proposed tax cuts.
Seven of the votes were in favor of measures that would have lowered taxes for many, while raising them on a relative few, either corporations or affluent individuals.
Eleven votes the GOP is counting would have increased taxes on those making more than $1 million a year – in order to fund programs such as Head Start and school nutrition programs, or veterans' health care.
The GOP sometimes counted two, three and even four votes on the same measure. We found their tally included a total of 17 votes on seven measures, effectively padding their total by 10.
The majority of the 94 votes – 53 of them, including some mentioned above – were on budget measures, not tax bills, and would not have resulted in any tax change. Four other votes were non-binding motions related to conference report negotiations.

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Letter from Senator Kay Hutchison on Failed US Energy Policy

By Aiden Cohen - Jun 25th, 2008 at 9:16 pm EDT

Also listed in: 5 groups

Dear Mr. Cohen:

Thank you for contacting me regarding our nation's energy policy. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.

I support a comprehensive energy strategy that combines conservation, the development of alternative sources of energy, and an increase in domestic oil and gas production. We are increasingly dependent on foreign sources of energy - importing over sixty percent of the oil we use today. Preliminary research data suggests there may be as much as 125 billion barrels of oil and over 565 trillion cubic feet of natural gas located in designated production areas of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) combined. The domestic oil reserves in both the OCS and ANWR, when coupled with existing U.S. reserves of 21 billion barrels, are more than Iran’s total oil reserve of 136 billion barrels. However, Congress has enacted a moratorium on production in these areas.

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Wind Energy Helpful Links: Energy Policy for the US

By Aiden Cohen - Jun 20th, 2008 at 2:33 pm EDT

Also listed in: 5 groups

Courtesy of Fremantle Energy (http://fremantle-energy.com)

United States Wind Energy
Alternative Energy Institute of West Texas A & M University (AEI): http://www.wtamu.edu/research/aei/index.htm
American Wind Energy Association (AWEA): www.awea.org
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): www.nrel.gov/wind/
Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association (TREIA): www.treia.org/

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Battleground State Fellowship Program

By Aiden Cohen - Jun 13th, 2008 at 12:46 am EDT

Also listed in: 4 groups

Dear friends,

I am proud to announce that I have been accepted to the Obama for President Fellowship Program and am scheduled to spend 6 weeks in the battleground state of Florida. Unfortunately, I am taking the June 16th LSAT exam and will be unable to attend the training scheduled in FL from the 14th-16th. In addition, I have not received my housing assignments for my 6 weeks in Pensacola, FL. Therefore, things are kind of in limbo until I can get some of the details worked out.Thanks for checking out my first blog!

Aiden Cohen

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