Blunt, Cap-n-Trade & a good spot
First up this is not pro or not-pro about Mr. Blunt. He has plenty of baggage but that’s up to him and his to defend or promote.
I saw an ad this weekend while catching a few minutes of the Cowboys’ sorry perf in Green Bay. The ad was well done with a clever gimmick. It was an oppo-ad against Blunt – by some group Id-d as a conservation group (who knows who they really are). Like I said well-done and good technique. Reminded me of a Frank Perretti novel I read years ago where some people had this stinking ooze coming out of them.
My one sticking point with the spot is the support (or rather the hitting up Blunt for his lack of support) for Cap and Trade legislation.
I’m not sure why this is important enough to run a spot now unless the group behind it is perhaps supporting Robin Carnahan in her run for Kit Bond’s MO Senate seat that Blunt is also running for.
Reasonable people can disagree but I hope folks in favor of this bill or anything similar realize that at least one major part of their monthly cash out-go is going to rise dramatically: the cost to heat and cool their homes. Almost all Missouri electricity is based on burning coal (again you may think this is good or bad – not the point – Missouri consumers don’t have a choice in who they buy their electricity from – in fact nobody anywhere unless you are off the grid and generating your own power) and the price of coal is going to go up under this legislation.
Somewhere (if not multiple places) between your house and where the coal comes from, taxes and/or penalties are going to be added. Those extra costs are going to show up in the electric bill. Utility companies will simply pass them through – not as rate increases which might require some local and state approvals – but simply an increase in their cost of doing business or cost of raw materials; whatever. But you and I will pay more – make no mistake about that.
Before anyone falls in love with earth-friendly legislation, count the costs. If you are willing to pay 10-15% more for your electricity to help reduce carbon, you can do that now by buying so-called green energy from your utility company. Most of them have alternate sources that cost more and they will gladly charge you more to appease your carbon-burning conscience.
Remember though, the power grid is agnostic; it can’t tell where the electricity being used in your home actually comes from. Green power gets mixed in with dirty power and who knows which kilowatts actually heat up your morning coffee.
My quibble is not with criticizing Blunt. The spot tried to do too much. I guess they thought if they threw enough oil at Blunt, some of it would stick. For me, the C&T accusation does not.
I have no idea who I might support in the MO Senate race. I hope that C&T dies a quick death before we get that far.
I saw an ad this weekend while catching a few minutes of the Cowboys’ sorry perf in Green Bay. The ad was well done with a clever gimmick. It was an oppo-ad against Blunt – by some group Id-d as a conservation group (who knows who they really are). Like I said well-done and good technique. Reminded me of a Frank Perretti novel I read years ago where some people had this stinking ooze coming out of them.
My one sticking point with the spot is the support (or rather the hitting up Blunt for his lack of support) for Cap and Trade legislation.
I’m not sure why this is important enough to run a spot now unless the group behind it is perhaps supporting Robin Carnahan in her run for Kit Bond’s MO Senate seat that Blunt is also running for.
Reasonable people can disagree but I hope folks in favor of this bill or anything similar realize that at least one major part of their monthly cash out-go is going to rise dramatically: the cost to heat and cool their homes. Almost all Missouri electricity is based on burning coal (again you may think this is good or bad – not the point – Missouri consumers don’t have a choice in who they buy their electricity from – in fact nobody anywhere unless you are off the grid and generating your own power) and the price of coal is going to go up under this legislation.
Somewhere (if not multiple places) between your house and where the coal comes from, taxes and/or penalties are going to be added. Those extra costs are going to show up in the electric bill. Utility companies will simply pass them through – not as rate increases which might require some local and state approvals – but simply an increase in their cost of doing business or cost of raw materials; whatever. But you and I will pay more – make no mistake about that.
Before anyone falls in love with earth-friendly legislation, count the costs. If you are willing to pay 10-15% more for your electricity to help reduce carbon, you can do that now by buying so-called green energy from your utility company. Most of them have alternate sources that cost more and they will gladly charge you more to appease your carbon-burning conscience.
Remember though, the power grid is agnostic; it can’t tell where the electricity being used in your home actually comes from. Green power gets mixed in with dirty power and who knows which kilowatts actually heat up your morning coffee.
My quibble is not with criticizing Blunt. The spot tried to do too much. I guess they thought if they threw enough oil at Blunt, some of it would stick. For me, the C&T accusation does not.
I have no idea who I might support in the MO Senate race. I hope that C&T dies a quick death before we get that far.
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