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On a Green Joke

Over the next few days I will have short posts to test a different templates/themes. I would appreciate your feedback. An image of the original look is below the video. Meanwhile, thanks to Herman Cain for this latest interesting exchange about green energy. I wonder if his campaign site will link me again.

Moderator: If you could reserve one energy related policy decision from the last three years, what would it be? And what would you have done differently?

Herman Cain: If I could have reversed one related energy policy over the last three years, what would it have been?

I would have allowed the American people to decide what kind of light bulbs they want to put in their homes. America believes in choice.

Green energy is a joke. You ought to be able to pick what kind of light bulb you want. That’s why we call this Faith and Freedom Coalition.

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42 thoughts on “On a Green Joke”

  3. Thanks for Kermit’s song! And the laugh about the lightbulb commnet, but then what if he becomes the nominee?! Some things I just do not like to think about.

    About your theme. I do like the space photo! The new shading and lists seem to open things up a bit, when looking for other parts of your blog to review. But I like the old one too, so it is six of one half dozen of the other. Sorry, that is not very helpful!

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    • Patti,
      As we both know, each layout has pluses and minuses, so I appreciate your thoughts. The header itself is actually the same, but the theme provides the space around the edges. Hope you return for the next post and the next layout.

      In terms of Cain becoming the nominee … I just can’t see it.

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    • Oh, yeah. Cain’s all about the facts being against abortion and for choice while anti-choice and supporting the right of a rape victim to make her own decision.

      999! I mean 909! Oh, Nein! 😆

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      • Mr Cain is enjoying and will also bring him down … his moment in the spotlight. Interestingly, I heard a Republican commenter say this about him (and I paraphrase), “I won’t comment as I don’t know what Herman Cain is talking about because Herman Cain doesn’t know what he is talking about.”

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        • Bob,
          How one views any comment by anyone is a matter of perspective and even individual bias. I’m pretty close to the middle and at least try to hear it out. And yes, typically I don’t go the smart-assed route – which is something that one can find with partisans in both parties. However, in this case, the question, the context, and the answer are quite clear … and light bulbs are Mr. Cain’s top concern! (?) Now one can attempt to make the case that his example is a broader problem, but that is not what he said. Thanks for commenting.

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        • He gave man example, Frank. His core belief is that government is WAY too big, and interferes WAY too much in out lives.

          Another “example” might be the low-flow toilet…which isn’t really low flow considering you have to flush 2-3 times to empty the bowl.

          I can’t fault Cain for the fact it is only a snippet. I fault the media…and us for wanting what it dishes out…for catering to out short attention span with 15 second sound-bite news.

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        • Bob,
          I know what you are saying, but the question wasn’t to give an example as the question is quite clear. BTW … I didn’t get that from the media – but from the transcript … and I also heard a larger segment, thus heard the question before and after this one. Therefore, I am not going to defend his statement by turning into his interpreter. Thanks for sharing.

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    • Spinny,
      It’s the Orion Nebula. Actually Hubble pictures (which I’ve used a lot) fit well with the stars along the edges of this theme.Thanks for the input, and a different one on the next post.

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  6. The intersection of free choice and environmentalism is a tangled one, I think. Our freedoms are cherished and hard-won (though the fact that we relinquish them so easily sort of belies that), but environmental crises threaten to bring down our society. In the face of that, should greener choices be legislated for us?

    I like the new theme a lot! It seems neater, somehow.

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    • Scott,
      I appreciate your opening description: “The intersection of free choice and environmentalism is a tangled one.” I lived during the initial environmental movement of the late 60s-early 70s. Would have environmental quality improved without legislative regulatory efforts? Then again, can those efforts go too far?

      Thanks for your input on this theme … but another one is coming tomorrow (well, later today) – so hope you can stop by for your input. Thanks for commenting.

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    • Hey there Izzy! Hope all is well in your area of Texas. Thanks for the feedback on the theme. Well, another one coming later tonight. Please help. Meanwhile, glad I caused a chuckle. Thanks for commenting.

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  11. afrankangle–

    Ok! Fair question. And, for you, I will give more than my typical short response.

    Look at what he said, how he said it and the words he used in his response to the question:

    TEXT:

    Herman Cain: If I could have reversed one related energy policy over the last three years, what would it have been?

    I would have allowed the American people to decide what kind of light bulbs they want to put in their homes. America believes in choice.

    Green energy is a joke. You ought to be able to pick what kind of light bulb you want. That’s why we call this Faith and Freedom Coalition.

    # # #

    Note the use of words like “choice, ” and phrases like “Green energy is a joke,” and “Faith and Freedom Coalition.” In politics, those words connote strong political themes. A word like “choice” invokes emotion across a wide range of issues beyond energy, green energy and the context of the conversation.

    They are picked up by media and get used online and on TV and radio. They create buzz, draw viewers and listeners, and generate comments while at the same time drawing attention to his name and candidacy. Thus, he is able to brand his name, his campaign and his issues.

    Notice how he speaks and delivers his responses in “bites.” They are short, simple, crisp, sharp and easy to understand. He seems to be adeot at it, and much better at it so far than his competitors in the GOP field.

    I am surprised that many of the contenders in the field do not quite understand how to frame issues, shape messages and deliver responses effectively in a multimedia environment. Herman Cain appears to have some skills doing it well.

    I have worked on political campaigns for local, state and federal office holders. I have been on the inside plotting strategy, framing issues, and shaping messages.

    My take is that he sits with vetters who interrogate him before each appearance, and drill him with “drop words,” words and phrases he will drop in his responses strategically which in turn create issues and generate media coverage. He’s getting millions of dollars worth of coverage for cents on the dollar!

    I hope that explanation helps.

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    • Marcjan,
      Yes it does help and I appreciate your perspective and thoughtful response. Unless I get a proverbial burr up the butt, I try not to get cantankerous here, although politics is a subject that same get under the skin of many. Thanks for sharing.

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    • Why is it so necessary he sits with “vetters” to get talking points and “drop words”? Is it beyond comprehension he might be talking from his heart? After all..not being a politician means he MIGHT actually be being truthful…ya rekkin?

      Having known Cain for over 20 years, since before his smack-down of Clinton over HillaryCare, I can assure you he says what HE thinks, not what a “vetter” tells him to.

      You might like his positions, you might hate them, but you can be sure it is what HE thinks.

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  12. BOB–

    I am well aware from the coverage of Herman Cain’s radio talk host experience and motivational speaking experience, his performances at the GOP debates, and his TV and radio appearances, that he speaks from the heart, means what he says and defends his position vigorously in his own words. I did not say nor mean to suggest that vetters were putting words in his mouth.

    That does not mean that he does not go through the vetting drills to assist him in framing his issues, sharpening his messages and devising strategies for his deliveries in his own words.

    Sure, at the end of the day what he says out of his mouth he owns, vetted or not. But, I would be surprised that as a contender for elective office on the Presidential stage, which carries with it the most intense scrutiny and media coverage, he would not go through the drills no matter how skilled or passionate he may be in order to rehearse his talking points, responses and speeches.

    It’s apparent from reading your blog posts and the video streams from “The Coffee Club” that you’re skilled in communications.

    Do you mean to suggest by your comment, since you have known Cain for 20 years, that you have never engaged, challenged or questioned him, even as a devil’s advocate, on any political issues?

    That I would find hard to believe!

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  13. @ Frank…Speed score is down a bit from yesterday’s theme, but not much…73. Frankly, I consider anything above a 70 to be quite acceptable. As for appearance, I like the minimalist one yesterday best.

    @ marcjan…I said I’ve known Cain for 20 years, not that I’m a good friend or a part of his advisory team…though after the abortion blowup in the last week, I wish I was. There was a golden opportunity to shut the left down on the issue while endearing himself to conservatives…though probably not to the GOP…and he missed it.

    I know him well enough to say, “Hi Herman…how a doin'”, and get a, “Hi Bob…pretty good…how ya been?” back.

    Do I agree with him on everything? Hell no…but I agree with enough that if he were to win the nomination, come next November I’d feel like I was voting FOR someone rather than choosing the lesser of two evils, a feeling I haven’t had since 2000.

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      • I think he’s got a decent shot with a few ifs thrown in:

        1. If he can keep being innovative to make up for lack of resources until such time as the money tree decides to quit holding out waiting for Romney to either run away with early primaries r be abandoned when he can’t translate front runner status into actual votes and shakes some coin loose his way.

        What do I mean by innovative? Thing like the controversial commercial that started being aired yesterday. That was brilliant. You wouldn’t have seen or heard of it unless you lived in 1-2 states…except…it’s so controversial every news channel was talking about it, and about Cain. Today I’ve heard it called stupid, brilliant, cheeky, in-your-face, insulting to non-smokers, edgy, chancy…what I haven’t heard about it from ANY news channel is…silence.

        The talking heads that blasted it thought it an affront to a health minded America. Bullshit. First, America is not health minded in general. We are (one of) the fattest nations on earth. Second, America wasn’t “offended” because even non-smokers who don’t like being around a smoker at least know a smoker who they don’t consider a bad person. To a lot of folks, that smoker was either them or the neighbor who came over to last week’s BBQ.

        It got him a LOT of free air time. He needs to keep it up.

        2. I don’t like personal attack ads, but he’s playing too well with others. Without being personal e needs to start calling bullshit on some of the other contenders. In the last debate at least 4 of the others referred to his 9pc national retail sales tax as a VAT tax, which it definitely is not, and the others knew it. Instead of simply suggesting the people look at his plan rather than take his word on it, he should have called them on lying about it…especially Michelle Bachman. She’s an old IRS lawyer and knows damn well what he s suggesting is not a VAT.

        3. Find a way…I have a few ideas..to break through the 30 second soundbite news.

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    • Bob,
      Great input … thanks! Love the fact I have some quantifiable data. I’ll be returning to the original tonight, thus think about a possible change in the future. Thanks for the time!

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