Is this personal between Kerry and Stevens?

[_dynamicdems]

It seems there is more friction between the Alaska legislators and Senator kerry. Kerry recently came out against the push by Alaskan legislators to control wind farm projects http://www.capecodonline.com/special/windfarm/kerrywades25.htm and now this letter from the Union of Concerned Scientists is questioning their motives. They don't connect the dots to Senator Kerry, but it makes me wonder.

Attempts to Kill Cape Cod Offshore Wind Project Could Have Major Implications for Nation’s Clean Energy Future

Dear XXXX,

As you may already know, the Cape Wind project is a 130-turbine wind farm proposed for federal waters in Nantucket Sound. If built, Cape Wind would be the first of its kind in the United States. On average, it could generate enough renewable energy to meet 75 percent of Cape Cod’s daily electricity needs.

Recently, however, this exciting clean energy project has been suffering attacks from an unlikely source—two Alaskan legislators have been trying for weeks to kill the wind farm. The Cape Wind project has already passed regulatory muster by state, regional, and federal authorities. Now, Representative Don Young (R) and Senator Ted Stevens (R) have inserted a clause in the Coast Guard’s authorization conference report that could defeat the Cape Wind project.

The stakes for offshore wind could not be higher. Stopping the Cape Wind project could stifle offshore wind development across the nation. Especially in the Northeast, offshore wind holds the promise of supplying vast amounts of clean, renewable energy without additional air pollution from power plants.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) supports the responsible development of offshore wind as an economical way to generate clean, renewable energy at an affordable price. Recent findings by the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board, ISO New England Inc., and the Army Corps of Engineers have supported Cape Wind as a sound development that should be allowed to proceed.

This ploy by Representative Young and Senator Stevens would ban all wind projects within 1.5 miles of a navigation channel. By adding this into the Coast Guard authorization conference report, they conveniently bypass the scrutiny their effort would have received in committee or on the floor.

It is unclear why two Alaskans would take a sudden interest in this Massachusetts clean energy project. Initially, Young and Stevens based their opposition on alleged threats to navigation, and proposed stricter standards for offshore wind farms than those for offshore oil rigs. Thankfully, this amendment was rejected unanimously by the panel’s Democrats. More recently, Cape Wind opponents have falsely claimed that offshore wind projects might somehow disturb military radar signals. But the United Kingdom, after examining this issue in detail, gave the green light for siting wind turbines off its shores.

Along with our allies in the wind industry and the labor movement, UCS is working hard to thwart attempts to sink Cape Wind and to protect other offshore wind development. Letters of opposition to Young and Stevens’ ploy came from such unlikely places as Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM), chair of the Senate Energy Committee, who, with his Democratic counterpart, challenged the move on jurisdictional grounds. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, who supports the project for the jobs it would bring, has also been activating their members.

Articles in newspapers from Maine to Alaska have raised questions about the Alaskans’ interest in a Massachusetts project. The New York Times, The Washington Post and even the conservative Washington Times have recently run editorials opposing Young and Stevens’ tactics.

So far, Representative Young and Senator Stevens have yet to kill the Cape Wind project. UCS and our activists will continue to advocate for Cape Wind and other clean, safe, affordable, renewable energy projects throughout the country.

[TayTay]

1. Sen. Kerry has not come out either for or against the wind farm.

Gopv. Romney, Sen. Kennedy and even Robert F. Kennedy Jr have come out against the wind farm. The taller Sen from Mass has come out against the string arm tactics of Young and Stevens in getting that amendment attached to a bill for funding the Coast Guard and in the odious way that the Senate is stepping in to override local concerns.

However, Kerry has not taken a position on this local issue.

[_dynamicdems]

2. JK hasn't come out for the Cape Cod wind farms but he has come out

against the general idea the Alaskan legislators are proposing. Ted Stevens is one tough, old bastard. I wouldn't be the least surprise that his interest in an attempt to:

1. cause friction in Mass on the issue
2. play "tit for tat" by sticking his nose into Mass business because he felt ANWR was an Alaska issue

[TayTay]

3. I deeply suspect other causes

and some horse-trading on the part of other legislators.

It is also possible that certain forces within Mass are directing outside forces to come in the state and do this. No blame can then be attached to said Mass legislators, as this actions was done by others. It is an effective, if weaselly, work-around a difficult problem.

[TayTay]

6. Hmmm, I was right on this one.

And I am not pleased to find this out.

Alaska senator's bid to block wind farm linked to Kennedy
By Beth Daley, Globe Staff | April 25, 2006
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/04/25/alaska_senators_bid_to_block_wind_farm_linked_to_kennedy/

For weeks, it has been unclear why an Alaska senator had introduced language into a Coast Guard funding bill that could kill a proposed wind farm off Cape Cod. But now, it appears that Senator Edward M. Kennedy is behind the amendment that would give Governor Mitt Romney veto power over the project.

Legislators in Washington could vote as early as this week on the funding bill.

Romney and Kennedy -- whose family compound would be within sight of the proposed wind-power facility in Nantucket Sound -- are strong opponents of the 130-turbine project.

A spokesman for Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska said yesterday that Kennedy had approached Stevens about inserting language in the bill to give Massachusetts a say over the project. But he said it was unclear who actually drafted the final language that is in the bill.

Hmmmmmm, this is not good in many, many ways. It has the feel of something half way between a soccer game and a session of 'good cop, bad cop.' Hmmmmmmmm.

[karynnj]

7. You were right

To me it's dissapointing that he hid behind Stevens to get this.

[TayTay]

8. I don't care for this game.

This puts the ball into the Governor's court. I think Romney will veto the Cape Cod Wind Farm. In terms of pure politics, this was a dicey game from the start. Romney would take the heat for the veto and Sen. Kennedy could have hidden it, but it is out in the open now. (And not that hard to guess, geez.) I would hope that Sen. Kennedy would stay away from Romney, go good thing can come of that. Including hobnobbing with him at the signing of that 'healthcare for all' bill. There are cooperations and then there are devils' bargains.

This may have been a 'contained' bargain. I hae no reasons to suspect that anyone else was involved in this. Sen. Kerry didn't seem to care for the backdoor deals. That much is good.

[MH1]

11. Backdoor deals - JK came out against it

I suspect we have heard so little from JK on this because of Teddy's role. But the way this was inserted in the bill was bad, very bad, and I normally would have expected more from JK on it. Irrespective of this particular wind farm project, the methodology used to try to block it is very bad form.

I don't want to jump to conclusions, though, based on a news report. There may be mitigating factors. But this sounds like a bad act by Teddy especially since it puts JK in a tough spot on what should be a signature issue for him - transparent government. (And not to mention it is part of the DNC platform). As a potential pres candidate, and one of the most viable liberal candidates (to any rational person even if they aren't totally smitten like members of this forum), it's a bad move to hobble Kerry on a foundational issue like this. IMO. Maybe I am making too much of it though, and in any case this is hardly the first time JK has had to navigate political shoals like this. Still. Teddy: :grr:

[TayTay]

13. I know Sen. Kennedy hates the Wind Farm but, still

this was badly done. Sen. Kerry seemed genuinely pissed at the way this was done and he called for the measure to be dismissed form the bill. Ahm, I think this was a bad move on Sen. Kennedy's part. Kerry is pretty much out of it, as he is the only Mass pol who hasn't really overtly chosen up a side and has been fair about that. (His dealings have been fair and open.)

[rox63]

9. I am disappointed in Uncle Teddy over this

It would have been better for them to discuss the problem, rather than Teddy going behind JK's back through Stevens. Perhaps they could have worked something out that preserved the future of other offshore windfarms, while still giving the locals a say in this one.

I still love both of my Senators, and I'm sorry this is happening. :(

[beachmom]

10. Question for Mass. people

This doesn't surprise me about politicians -- that power can corrupt (okay, it's mini-corruption -- not the worst, but it's wrong that you can have the view from your house protected just because you're a U.S. Senator).

So here's my question: Has Kerry ever been implicated in something like this? My view of him is that he is one of the cleanest politicians in D.C. Am I right about that? What was that business about the Telecomm companies donations/laws past? Anything to that? I read his biography, and it seems they only found a few things: that offshore investment that he pulled out of before he ran for senate, those property investments (seemed okay, but lucrative), and staying at the lobbyist's house for a month. Pretty small stuff, in my view. Be straight with me, guys -- I can take it, but I don't want to be blindly ignorant.

But this wind power thing does make me mad, because from everything I understand about bringing down emissions, EVERYTHING counts. So Kennedy's NIMBY mentality is hurting the environment. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but that's how I feel.

[TayTay]

14. It is extremely difficult to answer your question.

There is no implication to speak of. There have been campaign contributions from companies that could be called telecoms. (Or broadcast-related. Disney gave him bundled money in '96, as a for instance.)

Money is not the end point. It really isn't. All pols get contributions from corporate interests under the present system. (Maybe that's why we have to change the system.) The point is the subjective field of undue influence and the sleaze factor of 'quid pro quo' on getting money and voting as a person normally wouldn't. (Duke Cunningham.)

Add to the mix the oddity that is Massachusetts, the strange views that the local papers have on money and pols and the requirements for superhuman ethics considerations that aren't even humanly possible and you have a really odd press trail.

What do I mean by ethics standards that are unenforceable: Last week the MA State Ethics Board issued new rules for what politicians can and cannot do in their offices with taxpayer funded equipment. Ahm, these rules are insane. You can't hold a press conference in the Mass State House and answer political questions because, ahm, it's political and the good taxpayers of MAss are not paying pols to be, ahm, political. (Ahm, seriously. I don't get it either.) You can call a press conference, talk about policy, be a big friggin geek and answer minute questions about money and such, but if someone asks you if you are endorsing a candidate, you can't answer. Sigh! That question can be asked at campaign headquarters, but not at the State House, the home office of the pols being asked the questions. (Lefty freeperisms run amok if you ask me.)

Ahm, Sen. Kerry's home-state takes this stuff, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, seriously. (Did I make my point? Well, they always hav for him anyway. Long rant deleted.) If he had so much as sneezed funny with telecom money, everyone in the Commonwealth would have found out. For gawd's sake, the Globe gave the poor man a hard time because he slept on someone's couch when he was between homes. (Sleeping on the couches of friends is tantamount to, ahm, well, ahm, being perceived as ahm, well, being friendly with them. Explain yourself sir? Are you indeed friendly with people who have houses with extra couches in them? What does this mean? Are we to assume that the couch industry will now get a friendly nod in the commerce comm? OR, should you even think about asking friends if you can stay over. Never mind that Globe reporters drink too much and stay over at friends houses all the time, that's different, they passed out. Sir, explain yourself and this strange, fishy-sounding couch thing?)

Clearly insane rant coming: You can skip it. Had there been a person named Sean O'Kerry who had slept on friends couches, well, that would have different. He would have been a 'man of the people' who attended Our Lady of Eternal Suffering parish in Dorchester with a Globie. Sean was a great guy, we used to steal cars together and get 'em torched for the insurance money. Why he worked at the Turnpike Authority, he married my friends sister and they all take step-dancing lessons together. Sean, only a stiff would question Sean and whether or not he was skimming funds? End of rant. Sigh!

Oy, Massachusetts. It can be a really weird place. We have had some world class corruption here, but the taller Sen from MA is not one of the suspects and never has been. He is pretty squeaky clean as far as money goes. (For gawd's sake, he slept at a friend's house and they him grief. If there was anything there, he would have been eaten alive.)

[beachmom]

16. Sean O'Kerry -- now I like the sound of that!!!!

Thanks for the lowdown. Forgive me for my asking the question on something you've probably had to deal with ad nauseum; I had felt pretty well satisfied about this, but then realized the Telecomm stuff wasn't in the biography, so thought I'd ask. I'm a little sensitive about the cable companies because it seems like their news divisions (not just Fox, ALL of them) are purposely dumbing down America and going out of their way to ridicule Democrats, especially Kerry, while giving * a free pass until Katrina. There are so few companies now owning news outlets, that one cannot help but think powerful corporations would prefer to keep the Republicans in power and have a leash on their reporters. I suppose we can blame (for the super media conglomerations) Congress some for that, as well as the market system and the corrupt FCC. I'd like to think your squeaky clean tall Senator from Mass. made no votes to add to it. But even if he had, sometimes a vote cast in the Clinton '90s was done so in a completely different atmosphere as today. Nobody knew how far it was going to go . . .

[karynnj]

21. To me that he slept on couches, shows he really was honest

There is no way with all his connections inside and outside of government, could have made huge amounts of money from investments not available to the rest of us. He had difficulty stretching a Senator's salary to cover child support, homes in Boston and DC, and traveling back and forth.

The real estate gains were normal from that time frame on the east coast. (In this area of NJ, Condos went from about $100,000 in 1981 to $200,000 by 1987. So, I know many people who made these size gains.) This is not like buying cattle futures.

To me this shows that he chose 2 things as most important to him - his kids and his job as a Senator. So, he was homeless at times, while his friends who used their connections were very wealthy and likely owned beautiful homes.

[rox63]

4. Alaska repukes are also in the pocket of the oil companies

And the oil companies are against anything that might reduce oil consumption.

I think it's a mix of things - Part of it is getting back at JK for leading the opposition to drilling in ANWR, and another part is Alaska repukes carrying water for the oil companies.

[_dynamicdems]

5. True. They do seem to profit from the oil companies.

Not directly, of course. For their state.... Ah, yup. Of course. Oil lobby money would never find its way into the pockets of Republican lawmakers. Nah, that would never happen...

[karendc]

12. The Wind Farm is HIGHLY controversial

and this is WITHIN the party. On the one hand, alternative renewables are on everyone's wish list, on the other hand, the aesthetics and business interests behind this particular proposal are questioned by many. It's a little more complicated than a NIMBY issue, but it is, at heart, that.

During the campaign, he did not come down on either side, as far as I know. Teddy did come out against the Wind Farm, for the above reasons. They do not necessarily agree on everything. That said, the Farm will directly affect Teddy's property more so than JK's on Naushon. But anyone who thinks that either is anti-renewables is mistaken.

And JK is the honest guy you think he is. The month-long stay at a lobbyist's was when he was indeed homeless and the guy was a former employee. The reason he was temporarily homeless was because he spent every weekend going back to Boston to be with Vanessa and Alex, and he maintained a home there--he could not, at that time, afford two homes. So much for the rolling-in-dough moniker...

On taking money, JK never took PAC money up until the 2004 election (when he absolutely had to, in order to run). He always said that he didn't believe in PAC money because it beholdens one to special interests. When he took it, he took it from everyone, and felt beholden to no one, because it was a national effort at that point.

Campaign contributions come from corporations in the form of bundled amounts, but that is not the same as a PAC contribution. There will never be a purely clean election system until there is full public financing, but JK has come closest, IMO.

[TayTay]

15. Karen, the home thing was a cheap friggin shot

And it played that way at the time at home. I knew people who scratched their heads over it at the time trying to figure that one out and why the Glob had a big woodie for that story. (Ke-rist, like there wasn't a Big Dig being managed at the time, under a Repub Gov, which was bleeding funds in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Hey Globbies: Go find your drinking buddy at the Corner Office and ask him where the Big Dig money skipped out to? Weld got the press drunk and they gave him a pass. End of story.)

That fried my ass. That was the dumnbest fucking story ever, until the moronically stupid, 'he's not Irish' thing appeared. Bite me. What a friggin waste of newsprint.

Friggin no-good peice of shit, bastards.

[MH1]

17. Good stuff Karen. But on the wind farm, ummm.

My beef with the Stevens' attempt (now apparently brokered by Teddy) is that it was done via a really shady attempt to sneak something into a bill. Also the point JK raised when he did come out against the amendment, that it would not only doom this project but many others, because of specifying far greater width for the "safety zone" or whatever they called it than any evidence supported.
The amendment sucked and the way it was done sucked. I am agnostic on the Cape Winds project but for someone to use such sucky means to defeat something where they are already being accused of opposing it only for NIMBY, well...it's bad.

My point is that this is bigger than that specific wind farm project. JK made me very proud when his statement shows that, as usual, he gets it. It seems to me that he "gets it" in spades on this one. (okay, that's not unusual either.) The problem is that he seems to be in a tight spot now with Teddy being behind the amendment. Or maybe it's not so bad, because most people don't get it and he probably couldn't afford to be too vocal anyway - people would be characterizing him as taking a position on the wind farm itself when the amendment itself is really an issue of good government process.

Anyway I am very disappointed in Teddy on this one (but of course I still love him - just hate this one thing!); and I am very proud of how John handled it.

[TayTay]

18. MH, Karen's point is valid.

The two Senators are not joined that the hip and in this action are separate. There are other reasons, real reasons, to give the Cape Wind Farm project a second and third viewing (or 50th) before proceeding. However, if this gets resolved through a backdoor deal, then that just sucks. (I love Teddy. But this sucks.)

There are some local projects that federally elected officials stay out of cuz they are local problems. (You don't need 'the big guns' to come in and solve them. Indeed, in many cases that is a really bad idea.)

[beachmom]

20. The Wind Project

Just as a different way of looking at this, I drove with my husband from Karlsruhe, Germany up to the North Sea, not that far from Holland. There are about a kazillion power wind mills there. It was in a very flat area with lots of little villages, but I thought it looked just fine -- not an eye sore the way power lines are. They aren't bad for your health, the way the big power lines have been alleged to be. In Europe, they understand how bad the environmental situation is, and they are moving forward on it, while we are . . . well I'm not going to say anything I'll regret later, because in general, I highly admire Ted Kennedy and all the wonderful things he has done for working people. But you know, if liberals are telling people that they may have to give up their big SUVs then why should the Middle Class be the only ones to sacrifice? The Elite with fancy homes on the Cape ALSO need to bear some of the burden. Now maybe this project is ill conceived -- I don't know -- but if it's going to generate a LOT of power, does not endanger the health of people living around it, well then, maybe these very rich residents for whom many go on and on about the environment, need to examine their conscious on this.

[TayTay]

22. Sigh! Exactamundo.

There are problems with that location, but this is a renewable energy source. On the other hand, aside from 'Any Senator At All from Massachusetts whose last name begins with a 'K', sigh, There is a shitload of money down by the Cape and a shitload of money has been raised to fight that project. A recent article in the Globe said that a $5,000 contribution should be 'dismissed' by the opposition organizers and they should hold out for more cash from their donors. Sigh!

Exactamundo. This feeds that very bad meme that Libs say one thing and do another. Sigh!

[ProSense]

23. Excellent post!

Your description brings back memories. You hit the environmental/social nail on the head.

[sandnsea]

19. Traditional power is uglier

I think people just aren't accustomed to looking at wind farms. We are accustomed to seeing big billows of smoke and barely give it a second thought. Of course, this view isn't right in front of Kennedy's home, but the power plant is in somebody's view. I just don't think people are considering this with the right frame of mind. I also have to wonder why anybody chose Cape Cod to begin with, sometimes it seems like intentional political posturing on the part of somebody.