PENRY: Ritter, Udall and Gore are energy bosom buddies
By Josh Penry, Special to the Rocky
Published August 26, 2008 at 7 p.m.
It’s fitting that Al Gore will speak to the Democratic convention the same night as Boulder U.S. Rep. Mark Udall and Gov. Bill Ritter. That’s because Ritter and Udall have brought Gore’s drill-nothing, head-in-the-sand energy philosophy to Colorado’s front door.
Both parties have worked to expand renewables here, but that’s where the good news stops:
Ritter stacked our natural gas commission with anti-drilling activists who tried to prohibit drilling near prairie dogs and mice.
Udall fought drilling on Colorado’s Roan Plateau, one of the nation’s largest gas reserves.
Ritter’s Public Utilities Commission is moving to close two coal-powered power plants.
Udall blocked the first step in a multiphased process to determine if and how to produce 800 billion barrels of oil shale.
Ritter is pushing a $300 million energy tax increase.
The political results of all this? It’s blunted Democratic momentum here, sent Ritter’s poll numbers into freefall, erased Barack Obama’s once commanding Colorado lead, and resulted in the forced reinvention of Udall, who’s now portraying himself on TV as Mr. Pumpjack, Big Oil Daddy.
Reinventions aside, Coloradans know that Democratic brass is as committed to releasing these energy reserves as Hillary Clinton is to releasing her delegates.
That will cost us all at the pump, and it just might cost Obama some electoral votes out West.
Sen. Josh Penry represents the 7th District.
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August 28, 2008
7:45 a.m.
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Oliver2 writes:
Hillary released her delegates. Penry is wrong. He use to use his brain, not he's just a sycophant and shill.
August 28, 2008
7:08 p.m.
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Linda writes:
Oliver2 obviously does NOT know Josh Penry!! Check out Senator Penry's record on lowering taxes, education, etc. Senator Penry is not in his position for himself. He has always put his faith, family, and the taxpayers before himself. Unlike most Democrats. How dare a grown person disrespect an elected official so many people have put thier trust in Senator Josh Penry. Shame on you Oliver2
August 28, 2008
7:17 p.m.
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Linda writes:
...also, if Senator Josh Penry would never make a false statement.
August 30, 2008
10:23 a.m.
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dukeco1 writes:
I do know Sen. Penry. While an otherwise decent person, he has sold out to the financiers of the Colorado GOP, the oil and gas industry.
His comments above are nothing more than political rhetoric designed to satisfy his buddies in the oil and gas lobby. I sincerely hope the Senator will wake up soon and stop being such an industry lackey. If not, his reputation will surely follow the trajectory of his idol, G.W.Bush.