Since there is no Solyndra "controversy," political observers have been left to speculate as to why congressional Republicans have pretended to take this seriously. The widely-held assumption has been that the GOP is simply playing a little political game, in the hopes of embarrassing the president ahead of the 2012 election.
This week, a prominent House Republican effectively admitted this assumption is correct.
Dave Roberts had this interesting report yesterday, referencing a subscriber-only piece from E&E. [Update: here's the E&E story for non-subscribers.]
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[T]he House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held the four-gazillionth hearing on Solyndra and the DOE's clean-energy loan-guarantee program, during which lawmakers spent their time repeatedly badgering DOE Secretary Steven Chu to give himself a letter grade. Yes, really.
At this point, everyone knows that there's not going to be any wrongdoing uncovered. After over a year of investigations, many thousands of pages of documents, testimony from dozens of people, a half-dozen hearing, there's ... nothing.
The investigation has long since become about hurting Obama's election chances and discrediting clean energy. It's a political disagreement masquerading as a show trial.... [E]veryone knows this, including the journalists who cover it, but you're not really supposed to say so out loud.
But Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chairman of the Republican Study Committee, apparently forgot the rules, and admitted the politics surrounding the GOP probe.
"Our staff will continue to dig into it and see," Jordan said. "But what I hope happens is we stop doing these kind of things … this whole cronyism approach to the marketplace. Ultimately, we'll stop it on Election Day, hopefully. And bringing attention to these things helps the voters and citizens of the country make the kind of decision that I hope helps them as they evaluate who they are going to vote for in November."
In other words, Republicans haven't uncovered a "scandal"; they've uncovered a game to play. For those who figured out months ago that this was a manufactured outrage, Jim Jordan just confirmed it.
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In a time that we need budget cuts, economic reform, and strong policies, I would hope politicians would take it upon themselves to stop wasting tax payers money instead of continuing to engage us in their three ring circus.
Far be it from being ethical, the Rupubics and ring of fools have way to much time on their hands.
Unfortunately, I think you totally misread the point of Jordan's comment. I believe he meant it as "After Election Day, we'll have a new President and a new Congress (presumably all Republicans) and that will be the end of cronyism." In my opinion, not going to happen (as far as Republicans taking over) but also never going to see the end of witch hunts like this.
Let me see if I get this. Solyndra was a Bush administration idea that president Obama continued at their request. The company failed due to a meriad of reasons. The Republicans call it a scandal and investigate it for a year and find nothing. Now this congressman says he's going to keep on investigating right up to the election even though there is no there there in hopes that his party will win the Whitehouse. And you people don't see that he's admitting a ruse?
Remember SEMATECH? I'm old enough to remember when there was a "Race" with Japan & S. Korea (China wasn't a competitor back then) to develop the fastest Microprocessor & largest Memory Chip Technology & get them to Computer Manufacturer Companies to sell & make HUGE profits for them & their shareholders. For those who may have forgotten or not old enough:
"SEMATECH's history traces back to 1986, when the idea of launching a bold experiment in industry-government cooperation was conceived to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor industry. The consortium, called SEMATECH (SEmiconductor MAnufacturing TECHnology), was formed in 1987, when 14 U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturers and the U.S. government came together to solve common manufacturing problems by leveraging resources and sharing risks. Austin, Texas, was chosen as the site, and SEMATECH officially began operations in 1988, focused on improving the industry infrastructure, particularly by working with domestic equipment suppliers to improve their capabilities."
I used to work for National Semiconductor in the late 1980's until I was laid off after the Japanese beat the U.S. by developing the 1M Memory Chip (yes they're much bigger now). Where I live now (Eugene, OR) a huge factory which is still empty after Hynix Semiconductor closed in 2008 laying off a skilled workforce. There was talk about starting up a solar panel company in 2009 but I haven't read much news about it since then except for a Chinese company thinking of locating here to avoid tariffs.
From what I've read about Solyndra, some of their problems were having to use "old technology" & they couldn't compete. Let's pool some companies & government funds to become the "POWERHOUSE" the USA used to be!
http://www.sematech.org/corporate/history.htm
I have an interesting proposition: Why don't we all join together and take a pledge to stop cronyism by our government on all sides? We could and should do it.
Also, I have a question for my own benefit: Do you believe President Obama wants to drill for more oil here in the United States?
I will take that pledge :).
I do think in the end the President wants to drill more, but I think he is being a bit too cautious for environmental and/or political reasons. I am of the belief that we can't have it both ways - we can not be one of the biggest users of oil but expect it to continually come from elsewhere. We seem to have no problem letting other countries risk their landscape and environment to produce the liquid gold we crave, but when it comes to our backyard...no way. If we want to use the stuff, we have to have some "skin" in the game. Otherwise stop driving the SUVs and full size "luxury" cars.
I have a great idea: Why don't we all take a pledge to end cronyism in our government by all sides?
I have a question just for myself: Does President Obama want to drill for more oil here in the United States?
What's wrong with this "investigation" is there's no sex. Plenty of pornography, but no sex.
I think the author was implying that the slip was "But what I hope happens is we stop doing these kind of things...", referring to the investigations. The rest of the quote was him trying to cover-up his slip as if he wasn't referring to the investigations.
It's hard to take a Republican seriously when he's complaining about "cronyism" in the marketplace.
I think of it like this:
We compete with China and other countries that make stuff now… Crony capitalism seems to have favored other countries more than our own. The old war machine crony capitalism is showing signs of decline, at least in popular opinion, we are no longer "gung ho" to be in Afghanistan, except those dear soldiers with a sense of duty to help their fellow soldier and keep going back.
So we all can probably agree that we would like to have jobs in this country, the question is how can we just let the market run unfettered and expect much to be done? Other countries now have an edge on us making things here. WHY? Fair question? I think it is a combination of things. We now have corps seeking cheap labor and no environmental regulations. So, how can we ignore the BP disaster in OUR gulf of Mexico and the Exxon spill in OUR Alaska?
I try to be pro free market, but I just cannot see HOW we can just ignore the issues of air, water, water table pollution to LET multi national corporations (non U.S.) harm/destroy our environment, exploit labor in their countries, ignore pollution and the hazards of nuclear enegy. I never liked that idea and have known for decades about alternative energy possibilities.
We are in treaties that are supposed to ensure mutually beneficial trade policies. How can we incentivize corporations to start up solar panel factories, wind factories with the made in the U.S. logo? Perhaps there is something there we can agree upon, not simply say government cannot do anything, we did get to the moon, right? We must regulate and offer incentives. Carrots and sticks. If we want OUR economy better, we must get jobs back. We cannot keep cutting jobs and wages and expect the magic of low taxes and invisible hand to fix this. That is the problem, as I see it.
I want to use other sources, I have solar panels on my home. I want an electric car, but people keep putting up a fight against these things. I am currently waiting to get my panels from Sharp (made in foreign country) replaced because of factory defects. I want to drive a car that I can charge off my solar system. I have done things to prepare for that and I keep getting told no, keep seeing high cost of gasoline, high cost of electric vehicles, we want to drill for more oil and nothing else. People blame the president for cost of oil (huh?) and we want to drill more, so we can export more and still pay high gas prices. (huh?). More oil produced
I read an old book from the 20's or so describing how to run generators on manure. I saw the old Girl/Boy Scout solar oven, the windmills in Holland.
I just have to wonder if doing something to promote alternative energy in your country is cronyism or patriotism. Does it just depend on if it's solar/alternative, or can we also be upset that we subsidize oil companies that still overcharge us?
There is a chance we can all do better if we can have some agreements, rather than trying to stop everything the so called "other side" as the worst thing ever. WE got OBL, with Obama calling the shot, WE got those pirates and rescued the captain, with Obama calling the shots. I think that is what Obama has been doing, being the president for us all and having some of his supporters upset about it and his detractors riled up over what people say he did, when he didn't do what they said he did. I try to put myself in the Obama haters shoes, because I was against much of what Bush actually did, it was what he DID, not what what he proposed. Bush (or Congress at Bush's urging) opted to give back tax refunds and cut taxes rather than pay down the debt we owe. Come on, he did that and everyone was happy then, but NOW Obama is the cause of the whole debt? Although Bush did propose privatizing Social Security and nearly privatized the military. I am totally opposed to the war in Iraq, from the beginning. It is what Bush did, not only his proposals! Then spending like no tomorrow, private contractors in Iraq, then pin it all on Democrats. Just put the tax rate slightly higher (3-4%?) for high incomes, it is only right, since much of those high incomes were having a free for all, while the ship was sinking.
Sorry Rachel, I love your show too, but have to agree with the first 3 comments, I don't see his comments as an admission of game playing, although they do all the time, this time he's stating the cronyism will stop on election day, if the Repubs win.
Obstruction of Justice (8) Making false or misleading public statements for the purpose of deceiving the people of the United States into believing that a thorough and complete investigation has been conducted with respect to allegation ofmisconduct on the part of personnel of the Executive Branch of the United States and that there was no involvement of such personnel in such misconduct; or - The History Place - Impeachment: Richard Nixon http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/impeachments/nixon.htm
No more cronyism with big oil? I won't be holding my breath for that one.
I think this is spin but I also think it shows something amazing! The whole republican amnesia thing! As if what Bush and Cheney did wasn't cronyism! This Solyndra thing drives me nuts because 500 million dollars given to a US company to develop clean energy doesn't even compare to the billions spent on the wars, and the lives lost so that he and Cheney could lock down some contracts for military contractors and help their oil tycoon buddies!
Just another example of IOKIYAR (It's O.K. If You're A Republican)