Koch brothers face an unexpected new foe

[questionmark]

In their quest to cripple solar power and protect the profits of their fossil fuels-based businesses, the Koch brothers have run into an unexpected and potent adversary: tea party conservatives.

Recently, I wrote about how the billionaire Koch boys, conservative state legislators and big utilities are leading the charge in several states to force private citizens with solar panels on their homes to pay extra fees to be connected to the power grid. At the time it looked as if they had won a big victory in Oklahoma, where the Republican-dominated Legislature passed a bill authorizing just such a fee scheme.

It turns out all the hard work of the anti-solar forces was immediately blunted by an executive order issued by Gov. Mary Fallin. The order directs the state energy commission to impose solar fees only as a last resort and to continue making expansion of solar power a priority.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-koch-brothers-new-foe-20140502,0,6774303.story#ixzz30g43mNkH

Hmmm... lots of enemies,lots of glory?

[lightly]

I'm always suspect of anything associated with this alleged "tea party" .. but it would be great if the 'party' actually did take on a life of it's own and come back to bite the GOP in it's collective fat ...

[preacherman76]

Here in NY there is some serious coruption going on with power companies and solar panels. You are not allowed to use solar for all your power needs. You can only have enough solar to power something like 2/3rds of your needs. This way you still have to pay these companies something. When solar first started to become popular around here, people would have enough solar panels to have more energy then they needed. So what you didnt need, would get pushed back into the grid, and the electric company would actualy end up paying you, cause your meter would spin backwards.

[Yamato]

Trying to micromanage the energy sector through political action? Oh that's so conservative. When it's their failure of principle, that's just fine. This gang from K Street really needs to hang it up. Party unity is a zoo, a hypocritical human zoo. There's hopefully going to be plenty of republican infighting in the months and years ahead, and that will show they're actually using their brains not washing them all into one.

[Guest]

Trying to micromanage the energy sector through political action? Oh that's so conservative. When it's their failure of principle, that's just fine. This gang from K Street really needs to hang it up. Party unity is a zoo, a hypocritical human zoo. There's hopefully going to be plenty of republican infighting in the months and years ahead, and that will show they're actually using their brains not washing them all into one.

If I get you right, your angry because people want to actually free up the energy market and allow more competition. Or am I getting you wrong and you are angry at the Koch's for trying to interfere in the energy market ? Please clarify.

Br Cornelius

[Yamato]

Conservatives believe in small govt. Until it comes to oil, until it comes to military, until it comes to foreign policy, until it comes to drugs, until it comes to sex, until it comes to marriage, until it comes to their political world under God.

The energy market isn't free enough already? Are you kidding? Please, explain that one for me, thanks.

[Guest]

Small generators represent a significant change in the market and could easily steal 20-30% of the monopolies takings. The monopolies are attempting to block this. That is an attempt to restrict the free operation of the energy market.

Br Cornelius

[Yamato]

Small generators represent a significant change in the market and could easily steal 20-30% of the monopolies takings. The monopolies are attempting to block this. That is an attempt to restrict the free operation of the energy market.

Br Cornelius

Yes the entrenched majors in any industry always love the barriers to entry which do exist in the marketplace.