My campaign has produced a short video using Hall’s own words to expose his values.  Please circulate it to your family and friends.

We have twelve days left to spread the word and fight for change in Texas.   Donate today and help put this commercial on the air: https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/17699

Our future depends upon a competitive energy market.  We can’t rely on one product-oil-to drive our economy.  Here’s what I propose.

Providing America consumers with a tax credit of up to $7,500 per vehicle to buy advanced alternative-fuel vehicles and up to $2,500 to retrofit existing vehicles with advanced alternative-fuel engines

Investing in public universities and research facilities to find less expensive consumer energy and conservation technologies

Permitting oil and gas exploration beyond a 50 mile buffer zone off the coast of Florida, Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia, if those states approve

Building a seamless mass transit system to serve all of North Texas

Consumers and commuters need choices, but Ralph Hall is leading the opposition to change. He is cynically exploiting our suffering at the gas pump as an excuse to represent big oil. Texas families need choices, not more of the same. Until Americans have a competitive energy market, we’ll be paying extortion prices.

https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/17699

We can’t keep borrowing money from the Chinese and throwing it at Wall Street.  The American people deserve a strategy that builds our country from the bottom up.  Your tax dollars will never trickle down from New York City.

Washington politicians need to stop thinking of credit as a way of life. Texas families need good jobs, affordable health care and a secure retirement.  Main Street needs help, now.

I believe it’s time to rebuild America.

• Create a fair tax code for average Americans and small business.
• Invest in alternative energy and conservation technologies
• Reform healthcare insurance to make it affordable for individuals and small businesses

Early voting starts Monday.  To celebrate join us for a night of fun this Friday at the Katy Depot in Denison (6:30 to 9:00 pm).

• live music, drinks, and snacks
• give your own political speech, with the best one receiving a prize.
• $10 suggested donation.  Get a ticket online or at the door.  http://www.actblue.com/page/glenndenison

The wizards of Wall Street are threatening the survival of our republic and the free market. They want Congress to surrender budgetary authority to the President just like it surrendered War Powers during the debate over Iraq. It was wrong then, and it’s wrong now. We must have accountability and transparency.

Our Founding Fathers wisely limited each branch of government and assigned each part specific responsibilities. The Constitution is clear—Congress, not the President nor the Federal Reserve, is the “decider.” Congress decides how much to spend and what to spend it on. George Bush’s request for a blank check to bail out Wall Street strikes at the very heart of our Constitution. If our Representatives write the check without protections for the taxpayers, then the American experiment of limited government will be over.

George Bush’s irresponsible plan to save Wall Street also throws back the curtain on corporate hypocrisy and control. Every time average Americans demand a fair chance to compete in the global market place, large corporations spend billions of dollars to fight us. Health Care for all Americans—No way. Affordable energy—Impossible. A clean environment—You’ve got to be kidding. Small Class sizes—We can’t pay for that. Fair Trade—You’ll crash the Global Market.

Wall Street doesn’t want a free market. It wants a market rigged to transfer tax dollars to their bank accounts. Neither George Bush nor Wall Street should be calling the shots in this hour of crisis. Congress is in charge. Congress should demand the following changes in exchange for a check.

Corporate Transparency and Accountability

Punishment for corporate executives: Any out-going executive asking for a government handout must agree to surrender all stock options, bonuses, and “golden parachutes.” Failed executives shouldn’t be rewarded with tax-payer dollars.

Restore Independence of Directors: Corporate boards must be composed of individuals who are free of conflicts of interest. Large stock-holders shouldn’t sit on their own boards.

Require performance-based compensation packages: Stock holders must be the ultimate beneficiaries of a company. Executive pay must be directly tied to long-term stock performance.

Marketplace Transparency and Accountability

Expose derivatives to public scrutiny: Secret derivatives are insecurities, not securities. Publically traded companies must disclose all mathematical formulas used to calculate profits and risks.

Restore the firewalls between commercial and financial banks: In today’s market financial fires spread faster not slower. Firewalls are essential to containing the disaster.

Require increased capital reserves: Banks can’t function without real assets to back up their loans. Banks must have sufficient capital reserves to cover their losses.

There are two basic requirements for representative government and free market capitalism—transparency and accountability. Neither can survive if secret deals allow a handful of people to rig the system.

Now is the moment of truth. Will we surrender to financial terrorists or will we rebuild the America that we all love? I’m ready to fight. Are you?

A group of Republican and Democratic Senators unveiled “The New Energy Reform Act of 2008.” They pulled ideas from both sides of the aisles in order to reach a deal as fast as possible.

Key features of the bill include:

• Providing consumer tax credits of up to $7,500 per vehicle to motivate Americans to buy advanced alternative-fuel vehicles and up to $2,500 to retrofit existing vehicles with advanced alternative-fuel engines
• Closing tax loopholes for energy corporations
• Increasing the staff at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and funding research and development on nuclear waste recycling
• Permitting oil and gas exploration beyond a 50 mile buffer zone off the coast of Florida, Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia, if those states approve
• Maintaining the ban on drilling in ANWAR and close to the coast

Sponsors of the bill are Saxby Chambliss (R, GA), Kent Conrad (D, SD), Bob Corker (R, TN), Lindsey Graham (R, SC), Johnny Isakson (R, GA), Blanche Lincoln (D, AR), Mary Landrieu (D, LA), Ben Nelson (D, NE), Mark Pryor (D. AR) and John Thune (R, SD).

I’ve long advocated many features in this bill. When elected to Congress, I promise more support for alternative energy and conservation technologies. I want to invest in American universities and research facilities to look for the next technological revolution.

This bill is a great first step in solving our energy problem. These Senators realize that we can’t drill our way out of this problem. We need a competitive energy market to bring down prices. This bill gives consumers real choices. Alternative energy production will also provide thousands of well-paying American jobs.

“Conrad, ‘Gang of 10′ Unveil Plan to Reduce Energy Prices,” http://conrad.senate.gov/pressroom/record.cfm?id=301684&

“Bipartisan Energy Bill Exposes Obama-McCain Schism,” http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2008/2008-08-04-03.asp

Ralph Hall is leading the opposition to change. He is cynically exploiting our suffering at the gas pump as an excuse to represent big oil. His proposed legislation limits our ability to have real alternative energy and conservation technology. Texas families need choices, not more of the same. Until Americans have a competitive energy market, we’ll be paying extortion prices.

Hall is one of a small minority of radical Republicans pushing to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWAR). Every informed person knows there isn’t enough oil in ANWAR to dramatically impact the price of gas. The Department of Energy has consistently projected modest petroleum reserves in ANWAR. According to the latest Energy Information Administration study ANWAR oil production constitutes between 0.4 and 1.2 percent of total world consumption in 2030. The study also predicts a 2 to 6 percent decline in U.S. market share for all imported liquid petroleum products. This means the price per barrel of oil would fall between only $0.41 and $1.44. Opening ANWAR to drilling wouldn’t improve the lives of Texans. Gas prices would decline in pennies not dollars. Big oil, on the hand, would continue to rake in record profits. We need to change direction now.

Hall also falsely claims coal, oil shale and tar sands offer clean alternative energy sources. Nothing could be farther from the truth. These resources will continue to pollute our air and heat our environment. He favors repealing section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. If section 526 is repealed, government agencies could buy some of the dirtiest and most expensive fuels made from coal, oil shale and tar sands. The conversion of solid and semi-solid materials to liquid fuels has only become “affordable” at today’s energy prices. He doesn’t tell Texans that the federal government can already buy fuel today made of coal, oil shale and tar sands. All it has to do is clean it up. Repealing this restriction is simply a way to boost corporate profits at our expensive. Fossil fuel emissions are contributing to climate change. If global warming continues, North Texas will lose a majority of its surface water to evaporation.

We need new solutions to create a competitive energy market. Congress should redirect tax dollars from the oil giants to American universities and research facilities to develop alternative energy sources. We also need tax incentives for consumers, making conservation technologies more affordable for Texas families. Many of the technologies of the future are ready today. Windmills are now appearing all over West Texas, but what about solar? Public research facilities could lead the way, making photovoltaic cells more cost effective. There is no reason why every home and business couldn’t become energy producers as well as consumers. Another promising option for solar power is concentrated solar. This technology uses mirrors to focus sunlight to superheat oil or salt. The superheated material then drives a standard steam generator.

North Texas also needs a seamless mass transportation network. Local governments are struggling to meet the rising demand for commuting choices. Unfortunately, the patchwork of efforts is making the projects more expensive than they need to be and lack the integration to make them effective. Texas families deserve a world class transportation system that makes the best use of existing technologies.

We have to start looking to the future. We can’t afford to waste another 50 years. Clean, affordable energy is the key to a brighter future. If we start investing in America now, then Texas families can look forward to lower energy bills and a stronger economy.

Glenn Melancon of Sherman is a Democratic candidate in Texas’ 4th Congressional District, the famous district of Sam Rayburn. The big district includes Bowie, Camp, Cass, Collin, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Grayson, Hopkins, Hunt, Lamar, Morris, Rains, Red River, Rockwall and Titus counties.

PS: Help Glenn Win A $1000 Donation

The Progressive Electorate ( http://www.progressiveelectorate.com ) is holding a contest, and I need your vote. The winner of the contest gets a $1000 donation. Can I count on your vote?

All you have to do is register at the site, and then vote in the front page poll. You can also increase the vote total by donating to my campaign through The Progressive Electric’s ActBlue page: https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/twofortuesdays . For every $10 donation, I get an additional 10 points.

Thanks to everyone who has voted and donated already.