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Don't Need Your Coat?...Get Out and Vote

Posted by Glenn on November 5, 2005 - 11:58am in The Oil Drum: Local

It has been an unseasonably warm fall here in NYC and much of the East Coast, meaning that people have been enjoying this great last gasp of great weather before the onset of winter. It also leaves no excuse to not get out and vote in Tuesday's municipal elections in New York. Not sure of who's running in your district? Go check out the NYC Campaign Finance Board website and familiarize yourself with who's running and what issues they are talking about. I strongly believe that the collective local responses to peak oil will be critical to adapting to a new way of life that is less dependent on oil. Be loud and be proud to discuss energy and transportation issues and how they impact your life to the candidates in your area.
The warm weather has also meant that the first month of the home heating season has not required a lot of fuel and as a result refiners put out of commission have been able to recover and rebuilt stocks according to this Forbes.com article.

Oil prices have been falling recently as warmer than average temperatures in the US northeast - the world's largest heating oil market - dent demand for heating oil.

This has given refiners a chance to rebuild stocks, especially heating oil stocks, which have been falling to below average levels for this time of year as a result of refining outages.

A mild winter, in combination with higher imports from abroad, may avert shortages this year that would send pricing spiking to record levels, but people will be feeling the pinch of the higher prices nonetheless. At best a mild winter will buy us a little more time, but it will not reverse the macro trend toward ever higher oil and gas prices. We need to get our story in front of local leaders and talk about the everyday realities of higher energy costs.

Don't Need Your Coat?...Get Out and Vote

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6 comments

fatbear on November 7, 2005 - 10:43am Permalink | Comments top
For those who are uncomfortable in voting for either Mike (civil liberties) or Fred (you pick it), there's always the Green Party - I've met Gronowicz and while he may not have the background of Fred or Mike, he at least won't throw dissedents into a toxic dump.
Glenn on November 7, 2005 - 11:48am Permalink | Parent | Comments top
Very good point - My vote is more to protest against Bloomberg. Given that this does not look like a very close race, I would agree that the Green Party is not a bad idea. Although, why haven't I even heard a peep from them this year? Maybe we need to re-energize the Greens for local races in NYC?
Leanan on November 7, 2005 - 12:45pm Permalink | Comments top
What about the Transportation Bond Act?

Half of the money thus borrowed will go to public transportation in NYC.  Half will go upstate, to lay down more pavement for SUVs.  

I have a feeling borrowing more money, especially to build more highways, is not a good idea right now.  OTOH, if we don't borrow the money, it will likely come from fair hikes, tax increases, and other sources that hurt the poor most.  

But maybe it's time transportation starting becoming more expensive.  

Glenn on November 7, 2005 - 3:28pm Permalink | Parent | Comments top
I think for the City, the Bond Act is a good deal because it leverages other funding streams - Federal, State, MTA. Without the final amount in the Bond Act, many of these projects - especially the 2nd Ave Subway - take a look at this article at Starts and Fits which has a very cool map:
DarkDawg on November 7, 2005 - 3:38pm Permalink | Comments top
New Yorkers should vote NO on Proposal 1.

Why?  Read this.

Leanan on November 7, 2005 - 4:34pm Permalink | Parent | Comments top
That link is rather biased.  The NY governor has more power than the governor in most states has; giving more power to the legislature could be seen as welcome balance.  

I wonder if fiscal conservatives would be so keen on 1 if a Democrat were governor?  It's not unheard of in NY, y'know.    

Anyway, here's a fairly even-handed overview and explanation of ballot proposition 1:

http://www.nyccfb.info/debates_vg/voter_guides/general_2005/ballot_nys01.aspx

Don't Need Your Coat?...Get Out and Vote

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6 comments