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Audrey Stanton wrote a great article about Barack Obama's visit to Beckely in Friday's edition of the Beckley Register Herald. The article gives us a nice summation of how Barack handled himself with guestions from the audience. The article can be read by clicking here. A couple of questions and answers that demonstrate how Senator Obama responded to questions can be read below. Regarding gas prices... For instance, when Nelson Staples of Beckley asked him how he planned to lower the cost of gasoline in the United States, Obama responded with an answer that included investing in alternative fuel research, investing in refinery capacities, having a more sensible policy in the Middle East, strengthening the value of the dollar by improving the economy, charging polluters and creating more fuel-efficient vehicles in the United States.
“But the hard truth is, the only way to, in the long term, reduce gas prices is to reduce demand,” Obama said.
“ ... So, in the meantime, what kind of car do you drive?” he asked Staples.
The laughter from those sitting around the Beckley resident gave him away even before he answered: “An Escalade.”
Obama shrugged his shoulders and widened his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Obama said, “but this is what I’m talking about right here.”
Regarding the Clean Air Act and the effect non enforcement by the Bush Administration has effected the environment in West Virginia.... Another resident, who claimed a stream near his home was polluted by coal mining, asked for help.
“I want a strong enforcement of the Clean Water Act,” Obama said, “and I will make sure that the head of the Environmental Protection Agency believes in the environment and ... enforces the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.”
He summed up his position on environmental issues when answering a question regarding logging and mining in our state... Chad Foreman of Fayetteville asked Obama how he could help the state strike a balance between the environmental damage caused by the coal and logging industries and the environmental concerns of eco-tourism.
“The truth is, we don’t have perfect energy sources,” Obama said, adding that even though he supports wind energy, he is aware windmills threaten migratory birds. “Every source of energy has some problems. .... There are ways of removing coal that work well ... in a way that does not degrade the environment. But there are other companies tearing stuff up. The key for us has to be to work with those companies that are engaging in the best practices and understanding that over time everybody has an investment in the environment of West Virginia. ... But we have to do it in a way that does not completely eliminate the industry that provides a livelihood for a lot of people. We have to make a transition to clean energies, but it’s not going to happen overnight.”
Obama has stated that, as president, he intends to put an aggressive renewable energy plan into place that would, by 2020, make 25 percent of the nation’s energy come from alternative sources
Audrey's article is an excellent report on Obama's Town Hall Meeting. I would also complement the Obama Team for doing a great job of setting up the stage with random attendees sitting behind the podium and getting the mike to folks that Obama called on to ask questions. This kind of organization is something that sets his campaign apart from others.
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