Obama Calls for Passage of HOME STAR and Other Critical Economic Measures
The proposed HOME STAR energy retrofit program is among several economic initiatives President Obama highlighted this week in an open message to the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate. The June 12 letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell calls for “swift action on several critical priorities that will give our Nation’s small businesses added impetus to hire and grow and address the devastating economic impact of budget cuts at the state and local levels that are leading to massive layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters.”
The letter describes the President’s priorities as follows (emphasis ours):
The small business legislation that I have called for includes a new lending initiative to help creditworthy firms access loans through community banks and innovative state partnerships. It also calls for the complete elimination of capital gains on small business investments so that small business owners have even greater incentives to expand and create good jobs in their communities. Also important are proposals to bolster our infrastructure and create clean energy jobs here in the United States, including the Home Star program of rebates for home improvements and additional tax credits for clean energy manufacturing here in America, both of which have the potential to unlock private sector investment. All of these targeted, temporary measures are directed at spurring private investment and are cost-effective ways of spurring job creation.
The President goes on to say that:
Taken together, these measures to jump-start private sector job creation, avoid massive layoffs at the local and state levels and help the unemployed are critical and timely ways to further the economic recovery and spur job creation. At this critical moment, we cannot afford to slide backwards just as our recovery is taking hold. We must take these emergency measures.
The full text of President Obama’s letter is published on the White House Web site at www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/president_letter_6-12-10.pdf.
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I fully and wholehartedly support the President’s position on the Home Star proposal and would like the U.S.Senate to get this important leglislation passed immediately. It is only a few days away from summer when most people want to make the kinds of efficiency improvements before cold weather sets in later in the fall.
Two and a half years ago, I proposed to GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz that he get togather with a few of some of the Solar Panel manufacturers here in the U.S. and begin to offer consumers a package deal wherein if they would purchase a new Chevy Volt, the solar panel manufacturer would give them a great deal on the purchase of 4-8 solar panels which they then could have installed on some suitable location wherein they would generate enough electricity to essentially provide the power for most of their driving.
Now I understand fully that most people who work away from home during the day when the sun actually shines. However, these panels will still be producing electricity during the day and would be generating electricity which the home could use for other purposes. Then at night when the consumer plugs their electric car in, they would be taking advantage of lower electric utility rates.
Imagine, essentially cost free driving for every consumer in America. Without the need to buy fuel from anyone else to run their cars, consumers would have additional money in their pockets each week they could use to say, purchase more energy efficiencies for their home.
I’ve already got the solar panels installed using rebates from both the state of PA and the 30% tax rebate from the Federal Government and am now just waiting on the first opportunity to purchase my new Chevy Volt when it becomes available either this fall or the spring of 2011.