Obama's Africa Energy Speech

[Scout26]

He's going to double electricity supply in Africa.   What's a few more billion dollars.  Solar Panels and a Windmills for everyone.  If they aren't economically feasible here they make even less sense there.  I guess this is his attempt to salvage the US Green Energy industry by giving it more federal money to be embezzled by corrupt African .gov's.  

This going to be great.    

[SADShooter]

So, could we at least maintain electrical output here?

[Ben]

So, could we at least maintain electrical output here?

No, we can't, you greedy American. How dare you think about taking kilowatt hours out of the mouths of starving Africans?

[HankB]

It's bad enough we're sinking deeper in debt to pay welfare benefits to our own people (As well as a lot of illegal aliens.)

But going into debt for someone overseas? 

Doing this to America is either idiotic or malicious . . . and every day, it looks more and more like the latter. 

[Tallpine]

What did we all say to begin with - He is not an American 

Not that many decades back, most of the rural America West did not have electricity.  The only way that it happened was local private co-ops forming.

[French G.]

I'd be ecstatic if I was an African. Isolated and dispersed shiny things that I can loot to make the stuff I really need or want.

[agricola]

He's going to double electricity supply in Africa.   What a few more billion dollars.  Solar Panels and a Windmills for everyone.  If they aren't economically feasible here they make even less sense there.  I guess this is his attempt to salvage the US Green Energy industry by giving it more federal money to be embezzled by corrupt African .gov's. 

This going to be great.   

Not to start posting monochromed images with "HOPE" on them about the place or anything, but if solar energy makes sense anywhere in the world then it does so in quite a few parts of Africa. 

[Sergeant Bob]

Not to start posting monochromed images with "HOPE" on them about the place or anything, but if solar energy makes sense anywhere in the world then it does so in quite a few parts of Africa. 

True but, I'd rather he do it with someone else's money.

[Tallpine]

Seems like I remember some sort of Christian org back in the early 1990s that was trying to equip huts with simple solar outfits to charge a battery for one or two small lights.   

[French G.]

Yes, it surely makes sense in isolated parts of Africa to use solar to do stuff like help pump safe water supplies, provide a little refrigeration and lighting. But not our money, and without the investment of the people benefiting there is not much incentive for them to shoot people who come to loot their new solar array.

[Tallpine]

Extra credit to anyone who can name the seven American states located in Africa 

[just Warren]

I'm guessing that this is a payoff to local despots for allowing the US military to have access to the countries. Only dolled up so that his idiot supporters get the warm fuzzies and look upon him as the Golden Altruist they desperately want him to be.

[BlueStarLizzard]

I'm guessing that this is a payoff to local despots for allowing the US military to have access to the countries. Only dolled up so that his idiot supporters get the warm fuzzies and look upon him as the Golden Altruist they desperately want him to be.

1) how many of these consessions do we really need?
And
2) how many of these governments are really stable enough to be able to make long term promises?

Maybe it's Obama's fall back for when/if he can be emperor elect of the USA anymore, he'll just take over Africa.

[Monkeyleg]

Find out which solar companies are doing the construction, and you'll find Obama donors and bundlers running the companies. It's payback for last November.

[just Warren]

Through locals who are also wetting their beaks?

[Tallpine]

1) how many of these consessions do we really need?
And
2) how many of these governments are really stable enough to be able to make long term promises?

Maybe it's Obama's fall back for when/if he can be emperor elect of the USA anymore, he'll just take over Africa.

What do you mean "when/if" ?   

[BlueStarLizzard]

What do you mean "when/if" ?   

I mean't "can't" and the "if" is acknowledging the off chance he won't LEAVE.

[French G.]

1) how many of these consessions do we really need?
And
2) how many of these governments are really stable enough to be able to make long term promises?

Maybe it's Obama's fall back for when/if he can be emperor elect of the USA anymore, he'll just take over Africa.

I'm pretty sure most of Africa wants a black man in charge, so he's straight out.

US military has a very small African footprint and I'd like to say it's because we're smart, more likely because we don't have a big corporate presence there. Mostly Horn of Africa, aka Djibouti so we have a handy base from which to chase pirates and AQ affiliated groups. If we are smart we'll let China take the lead on re-colonizing Africa to get at its natural resource yummies. If that doesn't bankrupt China, nothing will.   

[BlueStarLizzard]

I'm pretty sure most of Africa wants a black man in charge, so he's straight out.

[lee n. field]

I'm guessing that this is a payoff to local despots for allowing the US military to have access to the countries.

Us or China.  Geopolitical games being played.

[lee n. field]

Extra credit to anyone who can name the seven American states located in Africa 

1) Kenya
.....

[AJ Dual]

Pfft. If he was serious, he'd be touting nuclear. Gabon in Africa is one of the few places in the world to have a natural nuclear reactor. And if it was "natural", it was obviously also "green" technology too.

[RevDisk]

I'm guessing that this is a payoff to local despots for allowing the US military to have access to the countries. Only dolled up so that his idiot supporters get the warm fuzzies and look upon him as the Golden Altruist they desperately want him to be.

We don't have or want any significant US military presence in Africa. 

As Peter/Preacher says, if PRC wants to bankroll Africa, more power to them. It has plenty of resources, but the political environment is a nightmare. 

If the President wanted to help, I'd say he'd be better off asking some universities to design some solar well pumps with UV filters. Set up a site for donations, use US companies for parts, give the units only. Locals can install.

[Scout26]

Find out which solar companies are doing the construction, and you'll find Obama donors and bundlers running the companies. It's payback for last November.

DING!!! DING !!!  DING !!!!  We have a WINNER !!!!


The Africans aren't perxactly enamoured of the Chinese.  Seems the Chinese come in and bring more Chinese to extract the resources rather than hiring locals.  In fact they do everything they can to avoid, not deal with and ignore the locals.   

Seems China does Empire the old fashioned way. 

Meanwhile we do it the new stupid way.  (Let's borrow money from China to give to Africa to squander, but we'll pay back both the principal and interest.  BRILLIANT !!!)  Meanwhile, he can't put together a budget that does one of the very few things required by the Constitution (provide for the common defense), But Hey !!  I guess if we cut 10-15 Combat Brigades we'll have enough money to give Abawounado a Solar Panel and Wind Tubine so he can light his hut with a Chinese made lamp and light bulbs.  And will the Anointed One require him to use CFL or LED's?

[MechAg94]

I heard a sound bite from the President this morning which was "I have learned since becoming President, that people expect you to fullfill your promises."  He said it laughingly, but I thought it was pretty stupid and telling of who he is.  He just said he thought he could promise/lie about whatever he wanted and never have to live up to it.  I think he was actually telling the truth.  He was promising everything under the sun and more in his first Presidential campaign and the liberals and media were eating it up without question.