Well no wonder Huntsman came up with his silly 4 10's scheme for state workers. This article completely explains it. He's out for glory among the western governors as well as nationally. And Utah state workers are the pawns on his chessboard. It's so nice to be used by a self-promoting politician. Consider it 1 vote lost, Mr. Huntsman.

With the skyrocketing cost of energy, all of a sudden reducing our energy dependence by 20% looks like a pretty wise financial move (to say nothing of the environmental benefits). There's a reason this man was so successful in business: He has vision.

Consider it 1 vote gained, Mr. Huntsman.

Unfortunately my vote will only cancel out the vote of Anonymous part I. Too bad votes aren't weighted based on the voter's IQ so I could do more than just cancel him out.

Gov. Huntsman,

Before you were elected we were told that you were a Conservative. Many of us didn't believe that, but, were willing to let you show your true colors.

If indeed you are a States Rights Conservative as your touters claimed, now is the time to reverse the Liberal/Socialistic coloring which has indeed been the hallmark of your administration.

Quit pretending that Global Warming is CAUSED by humans. Recognize that we are only small contributors to that phenomenon without which we would all still live in the ICE AGE. Quit pandering to the Control Freaks who would use this ruse to tax us and eventually move all decision to the Government. Government is generally the cause of problems, seldom the resolution thereto. Stop kowtowing to the Socialists who want absolute control in their own hands.

Take a serious energy policy lead. Tell the FEDS to go jump in the ocean. Issue permits to build at least two new oil refineries right here on Utah soil. Invite industry to agree with Wyoming & Utah producers to refine all the crude they can produce.

Quit trying to build a legacy.
Do what is wise.
The legacy will follow.

Anonymous Part II,

Ever thought you might have to get four of five others just to help you balance the ballot box?

Anonymous part II, I'd be careful about questioning anyone else's IQ when you can't make an argument without adding a personal attack. Apparently, you learned your rhetorical style at the feet of the Clintons.

Grow up.

As a resident of the Uintah Basin, I can tell you that energy companies are ready to find new oil and gas reserves, and then bring them on line. They are good at it. They are environmentally responsible. They have trained leaders, and our schools are helping to train the workers.

All sources of energy need to be developed. There is room for each and every source. ANWR, oil shale, off shore drilling, nuclear, cleaner coal, wind, geothermal, hydro plants, to name a few. Hope the Governor encourages all energy developments. A key for this to happen is access to land where the resources are located and developments can take place. Any energy policy needs this as a key element.

Energy is a wonderful economic development tool. Jobs pay well and opportunity abounds. And with the current economy, we need the jobs -- and the oil.

Let's support our Gov on this one.

It is interesting that the Western Governor's feel that they must present options and ideas for an energy policy. That should be our congressional representatives project. However, in the political vacumn now in Congress, it is good that someone with as much clout as the governors have taken it upon themselves to work through possible ideas and solutions in the energy arena.

America has the brains, the resources and the capital to address these problems. I think sometimes we just get bogged down in the politics of it all. Too bad.

I think this is fantastic. Even if humans have NOTHING to do with global warming...a more intelligent energy policy will keep American dollars at home, clean up our air, water and land, and help reduce respiratory problems across the country.

I am a die-hard democrat, and have never voted for a Republican for major office. However, seeing Huntsman doing what is right, versus what he thinks his party wants makes me reconsider. It is refreshing to see a politican go with his gut.

I'm a die-hard Republican and have never voted for a Democrat. That said, I'm mystified by the reluctance of Utahans to support smart energy policy. Regardless of what you think about global warming, it makes sense to clean up Utah's air (currently famous in the research community for showing that increased air pollution levels lead to increased asthma attacks in children). It makes sense to free ourselves of dependence on foreign oil. It makes sense to investigate alternative sources of energy. And it makes sense, Anonymous, to reduce the cost of government by having state workers work change their schedules. I wish I had such an option.

With oil at $143/barrel, the argument of whether humans are contributing to global warming or not is irrelevant. The reality is that with a growing population and growing energy needs, we need a comprehensive energy plan. Like the comment above, we need to explore all forms of energy: additional oil, wind, solar, nuclear, etc.

I think it's appropriate for the WGA to lead out on this: western states have resources for oil shale, land for wind farms, etc. Good for Huntsman for stepping up to the plate on this. That's more than we can say for Congress.

The governor has my vote! I'm excited that he has such vision and clout. Lots of good points made above. GO HUNTSMAN!!!

Perhaps putting UT and other states on the list to try Hydrogen may be an option for the state now?

Gov. Huntsman,
How about just one one fueling station in SLC to get us going?

Governor Huntsman is all show! Lets see him do something about the gas of price instead it looks like he is just going to make our lives more miserable by supporting gobal warming which will ultimately lead to us paying more taxes. But what do you expect from a rich kid who never really had to worry about where money came from!

Oil is traded gobally. The fifty percent decline in the dollar's value doubled the price of gas. The extra .2 percent America's resources bring in to play in the market won't reflect lower costs because the oil will be sold based on global price.

Most Americans will be conserving because of higher prices more unemployment and a deepening recession.

This is an election year, this is election rhetoric. There aren't more than a handful of elected officials in the US who are not sold out to the dark side: those who want to use energy prices to destroy our economy.

I'll believe the Gov is telling a straight story when the oil, coal and oil shale start to flow.

Gov is in line with the new doctrine and new leaders of the GOP party: Global warming is real, Need to do better job at protecting environment, and urgent need of developping alernative energy.

LET'S GRADE:
GLOBAL WARMING: A
Agree with sciences that Global warming is real,and mostly man made. Agrees that it is the most serious issue facing our beautiful planet and the next generations besides nuclear proliferation.

ENVIRONMENT: B+
Good effort in trying to reduce dependence by reducing usage (4 day week). Bonus points cause its reduces pollution (and Co2 emission) and should reduce overall state cost/tax payer money. However still lacking a comprehensive and stringen plan to save energy. (it's not the brain that's missing, it is the will and the lobbying of big oil Cie).

ENERGY POLICY: C
Nice effort to move into alternative source of energy. failed to tie new drilling to reducing energy consumption per capita to reasonable level.

Overall Very encouraging but could do better with effort.

The only reason I am going to vote for John McCain for President is the hope that he will take our stupid Governor with him to Washington. Please join me...a vote for McCain equals getting rid of Huntsman! YEAH!

To: SagaciousInquisitor | 3:41 p.m. July 1, 2008.

Wow! that's quite a diatribe of self righteous ignorance of the highest degree all peppered with a good salting of egocentric denialism.

How is it that anyone, whether Liberal, Conservative or elsewhere inbetween or at the extremes of each end can ignore, malign and demean the overwhelming scientific evidence of hundreds of the most eminent environmental, ecological, biological and astrophysics scientists from around the world is beyond even the most 'fair & balanced' mind out there.

Worse yet is that somehow, you and your Limbaugh-Hannity-Coulterre-O'Riely cadre actually believe you have the scientific where-withal to know better, all based on spurious, deceptive and out-of-context references to back you absolutely silly nonsensical notions that first, Global Warming is a hoax (even though President Bush is now admitting the possibility) and that somehow humans are not the cause... period!

Well, a bit of enlightenment for you here. The Global Warming scientists have never said that humans or humanity have 'caused' Global Warming, but they are well researched in their assertion that human activity has been the 'tipping point' for the accelerated onset of Global Warming, that's well documented.

Get your head out of the sand!

Unbelievable states: "How is it that anyone, whether Liberal, Conservative or elsewhere inbetween or at the extremes of each end can ignore, malign and demean the overwhelming scientific evidence of hundreds of the most eminent environmental, ecological, biological and astrophysics scientists from around the world is beyond even the most 'fair & balanced' mind out there."

Have you read the scientific reports? They are very different from the politically written reports. There is not as much consensus in those reports (nor hardline positions), but consensus is never the objective of science, only of controlling politicians. Again I ask, have you read the reports or are you just parroting the propaganda.

Unbelievable,

Thanks for all-knowingly and self-righteously elucidating my ignorance. Also appreciated your secularly placing my religion with the evil “Deniers”. Indeed this Global Warming discussion is based purely on Faith.

You obviously believe your Faith more valid than mine. Except for facts . . . Whoops, egocentrism
again.

“Hundreds of the most eminent environmental, ecological, biological and astrophysics scientists around the world” disagree strongly with you, your prophets and your priests. I choose to accept the wisdom, knowledge, eradication and competence of mine over that of those you blindly acknowledge.

Global warming has been around since just before my last meal of mastodon. Remember how gamey flavored that meat was? I, for one, am so glad the sun and the volcanoes under the oceans have been causing this Globe to Warm-up. I much prefer my vegetarian based diet supplemented with cows, pigs, fish and other warmed up creatures to the limited fare we had in the Ice Ages.

And, as Beware said, “have you read all the reports”? Or, do you exclude and deny any which don’t increase your preferred testimony?

Don’t base social economics, or taxes, on foolish Faith.

Head in sand? Head in Ice?

I prefer sand.