Prius politics [split from Post Your Prius Stats]

[teacherman]

Hey all. Couple of things:
1. I love my 08 Prius. I have had it for a little over 2 years and the general idea is that for every $200 I spend in gas, then I save $200 over my other vehicle I traded in for the Prius. My car payment is $200 per month for the Prius, and most months I save that much in fuel cost.
2. I think the reason why Republicans get a bad rap for wanting to "trash the planet" is because they don't want to be told what they have to do by a Democrat which Democrats seem to me to generally be into heavy government control of everything because the general person needs to be told what to do. I am a Republican because there is no way that I could vote for a Democrat with alot of the social issues they agree with. I would happily be an independent if there would be any way that it would work, but I feel I would be throwing away my vote. I care about the environment, but I like saving money more. So, buying a Prius and buying solar panels for my roof, which I did on June 5th, just makes good sense from a mathematical money-saving perspective whether there is a tax rebate (the government telling me what to do) or not. However, since the 30% tax rebate is there, I will take it. Check out my Facebook page that I created to help people sort through Solar Panel information. It is Solar 101 for Arkansas Missouri and Oklahoma.
Great job on all your Prius details. That's the same way I keep stats on my solar panels and my Prius. I figure I drive a hybrid car. So, why shouldn't I live in a hybrid house?

[Dardedar]

I am a Republican because there is no way that I could vote for a Democrat with alot of the social issues they agree with.

I've never been a member of a political party, but I quite like them on those social issues.

I care about the environment, but I like saving money more.

I keep trying to get republicans/conservatives to think like that. Too many out there bragging about leaving their hummers running overnight just to piss off liberals.
I'm not kidding.

whether there is a tax rebate (the government telling me what to do) or not.

Consider, there is another way to look at that. When our society builds a power plant, it costs a lot of money and these things, and their fuels, are heavily subsidized (one Finnish nuclear plant is going to come in at about $8 billion Euro). Our governments can pour money into building a powerplant, with all of its inherent problems and subsidized cost, or it can kick you a little money off your taxes to help with your panels and lower the electric load.
It's a no brainer.
Some time ago Ontario CA looked at this option. They could pour a billion plus dollars into building a new plant, or they could pay people 39cents per KWH to create their own roof top electric on site.
Wouldn't you love to have society reward your solar panel entrepreneurship with a 39 cents per KWH payday rather than a big polluting coal plant?
Maybe some day we'll have the power companies in line and actually get a decent price for the solar we create on our roofs. The rocketing up of cheap solar is not a good time for power companies.

I figure I drive a hybrid car. So, why shouldn't I live in a hybrid house?

A sensible conservative. Like a breath of fresh air.
They're quite rare you know....

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Hey Teacherman! Check out those darn socialists north of our border:

How much money do you make?
The short answer is:
We make about $3,000 a year.
We are paid 80.2¢ for every kilowatt hour of electricity that we produce (What’s a kilowatt hour?). 80.2¢ was the rate in effect when the microFIT program launched. If you turn on a system today, the rate is lower: 38.4¢ for every kilowatt hour, for 20 years. Every two years there is a review of the program and the rates for future contracts will be adjusted."
http://www.yourturn.ca/solar/microfit/h ... -you-make/

In Arkansas, if your solar system creates more electricity than you use, the electric company gets that juice you created, for free.
If I could get paid 38 cents per KWH for homemade juice, I could fill my two acres with panels and retire on the income!

That high of a price is not sustainable however and it is being driven down as more people start creating green energy sources. Consider also:

"...if the price of renewables is coming down the province should scrap its plans to spend at least $33 billion refurbishing nuclear plants and building two new reactors and focus more on green energy." LINK

$33 billion [CA] can pay for a whole lot of green energy subsidies. Far smarter to give it to the guy making electricity on his roof rather than a power plant don't ya think?

[David Franks]

a tax rebate (the government telling me what to do)

A rebate doesn't tell you to do something; it offers encouragement. You don't have to respond to the encouragement, nor do you have to take the rebate if you do.

However, since the 30% tax rebate is there, I will take it.

But you did something you didn't have to do when encouraged by an entity you appear to dislike, which would seem to make you suggestible. Why the smiley? Did the government make you smile? (Apparently so.)

[Savonarola]

I care about the environment, but I like saving money more.

Sounds like most Republicans I know.
"I care about x, but I care about money more."