McCain: U.S. Can't Be Held Hostage for Oil
Ah, such fun headlines, as oil prices rise back approaching $70/bbl.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060122/ap_on_go_co/us_mccain_oil
We've got to get quickly on a track to energy independence from foreign oil, and that means, among other things, going back to nuclear power," McCain said on Fox News Sunday.
Hmmm... Of course McCain is a smart man and knows that energy independence from foreign oil is a nonstarter - a ever decreasing domestic supply of oil and ever increasing demand for oil and the largest oil consumer in the world isn't going to trade in our gasoline powered cars any time soon. AND even if we had a huge investment in nuclear power, that generates electricity that's not going to power a smallest fraction of our travel for a long time. In short, LONG term solutions are GOOD, but don't help in our short term demand.
You would think if people are AFRAID, they might be willing to accept a little sacrifice in exchange for a portional increase in security. So at least McCain is right to voice the fears, even if the solutions are yet politically unviable.
I'm convinced that we are on track for disaster and no real political will for reform. Political will for me means legislation that intends to immediately start meaningful actions in conservation.
This can START by enacting a restoration of a 55mph speed limit. Second we can make it long term policy to raise gasoline taxes towards European levels around $3-4/gallon in the next say 5 years. If I'm a business leader making financial decision, I'm going to make different decisions I must assume my transportation costs WILL go up. We need leadership being willing to not only admit a problem, but admit higher costs are a necessity for alternatives to be competitive.
It would be nice to have a third point, and I could go further with some ideas but until we get the first two, I see no point. Make driving LESS convenient and MORE expensive. Politicians can't admit such goals, but I'm not running for nothing, so I can be truthful. We pay now, or pay later.
The U.S. should be afraid of world oil prices, but WE are part of the problem. We are 25% of the world's consumer, and 2% of the world's supply. That's a problem. That's OUR problem.
To say "democracy" is the answer to the world's conflicts is crazy. How can you have a world where wealth is controls by the few, where money oils all relations such that the only democracy is for people fortunate enough to not have vast resources the world is currently trying to exploit.
If I lived in Saudi Arabia, I'd be doing all I can to LEAVE and find a land where my government actually has to tax WORK to get money. Such places have a CHANCE for democracy.
I hope McCain continues his expressions. I hope he's got some "bigger ideas" than throwing money at nuclear. I'm sure it will happen because we'll get desparate, but I hope we can do a little more too in conservation.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060122/ap_on_go_co/us_mccain_oil
We've got to get quickly on a track to energy independence from foreign oil, and that means, among other things, going back to nuclear power," McCain said on Fox News Sunday.
Hmmm... Of course McCain is a smart man and knows that energy independence from foreign oil is a nonstarter - a ever decreasing domestic supply of oil and ever increasing demand for oil and the largest oil consumer in the world isn't going to trade in our gasoline powered cars any time soon. AND even if we had a huge investment in nuclear power, that generates electricity that's not going to power a smallest fraction of our travel for a long time. In short, LONG term solutions are GOOD, but don't help in our short term demand.
You would think if people are AFRAID, they might be willing to accept a little sacrifice in exchange for a portional increase in security. So at least McCain is right to voice the fears, even if the solutions are yet politically unviable.
I'm convinced that we are on track for disaster and no real political will for reform. Political will for me means legislation that intends to immediately start meaningful actions in conservation.
This can START by enacting a restoration of a 55mph speed limit. Second we can make it long term policy to raise gasoline taxes towards European levels around $3-4/gallon in the next say 5 years. If I'm a business leader making financial decision, I'm going to make different decisions I must assume my transportation costs WILL go up. We need leadership being willing to not only admit a problem, but admit higher costs are a necessity for alternatives to be competitive.
It would be nice to have a third point, and I could go further with some ideas but until we get the first two, I see no point. Make driving LESS convenient and MORE expensive. Politicians can't admit such goals, but I'm not running for nothing, so I can be truthful. We pay now, or pay later.
The U.S. should be afraid of world oil prices, but WE are part of the problem. We are 25% of the world's consumer, and 2% of the world's supply. That's a problem. That's OUR problem.
To say "democracy" is the answer to the world's conflicts is crazy. How can you have a world where wealth is controls by the few, where money oils all relations such that the only democracy is for people fortunate enough to not have vast resources the world is currently trying to exploit.
If I lived in Saudi Arabia, I'd be doing all I can to LEAVE and find a land where my government actually has to tax WORK to get money. Such places have a CHANCE for democracy.
I hope McCain continues his expressions. I hope he's got some "bigger ideas" than throwing money at nuclear. I'm sure it will happen because we'll get desparate, but I hope we can do a little more too in conservation.
posted by Ares Olympus at 10:56 PM
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