Somali pirates snagged a Greek-flagged oil tanker which was bound for the U.S., raising concerns about the crew and the cargo, should the ship founder, and reminding us of our dependence on overseas oil in an unsavory area. How about drilling here, hmm?
And can we agree, at least most of us, after the ClimateGate revelations, that the science is not settled on global warming. Those clouds continue unpredictable. Can we drive a stake through the heart of this bloodsucking, redistributionist quackery posing as science and move on at long last? But not before the MSM reports and exposes the fraud--is that too much to ask? (Nothing in the Trib print edition--a minor AP story emerges from a search online...) NY Post editorial here. Washington Times.
How about developing our natural resources to create jobs and fuel our economic recovery? Joel Kotkin recently on how Obama can still save his presidency. Here's a key energy idea:
3. Step on the Gas. Providence has handed America – and Obama – an enormous gift in the now recoverable deposits of natural gas found across the continent. Proven levels have been soaring and now amount to 90 years' supply at current demand. More will be found, and across a wide section of the country.
Natural gas may be a fossil fuel, but it is relatively clean and thus the perfect intermediate solution to our energy problems. The problem: The president's green advisers will seek to prevent developing these resources.
Although Obama should support strong environmental controls on gas extraction, the greens should not be allowed to block this unique and historic opportunity to shift economic power back to North America. Along with modest increases in domestic and Canadian oil, natural gas could end our dependence on fossil fuels from outside North America. This would relieve our military from the onerous task of defending other people's oil supplies. But most important, the new energy sources could expand our industrial and agricultural economies so they can capitalize on the huge potential growth from markets at home and in the developing world.
The natural gas era could then finance continued research and deployment of renewable fuels. Let's give it the 10 or 20 years that great transformations require. Quick fixes will lead us to subsidize the purchase of rapidly dated technology from China or Europe; we should aim at the energy equivalent of the moon shot, helping forge a huge technological advantage.
More on this technology here.
Meanwhile, along with some in the press, the White House continues to stonewall on ClimateGate. With stupidity.
Can we get real on energy? Please.
2 comments:
Get real? I live on one of those deposits. First of all, getting the gas out isn't clean, not by any stretch of the imagination. Secondly, most of the land over the deposits is owned by local farmers. Who are now ceasing farming because it will pay more to lease the land to the gas companies. Which means less food being made, and higher food prices. So unless you've figured out a way to eat natural gas, you get real.
PersonalFailure,
Your argument fails to state: what type of farmers and what do they produce? If they are cattle or sheep or other animals, wouldn't these animals just be moved to other farms?
If they are grain farmers such as wheat, soy or corn, could the government stop paying subsidized farmers to stop producing thus they could make their own $$ by producing again and be less of a burden to taxpayers?
Is your argument really not about farming, but that it's a tad inconvienient to you personally so thus 300 million Americans should remain attached to the teat of foreign oil and gas instead of drilling?
Really?
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