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July 16, 2008 at 19:18:53
by Robert McElroy Page 1 of 1 page(s) |
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If you haven’t yet heard, Texas Oilman T. Boone Pickens has a plan to solve our energy problems and what he proposes is all factually correct. The world supply of oil is diminishing, wind energy is a viable answer and natural gas is the ultimate answer to a strong domestic supply of clean energy for moving our vehicles, heating our homes. Mr. Pickens ignores that some members of Congress were reporting in 2005 that the oil supply had peaked. He relies on us to ignore that one of the first major pieces of legislation the 110th Congress produced was a thorough and relatively inexpensive energy bill. It invests in research and production of renewable and other energy to include wind, solar, natural gas, and hydro. So, what’s the point Mr. Pickens? There is room to believe that he truly feels our pain, but that compassion must be considered in the context of his oil industry reporting unprecedented profits while we still feel the pain at the pump.
No, it’s something else.
First there is the obvious: developing and producing wind energy brings government funds and Mr. Pickens has been bringing wind technology into Texas. Get taxpayer funds to build the turbines, sit back and let the wind make your money for you. He and his colleagues will grow their business on those subsidies and will ultimately be setting the price of wind energy just as they are with oil-generated energy today.
Then the more obvious: the Energy Department reported in 2005 that we have 300 trillion cubic feet of natural gas within our national boundaries. That includes the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) where Mr. Pickens and the oil crowd feel they absolutely have to drill. And, of course, a good bit of natural gas is found near oil strikes, so this works pretty well for Mr. Pickens: there is more natural gas to pump than oil.
Why sell this to the public now? After 8 years of trying to interpret the energy policy of the two elected oilmen in the Capital up pops T. Boone Pickens, yet another Texas oilman with an answer to our energy problems. His motivations precede him and it is likely no coincidence, more likely one of those (Carl) Rovian political strategies, that he sauntered on stage a mere few weeks before the President repealed Executive Orders banning drilling on most of the OCS, dumping this highly charged and intensely political issue in the lap of Congress.
Aside from supporting the President’s position on more leases, Mr. Pickens’ proposal does more to feather his own nest than solve our energy problems. Why should we get behind him? He proposes a solution Congress has already acted on and wants us to direct our resources, hopes and dreams towards improving his business, extending its longevity, and setting him up to control that energy commodity too.
With high oil company profits growing from gasoline prices that are beyond reason and refineries working at less than capacity, who would go along with a solution from someone who is profiting from those high prices, someone who is part of the problem? After 8 years of two oilmen in the White House and allegations that Mr. Pickens’ himself is sitting on a slew of capped oil wells, we’ve seen where the oil crowd has taken us and why. How long do you think it will take, with the old bosses still in charge, before we begin to feel the pain at the natural gas pump? ##
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Wind energy
Mr. Pickens isn't the only one who can produce and sell wind energy. Units to go in your back yard are available. How much can he charge when he is in competition with all of us for the production of wind power? How much can he charge for his natural gas when every dump starts tapping the methane produced by their activity and selling it? Nope big energy is about to find out they priced themself out of the game. by Robert N Smith (15 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 152 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Jul 16, 2008 at 10:58:58 PM  (0+)
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Focus on past experience
America needs to stay FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED. Focus: History reminds us that every time oil prices peak and the North American market/consumers start to discuss alternative energy sources, the oil exporting countries start to trim down their prices. History also tells us that the oil exporting nations have been very successful in the past and in fact, we have lost our enthusiasm and dropped many of our alternative energy initiatives after oil prices are reduced. WE need to stay focused this time. 1) Al Gore and his energy initiative is on course.2) T. Boone Pickens and his wind power initiative is on course.3) The BG Automotive Group mass production electric vehicle program is on course along with renewable solar energy charging option.4) Richard Branson from the UK is on course w/his environmental programs..5) The Gas Reduction Act of 2008 might not be the most environmentally sound solution, but yet it shows that Congress has finally realized that we have an energy crisis (again), and a real threat to our national security. The continued dependence on foreign oil is a threat to our long term democratic values. We must become an energy independent nation, and with this, some sacrifices will have to be made by the American consumer. Be aware!!We are exporting approximately USD $700 Billion dollars per year of U.S. currency. The majority of this money is being transferred to the Trillion dollar “sovereign wealth funds”. This is USD $700 Billion not being spent on America’s educational system, health care and security. The “sovereign wealth funds” are directly buying major interests (large blocks of stock) in U.S. companies, including most of the major banks. Also, billions of dollars of “sovereign wealth fund” money is being invested in our hedge funds, private equity firms, and the investment banking industry. A few of these firms are directly and indirectly investing large sums of money into our “gas combustion” automobile industry. Do we want our auto industry in the direct or indirect control of the firms that are supplying us oil? This is an interesting topic for an investigative reporter. There are automotive consulting companies in Michigan (heart of our auto industry), lobbying States and our Federal Government, NOT to subsidize the Electric Vehicle industry. The latter seems to be contradictory to what the American public would like to see from our automobile industry. After the billions (excess of $20 billion) the automotive companies have lost in the past 6 months producing gas combustion vehicles, you would think they too would change course. Changing course is not adding 2-4 miles per gallon w/Hybrids. Drastic measures in our auto industry must take place and NOW! Do not let the temporary reduction in oil prices push us off course….AGAIN. Educated: Read, Read- Stay on top of the issues. Let’s not be fooled again. STAY FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED! by Barry Bernsten (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 3 comments) on Sunday, Jul 27, 2008 at 1:18:41 PM (0+)
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In response
Great that you are developing electric cars as such, but the electric has to be developed somewhere and, like you suggest with big companies buying into the US automotive industry, the big boys are lining up to rake in the dollars by providing that electricity-producing energy, too. These guys just won't quit and, as is the case with Pickens, will guiltlessly try to convince Americans to follow them. Congress would have gotten much further along in solving our problems if it wasn't for Republican obstruction from day one in 2007. Senator McConnell's gas price reduction act that you mentioned has elements in it that have already been addressed by Congress in other legislation--the better batteries provision in particular. Remove those parts and all you have is the Republican mantra for drilling offshore and in the ANWR. Actions supported and, perhaps, craved by Pickens and others in the business. One would be a bit naive to ignore that it wasn't for lack of trying that the 110th Congress couldn't head off this current energy problem, it was the sufficient number of Republicans and the so-called Blue Dog Democrats in the House and and Republicans in the Senate that stalled, blocked or defeated legislation that would already be helping us had it succeeded. What Americans should be watching is just that-- that the oil industry and the Republican party are using this crisis to further push drilling in sensitive areas, promising that it will solve our problems, yet they all voted against the most simple immediate solution--drawdown from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, sell the light sweet to buy the replacement cheaper heavy crude, make a profit and watch an immediate drop in prices at the pump. It's worked before. The President won't do it and Republicans won't support it because it affects oil company profits. As far as Senator McConnell's bill is concerned, if it comes to the floor it will not pass. That is expected but will allow Senators up for reelection to accuse the Democrats of not wanting to solve the problem. It's ludicrous and, although I have, from time-to-time, agreed with a good bit of Republican legislation going back over the past five years, this sort of bait and switch while Americans are struggling to make ends meet is far too typical of the Republican stratagy that has consistently overlooked what Americans really want but rather plays on those wants with legislation that sounds good but is only good for the Republican base. by Robert McElroy (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 15 comments) on Sunday, Jul 27, 2008 at 3:26:39 PM (0+)
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