America’s energy policy is the real lost ball in high weeds. I think America’s lack of an energy policy is pathetic. We have no leadership. And it doesn’t appear that the two losers we have chosen to fight it out for the oval office is going to be much help. (Obama? McCain? Honest to effing god is that the best we could do in a time when this country needs a great man to lead it? Apparently.) Anyway, I believe the single biggest problem this country has is energy. I also believe that Congress and the White House are spending more time opposing each other than working together and helping to solve this mess. I don’t think we are in a “crisis”. I haven’t had any problem getting my car fueled up. My house still has electricity. But I do think we are heading for some big problems if we don’t start working on some solutions.
I’m not certain why the government doesn’t throw every resource at this problem that they can. They won’t open up more areas to drill offshore. We can’t drill in ANWR. They won’t support funding of new initiatives like wind and solar. Yet this is a country that clearly uses and abuses a shitload of energy. We need to try everything. We need to do everything. It’s so stupid to hear people talk about drilling, like “if we drill today the oil won’t become gas for your car for another 10 years.” So? WTF are we going to be doing in ten years? Paying $300/barrel for dwindling Middle Eastern oil? Drill now and work on alternatives in the mean time. Let’s do it all.
So I’m supporting The Pickens Plan. T.Boone Pickens is a Texas oilman. He sees where the lack of planning has gotten us. He wants a change. He’s not running for office. He’s simply offering a plan that no one else has provided. Pickens says that neither Obama or McCain has offered any plan of their own. It’s truly amazing as this is the biggest problem this country is facing. I guess we are in denial. Maybe the collective believes that it’s just a matter of time before oil and gas comes back down in price. Think you’re ever going to pay $1.25/gallon for gas again? Think again.
Take some time and read his plan. Maybe sign up and show your support. If you prefer an energy policy put out by the bozos running for president then I guess do nothing. Obama’s great plan is a windfall tax on big oil. Brilliant guy that one. McCain’s isn’t much better. But at least he later said he supported building more nuclear plants. It’s something. We should do that as well.
On January 20th, 2009, a new President will take office. I’m getting behind the Pickens Plan to help ensure that our voices will be heard by the next administration.
19 responses so far ↓
Barry // Jul 8, 2008 at 10:06 am
Wonder why the Plan doesn’t mention nuclear energy, when nuclear is the only long-term solution to peak oil.
What he left out was that we need to develop a set of standardized designs for a range of reactor sizes — small, medium and large — and then give any company building to the standard design a fast track aproval.
I also didn’t see any mention of oil shale and oil sands. These sources are available much quicker than the wind solution. I admit that wind is a permanent solution, but the shale and sands can help us until we get the wind in place.
Yes, we have a lot of gas, and yes, we need to allow drilling where there is energy. And yes, we need to allow energy companies to build refineries. These are truths that only the radical enviros don’t acknowledge; they ultimately want to return us to the Middle Ages or eliminate the human race altogether.
All in all, I wonder what Pickens’ real agenda is. I’ve followed him for a long time, and I don’t remember him being altruistic.
Barry
Splork // Jul 8, 2008 at 10:59 am
He’s worth 4 billion and is 80 years old. He says he doesn’t need any more money. And I really don’t care what his agenda is as long as it helps ween us off foreign energy sources and reduces the cost we spend on it here at home. He has a massive wind farm being built in TX so I’m sure he expects to profit from it. At least he has a plan. Nobody else has stepped up with anything. He believes nat gas will solve part of our problem along with solar and wind.
He was quoted today in USA Today as “being in favor of developing more nuclear energy, and every form of alternative energy to reduce oil imports. ‘Try everything. Do everything. Nuclear. Biomass. Coal. Solar. You name it. I support them all,’ he says. ‘But there’s only one energy source that can dramatically reduce the amount of oil we have to import each year, and that’s (natural) gas.’”
This energy thing is my hot button. When I simply cannot afford to get in my car and drive down to do an activity that I like to do because it’s $50 a pop for gas there and back, even in a 4-cylinder vehicle, it really pisses me off. It used to cost me around $15, what, 2 years ago? It never should have come to this. And now we are going to pay for it for a good 10-20 years.
pickens plan | Start a new day // Jul 8, 2008 at 12:12 pm
[…] aides say will be the biggest …CrossingWallStreet.com - http://www.crossingwallstreet.com/|||I Support The Pickens PlanSo I’m supporting The Pickens Plan. T.Boone Pickens is a Texas oilman. He sees where the lack of […]
Frank C // Jul 8, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I wish a safe and productive ethanol production system wasn’t so expensive (starting at about $10K) or I would certainly use one. Of course, home energy production, ethanol, wind, solar, whatever, is something that the big energy folks hate since it would make them useless and broke. Which reminds me, I need to pay my power bill today.
Rick S. // Jul 9, 2008 at 1:35 am
If you’re looking for a presidential candidate with a real energy policy, look at Ralph Nader -
http://www.votenader.org/issues/environment/new-energy-policy/
Like Pickens, Nader supports wind and solar. I too would like to see nuclear on the table (like it is in France), but I doubt that will happen.
The key to Pickens’ plan is diversification and self-reliance. Natural gas, wind, solar.
The key to Nader’s plan is efficiency and renewable energy. Green factories and buildings, upgrade the transportation infrastructure, and use wind, solar, and biomass energy.
As we’ve seen from the ethanol debacle, biomass will probably end up being a boondoggle that only benefits the ADMs of the world. Other than that, I think Pickens and Nader should get together and talk. They have enough common ground at this point.
Splork // Jul 9, 2008 at 8:53 am
The problem is that Nader is not a viable candidate. If Nadar agrees with the Picken Plan on principle then maybe it would benefit us all if his people supported it.
Tom // Jul 9, 2008 at 10:22 pm
The solution is to start drilling in ANWR, start drilling the coastal areas, start drilling shale in Colorado and the Northwest. And build more refineries.
Wind and solar and everything else is fine, but for now, this country and economy still runs on oil.
The truth of the matter is that the Democrats have blocked drilling and oil production every step of the way for decades.
When the Dems wake up and figure out that they are on the wrong side of this issue, the drilling will commence, and prices will start to go down. Doesn’t matter if Bush, Obama, McCain, or Bozo the clown is in the Whitehouse.
I keep hearing the “10 years” thing being thrown around. Well, it was over 10 years ago that Congress passed a bill to drill ANWR, and Clinton vetoed it.
Drill here, drill now.
Splork // Jul 10, 2008 at 6:22 am
I say do it all. Drill. Work on alternative energy…we’ll need it. Build more nuclear plants. Use coal. Research cleaner coal like it was the Manhattan Project. Shale oil. Conservation.
The problem is everybody in Congress is too concerned about getting such and such elected…or not, to do any work. Plus we simply have the wrong leadership. Left or right. I find it all so very pathetic. I don’t expect anything to get better from DC. It will simply take private innovations. Hopefully the bloat that is our gov’t will help and not hinder.
Barry // Jul 10, 2008 at 10:31 am
For a slightly different take on the energy problem, read Roy Spencer’s “Climate Confusion.”
It’s targeted at the environmental crazies, but his energy observations are spot on.
Splork // Jul 10, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Interesting to read all the cynics comments about the Plan. From tornadoes will destroy the windmill farms to natural gas doesn’t need to be going in the cars. And of course everyone is trying to decipher the man’s angle. “How’s he profiting?” Why we wouldn’t want that.
All I have to say is at least someone is trying something. I really don’t care if he is profiting. It’s his investment. I’ll invest right along side the man.
I think people are in some serious denial. They are having a hard time understanding how they are going to live without $1.50 gasoline pouring into their 8-cylinder, 4×4 guzzler. So for now they don’t. But the pain is just going to keep increasing. It’s why we need a plan.
Barry // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:17 pm
As for natural gas and cars, I ran a tractor on LP in the early 1960s and quite a few of my friends had cars that had been converted to LP. The technology isn’t new and it is proven.
And LP is a heck of a lot safer than gasoline.
The truth of fuel is that wind and solar will never amount to more than a small percent of out energy needs, something on the order of 5-10%. This is valuable, but not something to hang the future of the world on.
We need to start drilling whereever there is a chance of oil.
We need to develop a standard nuclear plant design and get them fast-tracked.
We need to develop the shale and sands we have.
It will take 10 years to get these things done, so suck it up and get going.
There is one hope for the USA: the Organization of Food Exporting Countries.
OFEC should be formed from USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil and a few others. Then we price our food for export at the same percentage increase as oil has had since 1972.
Oil was $2.50 a barrel? Wheat was $2 a bushel?
Oil is now $150 a barrel? Up 60 times? Wheat for export is now $120 a bushel. Cash and carry, Harry.
Draconian, perhaps. But it may be the only way in the short to medium term to salvage the US and the USDollar.
Barry
Tom // Jul 10, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Just to be clear, I am not necessarily cynical about Pickens’ plan for the long term. But my point is that for the short to medium term, if we want to stop gas prices from continuing to go up, and even get them to start going down, we better drill here and now.
IMO, it is insane not to drill based on some environmental boogyman.
This is an interesting site…http://www.anwr.org/ (I’m not affiliated in any way with it)
“More than 75% percent of Alaskans support exploration and production on the Coastal Plain of ANWR. “
Splork // Jul 11, 2008 at 7:57 am
I agree. We have to drill now.
scotty // Jul 11, 2008 at 11:05 pm
There is a Public Forum for discussions on Pickens Plan : http://www.pickensenergyplan.com
See you there !
Rick S. // Jul 13, 2008 at 3:06 am
Splork, I just thought you might be interested in this:
http://www.votenader.org/media/2008/07/11/Pickens/
Nader is actually hailing Pickens’ plan (I had a feeling he would).
And just because he is not a “viable” candidate, does not mean that supporting Nader will not have an effect on the election. He is opening up the national debate.
And maybe he can become viable — in a three-way race, you could win as little as 34% of the vote (don’t know how that would work out with the anti-democratic electoral college …)
—
As for ANWR, the way I see it, we don’t actually need it yet. Why not wait for the rest of the world’s oil to be depleted? Then when everyone else needs oil the most, and they’re willing to pay $1000+ /barrel for it, the US can control the market … why squander the resource now?
In the meantime, maybe alternative energy sources and conservation will advance enough that oil will become a “has-been” energy source, and we will have preserved the refuge.
Just a thought.
Phil // Jul 13, 2008 at 4:18 am
Here’s A critique of the Pickens plan that makes some good points:
http://junkscience.com/ByTheJunkman/20080710.html
Splork // Jul 13, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I totally understand why people are critical of the plan. I guess. Nobody else has come up with a thing to solve this problem. And it is a problem. Maybe his plan will motivate somebody else to come up with something. I’m just glad there is some dialogue being raised on this.
I just hate to see people criticize the plan, any plan, simply because somebody is going to profit from it. Sure Pickens has tons of interest in nat gas. Yes he would benefit greatly with his plan. So would the rest of us. Nat gas we have plenty of. Oil, no so much.
So the answer is what? Do nothing because someone will make money off their plan? Seems to me that everyone is so rooted in the same ol same ol. God forbid we have to give up our hemi 4X4 full bed king cab guzzler. America is going to have to adjust to some new thinking. It will cost money and a lot of people are going to profit. Lot of people might get left behind. Not unlike when we built the rails. When we built the first cars. Change scared the shit out of people then. Like this does now.
Robert C - The Wholesale Products Guy // Jul 25, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Splork Writes..
“(Obama? McCain? Honest to effing god is that the best we could do in a time when this country needs a great man to lead it?”..
Those are my exact thoughts everytime some inane political rantings fall from their lips. I can’t believe that these two horses made it to the political finishing line..
While McCain maybe the lesser of two evils, his positions on just about any issue seem to shift like the sands of the Sahara..
He also suffers just a wee bit from pandering syndrome as well. I doubt we would get much of an energy policy under his presidency, being that he is a Global Warming believer..
Not to get into a political banter of who did what when, but, to make a point, I have to mention that Clinton vetoed drilling in ANWAR in 1995, and kept in place, the ban on off shore drilling.
The whole “we won’t have energy available in ten years” argument was made then too.
Just imagine if they did drill in every place oil was available back then, we would be taking less of a beating at the pump today..
Bush has since publicly lifted the ban by executive decree. So all that is left is for Congress to act. And act, they have!
Madam Pelosi, the first lady speaker of the house, led by a coalition of the “Democratic” faithful has finally revealed their secret plan.
She wants to dump 700,000 barrels from the strategic oil reserve, resulting, as she sez, in lower prices at the pump!
Stroke of genius..
Happy days are here again, and 1.90 a gallon prices will had by all. Ah, well, not really.
In a nation (US) that uses 85 million barrels of oil a day, and a market that prices oil globally, it is just a hiccup at best. And now, she, not Bush is standing in the way of letting drilling
No price relief will be had by anyone, anytime soon. She just said the other day that even though the public wants to drill, and a bill is in congress, which has the votes to pass, she will not let it on the floor for a vote..
“She said that she, and the congress is to busy cleaning up George Bush’s mess”..
Ah, yes, hearings on steroids, and calling oil companies in for a little chat about “windfall” profits. Hey America, there’s you change, and your audacity of hope!
Funny story about congress and oil company executives that have to sit through this..
Maxine Waters from California, had a “communist slip”, and actually revealed to the oil company executives gathered before here that:
“This socialist, err, liberial, in me, would like to take over and Nationalize your companies!” I am paraphrasing here, but it is close enough for government work!
I guess the bottom line is that we better just all get bikes! Because if B. Obama gets elected, with a Democratic congress in full control, then we will have no oil shale, no clean coal, no nuclear power, and definitely no expansion in domestic oil exploration.
Sad Indeed..
Robert C - The Wholesale Products Guy..
Janey // Aug 4, 2008 at 11:29 pm
I’ve read and pondered both sides of this issue and one thing is for certain….the next administration better get of their a** and fix this or we will not have much of an economy left.
Pathetic that the popluace can see the writing on the wall and has for years while the policy makers who should be looking ahead are blinded by… ummm, shall we say sunglasses made of lobbyist incentives to remain satisfied that the issue is under firm control.
When is big business going to wake up and realize that the technology already here and they will make more by implementing it than bankrupting the country?
Don’t need a degree in economics to figure this one out.
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