Can we be energy independent? I don’t know, nor does anyone for that matter. Only the marketplace can tell us. But, that is impossible because the marketplace can’t respond.
We need absolutely nothing from our governments in any area of energy procurement. They need to eliminate the restrictions they put in place to stop every viable form of development. Plus, they can enjoy billions of dollars in revenue by leasing public lands. They are called public because they belong to us, not you congress. No frivolous lawsuits will be allowed with the express purpose of stopping progress that is in the best interests of the country. Put that regulation in place. Let demonstrators demonstrate until the cows come home. Let the media spin the evils of progress until they go out of business which will be soon since they only sell news to special interest groups now. Just stand back and let the real leaders of this country get on with the various options that are available. That’s all we need Washington. Get out of the way.
We’ll even let you keep your one big success, ethanol. The net energy loser that has sucked up billions in our tax dollars so you can get the farm vote and stay in your job. Once all the free enterprise options that you have stopped are up and running you may decide to make ethanol go away on your own. Probably not. You can keep the Brazilian ethanol out like you’ve been doing. We don’t care. Won’t matter.
If offshore works at $120 a barrel it will happen. If nuclear works, plants will be built. If clean coal works, we’ll have clean coal. If the pipeline from Alaska bringing natural gas to the lower 48 flies, it will get built and fast. Drilling will get started in Alaska. If shale oil in Wyoming can be done it will be done. Wind farms will go if they attract capital. Solar will move forward if it works in the economic format. No subsidies are needed. No incentives from Washington. Just get out of the way.
Investments will be made where businesses see reward for their risk. Probably there will be too much investment, too much activity in every area and we will be long on energy again. The economy will recover and growth will occur and we will save companies like GM and United Airlines. And millions of jobs. Jobs that are not non productive government jobs, but real jobs that add to the GDP. Even jobs for the legal illegal aliens that are here. Jobs that will pay taxes so government can give the money away to other countries, or to dig on Mars, or other ideas that do not add to the GDP or generate profits. The incremental profits from the new sources of energy will also generate taxes for more waste.
Big Oil, the bad guys will probably play a big role here. They will drill offshore and in Alaska and finance the pipelines, ports, terminals, refineries, and create the shale oil. Maybe even the solar and wind. You, congress, the real bad guys need to stop dragging them into hearings and leave them alone so they can do the work they’ve always done, make energy. And pay taxes so government can spend the money on waste, pork,more bad regulation, and, of course, the eternal campaign for office.
It’s so easy Washington, all we need is for you to erase what you’ve done to try to destroy this great country. You can keep working on dye in foods that make kids hyperactive, steroids in baseball, and sifting that dust on Mars. We can live with you screwing up these things, we just can’t tolerate having you in the energy business. That includes cap and trade by the way. Just leave the whole climate thing alone. I sent faxes today to all 100 senators asking them to drop the Leiberman/Warner bill and get on with something positive. Just undo everything you’ve done in the last 20 years to make domestic energy scarce. Stop sending 600 billion dollars a year to other countries for their oil while setting ours aside. Set asides don’t work for corn or oil. You’ve screwed up both food and oil. We will go broke as a nation sending 600 billion or more to other countries every year.
Fifty one percent of the public believe you, congress, is to blame for high gas prices. By the end of the year, that may well be 75%. Every time you’ve gotten involved in energy we’ve had a disaster. Jimmy Carter tried to run the business for four years and Reagan erased everything he did and the marketplace fixed all the problems in weeks. Hawaii tried last year to fix gasoline prices and dropped it in 10 months. The state of California tried to run the electric power business and bankrupted the power companies and nearly the state itself.
Washington, the public has found the energy problem and it’s your meddling. Fix what you’ve done. That will resolve it. No more meddling please.
None of this will happen overnight. You’ve blocked all the avenues of progress for 20 years and it will take time to get the machine back up and running. While that’s going on we will enjoy an economic depression of your making. Thanks. You can play the blame game, but please get out of the energy business. Forever.
