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Energy

    The recent "massive" energy bill is based upon tax breaks for large corporations. They get tax breaks for developing new approaches to our energy supply.  Corporate wealth is the driving force.  A Democratic strategic initiative is urgently needed to drastically improved national energy policy.  

    Check out "Peak Oil" on a web search.  Enter this phrase in quotes on Google or Yahoo to see what this is all about.  And the Administration is touting Social Security as an impending crisis??  

   Here is a chart of past and expected oil production for nine regions of the globe.  Each color represents oil production (million barrels per day).  Total worldwide production is expected to reach a maximum very soon, 2008 or 2009.  Notice that oil production in the lower 48 States (represented by green) reached a peak back in 1971.  Now, production is less than half the amount at peak, hardly the result of resistance by environmentalists!

       After 2009 prices will skyrocket (as if they haven't already) until demand is cut to balance production.  That process is similar to 1980 but with a major difference.  In 1980 oil production was limited by newly formed OPEC.  What we are facing now is not OPEC, but production limited by worldwide availability.  Sufficient oil is just not there to meet rapidly increasing demand, especially in China and India.  That's why energy prices will skyrocket until a very high cost of oil causes a collapse in demand.  That's recession, big time, and there will be no relief until new alternate energy sources become available in large quantities.  Democrats must act now! 

   The powers that be within Democratic circles need to develop and put forward a massive program leading to Foreign Oil Independence Legislation, perhaps called FOIL.  Whatever it's called, a Manhattan type energy project is urgently needed.  Republicans are already pre-empting this issue, but their proposals rely on Corporate tax breaks.  

   Let's get a far-reaching, real energy program on the table now!  

Foreign Oil Dependency:

• Can energy policies have far-reaching consequences?  Yes! Absolutely!  Gasoline prices are only a small part of our energy crisis.  Global warming, declining education, a deteriorating environment, and rapidly declining social services are tied closely to our energy policies! 
• Vast amounts of money are being transferred out of the U.S. into Oil States (Middle East, Nigeria, Venezuela, Indonesia and others).  Of the $120 current price, there is an excess of over $70/barrel that could be eliminated by aggressive new policies to greatly reduce demand for oil.  That translates to over $400 Billion per year tax equivalent, or about a $4000 per year tax equivalent on a family of four.   
• Our oil purchases are funding several autocratic regimes hostile to the U.S!  Much of that money is used to buy weapons from the U.S., and some is used to fund extremists groups.
• We are jeopardizing our own economic stability by incurring a huge trade deficit with China, where their dollar surplus is used to compete with us to secure oil.  We are the ones paying for their energy.
• The U.S. is spending hundreds of billions for our military to protect the oil resources and its transportation.  It will cost much less when reliance on oil is not so critical.
• An energy program that emphasizes alternate sources, such as solar, wind, ocean waves, and others, will create a large source of employment in the U.S. with a variety of skill levels and good wages.
• We need a strong government program to support greatly improved energy efficiency in transportation, lighting, and heating.
• The world's production of oil is very near its maximum.  Some optimists argue that it will not happen for another twenty years.  Even if that view were correct, demand for oil is expected to increase rapidly.  The result will be that 1) prices will skyrocket, or 2) economic stagnation will occur along with social unrest, or 3) military actions will increase, or 4) all of these scenarios will occur simultaneously.
• Our only rational choice to deal with this crisis is to adopt an aggressive, sustainable energy program in the United States.  We will have to confront special interests to avoid the consequences of inadequate, symbolic, or Republican-type solutions primarily favoring the rich.  We all need to share in this enterprise.  

   If you would like to send your ideas concerning Energy, please go to Issues