Energy progress stuck in ‘park’

As I watched the recent sanctimonious berating of oil company execs by the likes of Sens. Dick Durbin, Patrick Leahy and Chuck Schumer, I realized how far off the track we are in solving the energy crisis.

Instead of dependence on imports from the lands that spawned Osama bin Laden or Hugo Chavez, we obviously need a domestic crash program similar to a post-Pearl Harbor total mobilization.

What do we get?

No nukes for 30 years: Ooh, sounds like weaponry.

No refineries for 30 years: Not in my backyard.

U.S . with world’s largest coal reserves: Veto that Kansas coal plant.

No more drilling offshore: So what if Cuba and China drill the Gulf ?

No drilling the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Might affect the pristine habitat of the porcupine caribou.

With the inevitability of an Obama presidency accompanied by large Democratic majorities in both houses, we can expect a return to the flaccid ineptitude of the Jimmy Carter years: high prices, high taxes, legislative mandates, regulators running rampant, rationing and long lines at the pump, all spawned by a Democratic Party committed to the destruction of American capitalism as we know it in the guise of environmental political correctness.

Michael T. Murphy
Prairie Village

I see Congress is, again, subjecting the oil company executives to the role of conniving, heartless, unconscionable and thieving scoundrels.

Democrats in Senate have called for a windfall tax on oil companies’ profits, which will do nothing to lower the price of gasoline. Any time Congress raises taxes on corporations, the corporations merely raise the cost of their product. Corporations do not pay taxes; the people using their products do.

You may recall that since the gasoline shortage during the Carter administration, Congress has known we are vulnerable to foreign oil and has done nothing. There is abundant oil reserve in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska and the Pacific Ocean. Some of these states object to offshore drilling.

Some analysts estimate there is more oil in these areas than is in the Middle East. However special interests have prevented drilling and developing these known oil fields. I believe the objecting states’ jurisdiction ends at their waters’ edge. From there the area belongs to the people of the United States. So, for the benefit of our nation, we should drill for the oil.

Daniel F. Skinner Jr.
Kansas City

Comments

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

They have been working on horizontal drilling for decades. How do you think Iraq drilled into Kuwait? They have the technology in place and this is a good thing for the region and the US. The problem is ALWAYS people that DO NOT work in the industry professing to be subject matter experts in an area they know little about other than reading liberally slanted news rags. The only solution liberals want is no industry and 100% taxation. Idiots.

[Engineer]

JayhawkinMO
The point really isn't what has been done or how hard it will be to drill. The point is that our economy badly needs to become a major oil producer. We need leadership that will work to make people understand we are talking about food on their tables or anyway the maintenance of their current life styles,

[JayhawkinMO]

At last!! GM may reintroduce the Hummer in a downsized version possibly as a hybrid. Or kill it off. Go figure. Common sense has prevailed. GM is closing four plants that are building Tahoes, Escalades and other gas guzzlers. The message is getting through... Off-shore drilling: Most of you jokers forget that W removed oil leases off the Florida west coast from sale at the request of his brother, then Gov Jeb Bush. Jeb later said this helped his re-election. As a liberal who opposes drilling in ANWR, if the Feds can get the residents of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, California, Oregon and Washington to agree to off-shore drilling, then I will support limited drilling in ANWR. Fat chance! Until then, drive more slowly... It helps the financial outlook...

[Engineer]

big dreamer
The Nation's economy was well into the tank by the time we got Carter out of office. Double diget interest rates, double digit inflation and almost double diget diget unempliyment, since Carter things have been much better under all presidents and still are. However oil use is am international matter and the use by other nations is growing rapidly. There is slight chance that we will ever see oil prices anywhere near previous levels. for the sake of our economy we need to drill everywhere we can as soon as we can. those who oppose drilling are exhibiting a willingness to see our economy fade or even fail. We so need to keep up the search for alternatives but for our economy's sake we need to drill now.

[YourBSSucks]

Rogue - "It is refreshing though to see such letters in the paper instead of the typical water melon whiners."

YEAH!!!!! Rogue got a woody because someone wrote a letter that HE agrees with. Don’t get too cocky with yourself buddy, considering there's minimal truth to both letters. But then, you don’t typically worry about the truth as long as it supports your POV. You and KatWoman both seem to have distorted opinions about who the bad guys are especially when you're one of them trying to swim thru your own scum to find fresh water. .

[solomon]

Good afternoon Marctnts,

I saw the interview yesterday. it is a huge pocket 8,000 feet down, and the process it would be gathered is called horizontal drilling, basically, "I'll drink your milkshake". The gov said that private investment, not federal funds are in line to make it happen. I am sorry i can't tell you which cable network it was on as I surf, but it was CNN, FOX or MSNBC if you want to look at the website info.

[GCYL]

“I very much believe Washington DC has an illness that all elected officials that go there, catch.” - big dreamer

What illness would be trying to catch your vote again. For years the vast majority of consumers wanted nothing but cheap gas. ANY political party that came along and said “Gas price will be raised by $x.00 per gallon to be used on alternative research and funding for better/greater mass transit” would have been promptly voted out of office. I pity the political party “in control” when the last call for cheap gas is made. The vast majority of consumers will not be blaming themselves in any particular November. I think we’re starting to see this kind of behavior right now.

[Marctnts]

Solomon,

I hadn't heard the estimates of the Montana / Dakotas reserves, but that seems like good news. If government regulations allow it to be tapped, it should give us a little more "grace period" to further develop alternative technologies before the situation worsens. It will be very important that we continue development at a resonable pace and not postpone advancement until that reserve runs dry.

[big dreamer]

Point fingers all you want. The impending economic disaster is more a result of Reaganomics than Bush, Clinton, Carter, or Bush II. Under Reagan (don't get me wrong he was a great orator and did a lot of good things) we saw huge increases in the national debt and many other areas of the national economy were whipped into a frenzy. We all know it all boils down to government, plain and simple. It does not matter if you are Democrat or Republican, Liberal or Conservative.....for some reason being a part of government (congress, president specifically) translates into being a completely uneducated idiot (regardless of educational attainment). I very much believe Washington DC has an illness that all elected officials that go there, catch.
I will leave it at that, work calls (literally)

[mike d]

And keep in mind, all this happened at the end of an 8-term of GW Bush as President.

Posted by: Not Your Average Joe | Jun 5, 2008 9:49:09 AM

More specifically, after the democrats took over congress

[Stifled Freedom]

The 1970s energy crisis started in 1973....roughly four years before Carter was President. It started under Nixon when OPEC turned off the tap....just like they are donig today.

Every President and Congressman since has failed to deal with our foriegn oil dependence as a national security issue.

Rising fuel spurs inflation. The federal reserve raises interest rates to curb inflation. Right now, interest have been lowered substantially to save the mortgage banks when it should be raised to curb inflation. Its the perfect storm. When is runaway inflation going to set in??? And keep in mind, all this happened at the end of an 8-term of GW Bush as President.

[solomon]

The gov of Montana was interviewed yesterday about a reserve of anywhere from 10-60 billion barrels of oil that has been diecovered there and Nd. Considering 4 billion is what we use currently based on 10 years usage this could be huge.

[Rogue]

These letters and comments ought to draw the "worms from the woodwork". Prof Iggy/Lib Jim, and interflop will be on these like white on a picket fence......

It is refreshing though to see such letters in the paper instead of the typical water melon whiners.

[katman]

To the list of sanctimonious Liberals, Durbin, Leahy, & Schumer, add Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Howard Dean -- and most Liberals reading this -- that 'hope & pray' we lose the Iraq War, especially before the November election. Patriotism is a contradiction to liberalism.

KATMAN

[katman]

Michael Murphy's mention of Jimmy Carter sends me into orbit. This man (Carter) suffers from some sort of dementia. I looked up the phrase 'political suicide' and there was a picture of Jimmy Carter. He could screw up a one car funeral and probably has.

His mouth and brain are not connected - sort of reminiscent of Howard Dean. YAAAAH!

KATMAN