ANWR
Powerline has a very logical argument for drilling in ANWR. ANWR has an estimated 7-8 billion barrels of oil. At our current rate of consumption of 17million barrels per day (found here) we'll have a little over a years worth of oil up there. That's good.
However - the reasons given for drilling are to keep prices down.
Prices- right now- are at the point where people are pinching. They are starting to conserve and starting to think about what they can do to differently. This is where prices need to stay for awhile. It's now that will cause people to think about alternatives to oil. Yes, there is still tons of it out there including the shale in Colorado, but yes it is a finite source. (There were only so many prehistoric animals that died and left us oil.) Now is the time to let prices inflate a little so new ideas can make a mint. Cheaper solar, easier wind, doable hydrogen. Whatever it is. Smart people will work on it in order to make some serious money.
Paradigms say that Republicans are owned by big oil, so they will always choose oil over environment. But frankly, the way that everyone, Dems and Reps whine about the price of gas, there is no way a party could stay in office without doing something to reduce the price of oil. So even if the dems were in office, they too would be fighting to open up ANWR in order to reduce prices. NOT to reduce demand on foreign oil, but to reduce current prices. IF gas drops back to $1.50 because we open up ANWR do you really believe that we the people will forgo the big vehicles and the big houses and the multiple trips to the grocery store that is 4 blocks away? I don't. Keep gas at $3/gallon and yes that will happen. Remember the Ford Fiestas that came out of the last crisis?
I'm ok with opening up ANWR for the emergency use. ie. Saudi Arabia decides to sell all of its oil to China and leave us out. But that means you get the mechanisms in place and then let it sit. Congress isn't proposing that, or even another refinery, (which is another reason for higher prices due to the shutdowns in the south). They are proposing more drilling.
Powerline is correct in this statement:
Senator Clinton is absolutely correct that the solution to today's insufficient supply of oil, and resultant high prices, lies in "the minds that are ingenious in America." But those minds are going to bring us more plentiful petroleum long before they produce hydrogen fuel cell cars.
I agree right up until the "price" is higher than we're willing to pay. What price is that? Have you seen Weld County? It's dotted with wells and I'm still ok with that. Will I be ok with it, if that scene is played out in Boulder county in the mountains? I'm not so sure. Wyoming? I'm ok with it looking like an energy supplier to the rest of the country. Alaska? I'm not so sure.
Where is the line? Should we be crossing it now with large open space houses and hummers in existence still? I don't think so.
However - the reasons given for drilling are to keep prices down.
Prices- right now- are at the point where people are pinching. They are starting to conserve and starting to think about what they can do to differently. This is where prices need to stay for awhile. It's now that will cause people to think about alternatives to oil. Yes, there is still tons of it out there including the shale in Colorado, but yes it is a finite source. (There were only so many prehistoric animals that died and left us oil.) Now is the time to let prices inflate a little so new ideas can make a mint. Cheaper solar, easier wind, doable hydrogen. Whatever it is. Smart people will work on it in order to make some serious money.
Paradigms say that Republicans are owned by big oil, so they will always choose oil over environment. But frankly, the way that everyone, Dems and Reps whine about the price of gas, there is no way a party could stay in office without doing something to reduce the price of oil. So even if the dems were in office, they too would be fighting to open up ANWR in order to reduce prices. NOT to reduce demand on foreign oil, but to reduce current prices. IF gas drops back to $1.50 because we open up ANWR do you really believe that we the people will forgo the big vehicles and the big houses and the multiple trips to the grocery store that is 4 blocks away? I don't. Keep gas at $3/gallon and yes that will happen. Remember the Ford Fiestas that came out of the last crisis?
I'm ok with opening up ANWR for the emergency use. ie. Saudi Arabia decides to sell all of its oil to China and leave us out. But that means you get the mechanisms in place and then let it sit. Congress isn't proposing that, or even another refinery, (which is another reason for higher prices due to the shutdowns in the south). They are proposing more drilling.
Powerline is correct in this statement:
Senator Clinton is absolutely correct that the solution to today's insufficient supply of oil, and resultant high prices, lies in "the minds that are ingenious in America." But those minds are going to bring us more plentiful petroleum long before they produce hydrogen fuel cell cars.
I agree right up until the "price" is higher than we're willing to pay. What price is that? Have you seen Weld County? It's dotted with wells and I'm still ok with that. Will I be ok with it, if that scene is played out in Boulder county in the mountains? I'm not so sure. Wyoming? I'm ok with it looking like an energy supplier to the rest of the country. Alaska? I'm not so sure.
Where is the line? Should we be crossing it now with large open space houses and hummers in existence still? I don't think so.
posted by Terri at
7:13 AM
