I began thinking about what President Bush said about our need for an energy policy, a comprehensive energy policy. Let’s review. We had an Oil Crisis in the late 1970’s. Jimmy Carter was in office. He started a conservation policy. He installed solar panels on the White House didn’t he? He increased emission standards. Then America had 17 years of Republican presidents and 8 years of a Democratic pres. What policy did the Reagan and Bush, the greater, put forward? (Besides keep gas prices low and mine more and drill more.) Early August, both houses of Congress passed an energy bill that seems to me to be more of the same. Where was the comprehensive energy policy we were promised? Moneys to upgrade the electrical grid – where were they?
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Amen! Until there are financial incentives to conserve rather than use, use, use, our country will continue to make the huge energy footprint upon this earth that keeps us in the top place in terms of wastefulness. I hate that rising gas prices hurt the poor, but I love that Tahoes, Hummers, and the like are filling up used car lots. But, conservation makes no money for Bush’s friends, does it… We have much to learn from the Europeans, but the cultural change that it would require is enormous.
All I can say is true…true. The 1700 page bill really does nothing to advance alternative fuels. There is nothing to force gas stations to start carrying hydrogen or other fuel alternatives which is needed before major automakers will produce hydrogen cars in any quantity. The only really good thing that I can find from this bill is the free ride that the MTBE producers wanted was removed. The only other good thing is that drilling in ANWR was beaten back for the third or fourth time. Car miles/gallon higher standards – gone. Any hint of inching toward Kyoto was also removed from the bill. The thing that really boggles my mind is that this piece of terrible policy was endorsed by both sides of the isle.