Having lived through the energy crisis in the 1970s I have been amazed at the lack of progress our nation has made to becoming energy independent. I know there are people who points to the oil companies as causing our problem but in reality it us. We have allowed and in some cases demanded that our elected officials turn their backs on alternatives to petroleum.
We have for the most part turned our back on atomic energy while other countries have em brassed it. In fact Iran a petroleum rich country is actively pursuing this technology. Our own navy has been powering most of our fleet with this technology for most of the last three decades.
We have played with both solar and wind which are the less intrusive to our environment. But even the use of wind is met with resistance since it is an eye sore.
While this nation does have petroleum reserves of it's own we are reluctant to harvest them. It is estimated that technically recoverable oil within the ANWR 1002 area (excluding State and Native areas) is estimated to be between 4.3 and 11.8 Billion barrels. Our politicians tell us this is a drop in the bucket but consider the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as of April 29, 2008, inventory was 701.3 Million barrels. This is not considering what reserves we have laying beneath the continental shelves.
What we need is for the President and Congress to do is announce a “going to the moon” like project to have the United States become energy independent by 2013. This would accomplish the following:
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Spur U.S. research and technology jobs
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Employ construction workers and other labor intensive jobs
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Revitalize heavy industry within the rust belt
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Decrease foreign influence over time
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Decrease pollution of our environment
But to do this we need to be ready to put politics aside. This is not a red or blue issue but a red, white and blue issue. If we do not undertake this effort we will remain a hostage of OPEC and our grandchildren will have to deal with this issue. If you agree, please write your elected officials and the candidates today and let them know your thoughts.
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Finally someone who gets it!
McCain touts energy conservation and oil exploration
By Jeff Mason Tue Jun 17, 6:03 AM ET
DALLAS (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain will call on Tuesday for energy conservation and the lifting of a ban on oil and natural gas exploration as two ways to help address the nation's "dangerous" dependence on foreign oil.
ADVERTISEMENTMcCain, an Arizona senator who has wrapped up his party's presidential nomination, has made energy independence and fighting climate change key components of his bid for the White House.
Rising oil and gasoline prices have put energy concerns at the center of the contest between McCain and presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama to succeed President George W. Bush after the November election.
McCain says energy prices will continue to rise, according to the text of a speech he was set to give later on Tuesday.
"Various oil ministers and investment firms have confidently informed us that soon we can expect to pay $200 for every barrel, and as much as $7 for every gallon of gas," he will say.
Cutting back on energy usage -- a key strategy of Europe's efforts to fight global warming -- was critical in the United States, McCain will say.
"In the face of climate change and other serious challenges, energy conservation is no longer just a moral luxury or a personal virtue," he will say. "Conservation serves a critical national goal."
McCain describes U.S. energy security as a "dangerous situation" in the speech and calls for a reform of laws and regulations that govern the oil futures markets to make the rules more effective.
McCain says the United States has 21 billion barrels of proven oil reserves which are not being tapped because of a federal moratorium on exploration and production.
"I believe it is time for the federal government to lift these restrictions and to put our own reserves to use," he will say. "We can do this in ways that are consistent with sensible standards of environmental protection."