<Energy Independence from the ME oil for the USA? For the global economy?>
Of course we're not an island economy. But it is foolish to continue our unnecessary and growing reliance on energy from unstable, uncontrollable parts of the world.
As a longterm project, to solve this longterm problem, it should be a cornerstone of our national security. For political and military reasons, as much as economic reasons.
We can:
1. develop ANWR and N. Canada oil/gas fields
2. push Alberta oil sands to the max
3. have the same incentives and subsidies for wind and solar, that we now have for nuclear and fossil fuels.
4. seriously tax all imported energy (and cut taxes elsewhere, to make it revenue-neutral).
5. tax inefficient electric motors of all kinds, and low-MPG cars (again, with offsetting tax cuts elsewhere).
6. Manhattan Project for true, permanent self-sufficiency, and keep funding it tell it yields results.
Look at how much money it is costing us to conquer and garrison Iraq. That's the alternative. Tell me my proposals are expensive, and I'll reply that our present policy is even more expensive. For what we're spending now (4-5B$/month), you can buy a lot of R&D, a lot of incentives to deploy Energy Independence technologies. No quick-fix, but it's the only permanent fix. |
