Trippin’

The elections are over. In a couple of months Barack Obama will become president of the United States of America. Unfortunately, he has been puffing on the same joint as all the presidents since Richard Nixon. To wit:

“Let us set our national goal ... that by the end of this decade we will have developed the potential to meet our own energy needs without depending on any foreign energy sources. Let us pledge that by 1980, under Project Independence, we shall be able to meet America's energy needs from America's own energy resources.” — Richard M. Nixon, responding to Arab oil embargo, Nov. 7, 1973.

“I am recommending a plan to make us invulnerable to cutoffs of foreign oil. It will require sacrifice, but it — and this is most important — it will work.” — Gerald Ford, State of the Union address Jan. 15, 1975.

“This intolerable dependence on foreign oil threatens our economic independence and the very security of our nation. ... Beginning this moment, this nation will never use more foreign oil than we did in 1977 — never.” — Jimmy Carter in a television address on July l5, 1979, in which he announced temporary oil import quotas.

“We must take steps to better protect ourselves from potential oil supply interruptions and increase our energy and national security.” — Ronald Reagan, in an energy security message to Congress on May 6, 1987, in which he raised concerns about “our increasing dependence on imported oil.”

“Over the next two decades, this strategy will make us more energy-efficient without new energy taxes. It will mean savings for consumers in energy costs, and it will improve our energy security and reduce our vulnerability in the years ahead.” — George H.W. Bush remarks at a briefing on Energy Policy, Feb. 20, 1991.
“… our Nation’s growing reliance on imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products threatens the Nation’s security because they increase US vulnerability to oil supply interruptions.” — Bill Clinton, Statement on Petroleum Imports and Energy Security, Feb. 16, 1995.

“America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world… By applying the talent and technology of America, this country can dramatically improve our environment, move beyond a petroleum-based economy, and make our dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past.” — George W. Bush, State of the Union address, Jan. 31, 2006.

“I think that in 10 years, we can reduce our dependence so that we no longer have to import oil from the Middle East or Venezuela. I think that's about a realistic timeframe.” -— Barack Obama at the third presidential debate in Hempstead, N.Y., Oct. 15, 2008.

Those of us who look at the figures, the resources, and the progress of alternative energy know that energy independence cannot happen any time soon. It may not happen at all. Most current projections call for oil and gas to be at the same percentage (or a larger percentage) of the energy mix in the year 2025 than it is today. With the world in a recession now bordering on depression, it is not logical to expect that massive amounts of money will be spent to speed up development of alternative energy sources.

The only surefire answer to energy independence is supernatural taxation. Put enough taxes in place to heavily discourage production and consumption and you might drive demand low enough to force energy independence. But that would severely exacerbate the economic crisis and surely produce a four-year presidency. My vote is for telling the truth and getting about the business of rebuilding our economy with all energy resources at hand.