Conservation Energy self reliance Use of the SPR (a suggestion made by some here) Alternative energy sources Voucher-based gas-distribution system
This last struck me as I had not seen it mentioned before. At first I thought rationing but it isn't that. Any idea how this would work?
It is a form of rationing. Gov't control of distribution will itself cause shortages, and wouldn't be done unless there were also the other attributes of national mobilization for war such as the draft and price/wage controls.
How about we try letting the market set the price in energy as in other commodities. It is efficient and apolitical. Alternative energy gets more interesting as the price of oil goes up doesn't it. It doesn't need tax money to support it when the market will do the job for less. And there are limited opportunities for graft and corruption. Vouchers - bah humbug, they are for socialists.
The free market will take care of this problem. Demand exceeds supply, price goes up, new resources become economically feasible the market adjusts, supply goes up, price goes down. On and on it goes.
I'm no scientist, but couldn't we, as history's greatest nation, figure out how to do the fusion power thing and once and for all free ourselves from these foreign and domestic enemies who have us by the energy cojones?
//and can't I, who normally writes rather well, compose less complex sentences?
For example, look at what the authors says here...
I paraphrase the author: Commuters suddenly forced to pay double for a gallon of gas begin to brown-bag their lunches, inching away from restaurants and sandwich shops. Americans who can still afford a vacation go on shorter trips, putting a major dent in the tourist industry.
With regard to commuters, think of the savings in time and money that would result from telecommuting. The biggest reason that telecommuting has not been adopted as yet has nothing to do with technology or worker productivity. It has to do with the way managers manage. Up til now, manager managed people. Telecommuting requires a shift to the management of production or output.
I personally have noticed a good many friends, family and acquaintences move to telecommuting in the last couple of years and the difference in the work lives and personal lives is significant. No commute saves time and stress and money. They are more productive in their work and have more time with their families. They have the freedom to live in less congested areas and save money on housing.
Of course, it doesn't work for everyone not even all white collar workers. Yet I have been amazed at the variety of positions that it does work for.
The current oil production shortage is a result of the monetar deflation caused by the Federal Reserve Board 1996-1999, which increased the dollar's value more than 50%. When the dollar is made more valuable, prices in dollars must be reduced. This caused a commodities price crash, including $10/bbl oil, which stopped any investment in oil production for about three years. Even now, with the Fed running the dollar, the oil industry doesn't know whether it is a safe bet to invest in production because what if the price falls back to $10/bbl in a couple of years?
Strategic Petroleum Reserve "loans"???
"Voucher-based" gas rationing coupons??
"magnetic debit cards"???
"market incentives"???
Good grief...
William F. Buckley is nothing but another clueless, ivory-tower, techno-ignorant buffoon.
What we NEED is to build some more transportation infrastructure that isn't so g-dd-m petro-dependent.
Electric-powered mass-transit systems in our nation's most densely populated regions and urban areas. (light rail, high-speed rail and maglev.)
And start building some NUKES to supply the juice.
It's not a panacea, but I guarantee it'll help make us less dependent on oil than a bunch of stinkin' vouchers and magnetic debit cards.
Sheeeeesh...
Even at $100 a barrel (which isn't likely at all) it wouldn't have much impact, except to keep lefties at home instead of driving their beaters out to the country and hugging trees.
It may increase the number of stills in the country though, as some of the poorer country folk start burning Al-kee-haul instead of gas. Store bought liquor sales may drop as well.
The quantity of oil in the SPR would not be enough to effect oil prices for more than a day or two. Then it would be gone and what would be gained? Edwin Edwards was governor of LA when the SPR was filled. What are the odds all of the oil is there anyway?
And we are all overlooking one thing: THERE IS NO OIL SHORTAGE!! What we have is traders hedging up the price because of unfounded panic over Sadi oil which we only get 8-9% of our imported oil from. WE ARE BEING GOUGED, nothing more.