[Hermann the Cherusker]

Although it isn't generally thought of as a "conservative" position, and it is not without economic costs to our country, how many people here at FreeRepublic would support a significant tariff on imported oil (phased in to permit production of stuff like the shale oil to ramp up), of say, $15 or $20 per barrel? To keep the cost high enough to unleash, economically, energy production in the United States.

I'm all for that. It would quickly pay itself back not only in terms of increased local supplies, but less need of foreign meddling.

[sitetest]

Dear Hermann the Cherusker,

Well, if we were able to eliminate imported oil (and there's plenty of shale oil, and other stuff available, to do so), we would also reduce the trade deficit by a pretty number.

I think last year, the average price of oil was something like $40 per barrel. That's for 2004. At 12 million barrels per day of imported oil, that's about $175 billion.

It seems to me that a more stable energy supply, even purchased at a modestly higher price, could benefit the United States in more than one way.


sitetest