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Energy Issues in the US 30 Years Ago - The More Things Stay The Same
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation ^ | November 13, 1979 | Ronald Reagan

Posted on 05/29/2008 4:26:46 AM PDT by AmericaUnited

An excerpt related to energy, from Ronald Reagan's speech to the nation on November 13, 1979, announcing his candidacy for President of the United States.

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Another serious problem which must be discussed tonight is our energy situation. Our country was built on cheap energy. Today, energy is not cheap and we face the prospect that some forms of energy may soon not be available at all.

Last summer you probably spent hours sitting in gasoline lines. This winter, some will be without heat and everyone will be paying much more simply to keep home and family warm. If you ever had any doubt of the government's inability to provide for the needs of the people, just look at the utter fiasco we now call "the energy crisis." Not one straight answer nor any realistic hope of relief has come from the present administration in almost three years of federal treatment of the problem. As gas lines grew, the administration again panicked and now has proposed to put the country on a wartime footing; but for this "war" there is no victory in sight. And, as always, when the federal bureaucracy fails, all it can suggest is more of the same. This time it's another bureau to untangle the mess by the ones we already have.

But, this just won't work. Solving the energy crisis will not be easy, but it can be done. First we must decide that "less" is not enough. Next, we must remove government obstacles to energy production. And, we must make use of those technological advantages we still possess.

It is no program simply to say "use less energy." Of course waste must be eliminated and efficiently promoted, but for the government simply to tell people to conserve is not an energy policy. At best it means we will run out of energy a little more slowly. But a day will come when the lights will dim and the wheels of industry will turn more slowly and finally stop. As President I will not endorse any course which has this as its principal objective.

We need more energy and that means diversifying our sources of supply away from the OPEC countries. Yes, it means more efficient automobiles. But it also means more exploration and development of oil and natural gas here in our own country. The only way to free ourselves from the monopoly pricing power of OPEC is to be less dependent on outside sources of fuel.

The answer, obvious to anyone except those in the administration it seems, is more domestic production of oil and gas. We must also have wider use of nuclear power within strict safety rules, of course. There must be more spending by the energy industries on research and development of substitutes for fossil fuels.

In years to come solar energy may provide much of the answer but for the next two or three decades we must do such things as master the chemistry of coal. Putting the market system to work for these objectives is an essential first step for their achievement. Additional multi-billion-dollar federal bureaus and programs are not the answer.

In recent weeks there has been much talk about "excess" oil company profits. I don't believe we've been given all the information we need to make a judgment about this. We should have that information. Government exists to protect us from each other. It is not government's function to allocate fuel or impose unnecessary restrictions on the marketplace. It is government's function to determine whether we are being unfairly exploited and if so to take immediate and appropriate action. As President I would do exactly that.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: energy; reagan
While reading Reagan's announcement speech, I was struck how almost nothing had changed in the US related to energy. Almost 30 years ago, the exact same issues were being discussed!
1 posted on 05/29/2008 4:26:46 AM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: AmericaUnited
Government exists to protect us from each other.

Damn, I miss that man!
2 posted on 05/29/2008 4:29:32 AM PDT by GodBlessRonaldReagan (Wakka-ding-hoy - battle cry of the Plexus Rangers!)
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To: AmericaUnited
Yes and we have our Congress-critter’s and Loony environut’s to thank for that!
3 posted on 05/29/2008 4:30:52 AM PDT by alice_in_bubbaland
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To: GodBlessRonaldReagan

Me too! One Freeper’s name has always said it best for me: “LongsForReagan”.


4 posted on 05/29/2008 4:34:44 AM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: GodBlessRonaldReagan

Oh, I miss him too. Is it not refreshing to read this? To hear the truth spoken? It makes so much sense. I yearn to hear such common sense spoken these days. Although the Czech President’s comments on Global Warming being Communism, yesterday, gave me great hope.


5 posted on 05/29/2008 4:42:03 AM PDT by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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To: AmericaUnited

And here we are, 30 years later....no energy policy, no ingenuity, no brains in Congress.


6 posted on 05/29/2008 4:47:41 AM PDT by Slapshot68
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To: AmericaUnited
And, as always, when the federal bureaucracy fails, all it can suggest is more of the same.

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?

7 posted on 05/29/2008 4:59:45 AM PDT by neodad (USS Vincennes (CG 49) "Checkmate Cruiser")
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To: Slapshot68

And, people have “NO COAL PLANT” signs in their yard, covered by snowdrifts. It’s gonna get interesting.


8 posted on 05/29/2008 5:04:05 AM PDT by Freedom4US
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To: Freedom4US

“And, people have “NO COAL PLANT” signs in their yard, covered by snowdrifts. It’s gonna get interesting.”

Sad...especially since coal plants now can produce electricity with little or no CO2 emission.

Doesn’t matter....the die has been cast.


9 posted on 05/29/2008 5:05:11 AM PDT by Slapshot68
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To: Slapshot68
I find it odd that the same people (in media, government, or even right here on FR) who call on government to "get out of the way" when it comes to energy will also complain that this country's government "has no energy policy."

Aren't these two mutually exclusive?

10 posted on 05/29/2008 6:03:59 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (I'm out on the outskirts of nowhere . . . with ghosts on my trail, chasing me there.)
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To: AmericaUnited
Putting the market system to work for these objectives is an essential first step for their achievement.

And there is the failure. The market is driven by short and longterm profitability not future needs or objectives. What he envisions would require government intervention. Hard to believe such a intelligent individual could make such a simple mistake.

11 posted on 05/29/2008 6:19:55 AM PDT by Realism (Some believe that the facts-of-life are open to debate.....)
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To: Slapshot68
no brains in Congress.

Definitely that.

12 posted on 05/29/2008 8:24:48 AM PDT by sionnsar (trad-anglican.faithweb.com |Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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