Posted on 07/13/2008 10:16:53 AM PDT by FocusNexus
MAYBE THE quickest way to lower oil and gas prices would be this: Immediately enroll every Democratic member of Congress in an entry-level economics class.
The lack of even a basic grasp of economic concepts has led Democrats to oppose sensible policies that would begin to lower oil and gas prices. Instead, they push hair-brained ideas that make no sense.
As Harvard economics professor Martin Feldstein wrote in The Wall Street Journal on July 1, "Increasing the expected future supply of oil would also reduce today's price. That fall in the current price would induce an immediate rise in oil consumption that would be matched by an increase in supply from the OPEC producers and others with some current excess capacity or available inventories."
This is pretty basic stuff. And yet Democrats are oblivious. They adamantly oppose more domestic drilling, claiming that it won't affect prices for decades. Clearly, they have yet to grasp the basic concepts of supply and demand.
Then there is Rep. Carol Shea-Porter's pet policy: forcing oil companies to drill on land they already lease. Economists and oil industry experts have roundly criticized this proposal as completely useless. It would force oil companies to drill speculatively or where there is no or little oil -- or into oil wells that are already tapped! Meanwhile, she refuses to let them access America's largest untapped oil reserves.
The solution offered by Sen. Barack Obama and other Democrats: Impose a windfall profits tax on oil companies. But of course, that will do nothing to increase the supply of oil or reduce demand.
(Excerpt) Read more at unionleader.com ...
And:
VOTE REPUBLICAN! If you want lower gas prices, don't let the Dems take control of all three branches of the government. McCain is for drilling offshore (and I am sure he will come around on ANWR) AND he is for nuclear energy, wants to build 48 new nuclear plants and eventually 100.
France has 58 nuclear plants that supply 80% of their energy needs -- the US should do no less.
The USA gets more power from nuclear plants than any other country.
“The USA gets more power from nuclear plants than any other country.”
NOT on the % basis. The US only gets 20% of their energy from nuclear.
http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/nuclear_statistics/usnuclearpowerplants/
What percentage is nuclear verses other fuels here in the US? France is a small country. Apples to Oranges.
Per capita nuclear would be a better comparison of the two countries.
We don’t do the % thing. The USA is so far ahead of whoever is second that % is meaningless.
the tipping point is coming. My guess is $5.50 a gallon will be that point. Folks will be thinking $6 a gallon..at that point, the polls will move up to 80 to 90% in favor of drilling in Alaska, offshore..etc.
And the dems will no longer be able to hold out.
but if Israel attacks Iran, which I think will be by the end of the year, then oil goes up also... way up.. and that will also lead to the same outcome: drilling at every possible area.
Nuclear Energy: What We Can Learn From Other Nations — by The Heritage Foundation
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Energyandenvironment/wm1977.cfm
Nuclear power is gaining momentum in the United States as the nation seeks environmentally friendly and affordable sources of energy that can meet growing demand. As the U.S. deliberates the possibility of building new nuclear power plants, other nations have already begun the process.
A Domestic Source of Energy
France is an example of a country that developed nuclear energy to reduce foreign energy dependence after the oil shock of the 1970s. It now receives nearly 80 percent of its electricity from nuclear power and is a net exporter of electricity.[1] Germany, alternatively, decided to phase out nuclear energy for political reasons and now imports some of this energy.[2]
Japan is another country that has looked to nuclear power as a clean, safe and reliable form of energy. Nuclear power already provides 30 percent of the country’s electricity; however, Japan is working to increase this to 37 percent by 2009 and 41 percent by 2017.[3]
This is pretty basic stuff. And yet Democrats are oblivious. They adamantly oppose more domestic drilling, claiming that it won’t affect prices for decades. Clearly, they have yet to grasp the basic concepts of supply and demand............
The Dems might be liars and opportunists but they are not stupid. They know exactly what they are doing.
They want sky high prices, a bad economy so they can get elected in November. It is all about the election and everything else does not matter.
Everyone else tries to look at problems logically and say how can the Dems think that.
They think that way because their goals are different and self centered so their tactics seem idiotic to others who think logically.
If high pump prices would lead to successful alternatives to oil, it would have already happened in Europe, where, due to taxes, pump prices have been artificially high for years.
(The lack of even a basic grasp of economic concepts has led Democrats to oppose sensible policies that would begin to lower oil and gas prices.)
The Democrat Political Party has no interest in lower oil/gas prices. That would hurt their chances of getting votes and of increase taxes on working Americans after the fall elections
Democrats get votes when they can convince people that America is in the crapper. If things are better or getting better then they have nothing to offer the poeple for votes.
You saw that thread this morning about Florida billing utility customers some extra so they can build a couple nuclear plants and some other stuff. About 25 nuclear plants are in the design process in the USA now. France is shutting down nuclear plants rather than building. Europe is shutting down nuke plants.
I'm just waiting for Obama to flip or "nuance" his stance on drilling. Oh, how the enviro-Nazis will howl.
The writer of this article is missing an important point about the Democrats. They know full well what they’re doing when it comes to economics, and they’re doing it on purpose. It’s all about a power grab, plus they’re beholden to the “watermelon” environmentalist lobby (which is part of the whole socialist agenda, anyway).
The only education these people need is to be un-elected.
Democrat response to National Energy Crisis!
Glen Beck said that he’d drill through the skull of a live polar bear to get the oil we need.
I just saw a campaign ad for Obama. It starts off with McCain and Bush together stating in big letters that it’s their fault we haven’t drilled - seven years of no drilling because of the Republicans.
Cue Obama, the background becomes light and cheery, he enters smiling while promoting alternative energy.
Even the 21 year old I was with said “Well, that’s great - but what about NOW?”
They’re getting it, by golly. The same 21 year old had earlier compared the Democrats to socialists - and this kid is very, very liberal. Or used to be!
How about we erect a set of gallows outside the Capitol? I think that might send a message.
Bears like walking on the pipelines, it keeps their toes warm.
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