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I agree that we''re in a stew of our own making. Americans have steadfastly refused to reduce energy consumption, even in ways that should be relatively painless. We use 2500 pound steel vehicles to transport our 170 pound bodies 1-2 miles at a time rather than walk or bicycle. The fleet average gas mileage has been declining for years in the U.S. Who do you know that's lowered the thermostat in their house even a degree in the winter to try to save energy?
On the flip side, while we demand ever more oil and derivatives, we refuse to acknowledge that we either have to produce more ourselves or continue to fund despotic, terrorist backing regimes that routinely ignore human rights like Iran and Saudi Arabia. We won't even consider drilling for more oil. Hell we have tremendous local opposition to building a wind farm nearby. Do I think we should drill ANWAR? No. But we are going to have to accept that if we can't modulate our energy use.
I'm very disappointed our President has done nothing to improve this situation. The day after we invaded Iraq he should have enacted a new 50 cent a gallon tax on gas. We would call it the Patriot tax, and all the revenues would go to a Manhattan Project, only this time directed at achieving energy independence within 10 years. Imagine funding talented people at companies and universities all over this great country to do that kind of work. I know that goal is reachable.
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