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Originally Posted by aceventura3
One point I find most interesting is the Democrats efforts to block oil exploration to lessen our dependance on Middle Eastern Oil, while they crticize our dependance, the oil companies and offer no solution.
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Ace....."there you go again"
The Dems have no energy policy and offer no solutions?
With a little effort, you could find the Dems proposed solution - Energy Indepdendence 2020 (
link):
Reduce Burdens on Consumers and the Environment
* Prevent oil company price gouging, market manipulation, and disaster profiteering
* Increase energy market transparency and consumer choice at the pump
* Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to cover increased household energy costs
* Provide car buyers with accurate fuel economy information
* Protect pristine public lands from short-sighted oil and gas exploitation
* Enhance funding for weatherization and low-income energy assistance in all climates
Launch an Apollo Project for Energy
* Free the US from foreign oil by 2020 by supporting research, development, and production of alternative energy sources..
Diversify and Expand Our Energy Supplies
* Establish a national electricity standard that requires greater use of renewable energy
* Enhance incentives for energy production from solar, wind, and geothermal
* Increase dramatically the production of domestically grown biofuels
* Increase environmentally friendly extraction of oil and gas from existing domestic sources
* Encourage construction of the Alaskan natural gas pipeline
* Support the development of a hydrogen economy
* Promote deployment of advanced clean coal technology with carbon capture and storage
Improve Energy Security and Reduce Price Volatility
* Create geographically diverse strategic gasoline and jet fuel reserves
* Streamline fuel specifications while maintaining state clean air protections
* Encourage the development of a smarter and more distributed electricity system
Reduce Demand for Oil and Natural Gas
* Lower petroleum use in the federal fleet and improve government conservation efforts
* Provide consumers with more fuel efficient vehicle choices
* Develop renewable substitutes to replace natural gas use in the petrochemical industry
* Improve infrastructure and electricity options for hybrids and plug-in hybrids
* Increase mass transit use and incentivize transit-oriented development
* Improve air traffic management to shorten flight times
* Reduce tractor trailer fuel needs by improving aerodynamics, logistics, and idling
Invest in Energy Efficiency and American Jobs
* Update efficiency standards for appliances and small engines
* Invest in math and science education for the next generation of energy engineers
* Ensure access to worker training and retraining in advanced energy technologies
* Leverage trade relationships to maintain competitiveness of energy-intensive U.S. manufacturers
Instead, we got the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (
link) much of which was written behind closed doors by Cheney's energy task force of leaders of the oil/gas industry. It contains $billions in tax breaks,subsidies and other incentives for those already record-profit making industries. (hmmm....I wonder why?)
In spite of that, it has many good provisions, most of which came only as a result of a likely Dem filibuster unless provisions for research, tax breaks and other incentives for alternative energy were added.
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One additional observation about Dems "blocking oil exploration"
Repub Gov Jeb Bush (
link):
The Interior Department faces opposition from Jeb Bush to its proposal to auction off rights to a six-million-acre field in the Gulf of Mexico. "I am confident," Governor Bush wrote in a letter to the secretary of the interior, "that the new administration will recognize the need to protect sensitive natural resources located both offshore and along Florida�s coastline for the benefit of the entire nation."
Repub Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (
link):
"My position on the need to protect California’s coast from the adverse impacts of oil and gas development is clear and unwavering. When I ran for Governor, I took a strong stance against any further oil and gas leasing in the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California and called on the federal government to buy out existing undeveloped federal leases. In a letter to the United States Congress on May 13, 2005, I stated this position in response to potential changes to California’s protections in the federal energy bill. In my November 3, 2005, letter to you, I restated my resolve on this issue. The impacts of new offshore oil and gas leasing and development off the California coast are unacceptable."
If you want to discuss the issues, please try to bring some facts into the discussion. 