Bush Touts Energy Technologies
To Satisfy Global, U.S. Demand
By JOHN D. MCKINNON and JOHN J. FIALKA
Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
April 28, 2005
President Bush sought to dispel growing worries about energy costs, saying new technologies promise eventually to end U.S. dependence on pricey foreign oil and help meet soaring global energy demands in places like China and India.
In an upbeat speech to a generally friendly audience of small-business owners, Mr. Bush outlined a series of measures he plans to expand U.S. energy capacity, from promoting new nuclear power-plant construction to building new oil refineries on old military bases. He also wants to encourage use of new and alternative fuels, including cleaner-burning diesel soon to come on the market, and promote a range of new conservation technologies.
Mr. Bush also said his administration will push for more use of clean-coal and nuclear technologies to answer growing energy needs in fast-growing economies in Asia. That rising demand is contributing substantially to current high prices for oil and gasoline, but Mr. Bush said the trend is on the way to being reversed.
President Bush announced his vision for American energy independence. All in all, a major step in the right direction. While acknowledging that we can’t change overnight, he submitted various proposals for the U.S. to wean itself off foreign oil. He rightly billed our dependence on foreign oil as a tax on America’s economy and its people. This is exactly what it is, and although we get most of our oil from Latin American and Canada, but he could have gone further because portions of the proceeds we pay for the oil we get from the Middle East eventually ends up in the hands of Bin Laden, Zarqawi and other jihadists. The reason behind this are varied. First, is the inadvertent side of it, through which many elites give Zakat and other contributions to various charities across the mideast, who many times unknowingly provide it to al Qaeda and similar organizations. In addition, there are those elites, who are so fed up with the corruption and stagnation in their respective countries, and having grown up in the region when the Muslim brotherhood became active and inspired a generation, donate their resources knowingly to Jihadists to destroy the system from which they have benefited tremendously.
While I commend President Bush greatly, I had also hoped he would have gone further. In his speech he talked about technological advancements and alternative sources of energy, which is great and much needed, but failed to focus on another equally important dimension; demand. As Americans we have gotten too used to SUVs, SUTs, and appliances which consume far more energy than is really required. For example, while I can understand some people’s need to have SUVs and SUTs, especially in the Midwest where work demands it, I have never been able to understand why someone in Manhattan, or DC would need them. After all, public transportation is widely available, and though sometimes slow, reliable. In fact, this is part of the reason why I don’t understand why Congress and the President (both Bush and at the time Clinton) signed laws promoting the use of SUVs. Through these laws, people can claim SUV’s as work purchases, which guarantee them a tax break, if they use them to travel to and from work, even if that means traveling just down the block as commuters. This legislation was not good for America then, and is more than harmful to America now; as such it must be repealed. People in the Midwest and in heavy snow areas can still have these vehicles, and the tax breaks, as long as they can prove they use them for work everyday. But those Americans who use them solely for commuting where another type of car would do just as well, should not be allowed to get a tax break on their purchase. They can still buy these cars that is their right, but the government should not subsidize them. After all, many of these people are the same party demagogues (on both the left and the right) who argue that we should cut our ties with the Saudis and other repressive regimes in the Mid East. We are an America at war, as such, if you want to demonstrate your love for America, or your disgust with the repressive governments in the Mid East, please buy either Hybrid vehicles or other vehicles that provide better mileage than SUVs or SUTs.
We need to make sacrifices, we need to understand that we are at war, and that our sons, are fighting to ensure we and future generations live in a better world. Is that not worth the discomfort of riding in a smaller vehicle, or using energy efficient appliances at home? After all, when 1500+ of our sons and daughters have given their lives in this war (both Iraq and Afghanistan) is it so much to ask of all Americans too suffer a little discomfort, or turn off a couple more lights? We are Americans, we have never backed down from any challenge, we have endured hardships before, are we to say to those who have died in our name, that we can’t sacrifice a little luxury and so prevent more money from reaching the hands of those who aim to destroy us, those who daily kill our soldiers and regular Iraqis with their IEDs and car bombs? I know an America that can stand up to any challenge and suffer any hardship to ensure that good triumphs in this world. Please don’t prove me, and everyone who believes in the dream called America wrong.
Read More...
Snippet only...
