Here are some quotes from today's N. Y. Times lead editorial. I emphasize
the Times's views because they do represent, in some sense, the views of
the mainstream establishment. (Or at least, the Democratic party side of
the establishment)
"Energy Shortage
The energy bill that has been six years in the making and is nearing the
president's desk is not the unrelieved disaster some environmentalists make
it out to be. But to say, as President Bush undoubtedly will, that it will
swiftly move this country to a cleaner, more secure energy future is
nonsense. The bill, approved by a House-Senate conference early Tuesday
morning, does not take the bold steps necessary to reduce the nation's
dependence on foreign oil, and it also fails to address the looming problem
of global warming.
These shortcomings are chiefly the fault of the White House and its
retainers in the House. To be sure, the Senate showed no more courage than
the House in its refusal to increase fuel-economy standards for cars and
trucks . . .
But the Senate did approve a renewable fuels provision requiring power
plants to produce 10 percent of their electricity from nontraditional
sources, like wind power, by 2010. . . .
Meanwhile, both houses conspired in some spectacular giveaways. One would
ease environmental restrictions on oil and gas companies drilling on public
lands. The other would shower billions in undeserved tax breaks on the same
companies, even as they wallow in the windfall profits produced by
$60-a-barrel oil.
The bill's most useful provisions may take years to realize their promise.
Again thanks largely to the Senate, the tax provisions are far more
hospitable to energy efficiency and renewable fuels than earlier versions
of the bill, and include substantial incentives for buyers of
fuel-efficient hybrid cars.
More important in the long run, however, may be two provisions, buried deep
in the bill, that are aimed at developing new energy technologies. One
provision would encourage the development and commercial application of
biofuels from agricultural products that, much like corn-based ethanol,
might someday be used as a substitute for gasoline. The other provision is
aimed at developing new clean-coal technologies to turn coal into a gas
and, more important, capture emissions of carbon dioxide, a major
contributor to global warming.
These could be powerful new tools in any future effort to reshape the way
Americans produce and use energy. . . ."
MY COMMENT: These people do not know what they are talking about. Biofuels
are a scam, and capturing carbon dioxide from coal would be so expensive
and difficult it makes more sense to talk about space-based microwave
energy, or what-have-you. Is this really the best the Times can come up
with? Their ideas and imagination is so bankrupt, it is almost more
frightening than the foolish intransigence of the administration. We have
learned to discount this administration (and the previous one, too). It is
obvious they will do nothing. But it is discouraging to see that the rest
of establishment, including the Democratic opposition and the corporations,
are as clueless as the administration.
- Jed
- Today's N. Y. Time editorial Jed Rothwell
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