No Energy Policy! Energy Action!
Is it possible to discuss energy policy during an election season? Probably not. Both candidates are smarter than their policies but need pander to their hardcore corps.
Despite the pain at the pump, gasoline is still cheap by world standards. Our pump prices don't reflect the true costs of security paid in blood and money to protect oil fields, pipelines and friendly governments. The 20% of our oil that comes from Middle East and Venezuela could easily be compensated for with lower speed limits and better fuel mileage standards.
Cars with 50 mpg averages going 50 mph would make up the 20% and radically reduce our annual automotive death rate of 42,000. Fewer wrecks would get us to our destinations quicker.
Let's do it now!
Nor do our food prices relect the true costs once you factor in subsidies that the federal, state and (in some cases) local governments provide. "Cheap by world standards?" What world standards are you comparing our prices in your statement? The over-taxed European prices or the heavily subsidized prices in Chavez's country or China?
When was the last time you needed to commute long distances on the freeways? 50 MPH when the roads were designed for much more? PLEASE!!!! It shouldn't take eight hours (non-stop) to get between the Valley and Sacramento just because political crooks think so based on bad science.
50 mph speed limit? I'd rather have a nuclear plant in my kitchen!!!
Jonathan Responds: You both make my point exactly. It is not that we can't break our dependence on foreign oil, it is that we don't want it to cost us anything in the way of inconvenience. We'll freely pay the price in blood on foreign soil and our own highways.
"Our pump prices don't reflect the true costs of security paid in blood and money to protect oil fields, pipelines and friendly governments."
I agree!
I'll agree with Jonathan that our gas prices are indeed cheap by world standards, and not just in Europe. We've been spoiled, to say the least. Working-class Pakistanis pay double what we pay.