Sept. 27, 2008- An afternoon press conference held Friday revealed little novelty in each presidential candidate’s proposal on energy. Representatives from five campaigns- Bob Barr (Libertarian), John McCain (Republican), Cynthia McKinney (Green), Ralph Nader (Independent), and Barack Obama (Democrat)- discussed policies that overlap and offer no solution to the immediate energy crisis.
Research and drilling terminology were tossed around to no end as the campaigns vied for voter support. But these are medium- and long-term solutions.
Drilling off-shore, or even in a new location, requires large sums of cash and time to set up the equipment and the system.
Researching for alternatives will not yield realizable solutions until at least a few years into the future. Yet these candidates, minus Nader and McKinney, raise the notion of drilling as a solution that will instantaneously lower gas prices as they take their seat in the Oval Office.
These candidates either fail to understand the lag time or are catering to ignorance, omitting what the average American does not know.
Either way, it seems no one knows how to provide relief for rising prices.
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Mr. Barr does not claim that drilling will “instantaneously lower gas prices”. He understands that it will take a few years for the results to show. He also knows that it will take a much longer time to switch to alternate fuels. He is only trying to get businesses to utilize United States’ resources rather than depend on other nations.
Drilling within the United States should have been proposed and carried out a few years ago so that we can reap the benefits now. It was not done and so we are paying the price for it. We need time to reverse these bad decisions.
I completely agree with you that no candidate has an immediate solution for the crisis. However, the nature of the energy field is such that unless a substantial number of people (businesses, individuals etc.) comply within a short period of time, there will be no immediate resolution to the problem. It is very hard to have immediate change. I agree with Barr in that letting businesses push for change will be much faster than letting the government handle it. We all know how bureaucracy works.
I also feel that people are asking for the impossible. They want independence from foreign oil and yet drilling in the United States meets with much opposition. They want a transition to alternate fuels but many people do not trust them while others want the change immediately. People (including businesses) want change without having to pay anything out of their pocket, without damage to the environment and without any delay. Energy policy is mostly economics. There is always an opportunity cost. You simply cannot gain anything without having to give up something.