by pea-jay » Wed 20 Apr 2005, 16:05:35
Here it is, the synopsis according to the Whitehouse web site:
Overall Goal:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')n the immediate term, the United States will encourage oil-producing countries to maximize their production. In the long term, we must increase our supply of energy to meet the demands of our growing economy.
At first glance it appears to maintain a continuance of business as usual. Publically anyways, the president is subscribing to the notion of surplus capacity within Saudi Arabia.
On Reducing U.S. Dependence On Foreign Energy Sources$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he United States Has Become Increasingly Dependent On Foreign Energy Sources.
* Over the past decade, America's energy consumption has increased by more than 12 percent, yet domestic production has increased by less than 0.5 percent.
* Energy Security Is A Matter of Economic Security. When America depends on only a handful of countries for almost 60 percent of its oil, the danger of major energy disruptions grows.
* Reducing Energy Dependence Requires Conservation And Exploration. By using less energy and opening up new areas to environmentally-responsible exploration, the United States can become less dependent on foreign energy sources. Developing even a tiny section of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) will reduce dependence on foreign oil by up to 1 million barrels per day.
Restating the obvious, US energy needs are dependant on the whims of a handful of nations that may or may not be amiable to our needs. In what appears a slight change in tack, conservation is now given consideration, a marked improvement from 2001 when Cheney described it as a "personal virtue" but not as policy. So now we have (mild) demand reducing policies added to the supply side energy focus.
Note the reference to the one million MBD rate. This number was not placed into any context, nor was any full description of the gravity of the situation.
On Specific strategies to be followed:$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')* Use Technology To Improve Conservation And Efficiency. The average American home loses between 10 and 50 percent of its energy through inadequate insulation and inefficient lights and appliances. Extending the Energy Star program would encourage the sale and production of energy efficient products, which would increase the supply of available energy and help families meet their bottom lines.
* Increase Domestic Energy Production In Environmentally Responsible Ways. There are several ways to increase energy production without negatively affecting the environment, including opening up new areas like ANWR, implementing the President's Clean Coal Power Initiative so America can make clean use of its abundant coal supply, and expanding the nation's use of nuclear power by renewing existing law that provides power-plant operators with liability protection.
* Diversify The Nation's Energy Supply. The energy bill should make our country less vulnerable to unexpected price spikes or shifts in supply by promoting the use of renewable energy sources with tax credits, by developing alternative sources of energy like hydrogen, and by encouraging greater use of ethanol and biodiesel.
* Modernize The Domestic Energy Infrastructure. The energy bill should modernize our aging energy infrastructure to help reduce the risk of large-scale blackouts and minimize transmission bottlenecks. This can be done by repealing outdated rules that discourage investment in new infrastructure and by encouraging the development of new technologies, such as superconducting power lines, to make the grid more efficient.
Okay, now we get into some specifics on how to accomplish this. Embedded in here or his speach were no shockers or really anything new. Some strategies are innocous and probably should be followed regardless of the actual president in power. As to be expected, a majority of the big ideas tend to lie on the supply side of the equation and the underlying need to keep growing. True energy sources such as coal are promoted as are the dubious ideas of ethanol/biodiesel as well as hydrogen. His speech also described nuclear goals as well.
My overall impression: no big deal. Just add more supply, a little conservation and presto, no changes or hard choices need to be made to the "American Way of Life." No mention of geologically driven supply constraints ever entered the discussion.
Either he really believes these ideas or he needed to say something in the face of congressional inaction and rising gas prices and falling approval ratings. I still can't tell if he truly believes in a supply side solution or is biding time until the SHTF while enriching his buddies.
Here is a link to the actual transcript of his speech to the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases ... 420-4.html
Energy part starts a quarter of the way into the transcript.
by The_Virginian » Wed 20 Apr 2005, 16:23:12
What Bush said:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ') butt buddy Gosch and My dog snooger, fiddle up my nose, Goop bless Amerika and her tax structure, it's de best
What he was thinking:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') can't understeand the new guy from Barbados talking in my ear
What he really meant:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')get the Fugg off my case, my daddy never loved me and I was never any good at findin' oil
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Honestly amigos, have any of you heard a good speach form a politicain since reagan? (yes Regan on rare occasions). All the presidents speaches in these times contain almost zero information...
There is a policy when it comes to peons like U and me...basicly were are treated like Mushrooms: keep em in the dark and feed em' sheiss...
[urlhttp://www.youtube.com/watchv=Ai4te4daLZs&feature=related[/url] "My soul longs for the candle and the spices. If only you would pour me a cup of wine for Havdalah...My heart yearning, I shall lift up my eyes to g-d, who provides for my needs day and night."