So now I'm a liberal?
 I've said it before and I'll say it a thousand times more. Digging things out of the ground and setting them on fire is not a responsible way to generate energy. Think about it. The majority of our energy comes from burning things. Coal, natural gas, oil... In the 21st Century doesn't it seem odd that we're doing something so completely primitive? It seems ironic to me that as I sit here typing on this high tech computer that somewhere there's a great big mound of burning coal making this possible. This morning I read a heated letter to the editor supporting offshore drilling and how liberals describe oil usage as an addiction. The writer uses the term "liberal no-drill crowd." I know I'm very liberal when it comes to social issues, but fiscally, and I am a Finance wonk, I've always been quite conservative. Do I think it's a good idea to drill holes in the ocean floor and pull out what can only be described as a toxin? Do I want a repeat of the 1969 oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara? No I don't. So does that make me a "no-drill liberal?" I guess it does. Do I at least get a t-shirt with that? |
posted by Mark at 8:37 AM
Comments on "So now I'm a liberal?"
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meesha.v said ... (12:30 PM) :
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Mark said ... (12:43 PM) :
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meesha.v said ... (1:39 PM) :
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Lance Weber said ... (1:33 AM) :
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Mark said ... (8:13 AM) :
post a commentSince our energy policy doesn't exist yet, drilling now may ease supply problems/prices during the transitional period to different energy sources which may last 10-50 years. We still need oil and will need it for the near future. Oil spills may happen when a tanker from Middle East crashes off the coast of Santa Barabara. I like realists not idealists.
"drilling now may ease supply problems/prices during the transitional period"
Experts (and even John McCain) say it will take 10 years for increased offshore drilling to have an effect on our prices. We don't even have the refinery capacity to handle it.
So we build more refineries, create more pollution, cause more industrial waste for what? Maybe a decrease in prices ten years from now?
Which one of us is the realist in your scenario?
I am the realist in any scenario :-). I understand that there will be no immediate effect although yesterday on Daily Show they put together clips of different pundits, McCain and Obama first saying that effects will come in 10-15 years and then coming down to "months". Even favorable legislation may have an effect on speculation and lower prices in the short term. Even if alternative fuels were available widely now it will take 9-15 years to replace existing gas-powered transportation. I don't expect people who own homes in suburbs to abandon them and move downtown any time soon. Light rail is nice but will never be effective. There is no replacement fuel for airplanes, etc. In other words the need, albeit smaller, will still be there in 10-15-20 years even if you come up and implement the most perfect energy policy today. Down the road the pressure may be too high and politicians will be forced to allow drilling anyway. Why not take time and do it right if it will happen anyway. And it will happen.
Sounds like you're a libertarian, but what do I know.
Lance,
I would hardly consider myself a Libertarian. I want a third (and fourth, fifth and sixth) party to arise and become viable, but there are some things in the Libertarian platform with which I just can't align myself.
This is why I prefer to remain an independent. Nobody gets my vote based on some granfalloon notion that we're all in the same club.