Seems to me the only real solution to rising gas process is the electric car. Plug-in hybrids which only use a small gas engine as a back-up and all electric cars which would be feasible for short commuter trips which constitute the bulk of most people’s driving are technically feasible today.

I think this because we don’t have an electricity problem in this country. We do not use oil to generate electricity. Electricity is abundant and comes from diverse fuel sources. We would need more of it to power our vehicles but we can build more generation. It seems so simple to me that other solutions, like the Pickens plan, seem suspicious to me. I like the drill here, drill now strategy also. Why not? I can’t see any downside to it.

Most important we have to let the FREE MARKET solve the problem. Government is not the answer in any way shape or form. Government’s one and only job is to open up opportunities for private industry and individuals to provide products and solve our energy problems. Yes we need regulations to protect our shared environment but they should be minimal and targeted at protecting one individual from infringing on another.

All government can do to help is lower taxes and get the heck out of the way.

For example, toxic waste dumping regulations are warranted since the dumper would pollute the environment that we all share. A ban on off-shore drilling or drilling in ANWR is not warranted. This constitutes the government restricting the supply of a resource and thus unnecessarily hindering the free flow of goods to the market. There should be ecological and safety regulations related to drilling oil. As long as these regulations are met drilling should be allowed.

Another example of government meddling is the statements that we should continue to sit on oil reserves because it will take years for this oil to come to market. Is making specific business decisions related to oil exploration and supply really the government’s responsibility? Since when do they decide these things? Why not let the scientists and engineers who actually are in the oil business make this decision? I don’t support subsidizing these efforts but I do support government getting out of these people’s way.

How does the Pickens plan fit into this? It doesn’t. I have no problem with him building windmills if he can sell the power at a profit. That’s just business. I do have a problem with the big fat government subsidy that comes with wind power. Why do we need it? If wind power is economically viable they will be built without government’s help. Do we really need to subsidize Mr. Pickens?

Also, the Pickens plan calls for us to stop generating electricity using natural gas and shift the use of this gas to powering vehicles.  Once again, I have no problem with him trying to push natural gas for vehicle use. If it’s economically viable it will succeed. I do have a problem with abandoning the 20% of our electrical generating capacity which is powered by natural gas. First of all windmills are unreliable intermittent power sources and cannot be used as a direct replacement for gas fired generation.

So how do we execute the shift? If I am the owner of a gas fired power station I am not inclined to shut it down. It’s my living. This smells of some command government intervention. Otherwise I can’t see it happening through the normal course of business.

I think T. Boone is looking for government to be quite involved in his plan. Of course he would expect government to pick his favorite fuel, natural gas, and via subsidies (i.e windmills) and taxation gain an unfair advantage over the competition. If this isn’t his plan then why is he running campaign ads for his program? He doesn’t need any ads to implement his plan unless he’s looking for government subsidies.

Blog away! Especially those liberals that can’t seem to apply a logical thought process to anything. Give me your solutions