For as much time as the critics spend scrutinizing and bashing Sarah Palin on everything from being too Conservative, Pro-Life, Pro Gun Rights, a hockey mom, too attractive to be smart, the worn out “I can see Russia from my front Porch” comment, they can never fault her for being right on Energy Policy.
In a recent article she wrote for National Review Online, Sarah Palin gives us some insight into where this country needs to take its Energy Policy. Her experience, insights and common sense approach in handling our Energy needs, runs circles around the approach currently being taken by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Obama Energy & Climate Change Czar, Carol Browner.
ENERGY INDEPENCE COMES DOWN TO TWO OPTIONS:
There is no denying the fact that we are still very dependent on foreign oil and are not going to reduce this dependency anytime soon until one of two things happen. We decide to move away from oil and fossil fuels completely and immerse ourselves into alternative sources of energy such as Electricity, Natural gas, Biofuels and other renewable sources as dictated by central planners who desire a one size fits all approach & solution, or we can tap into our own abundant resources right here at home.
The answer is obvious except to environmentalists who still insist on protecting our shores and remote stretches of desolate land in Alaska (ANWR) from being drilled for billions of barrels of oil & trillions of cubic ft. of Natural Gas. Gas & oil that is still going to be needed even if every single car on the road today were converted to run on something other than gas.
NO MATTER WHAT, WE WILL ALSO NEED OIL
Of the 19.5 million barrels per day (bpd) that we consume daily, we produce only about 4.95 bpd or 25% of it. 66% is used for motor & diesel fuels which means that we still require about 6.5 bpd to use on non automotive necessities such as jet fuel, plastics, petrochemicals, fertilizers, pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Oil that we will still depend on from foreign countries - some being of our enemies.
According to Sarah Palin, “We’ll continue that dependence until we develop our own oil resources to their fullest extent”.
So with this in mind, how is Obama’s hand picked triumvirate of Energy Gurus tackling this problem? What have their collective minds laid out as sound & sensible Energy Policy during the past 10 months? Let’s examine their records a little closer.
On transitioning to cleaner fuels and electric vehicles, here is the game plan:
Ken Salazar, Obama’s Interior Secretary would like to see gas prices skyrocket to the $8-$10 per gallon level and would oppose lifting the offshore drilling moratorium even if gas prices were to reach these prices. In other words, instead of implementing a sure fire approach like Sarah Palin’s idea of drilling now to build up our reserves and create millions of jobs in the process, our Interior Secretary would prefer to see you pay $10 for a gallon of gasoline as a way to force you to perhaps purchase one of those Greener more fuel efficient Lawn Mowers with two seats called cars made by GM.
The fact that we are no where near in the development of Electric cars and alternative sources of energy, makes you wonder about the mindset behind such a reckless approach.
Salazar is also a strong opponent of developing oil shale on public lands where it is most abundant and would reap the most benefits in terms of building up our reserves and creating jobs. Salazar has voted yes on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. He has also voted to remove the establishment of an oil and gas leasing program in the Alaskan Coastal Plain. So, as you see, Mr. Salazar’s has taken many measures along the way with the intention on making good on his wish of creating a $10 gallon of gasoline.
Salazar is also a strong opponent of developing oil shale on public lands where it is most abundant and would reap the most benefits in terms of building up our reserves and creating jobs. Salazar has voted yes on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. He has also voted to remove the establishment of an oil and gas leasing program in the Alaskan Coastal Plain. So, as you see, Mr. Salazar’s has taken many measures along the way with the intention on making good on his wish of creating a $10 gallon of gasoline.
Steven Chu - your Energy Secretary, is also on record as saying that “We have to find a way to boost the price levels of gasoline to European levels”. Steven Chu who scolded you and all Americans on embracing his Green Jobs & Global Warming Agenda during a a smart grid conference in Washington, said the following:
“The American public…just like your teenage kids, aren’t acting in a way that they should act. The American public has to really understand in their core how important this issue is.”
In other words, Steven Chu doesn’t think you are mature enough to see how adding one job at the expense of three results in a net positive. He doesn’t think you have the know to figure out that Cap & Trade is simply a wealth redistribution scheme that takes money away from the middle & poor class and gives it to the elites. A scheme that will add thousands of dollars to your electricity rates and destroy 3 jobs for each one it creates.
Another part of his brilliance on transitioning to a green world, is by painting your roofs white. Paint .Paint is the Answer.
"If you look at all the buildings and if you make the roofs white and if you make the pavement more of a concrete type of colour rather than a black type of colour and if you do that uniformally, that would be the equivalent of... reducing the carbon emissions due to all the cars in the world by 11 years – just taking them off the road for 11 years," he said.
According to the administration, this is part of the best & the brightest that has been chosen to lead our country towards Energy Independence. You can’t make this stuff up.
Finally, our climate czarina, Carol Browner. The neon green radical who headed the Environmental Protection Agency from 1993-2000, was ex-commissioner of Socialist International, a worldwide organization of Democratic Socialists and a rethread from the Clinton administration, has been touted by some as the most powerful official in the Obama administration to determine the fate of America. Scary.
Finally, our climate czarina, Carol Browner. The neon green radical who headed the Environmental Protection Agency from 1993-2000, was ex-commissioner of Socialist International, a worldwide organization of Democratic Socialists and a rethread from the Clinton administration, has been touted by some as the most powerful official in the Obama administration to determine the fate of America. Scary.
With that said, one of the most underhanded things she tried to do was undermine & kill an effort between the coal industry & a number of green groups to jointly support government aid in developing technology that would have significantly reduced the environmental toll of coal use. A move made for strictly ideological reasons without regard or concern for the cost or availability of electricity for our citizens.
Browner's White House position is newly created. It did not require Senate confirmation. Congress has little or no power over her decisions. Congress cannot limit outside influences on Browner, since Presidential executive privilege covers her actions. Much in the same fashion that it did for Van Jones, our former Green Jobs Czar.
Sarah Palin if given the opportunity, could have done the job that is now taking three people to try and do. She smartly points out that while a shift towards electric powered vehicles by the government may work in areas like Los Angeles, it may not be such a good idea in Alaska where you may drive long stretches without coming across people let alone many electrical sockets.
She points out that that you still need a clean energy source to produce the electricity that powers these cars.
She points out that that you still need a clean energy source to produce the electricity that powers these cars.
That is why in Alaska, they are developing the largest private-sector energy project in history — a 3,000-mile, $40 billion pipeline to transport hundreds of trillions of cubic feet of natural gas to markets across the United States. Natural gas is abundant throughout the US and it is very easy to collect and process.
She also talks about the need to build more refineries and protect ourselves from the potential of natural catastrophies like hurricane Katrina which caused the price of oil & gas to skyrocket as a result of knocking a few refineries.Continued environmental regulations has decreased the number of refineries in the US from a high of 300 in the 1970’s to a current low of 150.
She points out how become energy independent using our own resources will create millions of permanent jobs that can never be shipped overseas. We transfer billions of dollars a year to foreign countries that could be invested in our struggling economy. As long as we are headed down the path laid out by our current Energy triumvirate, we will continue to be weakened and held hostage by repressive regimes that know we need their oil.
So we can listen to smart and solution based ideas which will ultimately lead us to energy independence and freedom, or we can join lock and step with the extreme views and desires we are being force fed. The choice is simple.As Sarah Palin likes to say, “Drill, Baby Drill”.
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