Friday, June 27, 2008

Fossil Foolishness

From Joe Dulin's blog
Candidate for Utah State Senate District 25

Like everyone else I have been thinking a lot about energy lately.

How do we reduce the cost of a barrel of oil?

I guess we could emulate the ice cream vendors and reduce the size of the barrel. Just imagine the savings per barrel if we made the barrel say, ¼ its current size! We would be back to $35 p/bbl overnight.

Or perhaps we could convert to the metric system and post prices per liter instead of per gallon. Heck, with that plan we would once again see $1.00 posted at our favorite filling station. That would alleviate some of the sticker shock and make filling her up a tad easier on the psyche not to mention your blood pressure.

To save money on gas I have been looking into mailing my car to wherever I want go. I think the postage might be cheaper than driving. However, I am not sure I want to spend my summer standing in the postal service line and dealing with the uncertainty that my car will ever arrive at its destination in my lifetime.

There is a certain appeal to think that we can just drill more holes in the ground right here in our own backyard and find some more oil. In the 10 to 20 years it will take for that oil to get to market, Alzheimer’s might set in and I won’t even remember that gas used to cost me a buck a gallon.

We could invade a foreign country that has lots of oil, be welcomed as liberators and cut ourselves a sweetheart deal on cheap crude. I wonder if that has ever been thought of before. Do you think it could work?

Seriously folks: Fuel Costs us over $4 gallon today and grocery costs are skyrocketing due the undeniable truth that our Republican leadership’s energy policies have failed us. We need to stay ahead of the Global competition. We need leadership that will make Geothermal Power, Wind Power and Solar power economic realities. America has always led the way in technological innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. We can’t afford 4 more years of the same old outdated energy policies. We need change. It is time to give Democrats a chance this fall.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

You criticize drilling because it will take several years to get product to the market.

So, how quickly do you anticipate electric cars, windmills, solar panels, and hemp-powered HVAC significantly reducing our consumption of fossil fuels?

There are no quick fixes in this, including yours. Or theirs. Don't tell us otherwise. It's going to take a lot of conservation and a lot of production and a lot of time to get us out of this mess

Greg Schulz said...

Anonymous is right, there are no quick fixes; but we are at a crossroads where we should be looking at doing responsible fixes.

Just because there is a barrel of oil hiding out in the ground somewheredoesn't mean you go running after it. Our dependence on oil and fossil fuels needs to start getting ratcheted back now.

It's time to take the road least traveled.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous - I don't believe I suggested there were any quick fixes. In fact, my blog is making fun of quick fixes.

It is about direction. Republicans are dogmatically determined to go down the fossil fuel path whilst only paying lip service to alternatives.

I think we need to develop our fossil fuel resources and tax them. Those taxes should fund alternative fuel infrastructure.

Joe Dulin

Anonymous said...

You go Joe! I love the idea of more taxes on things that all of us need. Along with fuel, maybe we can go with higher taxes on food so that we can put ethanol in the tank. Let's really put it to water! That way we can get the hydrogen out....man, this tax thing is great! It's like free money! I wonder what we could do if we taxed the air we breath? What a great way to control pollution!

Government being in the way is the problem here, not the solution. I, for one, am glad that the Democrats are taking this hard line against drilling. They look about as goofy as Jimmy Carter saving energy by wearing his sweater. Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

Taxing fossil fuels even more and then having government allocate or spend the money itself is a grossly inefficient way to reduce our fossil fuel dependence because they whole spending process will get politicized with Iowa farmers getting their cut, politically well-connected Californians will get their cut and so on.

Instead, we should increase user fees (including congestion pricing) at the state level, cut general taxes to make it revenue neutral, and let pricing and the free market solve the problem without have politicians determine who gets the pork. By increasing the cost of driving -- again, while cutting general taxes -- demand will be created for alternatives and the free market will come up with the solutions.

Of course, this all depends on whether you think the free market or politicians will be more efficient at solving this problem.

Anonymous said...

That's a pretty interesting take on things.

Anonymous said...

WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR???

WAYNE HOLLAND JR

Anonymous said...

Monty....

Monty....

Is that you Monty?

Anonymous said...

Wayne Holland Jr killed the electric car?

Anonymous said...

Don't worry about that crazy comment. It is just Monty "Nutty" Nafoosi trying to get some attention.

Anonymous said...

Joe,

You are an absolute retard.

Anonymous said...

SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,INVEST IN BOWTIES AND BUGGYWHIPS

Anonymous said...

Sorry Monty, I thought they were bubby whips, not buggywhips. You're the man with the plan! Keep it coming! You're really showing the establishment the errors of their ways!

Anonymous said...

Is anybody going to defend Joe on that retard comment? That was really bad.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about that, but his picture looks like a bad polygamist mug shot from El Dorado Texas.

Anonymous said...

The great thinkers in the Mormon Republic of Utahardia have spoken!

Joe - You need to forget about energy and fix the eduction system. Its failings are painfully obvious in the comments posted to your very funny piece.

Oh my, oh my.

Anonymous said...

Joe: You do need to help educate people. That last anonymous got the name of our state completely wrong!

Oh my indeed!

Anonymous said...

The Utah democratic establishment,bowties, and buggy whips hopelessly outmoded...way to go Jr.

Anonymous said...

Am I the only one who thinks Joe looks like a muppet? Not to be rude, but the guy needs to change that picture.