This bit from David Pryce-Jones on NRO highlights one angle:
"Russia has built into its armory the new weapon of natural gas. This may not have the immediate clear-your-mind impact of the former SS-20 inter-ballistic missiles, but it will do to be going on with. The Russians have only to cut off the supplies to their customers, and watch them come begging to heel....The intention is to punish Ukraine for its independence, its application to join NATO, its parting of the ways with Mother Russia, the rightful overlord of that country in the view of people like Putin....Don't forget Germany, which depends on Russia for about a third of its gas."
http://pryce-jones.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YTBiNTVhMzM2YTBlNGM4ZjlhNDc3OTRlYzY0MTUyNTg=
Now, we have a fair amount of untapped natural gas in this country.
We also have gobs of oil sitting under our continental shelf and in shale oil. But instead of tapping it, and perhaps becoming a net exporter of energy, we import oil - making us dependent on Venezuelan and Middle Eastern satraps. We also export our wealth to those unfriendly countries and sell China our debt. We have become dependent on the least reliable, least friendly countries in the industrialized world. Hardly a path to national strength and security.
Americans on the West Coast breath Chinese smog. Americans on the West and Gulf coasts will eventually see the tar of Chinese oil spills as China pumps our oil from off our shores and sells weapons to unfriendly neighbors:
"China has been making extensive efforts to penetrate the Middle East and Africa, especially by trading arms for oil. In recent years China has also stepped up its efforts to acquire oil from Central and South America, again offering weapons in exchange, as well as space technology. Its top targets are Venezuela and Brazil."
http://www.upiasia.com/Security/2008/10/31/china_seeks_oil_for_arms_in_latin_america/6217/
Americans working at American wells and refineries compliant with reasonable environmental requirements would reduce global pollution and American environmental security; would create good-paying American jobs that could not be exported; generate American tax revenue that could reduce our foreign debt and fund infrastructure and research into alternative energy; reverse American dependence on unreliable foreign states and rectify our trade imbalance; enhance American national security; and degrade the influence of American enemies by drying up their access to American wealth. Eventually, American ingenuity would increase the efficiency and 'greenness' of energy production until finally, American engineers and manufacturers create viable alternatives to American oil - which would give us HUGE leverage over our foreign friends and enemies.
No doubt, that's why we'll do this instead:
"Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future."
If they are $3,000/year jobs... Will we see Five-Year Plans for the National Economy with production goals and other hold-overs from the good old Supreme Soviet days?
"Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined."
Well, we are on our way now, with the current recession. For plans on deepening and lengthening the current economic contraction in order to save more oil see: change.gov/agenda/economy_agenda
See also: "I have turned the thermostat down in the White House and have ordered it reduced in all Government buildings. And I ask everyone in the country to cooperate so that no one will have to go without crucial heat." - Jimmy Carter http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=7167
"Put 1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars -- cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon -- on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America."
Does the Transition Team include someone on the verge of a breakthrough in battery technology? Or do they know 1,000,000 dupes who will buy an electric Smart Car because Dear Leader asked them to? Oh, right. They know 65M... And how will they make sure the life-sized RC cars are built in the US? How will they keep Honda or Kia from importing low-price, high-quality, non-union go-karts from Asia? Smoot-Hawley 2.0? It'll work to help us save more oil than we currently import...
"Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025."
Wind mills off Cape Cod? Over Ted Kennedy's d.... wait, that would be in poor taste. But what are we going to do between now and 2025 while all of these non-existent technologies are being discovered? See: economy_agenda.
"Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050."
Yes, taxing and regulating production will certainly increase capital available for R&D into alternative energy and efficiency. Not in any real economy, but maybe when the unicorns feed on the White House Lawn and Excalibur hangs above the Resolute desk.
"Crack Down on Excessive Energy Speculation."
Who is smart enough to discern what is 'excessive' and what is necessary energy speculation? I'm sure they all think they are and everyone believes The One is. Perhaps he has a Palantir?
"Swap Oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Cut Prices."
Never worked before - its a drop in the bucket - unless he wants to really suck it dry - which would be dangerous to our National Security and damaging to those Americans involved in the production of new oil. I think he'll have more luck Cutting Prices with his economic agenda.
"Increase Fuel Economy Standards."
Why not direct that all automakers will make the Trabant 2.0 according to Party specification and all citizens will buy the Trabant 2.0.
"Get 1 Million Plug-In Hybrid Cars on the Road by 2015."
Trabant 2.0?
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