FrankRep
07-02-2008, 08:39 PM
Best Solution For Energy Crisis - Free Enterprise
The John Birch Society (http://www.jbs.org/)
July 2, 2008
The easiest fix for the energy crisis may be to use less. But in the long run the best solution is to get rid of government regulations so free enterprise can work.
CNNMoney.com suggests (http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/30/news/economy/energy_demand/index.htm?section=money_pf) that the nation could save 1.3 million barrels of oil a day by driving less, slowing down, and inflating tires. Although this may be true, in a growing economy, any savings is quickly used up as demand increases. A long-term solution that would build the economy and provide more than enough energy resources would be to cut government red tape so entrepreneurs, both big and small, can go to work to solve energy problems.
Most long-term solutions, like those suggested by CNNMoney.com, involve more government intervention, instead of less. For example, Congress has raised automobile fuel efficiency requirements for manufacturers from 25 miles per gallon to 35 miles per gallon in 2020. Conservation groups are pushing for legislation that would mandate 50 miles per gallon by 2030.
In fact, the means to increase fuel efficiency do exist, and many people already employ them. Consumers, given the alternatives, will surpass government expectations much faster and at less cost. In response to market demand, people and businesses will find ways of saving gas without government incentives or directives.
Government mandates for ethanol use should save additional quantities of of oil per day, according to experts. However, government incentives to get farmers to grow corn for ethanol are already partly to blame for food shortages and rising food prices.
Conservation measures – changing driving habits, more fuel efficiency, and ethanol substitutes – would only provide a savings of about 5 million barrels of oil per day. This is hardly enough to decrease the price of gas when compared to daily demands of 20 million barrels in the United States and 85 million worldwide.
Conservationists extol the virtue of electric cars as another measure to save fuel. However, they also claim new drilling both offshore and in Alaska would take too long to develop and they blame price increases on speculation, which they say new legislation in Congress should stop (http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/24/news/economy/oil_legislation/?postversion=2008062413).
The answer to energy problems for conservationists continues to be more government control. Politicians of both major parties seem to agree.
The solution they seem to ignore, the one with the best chance of success, is to allow free enterprise to work by breaking down government barriers.
SOURCE:
http://www.jbs.org/index.php/jbs-news-feed/7-jbs-news-feed/1905-best-solution-for-energy-crisis-free-enterprise
The John Birch Society (http://www.jbs.org/)
July 2, 2008
The easiest fix for the energy crisis may be to use less. But in the long run the best solution is to get rid of government regulations so free enterprise can work.
CNNMoney.com suggests (http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/30/news/economy/energy_demand/index.htm?section=money_pf) that the nation could save 1.3 million barrels of oil a day by driving less, slowing down, and inflating tires. Although this may be true, in a growing economy, any savings is quickly used up as demand increases. A long-term solution that would build the economy and provide more than enough energy resources would be to cut government red tape so entrepreneurs, both big and small, can go to work to solve energy problems.
Most long-term solutions, like those suggested by CNNMoney.com, involve more government intervention, instead of less. For example, Congress has raised automobile fuel efficiency requirements for manufacturers from 25 miles per gallon to 35 miles per gallon in 2020. Conservation groups are pushing for legislation that would mandate 50 miles per gallon by 2030.
In fact, the means to increase fuel efficiency do exist, and many people already employ them. Consumers, given the alternatives, will surpass government expectations much faster and at less cost. In response to market demand, people and businesses will find ways of saving gas without government incentives or directives.
Government mandates for ethanol use should save additional quantities of of oil per day, according to experts. However, government incentives to get farmers to grow corn for ethanol are already partly to blame for food shortages and rising food prices.
Conservation measures – changing driving habits, more fuel efficiency, and ethanol substitutes – would only provide a savings of about 5 million barrels of oil per day. This is hardly enough to decrease the price of gas when compared to daily demands of 20 million barrels in the United States and 85 million worldwide.
Conservationists extol the virtue of electric cars as another measure to save fuel. However, they also claim new drilling both offshore and in Alaska would take too long to develop and they blame price increases on speculation, which they say new legislation in Congress should stop (http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/24/news/economy/oil_legislation/?postversion=2008062413).
The answer to energy problems for conservationists continues to be more government control. Politicians of both major parties seem to agree.
The solution they seem to ignore, the one with the best chance of success, is to allow free enterprise to work by breaking down government barriers.
SOURCE:
http://www.jbs.org/index.php/jbs-news-feed/7-jbs-news-feed/1905-best-solution-for-energy-crisis-free-enterprise