As the cost of oil finally slows its accent into the stratosphere….actual answers are emerging to “Energy Independence”. Well, you might say “the talk on the street – it sounds so familiar…great expectations…..here we go again!” – as the Eagles might say. It is lovely to have anyone notice….we thought this issue might make it through the election without even a passing remark by any elected or either of the two designated drivers for President.
It was getting pretty boring to hear the standard….Republican tripe: “We need to drill off shore!” and the worse Democratic tripe: “You can not!!!”. Children running our government….sometimes makes you sick to your stomach….doesn’t it. “They won’t let us play…Mommy!”…..”They took all our toys…..and turned out the lights!” Good grief…..Republicans….get back to your Congressional Districts…have Townhall Meetings and get your great constituent base organized and out there writing everyone but the kitchen sink. Let every newspaper and news outfit in America and the world know that our government is “doing nothing” to fix our energy crisis. Oh yeah, “We do have an energy crisis…..just wait till those people back east need heating oil for winter!” Last year their average cost per month for Heating Oil for a 1600 sq. ft. house was $600 a month. That was when oil was at $68 dollars a barrel.
Ok, people are finally getting the idea that Corn Oil Ethanol…is not the Magic Bullet…..(which causes rises in food cost and environmental damage and over use of water)..Hydrogen Generation will be limited…..Battery Powered Autos are going to cause a terrible recycling problem…..but…..
A couple of actual intelligent ideas are finally emerging however: (1) American Automobiles should be getting much better gas mileage..upwards of 100 Miles Per Gallon. (At least offering vehicles that give the consumer a choice!) and (2) Technology will find a way to utilize our unlimited trash and sewage economically for energy! This could give “Natural Gas” a brand new meaning…couldn’t it? Companies are coming forward to recycle our trash at prices that make sense…about $1 dollar a gallon….with a minus carbon footprint. Having the oil companies get competition…will be the best way to have them do two things…..(1) Lower the price of oil and (2) Go into the Trash Recyle business too – to create their fuel!
We do have to go back to 1967 and 1968 when the STP Special with Parnelli Jones and Mario Andretti ran at Indy in the Andy Granatelli Turbine car that was leading but races by four laps with just three laps to go, when a minor valve broke twice. They called it the “Swoosh car”…it was Turbine powered, made little or not sound and got tremendous gas mileage. They only had two pit stops in 500 miles of racing…..all using their Wesson Vegetable Oil ….they joked! The truth of the matter is that Ford, GM, Chrysler and the rest “Black Flagged” the Turbine car in 1969 at Indy…never to return. Ford’s answer was building the Pinto…which Ralph Nader took offense at. GM and Chrysler brought out limited edition crap that got moderate gas mileage but never marketed well….because….”there wasn’t enough money in them!” The Pontiac Tempest, Chevy Corvairs, Valiants, Mavericks and more..all products Detroit…said: “Will not sell here in the US…so we will send all those Manufacturing facilities to Europe and Korea!
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/chrysler-turbine-concept-cars.htm
Fast forward today…..are we going to let those in charge take us back to the days of “yesteryear”…when the Cadillac El Dorado opitomized American opulence in 1976…….as of course the Escalade, Navagator, Ford 1 Ton 350 Pick-up or Chrysler Ramjet Trucks do today – Howver now “All made in Mexico” by the way The talk on the street is that GM is going belly up. The talk is that Ford is going to downsize…the talk…is just that…talk. These are companies that have already “Diversified” way back in 1967 and 1968 when they saw the “STP Special” writing on the wall. To their credit…they held back the tide of small European, Asian and now Far East vehicles…back as long as they could. Congress even mandated that if you wanted to sell your vehicles in this country….they had to be made in this country. Why was that provision not mandated for US Auto Makers?
In the meantime, America was able to lose their entire middle class…because of something called the failure of a “Circular Flow of Wealth”. Those US Citizens that used to work in Aerospace and Automobile Manufacturing throughout California and the United States… were the same people that bought houses, new cars, got hair cuts and in fact went out to dinner and bought food. These same big companies also utilized Sub-Contractors and more employment was available for jobs which were able to support families. The Starbuck, Wal-Mart, Target and Blockbuster alternative…has ever filled that gap! So, the Government hired more workers! Hey, at least Government Workers were given Health Care! Up to that point every major company in America gave great Healthcare, Dental and Vision Care!
Well, the hard times are here! We have sent all our good jobs out of the country and employed so many in Government that when those “hard times” hit…we even have to lay them off! Or in the case of Governor Arnold…tell them they “are fired – like Donald Trump does!” and then tell more that they will be getting “minimum wage” from here on….and “they will like it!”.
Our government reminds us of the greatest John Wayne movie “The Searchers! in which Ethan tells Marty: “Waynecky Comanche….means….say you’re goin go one way….and go the tother!” Our government is trying to fool us again. Of course we understand that’s their job. We have bunches of jealous, meanspirited enemies in the world that want to know what we are going to do and stop us from doing it. The reality is that all this talk about “World Competition for Energy” is bull. The reality is that as T. Boone Pickens says: “We cannot drill our way out of this problem!”. The reality is that we need to offer “energy efficient alternatives for consumers”. We need a technological break-through which uses our trash and sewage for an endless supply gasoline product…which will work in both our old and our new cars! Let us now join hands as Republicans and Democrats..split the money in the pot and get on down the road….to Energy Independence!
In the meantime, we need an answer to our “Circular Flow of Wealth” problem here in the United States. They have been telling us for years….”we send it overseas and it will come back!” Well, maybe..just maybe…someone is skimming too much cream off the top before it finds its way back here to the good old US of A!
The American demand for “safe” cars with big brakes, bigger tires, eight airbags, offset head on crash protection, and creature comforts like power windows has caused the decrease in fuel effeciency.
Huh? I’m not crazy. Read on.
All that stuff adds weight. A new Honda Fit gets the same gas milage as a Civic of 15 years ago, even though it’s much smaller. Why? They have the same curb weight.
It’s really that simple. The Feds mandate one thing (fuel standards) and then mandate something else (crash standards, airbags, low tire pressure sensor systems). Gee. I wonder why we’re here.
Does this remind anyone of a certain state budget problem where the voters have mandated income restraints but also mandated minimum levels of spending on stuff like education, prisons, or medicaid?
I think reducing tax loopholes and subsidies to the point where people are payin the same 40% of their income in taxes that I am (less for those making less – like the tax code provides) would be a good start but the buzz work patrol spins this as a tax increase (more of a tax resumption) and the talk radio crowd starts writing letters and blogs and the sound bite addicted public reacts in horror. Nice job setting that machine up by the way you rich, um, people!
I am curious about one statement above: “Congress even mandated that if you wanted to sell your vehicles in this country….they had to be made in this country. Why was that provision not mandated for US Auto Makers?” Really? It didnt seem to be well enforced then. Although I do know some models that get great gas mileage in Europe that are not offered here.
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NAFTA….World Trade Agreements…WTO edicts or US/Foreigbn TAX Codes…Investment Credits…..ah yes….they have their ways of getting around the system.
The reality is….whether American companies can only own 49% of foreign companies (as in Mexico)…or the other way round….whether or not American companies close up all their “Old Manufacturing Facilities in the US” and then move them with all the latest State of the Art stuff to China, Korea, England, Germany, Japan or the Phillipines! This is called “More Form Than Substance”…some people just call it Economic Magic! Some people call it a bunch of bull!