out of the oil problem. He said we should expect that it cannot be solved overnight....ending with there is no silver bullet for this problem. All political rhetoric. Of course we all know it is a long term solution. So how about he tells us the initiatives he has gotten underway that in 'x' years will manifest in reducing our dependence on foreign oil. He like his predecessors has done absolutely nothing to generate an energy plan. Unlike his predecessors, he has in fact either slowed down or stopped attempts or plans that would result in lessening dependence on foreign oil.

I have said it before and I will say it again, Obama considers that if he talks about the problem he has addressed the problem.
A sure sign of lack of leadership. Leaders are accountable for making something they say/address/commit.....HAPPENS..

btk

He truly doesn't want anything to improve for the American people. Anyone who has read his book "Dreams of My Father", can only come away with the knowledge that he absolutely HATES this country and it's people.

Be careful of what you say on a public forum. These sites are monitored by the Federal Government on a routine basis. You may hear (or may not hear) black helicopters overhead late some night. Remember your posting about the Department of Homeland Security Directives. It may be truer than you had thought!

Originally Posted by buggyone

Be careful of what you say on a public forum. These sites are monitored by the Federal Government on a routine basis. You may hear (or may not hear) black helicopters overhead late some night. Remember your posting about the Department of Homeland Security Directives. It may be truer than you had thought!

???

FACT: Obama first President to preside over growth of domestic oil production since Jimmy Carter.

Every President since Jimmy Carter has been saying we must end our reliance on foreign oil, yet none have really fixed the problem. It wont be a short term fix for a problem that has taken 40 plus years to get us where we are today. So instead of going ahead with a partial solution like the Keystone pipeline we say that will take too long to have an impact, so we don't do it. Instead we are now paying almost $4 per gallon and when there is lower demand we ship the stuff out of the country. Wonder if the pipeline was built would the refined product remain here or would it be loaded onto tankers and shipped to India and China?

Maybe we should consider adding a 50% tax on every gallon shipped out of the US. That might help the balance of trade and reduce our deficit.

Great idea Hancle. I've often wondered what would happen if the price the USA charges for wheat was elevated to match the price that we are asked to pay for oil...

There's a fundamental difference (well, a lot but I'm thinking of one in particular) between us and, say, our European brethren.

I was in Scotland last year. Beautiful country. While driving all around the country, I noticed a LOT of wind farms. Some were just one or two isolated turbines, other times I saw whole rows of them on some ridge lines. When we flew into Amsterdam for our connecting flight to/from Edinburgh, I saw a HUGE wind farm offshore.

Apparently, the difference is, in Scotland, wind turbines are seen as beautiful and a method to get cheaper electricity - and this from a country that exports North Sea oil all over the world. Here, they're "ugly" and some sort of socialist plot.

I disagree that the appearance has anything to do with it. If that were the case there would not be the thousands upon thousands of them in CA, AZ,WA and all the other locations that have them. It is 100% political.

The administration, this one like all the rest, keep telling us it is a long term fix. Many aspects of which could take as many as 10 years to realize benefits. The government established the DOE specifically to implement programs to free us from foreign oil. A complete separate building with thousands of workers spending trillions of dollars over the last 40 years accomplishing absolutely nothing.

Progress begins with having a plan. We do not. The oil producing countries are comfortable in their position with us because they know we will continue to pay homage to those in the oil business both foreign and domestic whose best interest is for business to continue as usual.

The USA could have an immediate impact, starting the day they announce it's intentions to reduce foreign supplied oil by 50%, specifically eliminating purchases from the middle east. Then state the steps to be taken i.e. increased drilling from X to Y, mandate wind farms in some manner effective by X/XX/XXX, eliminate V-8 and V-6 engines in vehicles beginning x/xx/xxxx and so on.

The day after the announcement there would be a differnt attitude in the world of energy suppliers. And yes, initially it will not all be good BUT we would be on our way to accomplishing what we said we needed to do over the past 40 years. Then as little as 10 years from now we would be in the position energy wise politicians have been banging their gums about and doing nothing.

It IS as simple as that!!

btk

My wife's commute is becoming painful at the pump again. The song and dance that the President is doing is not going to make the prices go down.

Considering oil prices ,et al. Oil is tied to the dollar. Obama has agreed with the FED's monetary policies. They have failed and will continue to do so. Secondly despite Obama's damaging policies oil energy and gas have expanded because of policies imposed by the Bush Admin. Obama has done nothing but sabotage those efforts with his green agenda. Wind and solar and electric autos attempts are failing. When the wind stops so does your energy. The VOLT's battery system doesn't live up to expectations and is adversely affected by the climate control system. And for you environmentalist wind turbines are killing birds by the thousands.

Succintly stated the energy companies despite Obama's adverse policy are managing to get supply to meet demand; albeit demand is down thanks again to Obama's monetary/fiscal policies.

But there we have the commander and chief boasting that he is creating energy and jobs in the same manner Jesus multiplied the fishes and turned water into wine...what a guy!

I heard a news report that the price of gasoline doesn't have much to do with supply and demand. Supplies are adequate; demand is down. The price of gas is largely determined by "speculative traders". The Wall Street greed at work.
The President really has little to do with gas prices. Of course the response will be the liberal media protecting the president and we can count on a series of links from wing-nut sources "proving" that all we have to do is "Drill Baby Drill" and, presto, problem solved.

We need less chattin and more wildcattin.

if we were energy independent there would be little need for speculating. The speculating is a function of knowing the existing logistics and predicting the results of pushing or pulling one economic lever or not. If the dependence were not there the speculators would look for another plum.

The only reason we are conducting business as usual in the energy arena is because of the influence wielded by the oil producers, the speculators, the oil industry lobbyists and special interest groups and the politicians who are in their pocket in one manner or another.

Why is it unreasonable to bring energy consumption technology into the 21st century and use our own resources rather than continue a method that ONLY benefits the middle men, speculators, lobbyists and politicians?

The answer is it is not unreasonable. It is just what we the sheeple allow to continue as we nod our heads and open our wallets. And it will stay that way until a lifestyle changing event eventually brings this country to it's knees for lack of energy. THEN remember it is not a short term fix as the incompetents in Washington continue to remind us.

Seeking alternatives does not = drill baby drill....yes it is one of the action items to begin tomorrow to send the message to the world.

btk

"drill baby drill"
Amen.