“progressives” Don’t Care if Americans Suffer at the Pump

by Michael Fell | February 20, 2012 4:50 pm

There’s widespread consensus in the United States that America needs to become less dependent on foreign oil. America’s growing, ongoing dependence on foreign sources puts her at ever-greater risk in an unstable world. This instability drives the costs higher.

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“progressives” who feel an overwhelming compulsion to immediately replace America’s existing carbon economy with a green one couldn’t be happier with the higher costs. The current administration and fellow “progressives” continue to push America towards the green end, come what may. Stiffer regulations on auto makers, stifling EPA regulations on energy producers, refusals by the White House to permit development of domestic resources, quid quo pro government funded paybacks to big “progressive” campaign donors involved in green energy companies litter the landscape.

While such “progressive” actions may eventually “nudge” America towards green energies, they’re hurting the American economy at exactly the wrong time…the very moment when there’s a tepid turn towards possible recovery from a painfully deep recession that’s led to unacceptably high levels of long term unemployment.

America’s public and industrial infrastructures are based on the use of conventional fuels: petroleum, natural gas, coal and nuclear power. While there are moves to convert more public sector automobiles and mass transportation vehicles to natural gas, the overwhelming majority of Americans drive or ride in vehicles that burns gasoline or diesel fuel. Natural gas and heating oil are used in furnaces to heat homes and places of business. Coal, natural gas and nuclear plants generate electricity which powers countless devices, the uses of which are taken for granted every day. Coal, natural gas and petroleum products power American’s industrial complex, the base of her economic engine. Clearly, America’s economy depends very heavily on these existing sources of power. These methods of providing and consuming energy are all deeply ingrained into America’s businesses, manufacturing and home life.

It’s entirely impractical to expect to change the method of powering an entire society of over 300 million people overnight. It’s going to take a lot of time to finish such a task. More time than most people realize. Indeed, far more than is believed by those who continue living in “progressive” fantasyland. First, before making any such transition becomes practical, green energy alternatives must become economically competitive with conventional fuels. Today, they are not.

In the meantime, what energy’s going to be used in the manufacture, delivery and installation of all those windmills, solar panels, turbines, generators and power grid needed to provide renewable energy to the public, the renewable energy delivery system that has yet to be built? No, sorry. Traditional fuels will generate the energy that’s going to be used.

Why does America continue to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on foreign energy? Why isn’t the United States keeping those billions of dollars at home, in its own economy? At a time when millions of Americans are out of work and the economy is starving for liquid capital, why isn’t the United States taking advantage of its own wealth of natural resources?

Why does this “progressive” government continuously oppose giving Americans jobs drilling for oil and natural gas or digging for coal? Why does this “progressive” government persistently fight putting people to work building refineries and power plants? What does this “progressive” government have against giving energy employees jobs delivering oil, coal and natural gas to consumers? How many peripheral jobs will be created in the process? For every new oil well, power plant, refinery or mine built there will be a need to build new roads, restaurants, stores, churches, schools, and housing. All brought to you courtesy of the private sector.

In the interest of national security and job creation, America should put Americans back to work delivering American energy to Americans. This is the only way the United States economy will be able to afford making whatever “investments” in green energy make economic sense.

Meanwhile, the very people who argue that they’re the ones who care about the little guy will force those little guys to pay increasingly higher gas prices until they’ve submitted to the prescribed “change”. Demonstrably, “progressives” don’t care if Americans suffer at the pump.

http://mjfellright.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/progressives-dont-care-if-americans-suffer-at-the-pump/[2]

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/thumbnail2.jpeg
  2. http://mjfellright.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/progressives-dont-care-if-americans-suffer-at-the-pump/: http://mjfellright.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/progressives-dont-care-if-americans-suffer-at-the-pump/

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