How many think America will ever really break our dependence on oil?

Question

Please don't respond with, "Bush and his oil cronies won't let us."

I'm serious. Say a moderate wins in 2008. What do you realistically see happening?

chimp, for the love of God, did you even read what I wrote????

Answer 1

I don't think we will unless gas prices rise much higher than they already are. We use a lot of oil, and replacing it with something else would be extraordinarily difficult. There are alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel that look promising, but to completely replace petroleum based fuel would require much more ethanol and biodiesel than we currently have the capability to produce (using corn or soybeans as we do now)

One interesting proposal I've read about involves using waste from chicken processing plants and turning it into biodiesel. I read that if they can perfect the process its possible that that could replace oil fuel completely ... if you don't mind running your car on chickens.

I don't think it matters all that much whether a Republican or Democrat is in power. Bush has actually invested considerable amounts of money into researching alternative fuels -- but I think it's fundamentally an issue of supply and demand. When it becomes profitable to make fuel from alternative sources, companies will soon begin to increase its supply.

Answer 2

The oil companies spend millions suporting the Jane Fonda's in the green movement that block nuclear energy. That is the only energy that is cheaper than oil as a natural supply and will eventually replace oil once the oil companies stop making their huge profits on it. The eco terrorists are well funded to block any attempt at this time to go nuclear, because the oil companies are sitting on so much oil and if nuclear is fully developed, oil will only be worth a fraction of current value.

Answer 3

The only way to reduce oil dependency would be to invest in new ways of civic planning. We can't live in spacious exurbs and drive 100 miles a day. On a per person basis, people who live in big cities use less energy, especially oil. Something like 90% of the oil we consume goes to transportation. We'd have to reconfigure our society into denser living arangements.

Answer 4

I think the hybrid cars are a start...there are more and more them coming out...but it will be a slooooowww process for sure, if it happens. I think it would free us up to make a lot of decisions differently....but to really break out dependence on foreign oil...we are going to have to break into Alaskas supply...and that will be a big fight for sure.

Answer 5

the answer is so easy, its WHAAACK

raise the gas tax, the cost of using gas is 10-20 dollars per gallon. the cost is subsidized by our income tax. i am in favor of lower overall taxes, but raise the gas tax and lower the income tax, the total tax burden can remain the same, but simply build the cost of using the gas into the price of the gas, its so simple.

hybrids are NOT the solution. hybrids are great, and i hope we make all cars hybrids, but they are not even close to being the solution. the solution is to stop subsidizing gasoline and making it nearly free ($3/gallon) the true price is much higher, stop the socialist subsidies! socialism does not work, raise the gas tax, i know its counterintuitive, but having cheap subsidized gas is the worst kind of socialism, and it screws everything up.

Answer 6

after I lived in California, I used my vehicle merely at the same time as leaving the city I lived in. something of the time I rode my motorcycle. Now that I stay in New England it really is way better sturdy to do. I do reduce my using and discover techniques to take exhilaration in ourselves without making use of too a lot gas. i ought to very very choose to discover better alternatives that are doable and fewer expensive. merely as eating in good structure is properly worth paying somewhat better for, i trust that is properly worth paying somewhat better for decision skill sources. yet there's a reduce to how significantly better someone pays. Oh, yet another stupid way I save skill is to apply countless wind up flashlights and lanterns around the homestead fairly than continually having lighting fixtures fixtures on. in the course of the wintry climate I practice dinner on my woodstove. once you've any concepts, please bypass them on. i ought to like to develop right into a lot less depending on overseas oil.

Answer 7

hybrid plug in ethanol cars.

average person drives less than 30 miles per day, and power plants generate at 50% of capacity over night. so plug in your car and charge up when electricty is avail, you will get literally hundreds of miles to the gallon of gasonline.

cars are 1/3 of our oil demand- that would get us pretty close to independant.

Answer 8

if our gov would let the cat out of the bag we would not need to depend on it at all

Answer 9

Not while BushCo (halliburton and enron) are running the show.

Answer 10

certainly hope so don't u?