How will Republicans explain to future generations that they blocked alternative energy?

Question

Why didn't they listen to President Jimmy Carter?

Laissez-Faire Guy - I agree with you how wrong it is to block construction of nuclear power plant

Answer 1

they first have to explain why all the oil ran out and they never prepaired for that.

instead they went off to invade countries rather than search for energy sollutions.

brilliant!

Answer 2

Big Oil blocked alternative energy.

Those who insist that our future energy should be from drilling domestic oil and building nuke plants are very short sighted. Oil will dry up, no matter where it is drilled from. Dependence on oil is a bad thing, whether it is from the mid-east or from Alaska. Just like the Bush policy on Iraq - there is no exit strategy for oil when the wells run out.
Nuclear energy is indeed clean, except for the nasty little chore of disposing of the spent nuclear fuel. If the stuff gets mixed into the groundwater..look out. Then again, the off chance of a nuclear meltdown is a big negative as well.
The government would do well to start investing in alternative energy ventures, and traditional energy companies should be focused on embracing alternatives if they want to have a future.

Answer 3

Well apart from solar energy which is still being perfected (current solar panels are not efficient enough to properly power any type of vehicle) there are wind power and nuclear energy. The first seems an unlikely option for a car or a plane but could work for ships and boats. Think about it: installing a wind powered power plant on a cargo ship that could generate and then store power to be used instead of petrol. The second could actually be the solution for the upcoming oil crisis. If radiation leaks could be completely reduced and car sized nuclear engines could be built than the sky would be the limit because nuclear power plants need very little material to generate large amounts of energy.

Answer 4

Alternative energy sources have been available for decades.
When a new device or theory is developed, the big international oil companies buy them up. It's all over the net man. You devise a new energy source, oil company steps in, blank cheque offered, product handed over, on the shelf it goes. Never to see the light of day.
When oil is no longer the cheapest and easiest option, rest assured, there are several options waiting to be expoited and the sooner the better. Our mad arab friends and their boms will a period in history we can look back at and thank god is over.

So in answer to your question, successive western governments of all political leanings are going to have some explaining to do.

Answer 5

So nuclear power plants aren't alternative energy? Who blocked those? Nice try, Einstein.

Also, whoever the genious is that decided to mix the food and energy markets should be shot. Now poor folk can't afford corn chips, tortillas, feed for livestock, dog food, and anything else made with corn, but hey, at least we have a ridiculously inefficient way to attempt to harm oil companies, with no positive gain for anybody but corn farmers. Brilliant!

Feel free to blame the Republicans for trying to stop this.

Answer 6

Ok, let me try to explain this to you slowly.
There is this thing called the "market place".
It is based on a lot of things, but one of the principles is called "supply and demand".
The first cars ran on kerosene, whale oil, and other such things, not gasoline. However, these things were not in great "supply", so the price was high. Then oil was discovered in high quantities and we learned how to refine it into gasoline. So there was now a high "supply" of gasoline, so it was very cheap. Cars changed to run on gasoline because of "demand" for a cheap fuel source.
Now, the price of gasoline is getting high. So the market place will find a new power source because of "demand" for cheaper fuel. As alternative fuels increase in "supply" and oil decreases in "supply" more cars will be sold to fill the "demand" for cars that run on alternative fuels.

As you can see, the "problem" of alternative fuels is solved in the "market place" based on the laws of "supply and demand" and the motive of "profit". The government was not involved in any way.

These same principles apply to energy supplies (coal, nuclear, water, etc.). If you remove government regulations, the "market place" will fulfill the "demand".

I hope I kept this simple enough for you to understand.

Answer 7

Jimmy Carter wasn't supporting alternative energy as much as conservation when oil prices rose. Of course, the American consumer mentality is that moderation is unthinkable

Answer 8

Assuming there are any Republicans around in the future.
The GOP is doing a pretty good job of destroying itself.
Good riddance.

Hey Chi Guy, when and why have you become such a pain in the *ss?
Had a partial lobotomy lately?

Answer 9

What? Didn't you hear the State of the Union?...Bush is working hard on alternative energy resources...he has the greatest minds at Exxon Mobil and Chevron working on it as we speak.

Answer 10

Not really sure, but I cetainly hope we have some smart industrious folks out there working on a solution to the problems we face if we don't do something soon. I wish I had the kind of scientific mind to work on it, but I don't.

Answer 11

Nuclear energy was once called "alternative".

It does just fine if environmental activists would stop over reacting. (pardon the pun)