Anti-Drilling Stupidity on Display for All to See

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Once again, a shining example of the obtuse philosophy that drives the anti-drilling crowd, on full display in a commentary in (where else?) the Ithaca Journal. This particular commentary is on the high price of gas and why that’s really a good thing:

…unlike Obama or his Republican challengers, I want higher gas prices. At least for a while. Long enough for us to get the market signals right and to continue to wean ourselves off our fossil fuel addiction. The way I see it, every time we’ve been confronted by an energy crisis, Americans have done the right thing. Faced with the cold hard economic facts of life when it comes to oil availability and price, we’ve figured out for ourselves how to be innovative, resilient and sensible. Having plentiful cheap resources can make us wasteful; scarcity and high prices can make us smart.

If that’s what it takes, I’m all for it. And if it can drag business and the government along behind us, I’m for that, too.*

Yes indeed. You like to fill ‘er up at the gas station? You’re an addict! Using oil to heat your home? Nasty, filthy fossil fuel habit you have there. I know better than you, and you need to kick that habit. Cheap natural gas? Just makes us fat, dumb and lazy—and we certainly can’t have that.

MDN’s view: Such a philosophy is not only arrogant and elitist in the extreme, it’s just plain stupid. But that’s what we’re up against: stupidity. No recognition that plentiful, cheap energy is one of the key ingredients for the amazing country we have and the benefits it delivers to all of its citizens—the highest standard of living anywhere in the world. No thought that a free market economy will sort out the best energy solutions at the best cost at the best time.

No sir, let’s just throw it all away. Throw another cow pie on the fire to heat your home you unenlightened carbon addict. Better yet, just stop breathing so you don’t emit any carbon when you exhale either.

*Ithaca Journal (Mar 23, 2012) – Commentary: High gas prices? Bring ’em on!

5 Comments

  1. Jim,
    The truth of the the matter is fossil fuels such as gasoline have not been cheap even at dollars less per gallon at the pump. We have maintained a strong and expensive military presence in many parts of the the world to keep  the supply of crude flowing. Can you envision such a commitment in the Middle East if that region did not have a drop of oil? When you include the taxes we pay and the federal debt service  we incur  to maintain that supply through peace and war , the true price has been estimated to be between $11 and $ 17 dollars per gallon of gas.
      Add to it the indirect [ but statistically measurable ] health costs and climate effects of continuing a fossil fuel economy and the transition to  renewable energies is not that difficult a decision.
     Natural gas will help smooth the transition to renewables . The conversion to electricity took 50 years in the U.S. I expect conversion to renewables will take half as long. 

  2. Jim:

    How do you really feel? Great commentary – reminds me of the environmentalist that flies his private airplane over rig sites to document the filthy conditions. Guess he has the world’s first solar airplane.

  3. Using “Stupidity” is sensationalist, but clearly inappropriate just because you don’t understand or agree with their point.

    I lived in Germany where their energy costs are about double ours. This gives Germans a totally different outlook on energy use. They tend to drive smaller cars, keep their houses cooler (wear more layers), use zone heating (to heat only the rooms they are using), rely more on public transportation, walk instead of driving, and many other things.

    It is a state of mind… I have a US friend who used to start his car before breakfast so that about 30-45 minutes later it would be warm when he got in. In Germany, it is not unusual for someone to shut off their car engine to save fuel while waiting at a long traffic light. … a totally different perspective.

    I think the German attitude tends to make their society more effective, more efficient, and healthier. They certainly have many of their own problems there, but their energy policies give them one significant advantage over us.

    I don’t like paying high prices for energy any more than anyone else. But I think that a gradual increase in the tax we put on energy to the point that it gets closer to the real cost would be a good thing for our society – essentially pass more of the indirect costs (like our Middle East adventures) on to the consumer). Unfortunately our populace is so selfish and our politicians so weak-willed (or bought and paid for), that there seems to be no chance of even getting a 25 cent per gallon additional tax on gasoline.

  4. Exdent & dtsturrock,
    I agree about the Middle East. That is why we should be drilling on our own soil. A comprehensive, thoughtful energy policy would include this. We can move away from fossil fuels, some time in the future. A cost/benefit analysis of every source should be done. Currently there is no logical reason to not drill the shale and utilize the enormous amount of  natural gas under NY,OH,WV & PA. Once we have a better idea of exactly what quantity is harvestable, a long term approach to integrating all sources would be prudent. Unfortunately our federal government seems to have it’s head buried in the sand. Our leaders need to thoughtfully address our energy future.