T. Boone Pickens' Energy Plan

[SingingMongoose]

So by now, hopefully most of us have seen T. Boone Pickens' smiling face, disingenuously trying to promote his new energy plan that will save America with the power of capitalism.

For those who don't know, the gist of it is that Pickens wants the US to reduce its dependency on foreign oil by adjusting our automobiles to run on natural gas, which would be diverted from our electricity generation, and then drastically increase our use of wind power to make up for it.

Naturally, Pickens is heavily invested in natural gas and wind power. (Interestingly, after Pickens' multimedia campaign began, the first two things our nation's Secretary of Commerce suggested in a Detroit News column to reduce our dependency on foreign oil were - surprise! - wind and natural gas.) He doesn't quite spin it that way on television - "I've been an oil man all my life, but this is one situation we can't drill our way out of." Yuck yuck yuck.

So here's the thing - I'm inclined to be extremely distrustful of this, but my secret confession is that I actually don't know what would be wrong with this plan. Apparently, neither does Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club, who blogged his approval of Pickens' plan on the Huffington Post!

I won't rule out that Pope is on Pickens' payroll, and that the Huffington Post are sell-outs - but I have absolutely no evidence for that, and don't actually claim it.

So my hope is that, by bringing this up for discussion here, someone will give me a legitimate reason to hate this plan. Otherwise I'll be tragically obliged to...ugh...go along with it. (Please note the partial sarcasm and self-ribbing.)

Seriously, what do people think of this?

 

[Chris]

I am a Democrat and T. Boone is a hard core Republican, and I think he is an American hero.

The Danes already get 20% of there energy from wind, and the Israelis are building ONE solar power station that will supply 5% of their energy needs. The technology is there, we just have to use it.

 

[Charles_Main]

I am a Democrat and T. Boone is a hard core Republican, and I think he is an American hero.

The Danes already get 20% of there energy from wind, and the Israelis are building ONE solar power station that will supply 5% of their energy needs. The technology is there, we just have to use it.

Don't forget we need to pay for making the transition, and the costs of doing so will make the War in Iraq seem cheap. Which is why I say it will take time, and can not just be done over night.

 

[Wow]

I am a Democrat and T. Boone is a hard core Republican, and I think he is an American hero.

The Danes already get 20% of there energy from wind, and the Israelis are building ONE solar power station that will supply 5% of their energy needs. The technology is there, we just have to use it.

Democrats and environmentalists are blocking it.

Though, carbon taxes are being forced upon Americans.

 

[Chris]

Don't forget we need to pay for making the transition, and the costs of doing so will make the War in Iraq seem cheap. Which is why I say it will take time, and can not just be done over night.

We are spending $700 billion dollars a year on foreign oil. How much will it cost us if we don't make the transition?

I will tell you. It will cost us our country.

 

[Chris]

Democrats and environmentalists are blocking it.

Though, carbon taxes are being forced upon Americans.

Ridiculous.

President Obama will make this his first priority, and the Democratic majority in the new Congress will pass it.

Our long national nightmare will soon be over.

 

[Charles_Main]

We are spending $700 billion dollars a year on foreign oil. How much will it cost us if we don't make the transition?

I will tell you. It will cost us our country.

How much will it cost to build hundreds of new power plants, and have Millions of Americans switch over to different cars.

exponentially more than 700 billion.

 

[Chris]

How much will it cost to build hundreds of new power plants, and have Millions of Americans switch over to different cars.

exponentially more than 700 billion.

Whaa, whaa, whaa, Daddy, alternative energy is HARD.

If the Danes can do it, we can do it.

We have more resources than any country in the world.

We just need the leadership.

 

[Charles_Main]

Whaa, whaa, whaa, Daddy, alternative energy is HARD.

If the Danes can do it, we can do it.

We have more resources than any country in the world.

We just need the leadership.

Where did I say we could not do it? I said it will take some time.I am all for doing it at a reasonable and responsible pace. No matter how many times you say it will be easy, it will not change the fact that it will take many years if not decades to complete a transition on so many levels.

And comparisons to Denmark are hardly relevant, they have no where near the energy needs, miles to travel, or cars that would be need to be replaced as we do.

However I am not shocked to see you making irrelevant comparisons.

 

[dilloduck]

Whaa, whaa, whaa, Daddy, alternative energy is HARD.

If the Danes can do it, we can do it.

We have more resources than any country in the world.

We just need the leadership.

It's idiotic to compare Denmark to the US and thinking a president can lead us into the future by himself is too. Alternate energy forms are emerging. Give em time and get the envionment worshipers out of the way.

 

[Epsilon Delta]

I like how Boone Pickens' is marketting it- he appeals to the nationalism by referencing the 'foreign oil' bit, but instead of drilling for more oil, he provides an alternative. He's looking ahead, not just moving away from foreign oil, but moving away from oil period. And it is quite possible.

 

[Chris]

Where did I say we could not do it? I said it will take some time.I am all for doing it at a reasonable and responsible pace. No matter how many times you say it will be easy, it will not change the fact that it will take many years if not decades to complete a transition on so many levels.

And comparisons to Denmark are hardly relevant, they have no where near the energy needs, miles to travel, or cars that would be need to be replaced as we do.

However I am not shocked to see you making irrelevant comparisons.

I did not mean to rag on you, but every time someone brings up alternative energy, someone else says we can't do it or it's hard.

And yes Denmark is relevant because they have forward thinking leadership, and we do not.

 

[Chris]

It's idiotic to compare Denmark to the US and thinking a president can lead us into the future by himself is too. Alternate energy forms are emerging. Give em time and get the envionment worshipers out of the way.

You are right. It is idiotic to compare Denmark to the U.S., because Denmark has better leadership.

 

[Charles_Main]

You are right. It is idiotic to compare Denmark to the U.S., because Denmark has better leadership.

And far more simple and easy to solve problems. People in denmark do not need to drive nearly as far as we do to get places, Their shipping and trucking industries also do not have to travel as far. The country is so small they could have a National subway system for a manageable cost.

We on the other hand have a huge continental nation, with Millions of people who must drive a long ways to get to where they are going. Trucks that must also drive vast distances to get their products to market, and the Need for thousands of power plants to power our vast nation.

So I say again, the comparison to Denmark is hardly relevant. Our transition away from Oil will take time, and Vast sums of money. we should start right now, but it will not be done anytime soon.

 

[Wow]

I like how Boone Pickens' is marketting it- he appeals to the nationalism by referencing the 'foreign oil' bit, but instead of drilling for more oil, he provides an alternative. He's looking ahead, not just moving away from foreign oil, but moving away from oil period. And it is quite possible.

Democrats in Congress and their lobbyist in the Northeast will dismiss Boone as a dumb hick, then raise gas taxes and block alternative fuels.

Texas is leading the nation in fuel technology and I'm sure the environmentalists will try to stop us with Liberal Judges.

 

[Ravi]

Seriously, what do people think of this?

I'm a bit suspicious too, for a rather biased reason...this guy gave millions to get Duhbya elected and Duhbya, I believe, supports natural gas. That might not be a bad thing, because making money off of Americans is seemingly the American way, but I tend to be skeptical.

Anywho...the only problems I've seen with wind power are esthetic--I think the turbines are kind of beautiful individually, but strung across miles in a zig-zaggely fashion they look like a big jumble of power lines, and they are rumored to kill a lot of birds. But then again, so does air pollution.

Natural gas is another matter, from what I understand it is a limited commodity, just like oil, and we would be importing it from some of the same countries we import oil...here's a link that I found from 2005 discussing natural gas. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/business/15gas.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

 

[Chris]

And far more simple and easy to solve problems. People in denmark do not need to drive nearly as far as we do to get places, Their shipping and trucking industries also do not have to travel as far. The country is so small they could have a National subway system for a manageable cost.

We on the other hand have a huge continental nation, with Millions of people who must drive a long ways to get to where they are going. Trucks that must also drive vast distances to get their products to market, and the Need for thousands of power plants to power our vast nation.

So I say again, the comparison to Denmark is hardly relevant. Our transition away from Oil will take time, and Vast sums of money. we should start right now, but it will not be done anytime soon.

Please, Denmark started moving to wind power years ago because they were smarter. The irony is General Electric builds turbines that we could have switched to easily. I hate that we have to wait until January 20th to start turning this country around.

 

[Charles_Main]

I'm a bit suspicious too, for a rather biased reason...this guy gave millions to get Duhbya elected and Duhbya, I believe, supports natural gas. That might not be a bad thing, because making money off of Americans is seemingly the American way, but I tend to be skeptical.

Anywho...the only problems I've seen with wind power are esthetic--I think the turbines are kind of beautiful individually, but strung across miles in a zig-zaggely fashion they look like a big jumble of power lines, and they are rumored to kill a lot of birds. But then again, so does air pollution.

Natural gas is another matter, from what I understand it is a limited commodity, just like oil, and we would be importing it from some of the same countries we import oil...here's a link that I found from 2005 discussing natural gas. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/business/15gas.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

I have to agree with Ravi about the Natural gas idea. It is already a high demand commodity, and we would still be getting alot of it from over seas. Not to mention it also releases CO2 and other Gases when burnt, though I believe not as much as oil or gasoline.

 

[Care4all]

i'm A Bit Suspicious Too, For A Rather Biased Reason...this Guy Gave Millions To Get Duhbya Elected And Duhbya, I Believe, Supports Natural Gas. That Might Not Be A Bad Thing, Because Making Money Off Of Americans Is Seemingly The American Way, But I Tend To Be Skeptical.

Anywho...the Only Problems I've Seen With Wind Power Are Esthetic--i Think The Turbines Are Kind Of Beautiful Individually, But Strung Across Miles In A Zig-zaggely Fashion They Look Like A Big Jumble Of Power Lines, And They Are Rumored To Kill A Lot Of Birds. But Then Again, So Does Air Pollution.

Natural Gas Is Another Matter, From What I Understand It Is A Limited Commodity, Just Like Oil, And We Would Be Importing It From Some Of The Same Countries We Import Oil...here's A Link That I Found From 2005 Discussing Natural Gas. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/business/15gas.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Bingo!

natural gas preceeds oil....no?

 

[Wow]

I'm a bit suspicious too, for a rather biased reason...this guy gave millions to get Duhbya elected and Duhbya, I believe, supports natural gas. That might not be a bad thing, because making money off of Americans is seemingly the American way, but I tend to be skeptical.

Anywho...the only problems I've seen with wind power are esthetic--I think the turbines are kind of beautiful individually, but strung across miles in a zig-zaggely fashion they look like a big jumble of power lines, and they are rumored to kill a lot of birds. But then again, so does air pollution.

Natural gas is another matter, from what I understand it is a limited commodity, just like oil, and we would be importing it from some of the same countries we import oil...here's a link that I found from 2005 discussing natural gas. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/business/15gas.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Al Gore and these UN scientists have been telling you that global warming is going to destroy the earth and you are concerned about wind farms being zig-zagged?

Millions of Americans will be forced to move and will die from greehouse gases.

This is a real threat. There are hundreds of scientists that have evidence to prove we are headed for a total disaster.

I guess Liberals are not concerned?