Obama’s energy policy: Turn out the lights and pray for wind
posted at 1:35 pm on August 4, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Perhaps the Barack Obama campaign needs the services of a mathematician, but it doesn’t take differential calculus to determine that his energy policy doesn’t add up. Politico reports on Obama’s speech in Lansing, which officially served as the re-launch of his efforts to defuse public anger over Congressional inaction on domestic energy production. Obama wants to both transfer American transportation from oil to electricity and then cut electrical production as well:
The three main components of Obama’s plan are:
— Get 1 million 150 mile-per-gallon plug-in hybrids on U.S. roads within six years.
— Require that 10 percent of U.S. energy comes from renewable sources by the end of his first term – more than double the current level.
—Reduce U.S. demand for electricity 15 percent by 2020.
Well, far be it from me to point out the obvious, but the more cars we have that use “plug-in hybrids”, the more demand for electricity will increase. Apparently, this didn’t catch the attention of the Harvard-educated candidate, but it should catch the attention of the voting public. Transferring the burden of transportation from gasoline to electricity will vastly increase the need for more generating stations.
Even without the transfer of cars from gas to electrical power, how exactly does Obama plan on cutting electrical demand in the US? As the economy and the population grow, the need for electricity will continue to expand as well, in order to just maintain the current standard of living, let alone improve it. Perhaps we will hear more about the electrical equivalent of inflating tires, and Obama does plan to spend billions of dollars weatherizing homes — which Americans do when their energy bills increase anyway.
What happens when the demand doesn’t decrease by 15%? Where will Obama get the energy needed to power the economy? He doesn’t answer that question.
And why worry about electrical demand if Obama believes that we will have emission-free mass-production sources on line in the next 10 years? Electricity in and of itself is completely neutral to the global-warming debate; it’s the source that matters. If we have solar energy perfected, as an example, why worry about electrical demand?
This sounds like a Luddite philosophy, an energy-hostile policy regardless of its source or its benefits. Obama wants America to live in a shortage economy, where we become ever more dependent on government to ration energy and in which our standard of living decreases year after year. Obama talks about Hope, but he’s really selling Despair … and it has started to lose whatever luster it ever had as his energy policies come more into focus.
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Increase Plug-In Hybrids, decrease demand for electricity…can he really be this dumb?
Verbal Abuse on August 4, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Houston…we have a problem…appartently the only reason Obama has a brain is to keep his ears apart.
PatriotPete on August 4, 2008 at 1:38 PM
dayyum, Last week he said that if we inflated our tires our problems would be gone.
Another flip flop. LMAO~
iam7545 on August 4, 2008 at 1:39 PM
The guy is way in over his head here.
WisCon on August 4, 2008 at 1:39 PM
And yet, 59% chance he wins this thing. Sigh.
Ferris on August 4, 2008 at 1:40 PM
I heard one of Barry’s top notch, marvelous, awesome, incredible economic advisors, he was an effeminate pudgy guy, and he was talking about how we have to wait for wind.
I wonder if they know that gasoline is needed for a car to move.
Isn’t oil the ultimate biofuel?
These people are frickin idiots.
benrand on August 4, 2008 at 1:41 PM
So increase cars that use electricity and revive the economy…while decreasing electricity use. Brilliant!
amerpundit on August 4, 2008 at 1:42 PM
Nonsense. We can just convert little sailboats to run on roads. All we need to do is add a couple of axles and some wheels. Just $275,000,000,000 should be enough to get that project off the ground. Ye of little faith.
progressoverpeace on August 4, 2008 at 1:43 PM
“Transferring the burden of transportation from gasoline to electricity will vastly increase the need for more generating stations.”
Easy – make sure the power plants are properly inflated.
exhelodrvr on August 4, 2008 at 1:44 PM
I wonder how many of his staffers read this speech, yet nobody pointed this out. It is a whole group of dummies!
redshirt on August 4, 2008 at 1:44 PM
HOW Could Hilary! lose to this idiot?!?!?!?!
Fishoutofwater on August 4, 2008 at 1:44 PM
It makes sense if he strongly encourage people to live in his ‘communities’, that is.
Sir Napsalot on August 4, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Uh oh!..Now you’ve gone and done it. You said something about his ears. You know you’re not allowed to do that without the race card being played on you
sdd on August 4, 2008 at 1:45 PM
He also used the Pickens “We cannot drill our way out of this” in his speech failing to mention that Pickens also said that we should drill EVERYWHERE.
Obama is running scared. He just spent 50-60 Million on his trip to Europe. Imagine what just the free beer and brauts in Germany cost him. Yet he is even in the polls.
Plug in cars?
Where will the electricity come from?
Where will all of the Lithium come from?
Where will we discard all of the dead batteries?
He is a dope.
iam7545 on August 4, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Barry’s plan:
“… In short, by installing windmills into the seats of our chairs, we can harness a great natural resource. My response to the American citizen who is worried about our nation’s future energy supply is: blow it out your a**”
trubble on August 4, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Plug-in Hybrids only plug in for hydrogen, yeah, that’s the ticket.
Sir Napsalot on August 4, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Why do you want to give Luddites a bad rap by associating them with Obama? /sarc
Going to a totally electric vehicle transportation system won’t necessarily drain all of our electricity generation. At some point in the future, 40-50 years out, I suspect that most vehicles will run on electric motive power. Coal, nuclear, wind and solar and hydro can take care of this segment of the energy train. But any talk of reducing our demand for electricity by 15 percent is just plain idiotic.
You are totally correct on Obama wanting to make America totally dependent on government. It was made crystal clear today in Lansing.
We are still going to need oil…regardless. Just a whole lot less of it, except for aviation and military needs, pharmeceuticals, plastic and quite a number of related industries, and so on.
An immediate benefit of getting off imported oil will be to cut the OPEC part of our foreign policy out once and for all. Let the sheiks and princes, and Chavez, feed oil to their people…see how long they last. Not to sound too flippant.
But, oil is one of the major roots of our foreign policy and has been since 1945. Time to turn our backs on that. Domestic production, if allowed, will take care of our oil needs quite nicely if we push for electric transportation means.
coldwarrior on August 4, 2008 at 1:47 PM
It makes sense if he strongly encourage people to live in his ‘communities’, that is.
Sir Napsalot on August 4, 2008 at 1:45 PM
I think they called those “communities” Gulags.
coldwarrior on August 4, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Good turn of phrase.
Hopelessness from the guy selling hope and nothing but a pack of lies from a guy selling straight talk. This nation really deserves better than the candidates it has.
highhopes on August 4, 2008 at 1:50 PM
You’re exactly right, Ed.
I would think this is demographically impossible.
CP on August 4, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Obamanomics lesson number one:
1 – 1 = INFINITY
Exurban Jon on August 4, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Fify, with indulgence, hopefully,
Entelechy on August 4, 2008 at 1:51 PM
What a masterful display of the proper usage of the Clue Bat(TM), Ed!
Nahanni on August 4, 2008 at 1:52 PM
*hangs head and chuckles softly* So as not to draw the attention of co workers if I fell to the floor and roared hysterically at the absolute emptiness of the community worker from Chicago.
And we are supposed to trust him with the safety ond well being of this country and it’s citizens.
Barry, Please go back to Chicago. At this rate you may get to do what you did at the last Democrat convention…give the keynote address to introduce the real presidential candidate.
Just A Grunt on August 4, 2008 at 1:53 PM
How about mandate 50% of all new vehicles sold in America be flex fuel vehicles
Alcohol based fuels are renewable dumbo
Want to reduce electricity talk to Al Gore first
For somebody with so many advisors he is the makes a box of rocks look like a rocket scientist
Mojack420 on August 4, 2008 at 1:53 PM
Hillary has to wondering that very question every single day!
Of course, didn’t Hillary just “suspend” her campaign? Couldn’t she, in theory, swoop in at the eleventh hour and “save” the party should Obama’s numbers keep plummeting?
highhopes on August 4, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Might as well pass a law requiring all cars to be powered by the tooth fairy.
MarkTheGreat on August 4, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Does Obama realize we can’t just “Make” these cars appear. I know all the tinfoil hat wearers think the car companies have these cars already, but it takes years to develope such tech and even many more to make it affordable.
Look at the cars we have today that get 40 MPG. They get 40 MPG not because they are “special” its because they are small, ugly, light pieces of garbage that have to add ons and fit 2 people.
Even if we can make 100 MPG cars we need to make ones that are appealing to the buyers.
Rbastid on August 4, 2008 at 1:55 PM
The funny thing about these ‘conservationist’ policies is that the less oil Americans use, the less tax revenue the government gets. So the windfall profits tax will be the only thing that they will be able to get because the end user won’t be contributing as much money to the tax base if they don’t use as much anyway. . . there’s your gas tax holiday – don’t use gas.
ThackerAgency on August 4, 2008 at 1:57 PM
He’s being this dumb?
There is no way this goof could be thinking up this wackiness on his own.
Someone on his campaign staff has to be feeding him this bilge.
His problem is be is stupid enough to repeat it………to a mass crowd.
pilamaye on August 4, 2008 at 1:57 PM
He’s just toeing the line of environmentalism. Way back when I was young and stupid I was an elitist environmentalist and darn proud of it. One of our main drives was to use less electricity by turning it on and off at certain times. The idea was that you didn’t need electric power while you were sleeping or at work. You could have power for an hour in the morning to get ready for work and then for two or three hours at night. If you lived in northern climates you could have limited power to keep the house warm enough to not freeze the pipes. Back then wood was also the way to go for heating because it was more natural and closer to the earth mother who provided it for our use. I grew up and became a member of reality by the age of 23. I wonder what BO’s excuse is?
jmarcure on August 4, 2008 at 1:57 PM
How does Obama propose to get 1 million plug-in hybrids on the road within 6 years? Mandates? Is this going to be another “Windfall Profit Tax” on some industry to pay for these?
BTW, Obama is behind the curve on this. Toyota, Honda, and GM are already working on getting plug-in hybrids out en masse. Toyota has publicly said their goal is to get 1 million plug-in hybrids produced each year at the beginning of the next decade. Same with GM.
Leadership by following the trends…
Queasy on August 4, 2008 at 1:58 PM
I’ll have you know that Obama is all ears over this comment…
Mcguyver on August 4, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Why not 6 million in one year??
tgillian on August 4, 2008 at 1:58 PM
I would like someone to tell me the ratio on how to cut electricity when you use coal and natural gas to make it in most areas of the country. Or the fact that the use of coal and natural gas is not just going up it is becoming a staple no matter where you go. Has any of the Democratic rejects ever toured a Electical plant that runs on Natural Gas or Coal for that matter?
And the fact that many States (not just my own) have about 8 hours of daylight during the winter? Are you going to cut the lights out in schools and on streets?
Idiots, all of them.
upinak on August 4, 2008 at 2:01 PM
How about leaving it to market forces, not government regulation, to determine the number of flex fuel vehicles to be sold. If government has to do something, let them could boost the incentive by giving a rebate for turning in a fossil fuel vehicle and purchasing a flex fuel one.
Beyond that, flex fuel vehicle demand should be dictated by consumer demand not by some arbitrary mandate from DC. Why 50% and not 60% or 40%? What are the second-order consequences from more flex fuel vehicles (necessity to distribute both gasoline and flex fuel, for example)?
highhopes on August 4, 2008 at 2:01 PM
If you read Obama’s 8 page pdf dealing with energy, amidst the pablum you will find that Obama wants to federalize jobs and the energy market, and ultimately limit the amount of electricity customers are allowed to use.
Whuuu????
hillbillyjim on August 4, 2008 at 2:02 PM
This energy plan was put together by Enron energy traders on crack. Sober Enron energy frauds wouldn’t try to put this kind of garbage across on the American people.
Seriously, this is a bigger fraud than Enron tried pulling off; more detached from reality.
Patrick_Lasswell on August 4, 2008 at 2:02 PM
“Obama wants America to live in a shortage economy, where we become ever more dependent on government to ration energy and in which our standard of living decreases year after year. Obama talks about Hope, but he’s really selling Despair … and it has started to lose whatever luster it ever had as his energy policies come more into focus”.
Nice Ed…
Americans strive to live in abundance and BO’s energy plan, the life blood of our economy, forces all (but Gore) to live in the opposite. BO’s worldview is beginning to come in to focus for all of us.
swami on August 4, 2008 at 2:04 PM
When Obama is Premier, he will issue a directive for perpetual motion machines to generate power for our government-mandated green Utopian communes. It will provide plenty of energy for our allotment of one electric scooter for every four humans.
It’ll be great!
forest on August 4, 2008 at 2:06 PM
1 million plug in hybrids? Big deal.
How about 150 million plug in hybrids or 300 million.
Really…WHY DO WE NOT HAVE ALL ELECTRIC VEHICLES YET?
Or at least all plug in hybrids?
You guessed it…oil lobbyists controlling both parties.
Let’s not be stupid and gloss over the fact of Bush’s oil ties (not to mention Clinton’s/Obama’s/Mccain’s too).
SaintOlaf on August 4, 2008 at 2:06 PM
Assuming we have a choice in cars to buy. I see a “people’s car” in our future and available in green only.
jmarcure on August 4, 2008 at 2:06 PM
Don’t forget the Senate compromise bill that the gang of 10 worked on just before they went on recess on a provision that 80% of all cars 20 years from here not be petroleum based. For those of us that don’t buy a new car every 5 years that can be a big problem. My last vehicle I had for 12 years and my current one is 13 years old.
Just looking out for us working Joes huh?
Just A Grunt on August 4, 2008 at 2:06 PM
Isn’t that what they tried in California? The government forced down supply of electricity in the hopes that all the rules of reality would be reversed and the demand would magically go down as well. Amazingly, that mind-bogglingly idiotic blew up in their faces – imagine that. Anyway, when the brownouts started, California ended up having to buy electricity from other states.
So what’ll happen when Washington puts the whole country in that boat? We’ll be begging Mexico and Canada to support our electrical grid? Yeah, good luck with that.
logis on August 4, 2008 at 2:07 PM
tgillian on August 4, 2008 at 1:58 PM –
6 million in one year? No! In great Soviet Union we can produce 10 million in one year! The Politburo commands, the glorious workers produce! We will bury you in plug-in hybrids!
Ya know…Obama is sounding more and more like the old Soviet “economists” and Party leadership of from Lenin thru Stalin and Khrushchev right up to Gorbachev. When Gorbachev lost control over the Soviet Union, do you know how many Western trained economists who actually understood wages and earnings, production costs and the most rudimentary notions of Western capitalist markets? About 6, if that many. In a nation of over 300+ million. And Obama actually believes his ideas about command economy, taken right from any number of Soviet Five-Year Plans, are actually going to work? His speech in Lansing sealed it for me. Obama speaks, and the glorious workers produce….yeah, right.
coldwarrior on August 4, 2008 at 2:08 PM
You seem to assume in an Obama-nation, it will be optional to purchase these fine vehicles.
uhhnt-uhh.
Gotta bail out Detroit and save the planet from Gorbal Warming.
We’ll see more ‘Windfall Profits Taxes’ and ‘incentives’ to purchase the new electric cars.
A quick calculation of the horsepower required by a current economy car, but in an electric version, would easily double my current electric usage. And that’s just one car.
Doing this AND reducing electricity usage is impossible. Maybe Obama is calculating future energy usage by taking into account the time that power plants will be shut down by overloads.
McCain needs to put out an ad, quick.
cntrlfrk on August 4, 2008 at 2:08 PM
SaintOlafSaint Olive Oil you are pathetic.Mcguyver on August 4, 2008 at 2:09 PM
And is it really wrong of me to hope she does??
Perhaps a Clinton plant. How can anyone responsible for producing these words say something so blatantly stupid?
MamaAJ on August 4, 2008 at 2:09 PM
On second thought…
perhaps he was reading from the teleprompter and someone sabotaged his speech on energy and the dolt just read it word for word.
swami on August 4, 2008 at 2:10 PM
I wonder how electric airplanes will work?
landlines on August 4, 2008 at 2:12 PM
“You guessed it…oil lobbyists controlling both parties.”
And they’re so powerful that they’ve managed to prevent these miracle vehicles from being widely used in Canada, Europe, etc.
Good lord, where does this stuff come from? It just insults the intelligence. No wonder gas is at $4.00, years of people swallowing fairy tales like this.
NoDonkey on August 4, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Good idea — why didn’t we ever think of that before.
Seriously, what about all the jobs that will be lost because of this idiot’s energy plan. It’s already started because of the Dem led Congress’ insistence on “saving the planet” despite the crisis. Better start heading to the mountains to pick a nice cave, before the masses do.
Rick on August 4, 2008 at 2:15 PM
I wonder how electric airplanes will work?
landlines on August 4, 2008 at 2:12 PM
About as well as the concrete ones work.
coldwarrior on August 4, 2008 at 2:15 PM
If all cars were plug in today, how much would electric production need to be increased? It seems that no matter what technology we use to get there, electricity production has to increase, not decrease.
redshirt on August 4, 2008 at 2:15 PM
How so?
You’re probably right…we can DEFINITELY trust the media and our honest politicians..it’s not like they’re just herding us cattle with BS news stories.
They’re probably good and honest Christians looking out for us, not leftist extremists pushing their agenda on us like I thought.
SaintOlaf on August 4, 2008 at 2:15 PM
I listened to a bit of this this morning and had the thought that Obama must have the same 300 advisors on foreign policy now advising him on energy.
Texas Gal on August 4, 2008 at 2:16 PM
BTW plug in hybrids are no fantasy…many people have them..they work.
SaintOlaf on August 4, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Does this energy policy remind anyone else of this South Park clip?
F15Mech on August 4, 2008 at 2:18 PM
Because time is not on our side on this, not unlike when the auto industry was turning out Sherman tanks in mass numbers. We didn’t have the time to sit around and wait. Our economy is being bled dry by OPEC and that money is going to fund who????
at a 100$ extra to turn all new cars into flex cars off the assembly line its not that big of a deal. I mean fm radio is mandated in every car, just as seat belts & air bags are. by mandating that all cars sold in America would be flex fuel cars this would force auto companies world wide to switch over. Which means transportation could be run on alcohol based fuel or gasoline and their would be competition .
Mojack420 on August 4, 2008 at 2:18 PM
Really? Are the leaders of every other nation in the world controlled by oil lobbyists too? Why isn’t everyone in Japan, or France, or China, or Singapore, or Brazil, or Switzerland driving an all-electric car right now?
rockmom on August 4, 2008 at 2:18 PM
it’s a recipe for shortages with the hope of fuzzy bunnies to the rescue
Jason Coleman on August 4, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Comrade Morrisey, you do not understand. It is necessary for the preservation of the People’s Republik of Amerikkka, under the most merciful guidance of the Dear Leader, Barack “Messiah” Obama, to eliminate the use of passenger cars. Passenger cars are bourgeoises and are an affront to Gaia, the dear Earth Mother. Instead, loyal workers and citizens of the People’s Republic will use buses and bicycles for transportation. And we will make sure the thermostats on the buses are kept at 78 degrees instead of 72, because we must not be wasteful!
Outlander on August 4, 2008 at 2:20 PM
So make cars more dependent on electricity, but reduce demand for electricity.
Obama and numbers mix about as well as gin and milk.
Chuck Schick on August 4, 2008 at 2:20 PM
What about sweaters? We’ll need lots of sweaters.
Cicero43 on August 4, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Ever hear the Rush song Red Barchetta?
Well, that tale is apparently what our future will be.
benrand on August 4, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Obama’s answer to you doubting thomases: If we all just turn off one lightbulb for five minutes per day, it will save 80 gazillion million bazillion kwh of energy. And that’s all the energy we would have gotten from building nuclear plants. So why bother building nuclear plants? Duh.
aero on August 4, 2008 at 2:22 PM
Who said the plug in Hybrids need to be plugged into the electrical grid? Part of the taxes from the “Big oil” windfall profit tax will be used to buy garage mounted solor panels to charge the hybrids while thay are parked overnight. Come-on… you have to think outside of the box.
AverageJoe on August 4, 2008 at 2:22 PM
giant rubber bands, how else?
trubble on August 4, 2008 at 2:22 PM
Have you seen what the ethanol/flex fuel market has done to food prices?
Rick on August 4, 2008 at 2:23 PM
I want you to google and tell me what Companies they are all involved with right now. And then I want you to google the 10 most richest Senators and tell me exactly each has their hands in the cookie jar.
And THEN I want you to stop and think before you speak.
upinak on August 4, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Translation: Oxen with a feedbag in front and a cork in back.
RushBaby on August 4, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Plug in hybrids are a reality.
The fact is President Ubama does not want to do anything about energy independence with his puny 1 million plug in hybrid plan.
SaintOlaf on August 4, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Why don’t you use some of Huck’s hot air and plug yourself in as well. Plenty of energy in both of you….
upinak on August 4, 2008 at 2:25 PM
BTW plug in hybrids are no fantasy…many people have them..they work.
SaintOlaf on August 4, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Yes, they do. But…when the price is out of reach of those who really need them, a lot lot more than “many,” folks can’t afford them, whether they work or not is sorta moot for most Americans. Branson can fly a plane from the Mojave into outer space and back agian. But just about all of the rest of the world is confined to flying Southwest, to get from here to Mojave. Me? Would love to get on the electric bandwagon, but really don’t have an extra $55k-$100k to pop right now for one of those fancy Japanese Anime electric cars.
coldwarrior on August 4, 2008 at 2:25 PM
As for decreasing elecricity demand, you have to wonder what plant Obama is living on. America is destined to use more elecricity in the future, as we continue to evolve from a manufacturing economy to a service economy. Computers, phones, fax machines, copiers, and office buildings run on electricity. More home-based businesses need more electricity. Modern air conditioning and heating systems run on electricity. We have a second Baby Boom going on now, and those kids are going to need bigger schools in a few years – I don’t see anyone producing an all-electric school bus or a school that can be powered on something other than electricity.
Does Barack Obama really think Harry Reid is going to volunteer Las Vegas to cut its electricity use by 15%??? Or are the rest of us going to have to cut by 20% so the neon lights and the slot machines don’t go dark?
rockmom on August 4, 2008 at 2:26 PM
With really really long extension cords. ;-0
Seriously, we could convert 100% of the private vehicles on the road to some government-designed death trap and it still wouldn’t provide the solution for trains, planes, ships (including the barges on the Mississippi river basin)…. the modes of transportation that really haul stuff. To develop alternative fuel systems is a long-term approach that needs to be coupled with short-term solutions like allowing more domestic drilling.
highhopes on August 4, 2008 at 2:27 PM
Yeah, but how does that mesh with using 15% less overall electricity consumption? The plan is a fantasy.
And Utopian fantasies mixed with a cavalier attitude toward totalitarian mandates is a sure-fire recipe for disaster.
forest on August 4, 2008 at 2:27 PM
Ed, you are correct. It doesn’t take any kind of calculus, differential or otherwise. Just good, old math of the addition and subtraction kind will suffice.
Obama is simply, but mightly, trying to prove that two plus two actually does equal three! Pelosi and Reid supplied him with the formula.
Yoop on August 4, 2008 at 2:27 PM
Have you seen what the ethanol/flex fuel market has done to food prices?
Rick on August 4, 2008 at 2:23 PM
The secret Brazil discovered a long time ago is METHANOL, not ethanol.
coldwarrior on August 4, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Leftists sure appear to be smarter when they keep their mouths shut.
jukin on August 4, 2008 at 2:29 PM
I think the citizenry of Las Vegas should volunteer to darken their city in a show of support for America’s future. Nevermind that Vegas is powered by hydro-electric turbines, the neon has to go!
highhopes on August 4, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Break our dependance on foreign oil in our lifetime! Is that HIS lifetime or mine! If it’s mine I CAN”T WAIT THAT LONG. If it’s his, I CAN”T WAIT THAT LONG EITHER!!!
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on August 4, 2008 at 2:30 PM
As soon as I get finished with the “HOPE” engine our energy crises will be over. Large evil corporations may
pay“CHANGE” me to halt production of the prototype. Send some of them windfall profits my way.trs on August 4, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Get with the program, rockmom, all those leaders you mentioned are now puppets of the Bushitler. Therefore, they are subject to the control of the U.S. Oil barons.
We need “Hope” and “Change” to set us free. You know, much like the people of Venezuela are now enjoying.
Rick on August 4, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Thanks to Obama, we all now know that if we inflate our tires to the recommended pressure, we’ll need no new sources of oil. But it’s a little known fact that if tires are inflated above the recommended pressure, the car becomes even more efficient, and actually starts creating a net increase in gasoline volume. This means that with overinflated tires, each vehicle would become a producer of gasoline that will increase supplies and bring down gas prices. If everybody participates, the U.S. could become a net exporter of petroleum in 3-5 years. “Gas stations” will become depots where excess gas can be offloaded from the vehicle to avoid overflowing.
I’m going to send this information to Obama since it makes more sense than most of his supposed energy policy. If he likes the idea, I’ve got another one for backyard steel production that could make America an industrial powerhouse again.
underinflated tires are responsible for the
Cicero43 on August 4, 2008 at 2:31 PM
he may learn something by googling the myth. I can only hope.
upinak on August 4, 2008 at 2:32 PM
A buddy of mine recently arranged financing for a chinese company to build 100% electric cars for sale in USA at $20k each.
There is a lot of gov’t red tape though that will delay mass use in US for years.
There are many other competitors doing the same thing also
Check out archives in these blogs..
http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/
http://www.greencarcongress.com/
As for hybrids they are much cheaper right now and to adapt to a plug in is cheap and easy.
SaintOlaf on August 4, 2008 at 2:34 PM
Effing Idiot…
The electrification of America was a giant step towards a modern industrial society. Yet, the current Democrat morons are hell bent on reversing us back to the stone age. Take away electricity, water, and plumbing, and voila, we’re no different than the average Middle Eastern butt wipes.
byteshredder on August 4, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Where’s Big Old Dog and his Obama list?
I think we have another entry for today along the lines of “unrealistic command economy mandates for social re-engineering of society” – or something like that.
forest on August 4, 2008 at 2:36 PM
What is your electric bill cost for you?
$50-$150 a month?
Why not quadruple it, if not more if you PLUG IN YOUR CAR! I.E. paying for your electric is now going to be $200 to $900 or MORE a month. Can YOU afford that? It doesn’t matter if the vehicle is 20K!
I don’t think you get it. And you aren’t saving anything by doing it.
upinak on August 4, 2008 at 2:37 PM
is it the ethanol or is it the transportation cost????
did the price of oil raise after ethanol was bing pushed?
what about methanol we can do that we have more then enough coal .
Mojack420 on August 4, 2008 at 2:38 PM
Quote of the month, Ed…
fossten on August 4, 2008 at 2:40 PM
Your right President Ubama’s plan is a fantasy..we need to increase electric production not decrease it.
The fact is President Ubama does not want to stop our dependence on foreign(muslim) oil. That is why he is only calling for 1 million plug in hybrids..it is a drop in the bucket.
Believe me I never said anything good about President Ubama…I think he is a FANATIC and the worst candidate in history.
SaintOlaf on August 4, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Actually, here in central Texas, where we’ve gotten almost 40 days of 100+ degrees already this summer, our electric bill will be hitting $500 this month, easily. The A/C runs almost 24/7 to keep the house just below 80 degrees. Add the cost of charging two cars to that, and you break the bank for many middle class families.
aero on August 4, 2008 at 2:43 PM
An average little car may have a 150HP engine. If you drive it one hour per day, it would use 112 killowatt Hours of electricity. At a national average of $.10 per kWh, that would be about $11/day. I personally average about 1800kWh per month. Pretty average I would guess. Wife/2 kids. 2800sf home. At 112 kWh per day for a car, this would triple my current power consumption.
If there are 150 million cars in the U.S. That would be 17 billion killowatt hours per hour of car usage.
If the family truckster were only used one hour each day, this would be about 6.2 TRILLION kWh per year, or, about 8 times the current total nuclear power produced annually in the U.S.
Just quick math on my part, may be errors.
If you want to go it yourself:
1 Horsepower = .746 killowatts
Of course this is assuming perfect efficiency and optimal performance etc….
cntrlfrk on August 4, 2008 at 2:44 PM
The more that Obama fleshes out his policy ideas and goals, the more convinced I am that he is NOT as socialist.
He is closer to a full-fledged dyed-in-the-wool Communist. Capital C.
hillbillyjim on August 4, 2008 at 2:45 PM
I agree. It’s kind of ironic that Obama seems to be deriving much of his support from bitterness. All the “let’s go lynch the oil companies” and such. And that guy had the nerve to call us bitter. Maybe he should take a look at his own vindictive crowds of supporters if he wants to see what bitter really looks like.
forest on August 4, 2008 at 2:47 PM
But with trees and woods!
upinak on August 4, 2008 at 2:47 PM
Sounds like a progressive change to me. :oP
DannoJyd on August 4, 2008 at 2:48 PM
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