A renewable win

Two-pronged strategy to sway energy policy debate

Posted by Jason D Scorse (Guest Contributor) at 12:15 PM on 24 Jul 2008

Putting aside the causes of the oil-price rise and what the future holds, I am concerned that progressives are losing the public debate about what to do about it. Like David, I was extremely disappointed with Gore's interview on Meet the Press this past week, both with respect to the ridiculous questions from Brokaw and Gore's complete inability to get the right message across.

And now we have an editorial from The Wall Street Journal (as well as John McCain himself) making the absurd claim that Bush's lifting of the offshore oil drilling ban is responsible for the recent drop in oil prices. Since I am assume both McCain and the op-ed writer are smart enough to know that this is false, one can only assume they are willing to lie because they think that this presents an opening for the rightwing in a season when they look doomed.

Unfortunately, data exists to back up this belief, as the public's support for offshore oil drilling is rising. The simple fact is that when costs of energy go up, most people are willing to put aside environmental concerns, including global warming.

This is why it is crucial that progressives, and especially the Obama campaign (who brilliantly won the gas tax holiday debate during the primaries), need to adopt an aggressive strategy for winning over the public on energy issues.

Here's what I think should be the central message:

There are no quick fixes like the Republicans want you to believe, but if we do this right, energy will not only be cleaner and from domestic sources in the future, but it will be cheaper too. If we can get a national energy plan for electric plug-ins we'll be able to drive 150 miles for the cost of one gallon of gas. But it's going to take some time to get there, and we need a steady commitment. Drilling helps the Chinese more than us and it's a backwards strategy that threatens our coastal waters and national heritage, and hands the oil companies another gift.
In the meantime, since we're going to have to suffer through higher energy prices for a while, we are going to focus on other core economic concerns that are actually hurting you more than the price of oil. We know that it's hard to watch the numbers run up at the pump, but remember, the price of health care, stagnating wages, and the cost of college tuition and preschool are much greater burdens. We're going to lessen these costs in a big way to help us through this tough time.

This is not only the correct strategy, but the only way to beat the rightwing PR machine that knows that pocketbook issues dominate right now. If progressives can craft an effective two-pronged strategy they will win this issue.

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5 Comments | Post a Comment

Interesting

Knowing the usual delay between submitting and having stuff post, it looks like we had essentially the same thought independently. (Not saying you agree or disagree with the details in my post, but it seems like we had the same general idea.) http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/7/22/142141/955

Since we are at somewhat different spots along the political spectrum (in spite of many commonalities) the convergence is encouraging.

by Gar Lipow at 2:17 PM on 24 Jul 2008

Convergence on this is good....

but not sure we're so different on the political spectrum- if I had to choose a political philosophy to identify myself with it's classic liberalism- strong government institutions, rule of law, libertarian on social issues, well-functioning markets, progressive income tax, and minimal to zero special-interest government boondoggles such as farm and ethanol subsidies.

We need to focus on the root causes of problems. www.voicesofreason.info.

by Jason D Scorse at 5:20 PM on 24 Jul 2008

Corruption

Obama has already focused on the difference between speculation (a necessay activity to cushion price shocks) as opposed to insider trading corruption. That was enabled by the enron loophole.

The "experts" naturally played the speculation is the culprit? Rhetorical question game. Then they answer, well no it's not speculation. Leaving the false conclusion, it must be peak oil then, supply demand problems.

Knowingly trying to dodge the obvious cure, re-regulation of markets. Which all "experts" agree is an awful idea. Since it would hurt "free"
market efficiency.

Would it lower prices? not much, but the main thing to restore economic confidence now is to slow the bubble down. A 10 to 20 cent per month gas price increase rate frightens consumers and kills growth. Stabilize prices and they will get used to 4 to 5 dollar gas. And buy 50 mpg cars, so it will be like buying 2 buckes per gallon gas for their old gas guzzler that got 20 mpg.

One big problem for the experts, Barack is smarter than the average duuhbya or duuhbya apologist "free" marketeeerian expert, like "yer doin a heckuva job, nanke" and his fellow feds.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

by amazingdrx at 9:41 PM on 24 Jul 2008

Plug-In Automobiles

51% of the electricity created in the country at present comes from coal, and the two largest longwall coal mines in the country are 30 minutes from my farm. Coal may be effectively limitless, but this liposuction of the earth utterly destroys the strata holding up the water table, compromises streams (they grout them to keep them from disappearing into the cavities below after mining) and is destroying farming in this whole quadrant of Pennsylvania--not to mention mountains in West Virginia.

I can't see how keeping one person to a car, even if the car is plugged in to electricity created by the burning of coal (which it would be for many, many years) is a desirable goal. Folks should experience turning on the tap and having nothing come out--they'd see that water is more precious than anything.

Wag more. Bark less.

by Sandra B at 4:58 AM on 19 Aug 2008

sandra is right on point

coal should be killed. as early as possible. nobody is yet talking of any dates when this can be achieved.

Let's think in terms of eco-dollars.

by vakibs at 5:27 AM on 19 Aug 2008

ADVERTISING POLICY

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