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Addicted to Oil


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From President Bush's 2006 State of the Union Address

"Keeping America competitive requires affordable energy.  And here we have a serious problem:  America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world.  The best way to break this addiction is through technology.  Since 2001, we have spent nearly $10 billion to develop cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable alternative energy sources -- and we are on the threshold of incredible advances. 

So tonight, I announce the Advanced Energy Initiative -- a 22-percent increase in clean-energy research -- at the Department of Energy, to push for breakthroughs in two vital areas.  To change how we power our homes and offices, we will invest more in zero-emission coal-fired plants, revolutionary solar and wind technologies, and clean, safe nuclear energy.  

We must also change how we power our automobiles.  We will increase our research in better batteries for hybrid and electric cars, and in pollution-free cars that run on hydrogen.  We'll also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn, but from wood chips and stalks, or switch grass.  Our goal is to make this new kind of ethanol practical and competitive within six years.  

Breakthroughs on this and other new technologies will help us reach another great goal:  to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports from the Middle East by 2025.   By applying the talent and technology of America, this country can dramatically improve our environment, move beyond a petroleum-based economy, and make our dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past.  "



Boy this sounds good and Big! Its just the kind of creative goal setting we've come to expect from the leader of the free world (or maybe even the whole world minus some pesky terrorists).

But wait just one minute. What is he really saying? We only import a small faction of our oil from the Middle East. Most comes from other places like Canada, Mexico, Venezuela and Nigeria. So is he only talking about 10% of our total oil usage. Is that what he meant? Even that much is pretty big, but will it have the impact on our economy and national security that he claims? And even more importantly will he actually do it?

Or did he really mean 75% of all imports. 8 million barrels per day. 40% of our total oil consumption. Now that would be a real goal.

And what is the significance of 2025? It's 19 years away. According to his speech we were spending 2.5 billion a year on research and he proposes a 22% increase. That makes 3 billion. Over 19 years he's talking about $57 billion. Sounds like real money to me!

You could double the production of nuclear energy for that kind of money.



Democratic Response - English


Created : 2/4/2006 2:35:48 AM Updated: 2/4/2006 3:35:03 AM

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