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Jimmy Carter Was Wrong
In response to David, Jimmy Carter deserves his reputation as America's worst president in popular memory. He was wrong on energy then, and it would be wrong to emulate his ideas now.
Let's let him speak in his own words, and remember, this is 1977:
World consumption of oil is still going up. If it were possible to keep it rising during the 1970s and 1980s by 5 percent a year as it has in the past, we could use up all the proven reserves of oil in the entire world by the end of the next decade.
I know that many of you have suspected that some supplies of oil and gas are being withheld. You may be right, but suspicions about oil companies cannot change the fact that we are running out of petroleum.
All of us have heard about the large oil fields on Alaska's North Slope. In a few years when the North Slope is producing fully, its total output will be just about equal to two years' increase in our nation's energy demand.
Each new inventory of world oil reserves has been more disturbing than the last. World oil production can probably keep going up for another six or eight years. But some time in the 1980s it can't go up much more. Demand will overtake production. We have no choice about that.
Carter loyalists will say, he wasn't wrong, he was just off by 20 years! But the fact is that if we took his prescription we would have crippled our economy throughout the eighties and nineties. How would you feel about giving up 30% of your standard of living to forestall something that didn't start to happen until just about now (if even now).
Implicit in David's post is that what we have been doing for the last thirty years is the free market solution. Well, Not exactly. The situation now is that we have oil, we know where it is, it's cheap oil, but we are not drilling it. Whatever that is, it's not the free flow of oil at market prices, no it's artificially restricted. And even if that restriction translates to a small percentage of the oil price, that percentage is a real number that comes out of the real pockets of real people. Democrats have a choice to make; do they support the working man, or do they support the environmentalists desire to switch out of oil pronto?
Even with all of that, I would simply say that Jimmy Carter was a well-intentioned fool, but the facts speak otherwise. Jimmy Carter had at his disposal a proven technology that would have helped reduce the dependance on foreign oil and lower the cost of energy for everyone, but he helped kill the nuclear power industry anyway. I'm left to conclude that for all his talk about reducing foreign energy reliance, he didn't really think it was serious enough to risk offending his save the earth buddies. And with no nuclear power, American cities and states had no choice but to continue to burn oil and coal to keep the lights on, thanks Jimmy!
Here's an idea, let's trust the free market. Remove artificial barriers on energy, let the scientists and engineers build us some safe systems and we go with it. The free market will tell us when it's cost effective to switch to solar. The free market will tell the oil industry when their stuff is too expensive and to lower it or we won't buy anymore. The free market will make billionaires out of energy entrepeneurs. The free market will buy electric cars when it makes sense.
This could be it, this could be the time when the oil is really running out. Or like the seventies, this could be a false alarm and we could get another twenty years of cheap oil and breathing room to plan the next energy transition. We don't know for sure, but the free market does, if we dare to trust it. Jimmy Carter thought he was smarter than the free market. He was wrong.
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 3)RIChris2:15PMJul 16th 2008
Well said.
Wally Whitecotton2:37PMJul 16th 2008
To lose 30% of my standard of living I would have had to have had it first. Since 20 years ago I did not have it I would not have missed it. Now I have it and I am going to lose it. Your argument lacks logic.
Bas2:42PMJul 16th 2008
My problem is with your comment, "Or like the seventies, this could be a false alarm and we could get another twenty years of cheap oil and breathing room to plan the next energy transition."
And what did the previous false alarm do? Let us continue in our ways that led to the current energy prices. All we will do with that supposed 20 years of breathing room is try to make as much profit using cheaper oil as we can until the next crisis. Just look at Ford and GM - the 70's allowed the Japanese auto makers to get a real foothold with the American consumers, while the US manufacturers continued their merry, unmandated fuel economy ways - and are now on the verge of bankruptcy. Way to go, free market! Some government incenetives are needed, because we want everything right now, as cheap as possible, more, more, more. We have been our own worst enemies.
C. Thompson2:44PMJul 16th 2008
Nuclear power is fine. However, WHO has discovered a way to harness it for the automobile? Jimmy was NOT wrong.
Danny Smith2:46PMJul 16th 2008
David, you are missing the point -which is that oil is not the answer. (Unless you're in the oil business). Strip politics out of this issue and the answer is obvious. We - and I mean human beings, all of us - need to find smarter, cleaner sources of renewable energy. I believe in the America that my father fought for. And I still believe we can once again lead the way. We could start by working together again, instead of picking sides and insulting each other.
Danny Smith2:46PMJul 16th 2008
Buy electric cars when it makes sense? How about NOW!? What you're really saying is, "We'll go solar when oil men have bled the planet - and us- dry". You know what -- after reading your post I say that you are an ill-intended fool.
randy2:51PMJul 16th 2008
Very foolish.
R.Churchill2:51PMJul 16th 2008
You should be much more careful with your use of the moniker "fool". You think you know so much? Neither Carter or any Presidents that followed, even G. Bush, do not get to do all the things that they want to do. And I am grateful for that. The political system was a great experiment that now pays off like a crooked slot machine for some, and not at all for others. Can you or I fix it? I don't think so. We will have to just do the best we can and let the future roll on.
Ken2:52PMJul 16th 2008
You forget to mention the acts of terrorism directed at the US as a result of our presence in Saudi Arabia. Oil and it's effect on our economy was the driving force behind our presence. It is basis for our invasion of Iraq. The terrorist attacks on US interest or property may not have happen if not for oil. Carter was right then and his plan is right now. Read T. Boone Pickens energy plan on his website. As you know Pickens made his name as an oil man.
Gary2:58PMJul 16th 2008
what is the matter with you people? don't you care at all at out the future of your children and the fate of the planet? why would you want to exploit the dead end road of fossil fuel which fouls the enviornment and leads to a path of global warming and war, when god has provided us with solar, wind and tidalal energy, and the technology to utilize it. all so you can drive your suv. you are slaves to exxon mobil...
kowa3:03PMJul 16th 2008
Carter's plan would have worked like several other plans. Self sufficiency is key. There are a number of ways to do it.
kowa3:05PMJul 16th 2008
Jimmie Carte's plan would have worked amongst other
possibilities. Self sufficiency is key.
jennings11263:14PMJul 16th 2008
Jimmy also said people should wear their sweaters inside.Politicians like Jimmy believe we should go back to horse and buggy days.
wendy3:17PMJul 16th 2008
Actually, Jimmy Carter was working with an incorrect equation. A fellow who went over the equations used to predict how much oil is in a given region discovered an error resulting in a 50% understatement of the oil available. Comparing predictions based on this (erroneous) model to actual yields from given sites confirms his analysis.
As for fuel efficiency, cars are getting the same mileage today as they were 50 or 60 years ago, despite having more efficient engines. Why? Because we have so many more things for the engine to do in addition to moving the car. Stereos, air conditioning, airbags--it all works against fuel economy.
Wendy3:19PMJul 16th 2008
Dave, you are abosolutely right. People like Jimmy Carter had a chance to solve this problem 30 years ago; but, istead, they did nothing
---------------------
Matt, he TRIED to fix it. Reagan just undid everything. He even took the solar panels off the White House.
Lisa3:26PMJul 16th 2008
Honestly, stop being so selfish and lazy. Get up and take action on behalf of the nation. 30%? Just think of what it is costing us now. We can all drive less and that too forces the gas companies to come down in price. That is just a start. There are many things we can do without feeling so "deprived."
mick1203:30PMJul 16th 2008
Free Market means how much money can Republicans put in their pockets at the expense of the American taxpayer. Carter was right, all along but the Republicans who controll the government for the last 20 out of 28yrs did nothing but pander to the Saudi's. There was not one effort made to save energy or reduce American dependance on foreign oil. Your standard of living, your delusioned , how about others Americans standard of living. You Repukes will stop at nothing to blame the only sensible President who had an energy policy that was scrapped by Republicans & Reagon. Hows $5-6.00 a gallon going to effect the economy.
Jeff3:33PMJul 16th 2008
Dave, you're a complete idiot. George W. Bush is not only the worst President in popular memory, and an illegitimate President with an asterisk after his name, he's also the worst President in History. We'll all choke to death on CO2 long before we run out of oil.
Beth3:34PMJul 16th 2008
"Jimmy Carter deserves his reputation as America's worst president in popular memory." Really?? George W. Bush has already usurped that title, and he's still a sitting (if lame) president. Needless to say, the rest of your argument is just as off base as your opening line. Please wake up and accept that the answer lies not in a free market economy -- it lies in personal responsibility and action.
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Matt2:10PMJul 16th 2008
Dave, you are abosolutely right. People like Jimmy Carter had a chance to solve this problem 30 years ago; but, istead, they did nothing! Lets get the government out of everyone's way, and let free market capitalism do its job. Neil Cavuto made a good point: are we going to attempt to solve problems with price gouging by turning the oil industry over to the same people who invented tax gouging? We are in an energy crisis. We need to utilize every possible method to relieve our pain at the pump. Using our own energy sources would be an excellent start.