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I started writing this post back before I sold my house in Flagstaff and moved to Phoenix. That’d make this thing a least three weeks ride. It is still worth posting? Probably. People are still taking about gas prices. And people are still chanting the mantra of “Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.”
Rings about as hollow as the RNC Convention chants of “Four more years” to me. But you already knew that, didn’t you?
I’ll give him a shot. Here’s what Newt has to say. Can’t say I agree with all of it. But, then, I don’t disagree with all of it either.
3 Ways to Lower Gas Prices
Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.
Update on ‘Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.
One thing, though, he does seem enjoy listing a litany of reasons “liberal” politicians have screwed you over and over again by a) limiting nuclear power b) limiting oil exploration c) marginalizing coal’s potential d) somehow stopping the use of shale oil.
No mention of the failure to update CAFE standards and force automobile manufacturers to put more efficient cars on the road. That wasn’t touched for something like 30 years before the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Not sure either party can distance themselves from that stupidity.
Also, he doesn’t touch the extremely unpopular idea of knocking the national speed limit down to 55 miles per hour. Hillary Clinton floated it. John Warner is talking about it.
Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia, asked Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman to look into what speed limit would provide optimum gasoline efficiency given current technology. He said he wants to know if the administration might support efforts in Congress to require a lower speed limit.
Congress in 1974 set a national 55 mph speed limit because of energy shortages caused by the Arab oil embargo. The speed limit was repealed in 1995 when crude oil dipped to $17 a barrel and gasoline cost $1.10 a gallon.
Source: cnn.com
Sure, it’d piss me of too. Probably add hours to my drive time per week. Still, you cannot deny it would knock down our rate of gasoline consumption. It did in ’74.
Warner cited studies that showed the 55 mph speed limit saved 167,000 barrels of oil a day, or 2 percent of the country’s highway fuel consumption, while avoiding up to 4,000 traffic deaths a year.
Oh hell. I feel some Sammy Hagar coming on.
Sammy Hagar – I can’t drive 55
Fuck it. I got three words for ya: Ride a bike.
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The situation we’re in now is because we allow anyone & everyone to vote, the housing market crash, no bid contracts, fiscal irresponsibility, nanny/police state fascism, etc.
Voting should be a privilege for those who understand how reality works & not a right.
My wife and I both ride our bikes to work each day. In fact, my wife changed jobs last year so she could get rid of her commute. My wife isn’t a cyclist so riding a bike to work is new for her.
first, newt grabbed my ear. then newt pissed me off. then he pissed me off more. then sammy hagar made me throw my coffee and hate jonny.
Gettin my drink on for this loverly German 3-day weekend. I expect the trails to be full as hell as will the trains to the further outreaches of riding.
Its a bummer, but when a litre of the best beer in the world is only 2 bucks and change, I can complain no more. Happy Ascension day to all you chumps in the US of suck.
Yeah…well our men’s gymnastics team is better than yours.
I’m all for bringing back the 55mph national speedlimit. Oil consumption, the cost of traffic fatalities, the cost of wear on vehicles and roadways would be substantially reduced.
The more I ride my bike the more I drive slower, cause well, after riding alot at 15-20, 55 seems like you’re approaching ludicrous speed.
Oh, and Sammy kicked ass. “Kicked” cause I don’t know about this whole Jimmy Buffett image he’s rockin these days.
Drill here, drill now, burn coal, burn shale oil, don’t think past the end of your short noses. Ride your bikes. Get real.
I always thought that Newt was a little off until I heard him speak in person. You may not like him, but he is pretty smart for a politician.
It’s not my job to make things cheap and easy for the masses. This is a private enterprise and the objective is to maximize our returns from the investments we’ve made. You people want relief? Buy our stock. Have you seen our goddamn balance sheets lately?
3 more words:get a clue.As in don’t believe what you hear from K Street lobby-whore ginkgrich.Try looking to a scientist like NASA’s Hansen(sp?)for an intelligent energy policy.He’s fought censureship from bush administration and come out the other side.Saw/heard him on C Rose other night;remarkably Charlie only interrupted the somewhat less than fluid speaking Hansen acouple times.Hansen’s plan:Coal burning = worst energy producing method in terms of CO2;irresponsible.Use nuclear power’s current wasteto power nuke plants(to my dismay.i don’t trust utilities or their inbred regulatory agencies to protect the public from such a potentially catastrophic method of energy production).No further mining of fuel necessary according to Hansen.No oil drilling in ANWAR due to delayed/limited output.Instead promote wind(which he said was NOW economically competitive),solar(which isn’t yet) and additional alt energy sources;and efficiency/conservation of existing power comsumption.Mostly obvious things.Nute only wants to put consumers into the pocket of a different utility.WAKE THE FUCK UP.Anyway.Which of you homos are hitting SS Worlds?
best fuckin 3 letter words i heard!
…loren sez “The more I ride my bike the more I drive slower”…
…somehow, that one never worked for me…but yer never old to learn, right ???…& my wallet is screaming at me when i do drive…sheesh…
High gas prices are not the oil companies’ fault. I do own a small position in energy, the likes of CON, and while they’ve performed okay, it has not been a “windfall.”
Nuke plants are probably better than coal, and when the oil runs out, we have to choose.
I sell pieces parts for wind turbines and I understand that megabillion-dollar companies like GE hold about 95% of the leases. They make money in tax credits, not by selling power. It’s a false economy.
Mikey
Save your self the time and trouble of watching Newt and Sammy individually, and just play all four videos at once. I think I was able to get more out of it that way. Kinda’ like the Dark Side of the Rainbow, or something.
I’m pretty much with Snake Hawk on this one.