Not all problems facing America are caused by oil – only about 96 percent of them. National security, the economy, the environment and even the weather are tied to our reliance on oil. So when the leadership in Washington fails to take serious action on cutting oil use, it fails big-time. Everyone seems to get this but the Bush administration.
Some of our recent friction with China grows out of an oil dilemma. The Bush administration fancies that the world’s oil somehow belongs to the United States and is getting huffy over China’s moves to secure its own supplies. Chinese oil consumption is expected to double by 2025. More demand for oil means higher prices for American consumers.
Complicating the situation, China has made energy deals with Iran, which is using its oil revenues to develop nuclear weapons and cause trouble in the Mideast. The U.S. administration wants China to do its bit for world stability and deprive Iran of the business – while smiling on America’s similar commerce with Saudi Arabia, banker for world jihad.
In any case, there are plenty of customers to buy oil from the scary Iranians. The way to defang their leaders is to send oil prices collapsing. In theory, the United States has the brains and resources to do that.
To this end, a group of defense experts, evangelicals, environmentalists, neo-cons and liberals has formed the aptly named Set America Free Coalition to push for oil conservation and develop alternative energy sources. That sounds like just about everyone in America – except, unfortunately, the politicians running the show in Washington.
By spearheading a global effort to cut oil use, “the United States can deny its adversaries the wherewithal they use to harm us,” the coalition says on its Web site (www.setamericafree.org). In the event that some visitors do not make the connection, the group puts a picture of a jet slamming into the World Trade Center on its upper-left-hand corner.
What has the Bush administration done? It has opposed calls to increase the gas tax. It has fought all but the most meager improvements in mandated vehicle fuel-efficiency standards. It has approved only modest investments in wind, ethanol, solar and other alternative-energy technologies, while gift-wrapping massive tax breaks for the fossil-fuel industry.
Let the record show that China has some of the toughest fuel-efficiency standards on the planet. It is already one of the biggest markets for alternative-fuel vehicles. China’s plan, according to an article last year in Wired magazine, is to leap from bicycles to hydrogen-powered cars – and largely skip the messy oil-based car culture altogether. If China succeeds, and leads the way for others, it will have accomplished a great deal for world peace.
The Bush administration has spent six years doing close to zip about reducing Americans’ dependence on oil and, therefore, their exposure to rising prices – though the president made a nice reference to our “oil addiction” in his recent State of the Union Address. Characteristic of his approach, the president promised that future Americans would develop the technology to deal with the problem. Present Americans, meanwhile, need not worry their pretty heads over it.
Gas prices are now creeping above $3 a gallon in some areas, as part of an expected summer-long climb. This time last year, a Goldman Sachs analyst spooked the financial markets by predicting that the price of a barrel of oil, then just over $50, would spike above $105. With oil crossing $70 a barrel, it would appear that we are well on our way.
Back to the Chinese: It’s hard to fathom how our rising oil prices are their fault. Sure, their growing economy uses more oil. Do we want them to use primitive coal-fired plants instead, and create a global environmental disaster?
Perhaps the United States should do something about the situation. Americans consume eight times more energy per capita than do the Chinese. And the projected doubling of China’s oil use, to 14 million barrels a day, is still less than the 20 million barrels Americans use today.
I sure hope those future generations of Americans get cracking soon and solve our oil addiction. Too bad the Chinese want to drive cars. Life would be easier for us if they didn’t.
Froma Harrop is a Providence Journal columnist. Contact her by writing to fharrop@projo.com.
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