Dear RT,
“What can we do to have a real energy policy in the US?”
Long before you were a twinkle in your father’s eye, the first Oil Embargo showed the country how vulnerable the United States was to our OPEC dependence.
We have not had a cohesive energy policy yet – and it has been about 38 years ago since the first embargo.
In a capitalistic society, capitalism will solve the problem. We were running out of natural gas. Now we have plenty of reserves – all because of the ingenuity and motivation of aggressive capitalists. When government does not know what to do, it ends up trying to do everything. Unfortunately, the Great Recession has created a new wave of clamor of Keynesian economics, especially with the government that has evolved post Reagan era.
However, we are not a capitalist society as we were when we were great. Almost 50% of Americans paid no taxes last year. And guess what? The tipping point is 50%. That is when the country goes to a “help me please” society of do nothings wanting to be cared for cradle to grave by people who innovate and create.
Some think that capitalism is like a renegade tiger that must be shot immediately.
Some think that capitalism is like a cow that must be milked continuously.
But capitalism is really a horse, pulling a very heavy wagon of prosperity. The horse needs to be nurtured, not neutered.
This is my only political discussion. I promise.