Al Gore's latest: the U.S. can be oil-free by 2018

[dd74]

Okay, I'm posting this to not necessarily attack Gore, but ask whether or not his expectations are possible that the U.S. can be free of oil by 2018. Personally, I think not, but I would like to hear what others have to say about his belief that this can and should happen.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/us/politics/18gorecnd.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[widgeon13]

What the hell is he smokin, what does he expect every freaking car owner to do, buy new cars w/expensive technology or are he and Obamaman going to give them away.

Bring back the rickshaw.

[nostatic]

When Kennedy said we're going to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade, what was the response?

Yes, I know...Gore is no Jack Kennedy

I think "oil-free" by 2018 isn't possible. But what would happen if we could reduce our current oil consumption by 50%?

fwiw I agree with this sentiment:

"Mr. Gore called for the kind of concerted national effort that enabled Americans to walk on the moon 39 years ago this month, just eight years after President John F. Kennedy famously embraced that goal. He said the goal of producing all of the nation’s electricity from “renewable energy and truly clean, carbon-free sources” within 10 years is not some farfetched vision, although he said it would require fundamental changes in political thinking and personal expectations."

[Rot 911]

Yeah and is Al going to lead the way or say one thing and do another like he has with his global warming b.s.?

[BReif61]

And this guy was almost president? sheesh.

[nostatic]

Somebody has to do it. Or we can just sit back and fiddle while Rome burns. Oh look, more stuff on sale at Walmart!

imho "drill more" is not an energy policy. It is short-sighted. Frankly I don't see very much vision from any candidates. Sadly Gore has some good ideas but he's gone so overboard on the global warming that the rest of the stuff gets dismissed out of hand.

[widgeon13]

I hate to be so cynical but the only thing JFK and Al have in common is that they were/are both democrats.

I would love to see a serious conservation program but do we have the desire to change lifestyle and give up many of the wasteful practices we all enjoy today in order to achieve that goal. The problem is some will sacrifice, many will not. They will be ignorant and arrogant and leave it to the other guy.

Do as I say not as I do!!!!

[Moses]

Can we be virtually oil independent in 10 years? Maybe. But it will require a massive commitment to new generation nuclear power plants. We can generate nuclear electricity to charge hydrogen fuel cells and electric vehicles.

Al Gore's knee-jerk dismissal of nuclear energy makes him one of the most disingenuous asshats of all time.

There is not a single wind farm in this country that can put a single watt into the grid without massive public subsidy. He knows that.

[widgeon13]

What's happening is the only thing that can happen, the consumer is getting tapped out, as the price goes up they can only afford so much and once that figure is achieved, they can buy no more.

I don't agree with that approach but if the price goes back down or supply increases (consequently price will before forecast to drop) folks will buy as much as they can. I think we have been spoiled for so long we can't be weened off the stuff.

People are now attacking their 401k's w/ reckless abandon to keep the habits going.

[ErVikingo]

"nucular" my friend that's what Mc has been saying. Oil free no way, I need oil for my cars but we can surely reduce consumption (he should start on his own house oops that escaped)

[island911]

Originally Posted by nostatic

When Kennedy said we're going to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade, what was the response?
....

The response was; cool! let's get there before the reds.

This is different . . it's dictating what people buy.
I know I've been boycotting oil as much a s possible (biking to work etc..) But worse than the gouging is some knuckle-head like Gore dictating to the masses.

[island911]

Originally Posted by nostatic

...imho "drill more" is not an energy policy. It is short-sighted. ....

imho "drill more" is NOT short-sighted.
Short-sighted is saying; forget that low-hanging fruit . .. we need to go after the expensive stuff.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Somebody has to do it. Or we can just sit back and fiddle while Rome burns. Oh look, more stuff on sale at Walmart!

imho "drill more" is not an energy policy. It is short-sighted. Frankly I don't see very much vision from any candidates. Sadly Gore has some good ideas but he's gone so overboard on the global warming that the rest of the stuff gets dismissed out of hand.

I'm with you, but we have to think about where oil goes. Sure, we get gasoline and other fuels from cracking oil, but we get a whole host of other products in the process. So, if we reduce fuel consumption, so must we rely less on the fabrics, car parts, food packaging, carpet, just to think of a few out of 1000's of products developed using byproducts of oil distillation.

Can we do that? Sure, but it won't be easy and it will come at a price to other resources like forests. We will even need to grow more farm crops and raise more livestock, again at the price of forests and natural landscape. And water.

I suppose we better start looking harder at the oceans and see what marine life will yield for our clothing, etc. Imagine your next computer tower and keyboard being a compound of fish bones and animal glue.

Yes, to be free of oil by 2018 is to be free of plastics as well.

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Somebody has to do it. Or we can just sit back and fiddle while Rome burns. Oh look, more stuff on sale at Walmart!

imho "drill more" is not an energy policy. It is short-sighted. Frankly I don't see very much vision from any candidates. Sadly Gore has some good ideas but he's gone so overboard on the global warming that the rest of the stuff gets dismissed out of hand.

It is not in the least short sighted. You may have an environmental gripe in regards to carbon based fuels, but that does not mean they are not plentiful or realistic. We are not fast approaching a brick wall with carbon fuels.

[BReif61]

Originally Posted by milt

Yes, to be free of oil by 2018 is to be free of plastics as well.

What about the bumpers for their plug-in Prii?

[Rikao4]

by drilling now the price's may not change , but selling beats buying .
Oil alone is not the answer, it will be a combo of all.
This is like alot of our problems,
hearings, focus goups, comm. and throw in 'we know whats best for you little people'
come back 5 yrs later saying we have a problem...
no worries little people..
we will study this over the X=mas break.

Rika

[Seric]

This retard just won't shut his yapper. No one cares, at least no one with a brain in their head. People ask me if I hate anyone, my answer is usually "Just Al Gore".

Go away turd.

[dtw]

As soon as he sells the house on Figure Eight Island, I'll sign up for my Koolaid injections.

[teenerted1]

who said anything about giving up your gas burning cars?
did you guys read the article?



"Gore Calls for Carbon-Free Electric Power

By DAVID STOUT
Published: July 18, 2008
WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Al Gore said on Thursday that Americans must abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within a decade and rely on the sun, the winds and other environmentally friendly sources of power, or risk losing their national security as well as their creature comforts. "


if we get off fossil fuels for POWER GENERATION that would leave MORE GAS for you to DRIVE around with....my power at home is hydro-electric. not exactly fish friendly but sure is renueable everytime it rains

[island911]

Originally Posted by Seric

This retard just won't shut his yapper. No one cares, at least no one with a brain in their head. People ask me if I hate anyone, my answer is usually "Just Al Gore".

Go away turd.

But wait, what Al Gore's “hundreds of millions of climate refugees” ?