Offshore Drilling is not the Solution

This morning, President Bush laid out his argument that we should lift the ban on offshore drilling. He will argue that this will assist in making our nation energy independent, and help alleviate the pressure at the gas pumps. Obviously, as this is the Bush administration, neither will likely happen.

First off, opening offshore drilling won't mean that oil will be available immediately. It takes time and considerable investment to set up the offshore oil platforms. It is unlikely any appreciable amount of oil would be obtained until around the next Presidential election. Although that might be nice to have four or five years from now, it does little to solve the current issue.

Second, it wouldn't be a viable long term strategy. If we sucked the shelf dry of the oil we could reach (without it rising to some ungodly level like $500/barrel), it still would only supply us for a few years. After that we would still be looking towards more expensive and more risky ventures, or look into nasty "solutions" such as oil shale.

I know that the argument goes that we should drill offshore (and in Anwar) as a short term solution, while we work on alternative fuel solutions. However, I've yet to see Bush, Cheney, McCain, and his oil business cronies put forth a plan for a true alternative fuel plan. The way this administration has run itself, and their buddies have run their companies, requires me to take a "show me" attitude.

We have a moment here, a point where we can rise above the mediocrity of years past. Why not call for a Apollo Program to solve our energy issue? It would be good for our economy, great for our environment, and gives the boomers a shot at leaving one true legacy before they head off to snowbird country.

Sure alternative fuels as they exist today have their downsides. The cost of using them may be too prohibitive given the benefit, and the technology may be unreliable. As anyone who has bought a computer or HDTV knows, that is the case with all technology. Given time, resources, and ingenuity, all of these problems can be fixed.

Like all things in life, the government should not be in alone in leading this effort. Its best role is in pooling resources and connecting the various wings of our society with each other to maximize our potential. Although there will certainly be government based researchers involved in solving this issue, most of the work will come from our vast network of universities, not-for-profit organizations, and companies. Even those of us who are not engineers, chemists, or researchers will play a role, doing our part to use energy efficiently and offering our own ideas to those who will listen.

I understand the desire to lower gas prices. Gas prices this high are terribly inconvenient, and in some cases can ruin the livelihood of some people. However, that is just a sign that something should be done, and the sooner the better. But if we are going to fix this, it is best to fix it right. That way we won't have to come back 20 years from now and start again at the same place.