Obama - Clinton, energy policies

I'm curious what members think of the energy policies contemplated by Senators Clinton and Obama.

With apologies if I abbreviate or miss aspects. (feel free to update)

As I understand it Clinton calls for tapping in to the US oil reserve and imposing a $50 billion levy on oil companies (to offset oil prices?).

Obama talks about a $150 billion investment fund to reduce carbon emission by 80% over 40 years.

What do members think and what is the right path ?

Should USA take up carbon trading or should USA invest in carbon reduction technologies ?

Interesting topic I hope you get some more replies. In the future I would like my next car to be a hybrid but it remains to be seen if this will be feasible . Clearly some investment is required. Public - private sector relationships seems to be the way forward that is if there is adequate oversight of tax payer funding and when a dead end is reached.

Speaking of Hybrids I had a ride in one recently and was invited to invest in a hybrid taxi company. It blew me away how neat these cars are.

I don't see why with a bit of prodding by Government with restrictive rules against non hybrid vehicles, why their uptake couldn't be increased and price decreased ?

For what it is worth, I think Clinton's policy is kind of weak and unimaginative.

I am generally not in favour of carbon trading because that is open to smoke and mirror scams and acts as a cost drag on economies.

Carbon trading also acts as a trade barrier to re-impose market protection which the WTO just spent decades dismantling.

What do people think ?

Do we in the developed world say to countries like China, clean up your act or you can't export to the west or what ?

Well I oppose the introduction of the Carbon Trading Emission scheme here in NZ because other then the economic consequences Global Warming is a fraud . We would be much better off with a mixture of public - private sector relationships and tax breaks . We should encourage the public and the private sector to look after the environment not penalize them for it.

I have already replaced all the bulbs in my house to flourescent. The next car I buy early next year will be high efficiency or hybrid. If I could afford it I would buy solar panels. In the next three months I am replacing my water heater with a tankless type and my electric cloths drier with a natural gas version. I am also replacing my house windows with high efficiency versions. I dug up part of my back yard for a garden saving a lot of water

All Americans can follow similar paths but it is up to the government to pinch in and not pass half-hearted watered down bills that have little or no effect.

Electric and more effective hybrids need more government prodding. Forget the oil and auto lobbies for once and force these industries to stop dragging their feet. They are only worried about lining their pockets with your money and can care less about anything else.

I hope the next president has a backbone and will kick these guys out who are selling us out. McCain looks like the best bet, I am sorry to say.


[edit on 3-4-2008 by eagledriver]