Geo-Greening by Example

Geo-Greening by Example

Thomas Friedman writes in yesterdays New York Times:

"By doing nothing to lower U.S. oil consumption, we are financing both sides in the war on terrorism and strengthening the worst governments in the world. That is, we are financing the U.S. military with our tax dollars and we are financing the jihadists - and the Saudi, Sudanese and Iranian mosques and charities that support them - through our gasoline purchases."

Something I've been saying for a while. Reducing dependence on foreign oil needs to be one key pillar in our Middle East policy (the other being standing up to Israel). But Friedman argues a bigger global picture:

The oil boom is also entrenching the autocrats in Russia and Venezuela, which is becoming Castro's Cuba with oil. By doing nothing to reduce U.S. oil consumption we are also setting up a global competition with China for energy resources, including right on our doorstep in Canada and Venezuela. Don't kid yourself: China's foreign policy today is very simple - holding on to Taiwan and looking for oil.

Friedman presents, in nice bullet points, a three point plan.

"A gasoline tax that would keep pump prices fixed at $4 a gallon." FAir enough. That would more accurately reflect the true social costs of our single-driver-vehicle society.

"We need some kind of carbon tax that would move more industries from coal to wind, hydro and solar power, or other, cleaner fuels." Also good, though I have bad memories of how fast "BTU tax" got shot down in the Clinton years."

" We need to start building nuclear power plants again." Sorry, can't go there. He argues that new technology is safer - but I'm not convinced that means "safe enough."

The point I see Friedman leaving out is significant public transit on the European scale, and a re-shaping of our cityscapes to make living without a motorized vehicle a real option in more of America.

Ruy Teixeira calls energy policy, in this oilman administration, "the GOP's 'Achilles' Heal'" (sic): "As the energy and environmental crises deepen in the near future, Democrats have much to gain by uniting behind a comprehensive energy independence strategy."

Politics