Is the US Choosing to be Right in the Moment vs. Future
We often can not see too clearly into the future so most of us choose to be right at the moment. It must be an ego thing.
Being an independent voter I find room for compromise in most positions that the left and the right hold dear to their hearts.
One that the left loves is alternative sources. They are right in the short term that we must start looking at those sources. BUT tath is a short view.
I love electric cars BUT those introduce all kinds of problems with which we have not dealt with like the gas type of vehicles. What happens to all of those batteries? Where do they get disposed of? MY favorite is, “What source do we use to generate the power for those vehicles to charge?” If your answer is electric, go back to the end of the line.
Looking at this graph from a long-term perspective tells us that the current reality will be around for a long time 10–50 years. Those sources that make up the majority of energy consumption will be the same sources for a while. Some politicians scoring points with one side or another is a foolish approach.
Electric cars make up 2–3% of all vehicles. That means that 97% are most likely traditional types of vehicles that use diesel or gasoline.
I heard the dumbest statement this morning on a business network. If Ford went all-electric it would triple its value. WHAT??? That means that they should exclude the 97% and only go after the 3% market.
I don’t understand why we don’t have all of our government vehicles use natural gas only. The output is clean.
Hydrogen vehicles? Why not? Output is also clean.
By limiting ourselves to electric vehicles, we constrain our range. 300 miles is OK for local traffic BUT if you went across the country, as it sits now, we would not get very far without hitting a wall of not being able to recharge easily and quickly. I am sure Mr. Musk has been working on this for tesla vehicles BUT he is not the only supplier.
How about standards for the plug type and charging stations?
Recently Rivian automotive started trading. Its stock went from starting out the gate at 131 and as high as 180. Yup!!! It can produce: “Rivian Has Built 56 R1Ts As Of October 22 Or Two Vehicles A Day” as of Oct 25, 2021. Based on what reality?
This is green unicorn land. Their price point is 70,000. How many families can afford a 70000 vehicle? Not realistic.
In 20 years when the range is 1000 miles and recharge time equal to that of a gas engine(5 min) and within 5–10% of the pricepoint of a gas engine, it will sell like crazy. BUT now it is simply some wall street guys pumping people with hope riding the stock up and eventually down.
How can Tesla be worth more than the top three vehicle makers? Based on what?500, 000 cars is what it sold.
Again green unicorns...
BUT it is more than just electric. A few years ago the US reached energy independence. It became a net exporter of energy.
Even though I voted for this bunch they have done everything to kill that golden goose and now wonder why we will be heading into an energy crisis while inflation is starting to rise.
Can we say one term?
Energy policy drove the US into the inflation years of the 70s. It does not have to happen twice BUT if history teaches us anything we will head towards 18% inflation before someone leads us out.
The best thing that this administration can do is a 180-degree reversal and embrace follis fuels. Instead of embracing the iceberg under the water, they are clinging to the tip.
That is the danger of short-term thinking. It reduces one to tactics vs. strategy. There should be no question that we need pipelines like Keystone. Not even for a second. Pipelines are safer than transporting via tricks or rail.
Just like health, energy policy needs to be independent of politics. Same thing with infrastructure. Fix the roads and bridges instead of waging wars for decades.
But that requires putting strategy and country first instead of politics.
My four cents…
