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  Sunday  August 31  2008    10: 57 AM

oil

Abandon 19th Century Fuels and Move Toward 21st Century Reponses (Calif. Dem. Candidate Debbie Cook)


America lost 10 years of potential technological innovation to Europe and Asia arguing about whether Climate Change was man-made or not. As a result we lost our edge in the world, we increased our energy vulnerability, and we seem to have learned nothing from it. We are now arguing over whether drilling the last thimble full of oil is going to keep us rolling merrily along.

Every American needs to understand that the world has now experienced three years of flat oil production and during those three years, another 230 million energy consumers were added to the population of the world. It is obvious to any observer that oil production, for whatever reason, whether geologic or geopolitical in nature, is not going to keep up with demand. Fifty-four of the 65 oil-producing nations have entered irreversible production declines. This is a matter of fact, not opinion. We can either continue to debate and watch opportunities pass us by or develop a sustainable future that reduces world tensions and our energy vulnerability.

Just because oil is found on American soil, does not make it American oil. Unless America is preparing to nationalize its resources, that oil will belong to an oil company. And that oil will go into a world market that we do not control—a market that is subject to the whims of OPEC, terrorists in Nigeria, Russian bullying, China roaring, and our own wasteful energy habits.

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