List of Bad Ideas, Day 2,158

Today's bad ideas all come from one source.
Bad Idea Number 4,361: Attempting to curb foreign oil dependence via increased domestic supply. It is widely known that America's oil potential is largely tapped. Remaining oil reserves require more expensive drilling techniques still in development. Increasing domestic production mean either higher oil prices or deep-water Gulf drilling.

Bad Idea Number 4,362: Attempting to decrease foreign oil dependence by pushing large vehicles into using natural gas. Where do you propose we get this natural gas? 97% of all natural gas reserves are in "not the United States," or more specifically, "Russia, Iran, and Qatar." Not to mention the environmental effects of natural gas processing.

Bad Idea Number 4,363: Attempting to curb foreign oil dependence by increasing output of biofuel. The follies of corn-based ethanol are well-understood. Large groups of farmers, hopping on the subsidized price hike of corn actually decreased wheat and soy output in America, which caused a chain reaction of price hikes for food crops. Many farmers could not afford to feed their livestock corn-based feeds. I have suggested, on this blog, that switchgrass (cellulosic base) could be a feasible, environmentally friendly ethanol source without largely affecting food prices...
Meanwhile, 2/3 of US biodiesel plants sit unused...


Bad Idea Number 4,364: Making fun of the phrase "drill baby drill" and then urging increased domestic oil production in the same speech.


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