The USA: energy self sufficiency - political myth or reality? 15

[jmw]

I don't want this to be political, as this isn't what this site is about. This is purely to ask you all as expert engineers just how the USA can become energy self-sufficient i.e. no longer dependent on outside oil.

This, it would appear, is one of the poiltical claims of the democratic presidential contender, that he will make the USA self-sufficient.

OK, sure, he can say to the Californians, sorry, but we need your offshore oil. But what, practically can he do and what will be the consequences either of him doing it, or trying to do it?

Of course, if I have misunderstood him, please tell me so. I'd hate to vote for the wrong loony.

JMW

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[stabmaster]

hear hear. the politicians are in a better position to put a dent in this "fix" than any scientist/engineer.. unfortunately politicians are stupid-- so they shuffle themselves around every 4 years hoping that nobody will notice how stupid they truely are.

 

[Heckler]

If we had the ability to capture all the hot air that our politicians exhaust daily we wouldn't have an energy dependence problem. Another reason to keep the filibuster.

IMO, public transportation is just as safe as driving. on one hand you have the thugs that ride public transportation but on the other you have road rage...take your pick.

 

[moltenmetal]

Public transit here is far safer than driving. We had a fatal subway accident here in Toronto a few years ago and there was a major inquiry afterward, yet there were more people killed on the city's expressways that day and they didn't even make the news.

 

[rb1957]

convenience is more important than the possibility of death ....