With the price of oil rising, inhumane governments able to coerce us with their oil reserves and highly probable damage to the environment from fossil fuels, the United States needs to become serious about switching to alternative fuels. So these are my ideas. First, the federal government should build the infrastructure for a complete conversion to whatever form or forms of alternative energy are most practical. Then it should give that infrastructure to American-based energy companies in proportion to their size, avoiding a potentially corrupt bidding process. At this point we should sign on to the Kyoto Protocol, since obviously, we would have no trouble abiding by it if we were consuming no fossil fuels. We would stop significantly damaging the environment, lessen inflationary pressures on our economy and be able to deal with the human rights abuses of oil-rich nations in any way we saw fit. I appreciate all replies. Thank you very much.

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"I am a Tory Anarchist. I should like every one to go about doing just as he pleased- short of altering any of the things to which I have grown accustomed." (Max Beerbohm)

As I stated in my other post, I have the alternative energy solution right now.

I grow it every week in my yard.

As for infrastructure, there would be no real new need for it. Maybe some processing facilities to burn up my grass, but not much more. If anything, I'm not asking for the government to develop alternative energy. I'd just like them to get the hell out of the way.

Just one more little thing. Do we really think it's going to help to ask the government for aid in this matter when they shake hands with an illegal cartel that engages in price fixing? Honestly.

". Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it."

--Patrick Henry

IMO, take the low hanging fruit first. So offer tax breaks for new and existing homes to switch to solar. Through solar and wind, if (utility supplied) electric energy consumption could be cut by say, 25-35%, we would be much better off than now.

The government is nothing more than a collection of people with agendas at home. While my suggestion would affect the coal, rail and utility interests, it wouldn't take away the pie that the oil companies have been getting. Answer the question, what is the best longer term alternative for internal combustion engines? Brazil has already switched to ethanol. Big Oil (and Bush) would fight that tooth & nail. But the American people need to become more educated so they can make demands. As gas prices zip toward $4/gallon, IMO, fewer of us will remain fat, dumb & happy. Is ethanol (with a better production process) the best option? Hydrogen? I don't know the answer. I do know that there are many technologies out there, but until oil/gas becomes overly expensive, there may not be enough of a push to fully develop them.

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"Tweeter was a Boyscout before she went to Vietnam and found out the hard way... nobody gives a d@mn."

Nuclear energy

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Theodore Lamar Heiks
BA, History/Political Science, Western State College, 1984
MBA, Entrepreneurship/Marketing, City University, 1993

Even better - fusion energy.. Go fusion gO..

After 50 years of waiting - every day fusion being promised after 50 years - the commercial fusion is now being promised after 40 years.. It is an improvement, you can't deny it

- BtD

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"Orthodoxy means not thinking - not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness."
[George Orwell, 1984]
"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows."
[George Orwell, 1984]

I was reading in an issue of popular machanics about this new energy source they have discovered called hydrates. I havent herd much about it on tv or any thing but it seems like it is an aswer to our prayers, accourding to the magazine. It occurs naturaly in the ocean floor under tremendous amounts of pressure. It burns clean and is extremly abundent. accourding to PM there is a deposite off the coast of north carolina that could cover the complete fuel needs of the country for the next 200 years or so. That is just one deposite, there are hundreds of these deposites around the us alone and thousands world wide.
the only problem is this stuff is extremly hard to extract because if it is not at the right pressure it ignites and consumes itself.
I think that i energy companies were smart they would put a little more reasearch into this fuel.

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"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people." -V