The Pickens Plan: The only solution to high fuel prices

Fuel prices are once again in the headlines and are becoming a central focus among many Americans this spring. As a society, we’ve pretty much gotten used to the skyrocketing price shocks. But the reasons behind the wild swings in the oil market are veiled with secrecy, misinformation and political spin.

As we move into a full-blown election year, you can count on hearing much more about energy issues and fuel prices in particular. Both political parties have their own spin on this issue and it can be confusing to most people in regards to what is true and what is not. The facts behind this issue get little attention compared to the talking points politicians use to appease donors, yet satisfy their bases.

I’d like to begin with a few facts.

Many see the solution to high gas prices in the U.S. is to drill more and open more areas to drilling. This is not true. It is propaganda spread by Big Oil and its surrogates. In 2012, the U.S. has the lowest demand for oil since 1997 and our domestic oil production is higher than it has been since 2004. Yet Big Oil continues to make record profits, and prices continue to rise.

What ever happened to the discipline of the free market in regards to supply and demand? Not at work here apparently. Also known to few people is the fact that the No. 1 export commodity in the U.S. is oil – much of it drilled for on public lands.

This oil is not entirely kept for Americans to use. Much of it is shipped out to world markets to the highest bidder. Same for the infamous “Keystone Pipeline.” Much of it was to be piped through the heart of the U.S., down to the Gulf of Mexico, where it was loaded onto tankers and sent off for sale on the world markets – never to be used in the U.S.

Rapidly expanding demand in China, a weak U.S. dollar and excessive Wall Street speculation are also factors in pricing. Speculation has become such a problem that last week, President Obama has signaled his intention to have the U.S. Justice Department investigate this excessive speculation under the threat of possible prosecution.

The point is, between uncontrolled world-market variables, speculators and special interests, there is little anyone can do in the U.S. to lower prices.

The solution to this is the Pickens Plan. Boone Pickens has laid out the first U.S. energy policy in history.

Boone has been working for nearly four years to get the Natural Gas Act passed in Washington. This bill would essentially allow the 8 million diesel-powered semi trucks in the U.S., to be converted to natural gas. This move alone would reduce our foreign diesel consumption by 30 percent, and lessen Co2 emissions by nearly 30 percent.

Last week, the Natural Gas Act came up for a vote in the Senate and was narrowly rejected. I can promise you, most of the Senators who voted against this bill had special interest ties with Big Oil in some fashion.

I would like to encourage all FLW members to find out how their elected officials voted on this bill. Show your support for the ones who voted yes, and drop your support for those who voted no. The politicians who voted against the Natural Gas Act were voting against America succeeding economically and environmentally. Voting no on the bill also weakened our national security interests.

Boone and I both are nevertheless confident the bill will come up for a vote before the election and pass.

Right now, we have the support of President Obama, who is a huge supporter of Boone Pickens and the Pickens Plan. The President often uses one of Boone’s quotes, “This is a crisis we can’t drill our way out of.”

By using and adopting Boone’s vision of natural gas, wind and solar, we can institute a sustainable, safe energy policy for the U.S. that will insure our grandchildren a vibrant planet years from now.

The Pickens Plan will help slow climate change and global warming. The Pickens Plan will create an entire new sector of sustainable, good-paying green jobs. The Pickens Plan can provide the impetus for the U.S. to be the leader in transitioning the world from dirty, polluting energy to clean, green, renewable energy that doesn’t deplete our planet, but allows us to live in balance with it.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll keep everyone updated on the status of the Natural Gas Act as the year progresses.