Investment in Alternative Fuels on Bush's List, But in Last Place

With consumer concern about high gas prices rising, and the President’s approval rating still falling, the AP reported today that George Bush is launching a
probe into gas gouging and a four-part plan to curb short- and long-term gas prices. Is Bush’s plan anything new? Not
exactly. Most of the steps he’s taking now are the same ones he’s been taking since Hurricane Katrina, which is the
last time gas prices rose over $3.00 per gallon. But this time he says he’s having the US attorney general send out
letters to all 50 of the states’ attorney generals. I’m sure that that’ll get ’em going.
Those of you
reading this blog are probably wondering how a letter is going to solve the real problem–the fact that the world’s
drivers and factories are consuming far more fuel than is biologically sound. Bush does give alternative fuels a sound
bite: “Promoting greater fuel efficiency” makes number two on the list, but I imagine that this doen’t mean
any more than a public service announcement encouraging people to drive more slowly and turn the thermostat down. Stuck
in last place is the only thing that will make a real difference: “Aggressive long-term investment in alternative
fuels.” If you want to have any hope of solving a problem like this, you have to throw lots of money at the
scientists. Let’s hope that “aggressive long-term investment” comes with a lot of dollars, and not just a lot
of handshaking and political high-fives. [Source: The Associated Press]

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