Wednesday, May 16, 2012

America's addiction to automobiles could sink Obama presidency?

That would be bad since things like gay rights and Supreme Court nominations are effected by the presidency. Americans grumble about high gas prices.

According to one conservative talk show host I listen to, Dr. Bill Wattenburg, Obama's administration may be shooting itself in the foot by overlooking natural gas for fueling vehicles. Instead, Obama officials have opted for more distant and harder to implement strategies; green energy technologies. Natural gas is not quite as green as some of the other ideas, but it's greener than oil and according to Dr. Bill, it is so plentiful here in USA that prices could be a lot lower than the oil based gasoline that so many Americans are grumbling about now.

Of course fracking for the gas is an issue and Dr. Bill tends to downplay those problems.

Wattenburg thinks Obama should issue an executive order getting the government to buy natural gas powered vehicles when it orders new vehicles. This major buyer would help jump start more natural gas vehicle manufacturing with the related infrastructure, filling stations and so forth to keep the vehicles on the road. We just need a big buyer, such as the Federal government, to get that ball rolling.

He says that finally, a bit late, Obama's energy secretary is starting to take natural gas more seriously and describing it as a "bridge fuel" toward greener technology.

I am not against natural gas, of course, but I'd also add that we should find ways to reduce dependency on automobiles in our city planning and personal lifestyles. If nothing else to reduce obesity.

I hope the gas price situation does not lead grumbling short sighted Americans into sinking Obama's hopes for a second term.

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