(John Robert Behrman is an economist and fifth-generation Texan. He is Executive Vice-Chair of the Progressive Populist Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party and State Committeeman for Senate District 13 writing his column here on Texas Kaos with his personal views only. - promoted by boadicea)
 Self-proclaimed genius Newt GINGRICH has given John McCAIN and the GOP a clever, new gimmick-platform or, at least, slogan: "Drill Now, Drill Here, Pay Less!" This sounds like an energy policy. It may even work in the mass media for campaign purposes unless and until Democrats, especially in Texas, come up with something even more attractive and credible, not to mention practical and immediate, according to The Washington Independent.
In fact, there is nothing new in what the GOP proposes or has done for decades. That is clearly perverse: Crony capitalism, financial engineering, domestic subsidies, and foreign adventurism have failed by traditional national economic, global strategic or planetary ecology measures.
So, what would be better? |
I propose a short, simple energy policy for Texas with a foundation in engineering, economics, and the best political traditions of this state:
Short-term (Alternative Fuels)
Rapidly DEPLOY alternative fuels, tuned-diesel, and hybrid drives on our Texas highways, railroads, and navigable waters.
Near-Term (Energy Conservation)
Systematically IMPLEMENT energy conservation, renewable power sources, and real-time load-management on public and private electrical-grids.
Long-term (Post-Carbon Transition)
Economically SUBSTITUTE advanced nuclear for obsolete nuclear and coal-fired boilers in power-generation, refrigeration, and process-steam applications.
Is this attractive?
Texans are enthusiastic about short-term, market-based, innovation. This state has a leg-up on "bio-fuels" and "tuned diesel" technology already. Those are facts that Texas Democrats can rapidly exploit, unlike the foreign and domestic oil & gas reserves, water, or the other natural resources we have rightly striven lovingly for generations to develop, manage, and conserve carefully. Still, we have to win elections to keep the GOP from squandering all of these. That is called "retail politics".
Here's a clue: Retail politics involves popularizing policies first, changing political identities and consumer preferences later. Obama calls this "post-partisan" politics.
Is that credible?
Democrats implemented strategic industrial and national security policy in Texas for the better part of the previous century. We long enjoyed the respect of this nation and admiration of the whole world for something other than Ponzi-schemes, commodity bubbles, and Florida-style real-estate scams. We used to do things on our own and expect other progressive states to follow our lead, rather than address plaintive pleas to our betters in Washington.
So, how do we make the three approaches above practical?
Setting aside utopian legal-economic theories of the recent past and right-wing theocrats today, Texas has the constitutional and technical infrastructure - not to mention the scientific capital -- to support well regulated and powerful markets. Yes, we can replace obsolete with new technology and properly scale both the very largest public and smallest private enterprise. That takes uniform and efficient pricing of commodities and services that trade in competitive, world markets. We have done all of this before.
Such regulation may entail less billing for giant law-firms or transfer of wealth abroad and recycling of petrodollars. But, the policies above are consistent with the peace and prosperity of nearly all patriotic Texans.
OK, how do we start?
A twin-turbo truck with a direct-injected, tuned-diesel engine, and a power-curve shaped by a hydraulic-hybrid power-train might get up to 60 mpg in some driving regimes burning ultra-clean fuel blended from petroleum and increasingly synthesized or renewable sources. It could be a pick-up or a garbage truck. (Wing-nuts are already panicky over what they call "Democrats' hybrid pickup trucks", referring to Democrats running as "regular guys". Wait until they see Texas Democrats running as men and women who are not stupid or hysterical -- an even bigger category of Democrats!)
Texas could also lead the nation with incentives such as low-priced, blended, renewable diesel fuel available only in Texas and only for well-maintained vehicles and vessels with "bolt-on" improvements to existing prime-movers. That could be advantageous for owner-operator rigs in Texas, not a windfall for political cronies of Mexican fleet-owners. Yes, moving subsidies from dying to infant industries, from lobbies to people, would be dramatic and ... popular. Moreover, it would be just for openers.
We also need to put the hammer down on Japanese and German firms that are "dumping" obsolete nuclear and coal-fired boilers here that they are no longer allowed to sell in home markets. Yes, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions dramatically with nuclear and post-carbon sources of base-load and peak-load power.
We cannot do anything useful, though, so long as the financial fads and political corruption behind GOP political slogans and gimmicks crush our spirit and our livelihoods. The trick of this then is to differentiate corrupt, ineffective Republicans from bold, innovative Democrats who are prepared to use, say, a majority in the Texas Legislature for something other than perks and pensions.
So, consider these three approaches to our energy problem which may also be a political opportunity. As true patriots, think hard about this next week and have a glorious 4th of July. As Democrats, let's trust the people and offer them something intellectually honest, as suggested in the Financial Times.
Yes, everybody is for wind, solar, mom, and apple pie. But, what are you against: Check as many as you wish in this poll: |
