While this foolish attempt to overcome the law of supply and demand isn't that unusual, it's worse to see it from a prominent Republican, who is supposed to know better.
Perhaps politicians who treat us like adults can never win, but it would be nice to see one try. A grown-up approach to energy problems would say something like this:
- The increase in worldwide energy demand has outstripped our supples. That means prices go up. Supply and demand - like gravity, it just works.
- The government has made it worse by mandating different blends of gasoline accross the country. Ethanol mandates are part of this problem (as Senator Frist, to his credit, noted yesterday). This fragments the market and leads to higher prices.
- Ethanol is to energy efficiency what CIETC is to good government.
- More nuclear plants and more refineries are needed. Government and lawyers will make sure they don't happen.
- Higher prices are how we encourage people to develop and bring to market new sources of energy. They aren't part of a conspiracy.
No adults are on the horizon.
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