TIME Defends Obama's Tire Inflation Energy Plan

[red states rule]

It did not take the liberal media to jump to the defense of the messiah. This is geting good folks


The Tire-Gauge Solution: No Joke
Monday, Aug. 04, 2008 By MICHAEL GRUNWALD


How out of touch is Barack Obama? He's so out of touch that he suggested that if all Americans inflated their tires properly and took their cars for regular tune-ups, they could save as much oil as new offshore drilling would produce. Gleeful Republicans have made this their daily talking point; Rush Limbaugh is having a field day; and the Republican National Committee is sending tire gauges labeled "Barack Obama's Energy Plan" to Washington reporters.

But who's really out of touch? The Bush Administration estimates that expanded offshore drilling could increase oil production by 200,000 bbl. per day by 2030. We use about 20 million bbl. per day, so that would meet about 1% of our demand two decades from now. Meanwhile, efficiency experts say that keeping tires inflated can improve gas mileage 3%, and regular maintenance can add another 4%. Many drivers already follow their advice, but if everyone did, we could immediately reduce demand several percentage points. In other words: Obama is right.

In fact, Obama's actual energy plan is much more than a tire gauge. But that's not what's so pernicious about the tire-gauge attacks. Politics ain't beanbag, and Obama has defended himself against worse smears. The real problem with the attacks on his tire-gauge plan is that efforts to improve conservation and efficiency happen to be the best approaches to dealing with the energy crisis — the cheapest, cleanest, quickest and easiest ways to ease our addiction to oil, reduce our pain at the pump and address global warming. It's a pretty simple concept: if our use of fossil fuels is increasing our reliance on Middle Eastern dictators while destroying the planet, maybe we ought to use less.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1829354,00.html

[Yurt]

there is nothing wrong with using less while also drilling more of OUR oil and thus relying less on foreign oil...one thing this election season has shown is the outright leftness of the media. if anyone ignores the liberal bias of the media now it is only because they enjoy the warmth and cozyness of the sand their head is buried in.

[red states rule]

there is nothing wrong with using less while also drilling more of OUR oil and thus relying less on foreign oil...one thing this election season has shown is the outright leftness of the media. if anyone ignores the liberal bias of the media now it is only because they enjoy the warmth and cozyness of the sand their head is buried in.

This is classic - another example of liberal logic


http://www.strangepolitics.com/images/content/116769.jpg

[bullypulpit]

It did not take the liberal media to jump to the defense of the messiah. This is geting good folks


The Tire-Gauge Solution: No Joke
Monday, Aug. 04, 2008 By MICHAEL GRUNWALD


How out of touch is Barack Obama? He's so out of touch that he suggested that if all Americans inflated their tires properly and took their cars for regular tune-ups, they could save as much oil as new offshore drilling would produce. Gleeful Republicans have made this their daily talking point; Rush Limbaugh is having a field day; and the Republican National Committee is sending tire gauges labeled "Barack Obama's Energy Plan" to Washington reporters.

But who's really out of touch? The Bush Administration estimates that expanded offshore drilling could increase oil production by 200,000 bbl. per day by 2030. We use about 20 million bbl. per day, so that would meet about 1% of our demand two decades from now. Meanwhile, efficiency experts say that keeping tires inflated can improve gas mileage 3%, and regular maintenance can add another 4%. Many drivers already follow their advice, but if everyone did, we could immediately reduce demand several percentage points. In other words: Obama is right.

In fact, Obama's actual energy plan is much more than a tire gauge. But that's not what's so pernicious about the tire-gauge attacks. Politics ain't beanbag, and Obama has defended himself against worse smears. The real problem with the attacks on his tire-gauge plan is that efforts to improve conservation and efficiency happen to be the best approaches to dealing with the energy crisis — the cheapest, cleanest, quickest and easiest ways to ease our addiction to oil, reduce our pain at the pump and address global warming. It's a pretty simple concept: if our use of fossil fuels is increasing our reliance on Middle Eastern dictators while destroying the planet, maybe we ought to use less.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1829354,00.html

As does Florida's Republican governor...as does Arnold Schwartzenegger...as does the National Highway Traffic and Safety Foundation and NASCAR. Get over it already...It's just another RWN tempest in a teacup that has no real bearing on anything other than another lame-assed atempt to distract from the real issues...Like Iraq...overcoming our addiction to oil...health care...the faltering economy...the incredible shrinking dollar...the ballooning budget deficit...I could go on, but you'll just ignore these issues and keep parroting the McCain and GOP talking points like some insane, mindless mantra. You are an idiot.

[glockmail]

As does Florida's Republican governor...as does Arnold Schwartzenegger...as does the National Highway Traffic and Safety Foundation and NASCAR. .....
As does anyone who's done merely rudimentary maintenance on a car, or riden a bike. What arrogance to think we need a politician telling us to, basically, wipe our asses after we shit, and that we haven't been doing so.

[glockmail]

......

But who's really out of touch? The Bush Administration estimates that expanded offshore drilling could increase oil production by 200,000 bbl. per day by 2030....

Not only are they apologists for Obama, but they are lying about the numbers and what Bush said:


Bush says offshore drilling could yield up to 18 billion barrels of oil over time, although it would take years for production to start.http://www.kfwb.com/pages/2593777.php?


Experts estimate that offshore drilling could yield 1 million to 2 million barrels of oil per day by sometime in the next decade.http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/18/news/economy/bush_speech/index.htm

[red states rule]

the real issues...Like Iraq...overcoming our addiction to oil...health care...the faltering economy...the incredible shrinking dollar...the ballooning budget deficit...I could go on, but you'll just ignore these issues and keep parroting the McCain and GOP talking points like some insane, mindless mantra. You are an idiot.

and can you tell us what the Dem run Congress has done in the last 2 years to address those issues?

Try NOTHING

Meanwhile, Obamabots like you watch helplessly as your messiah continues to flip flop on the issues and watch his poll numbers shrink

[Dilloduck]

As does anyone who's done merely rudimentary maintenance on a car, or riden a bike. What arrogance to think we need a politician telling us to, basically, wipe our asses after we shit, and that we haven't been doing so.

You nailed it.

Dear Mr. Obama,

Is it a good idea let my truck idle in the driveway for about an hour to let it warm up before going to the store ? I'm a dumb ass American motorist and I'm afraid I may be killing the planet. Please respond quickly as my gas guage has dropped below a quarter tank while I wrote this and it's 105 degrees here in Austin.

tyvm,

[April15]

Any mechanic will tell you tire inflation and a good tune up can save you lots of fuel. Even over the road truckers know about tire inflations effect on mileage.

[red states rule]

Any mechanic will tell you tire inflation and a good tune up can save you lots of fuel. Even over the road truckers know about tire inflations effect on mileage.

April, that is not what the topic is. Obama said the oil we would save from inflating our tires and getting tune-ups would equal as much oil as we could get from drilling

He was lying or he is a complete idiot

Or both

[April15]

April, that is not what the topic is. Obama said the oil we would save from inflating our tires and getting tune-ups would equal as much oil as we could get from drilling

He was lying or he is a complete idiot

Or bothAs I don't have the figures for production estimates or fuel savings estimates I hope he does or you just might be correct.

[red states rule]

As I don't have the figures for production estimates or fuel savings estimates I hope he does or you just might be correct.

I am correct. There is no way tire inflation and tune ups would save 100 billion blls of oil

U.S. Policies Put Most U.S. Oil Off-Limits to Drilling

(CNSNews.com) - Huge basins of untapped oil can be found on federal lands throughout the United States, according to a new report from the federal government. But much of it cannot -- and may never be -- recovered, because it lies under national parks and national monuments, or it is subject to environmental laws and restrictions that make drilling prohibitive.

The report, which was produced at the request of Congress by the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM), said there are 279 million acres under federal management where oil and gas could potentially could be extracted. More than half of it is totally off-limits to drillers.

"The total onshore resource is 31 billion barrels," said BLM's lead scientist Richard Watson, who authored the report. "Of that, 19 billion barrels are currently inaccessible or 62%. A little over 2 billion barrels, or 8%, is accessible under what we call standard lease terms."

If you add in the 85.9 billion barrels of oil that lie offshore, as determined by the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service, there are 117 billion barrels of oil on lands owned or managed by the U.S. government. But all expansion of offshore oil recovery is currently off-limits.

Adding in what's available on privately held land, the figure rises to 139 billion barrels of oil, according to the government - more than the known oil reserves of Iran, Iraq, Russia, Nigeria or Venezuela, respectively.

The biggest untapped land-based oil deposit in the United States lies within ANWR, the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, which is currently off-limits. "We estimate there is something on the order of 7.7 billion barrels in that one area alone," Watson said.

But setting aside Alaska, there is untapped oil on federal lands all across the United States, the government reported, with oil pockets found in Oregon, Washington state, Montana, Wyoming, Florida -- even in the Appalachian Mountains. "In the lower 48 states, there are about 12 billion barrels onshore," Watson noted.

http://bp1.blogger.com/_otfwl2zc6Qc/SE0wQyJnr6I/AAAAAAAAEyM/qB1woRiwGvk/s400/oilmap.jpg


http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2008/06/us-policies-put-most-us-oil-off-limits.html

[Yurt]

You nailed it.

Dear Mr. Obama,

Is it a good idea let my truck idle in the driveway for about an hour to let it warm up before going to the store ? I'm a dumb ass American motorist and I'm afraid I may be killing the planet. Please respond quickly as my gas guage has dropped below a quarter tank while I wrote this and it's 105 degrees here in Austin.

tyvm,

so you're saying that me hooking up my washer and dryer to my car engine is not a 'good idea'?

[retiredman]

As I don't have the figures for production estimates or fuel savings estimates I hope he does or you just might be correct.

The Time magazine article had the math pretty well documented.

[red states rule]

The Time magazine article had the math pretty well documented.

and the math was bullshit. I showed how much oil is sitting in the ground, and them messiah's plan does not come anywhere close to saving what drilling would produce

[Yurt]

and the math was bullshit. I showed how much oil is sitting in the ground, and them messiah's plan does not come anywhere close to saving what drilling would produce

not even in the same ballpark...its a feel good solution, nothing more

[red states rule]

not even in the same ballpark...its a feel good solution, nothing more

Yurt, it is common knowledge liberals do not care about actual results - only thier good intentions

They ignore the amount of oil sitting in the ground and go along with the idiot Obama and his bold face lies

[Dilloduck]

so you're saying that me hooking up my washer and dryer to my car engine is not a 'good idea'?

I'm stupid so you may wanna ask Obama but I think it makes a difference if your washer and dryer are electric or gas---wait--I think they have to be electric to hook up to your car cuz we're saving gas. If your car has A/C you can keep your perishable food in there and not use your refrigerator. That's a tip that just came in today !!

[stephanie]

As does Florida's Republican governor...as does Arnold Schwartzenegger...as does the National Highway Traffic and Safety Foundation and NASCAR. Get over it already...It's just another RWN tempest in a teacup that has no real bearing on anything other than another lame-assed atempt to distract from the real issues...Like Iraq...overcoming our addiction to oil...health care...the faltering economy...the incredible shrinking dollar...the ballooning budget deficit...I could go on, but you'll just ignore these issues and keep parroting the McCain and GOP talking points like some insane, mindless mantra. You are an idiot.


And of course, these problems are all the fault of Republicans..the Democrats had no hand in any of this..

and You get over it..the majority of people polled want's us to drill for OUR OWN OIL...
I'll be damned if I have stupid ass liberals tell me to get over it...Sell your house, your car, all your little goodies that make your life comfortable, and go live in a friggen cave..See ya.

[red states rule]

And of course, these problems are all the fault of Republicans..the Democrats had no hand in any of this..

and You get over it..the majority of people polled want's us to drill for OUR OWN OIL...
I'll be damned if I have stupid ass liberals tell me to get over it...Sell your house, your car, all your little goodies that make your life comfortable, and go live in a friggen cave..See ya.

Or move to Mexico

[retiredman]

And of course, these problems are all the fault of Republicans..the Democrats had no hand in any of this..

and You get over it..the majority of people polled want's us to drill for OUR OWN OIL...
I'll be damned if I have stupid ass liberals tell me to get over it...Sell your house, your car, all your little goodies that make your life comfortable, and go live in a friggen cave..See ya.

no one has ever said that the democrats were not part of the problem leading us into the maze we find ourselves.... some of us just believe that republicans are not the best party to lead us out. And no one is suggesting you go live in a cave *moderator edited out flame*

[red states rule]

no one has ever said that the democrats were not part of the problem leading us into the maze we find ourselves.... some of us just believe that republicans are not the best party to lead us out. And no one is suggesting you go live in a cave -*deleted by moderator* ;)

Oh libs never want to lower THEIR standard of living - but they expect the rest of us to

Dems did promise to lower the cost of gas in 2006 and it has nearly doubled since they took over Congress

Pelosi would not even allow an up and down vote on driling. She would rather have Americans paying $4.50 gal then lose a vote and have to explain the loss to the tree huggers

[stephanie]

just great.

[red states rule]

just great.

It is great Stephanie. The trash is being taken out more and more around here :clap:

[April15]

The right complains about regulation and smog controls. With Chinas hosting the Olympics you can see first hand the reasons behind the liberals concerns!

[glockmail]

The right complains about regulation and smog controls. With Chinas hosting the Olympics you can see first hand the reasons behind the liberals concerns!Um... Aren't the Chinese communists? Now, who's closer to commies, the liberals, or the conservatives?

[Kathianne]

The Time magazine article had the math pretty well documented.

Perhaps not so much:

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/08/021171.php


...As you can see, the projected recovery from OCS drilling in 2030 is around 200,000 barrels per day. EIA projects recovery to begin around 2018, but as you can see from the graph, EIA projected that only a tiny percentage of the 18 billion barrels (minimum) under the OCS would be recovered.

The explanation, obviously, lies in the set of assumptions used by the EIA in creating its forecast. The forecast was not based on the amount of oil that the OCS actually contains, it was based on the amount that was predicted to be economically remunerative at the then-prevailing price of oil. The EIA report makes this explicit:


Although a significant volume of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and natural gas resources is added in the OCS access case, conversion of those resources to production would require both time and money. In addition, the average field size in the Pacific and Atlantic regions tends to be smaller than the average in the Gulf of Mexico, implying that a significant portion of the additional resource would not be economically attractive to develop at the reference case prices.

Aha! The obvious question, for anyone with the most rudimentary understanding of economics, is, What are the reference case prices? Here they are:

figure_10.gif

That's right: the EIA, writing in early 2007, assumed that oil prices would decline from their 2006 peak; that in 2008, the price of crude oil would be around $60 a barrel; that it would continue to decline until around 2013 to a low of about $50 a barrel; and that the price would then gradually increase to a little under $60 a barrel by 2030. Those were the assumptions on which EIA concluded that it would not be economically profitable to get most OCS oil out of the ground.

Earth to Michael Grunwald: that isn't what happened. The EIA was wrong. Currently crude oil is at around $120 per barrel, not $60. At the elevated prices we are now experiencing and are expected to experience in the future, vastly greater quantities of OCS oil (or ANWR oil, or shale oil) can profitably be exploited, and those resources can make a vastly greater contribution to our economic well-being.

When we read wildly inaccurate reporting in the mainstream media, it's often hard to tell whether the reporter is incompetent, or is deliberately trying to deceive. You can make your own guess. For now, suffice it to say that Time's attempt to rehabilitate Obama's tire-inflation gaffe is a failure.

[red states rule]

The right complains about regulation and smog controls. With Chinas hosting the Olympics you can see first hand the reasons behind the liberals concerns!

The left were the ones who allowed China NOT to be included in their stupid Kyoto treaty.

[bullypulpit]

and can you tell us what the Dem run Congress has done in the last 2 years to address those issues?

Try NOTHING

Meanwhile, Obamabots like you watch helplessly as your messiah continues to flip flop on the issues and watch his poll numbers shrink

Two words numbnuts...Republican obstructionism...BTW, your attempt to change the subject was reeeeeeallly pathetic. Dismissed.

[red states rule]

Two words numbnuts...Republican obstructionism...BTW, your attempt to change the subject was reeeeeeallly pathetic. Dismissed.

Hey hotshot, it is Republicans who want a vote on driling. It was you buds who shut down the House, turned off the lights, cut the sound, and sent the cops in to clear out the press

Why are you clods so SCARED to have a vote?

It was Dems who have screamed count every vote for years. Of does that apply only when you think you are going to win the vote - and not when you think you will lose?