gordontravels
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2005
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- 758
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- Location
- in the middle of America
- Gender
- Male
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- Undisclosed
I was reading he business section of the Washington Post this morning about the 90% rise in the cost of natural gas since this time last year. Even if you use electricity, we generate 17% of it from natural gas as more plants either convert from coal (our most abundant energy resource) or are built to burn natural gas. The projection is that Americans will pay anywhere from 38 to 50% more to heat their homes this winter based on natural gas costs; more if it is a cold winter.
Members of Congress are now hearing another whisper that is not good for you and me. Manufacturers here in the states are considering either moving facilities overseas or building new facilities there because the cost of natural gas in Europe for instance is half what it is here. We pay over $13 per btu (British Thermal Unit) while some African and middle east countries pay $1 because of their supply and production. Europe pays around $7. It's hard to gripe about U.S. business moving overseas when it means lower costs for them and lower prices when we consume their products. Chemical companies are one of the hardest hit and we need their products for everything from medicine to packaging.
Many members of Congress are now considering offshore drilling for natural gas on the continental shelf which environmentalists and their politicians have resisted for decades. Now, some Democrats are under the gun from you and me for something that could save us on energy costs and more production would certainly help our bottom line. Natural gas is also clean to burn and more production would stop or cut down on dirtier coal. Good for the environment, right?
However, what the environmentalists want is more conservation even though our country's population and manufacturing will grow faster than conservation can stop the upward spiral of prices. They are against personal tax cuts but want tax credits for those of us that buy more efficient appliances. They want congress to require manufacturers to build more efficient appliances which is a good idea except - that will increase the cost of the appliances even with a tax credit and where does the American consumer get the extra money to buy that appliance. Meanwhile the cost of natural gas goes up because of demand outstripping production so by the time you own an energy efficient appliance, you have less savings because you're paying for natural gas that has gone up in costr.
We need exploration, development, drilling and production facilities for more natural gas that we have in abundance if allowed to go get it. It's up to your favorite Republican or Democrat to either produce for us or let us pay more and more. Which do you want? :duel
Members of Congress are now hearing another whisper that is not good for you and me. Manufacturers here in the states are considering either moving facilities overseas or building new facilities there because the cost of natural gas in Europe for instance is half what it is here. We pay over $13 per btu (British Thermal Unit) while some African and middle east countries pay $1 because of their supply and production. Europe pays around $7. It's hard to gripe about U.S. business moving overseas when it means lower costs for them and lower prices when we consume their products. Chemical companies are one of the hardest hit and we need their products for everything from medicine to packaging.
Many members of Congress are now considering offshore drilling for natural gas on the continental shelf which environmentalists and their politicians have resisted for decades. Now, some Democrats are under the gun from you and me for something that could save us on energy costs and more production would certainly help our bottom line. Natural gas is also clean to burn and more production would stop or cut down on dirtier coal. Good for the environment, right?
However, what the environmentalists want is more conservation even though our country's population and manufacturing will grow faster than conservation can stop the upward spiral of prices. They are against personal tax cuts but want tax credits for those of us that buy more efficient appliances. They want congress to require manufacturers to build more efficient appliances which is a good idea except - that will increase the cost of the appliances even with a tax credit and where does the American consumer get the extra money to buy that appliance. Meanwhile the cost of natural gas goes up because of demand outstripping production so by the time you own an energy efficient appliance, you have less savings because you're paying for natural gas that has gone up in costr.
We need exploration, development, drilling and production facilities for more natural gas that we have in abundance if allowed to go get it. It's up to your favorite Republican or Democrat to either produce for us or let us pay more and more. Which do you want? :duel