The Sky Is Falling Energy Answers

A recent local editorial on energy prices was typical of the moaning that the quick fixes won't work.

Wake up. We didn't get into this situation overnight and won't get out of it overnight.

We have made incremental choices to get here and will have to make incremental choices to get out. Today our politicos are throwing out ideas because they won't provide instant solutions.

Let's look at the behaviors in the last 20 years that have led us here and are easy to reverse to head us back in the right direction. THESE ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.

The basic point is that the fewer gallons we consume at $4.00 the longer to get to $5.oo.

Look in your parking lot. See all those all wheel drive SUV's?? This is Central Pennsylvania people. There have been maybe 4 days in the last 10 years when the roads weren't passable to a front wheel drive automobile. And guess what? Most of those SUV drivers stayed home more days than that because the roads were too bad. I spent 4 winters in Fairbanks, Alaska and didn't need 4 wheel drive in town. If you need the room of an SUV, I understand but why not buy it in 2 wheel drive?

Speaking of SUV's take a look at our local government lots and the SUV's provided to non-critical personnel who get to stay home when it snows.

Governmental parking lots that deny parking to 2 wheeed motor vehicles. Nothing like active discouragement for vehicles that get 2 to 3 times the mileage.

Active hostility to mass transit from local government. The rail system would be almost ready to go from Cumberland to Lancaster. But no. Too many layers with their own rice bowls to fill.

Speaking of too many layers, the recent articles on Rte 39 upgrades were instructional. It's a state road. The state knew what it needed to do to improve it. But they had to wait to satisfy about a half a dozen little rice bowls. In the meantime the price of asphalt went where?

How many gallons are going into the tanks for a State Legislature that keeps coming to Harrisburg all year. It's at most a 90 day a year job. But again from more local governments than any other state in the nation you get more people determined to fill their rice bowl at the public trough.

Increase gasoline production? That would mean building a new refinery. We haven't allowed one to be built since 1979.

Think about each little step and we'll eventually get there. Pay attention to the hysteria and progress will be further stifled. If the person suggesting the solution arrived in part of the problem they probably don't have the solution.