From: Spike Jones (spike66@attglobal.net)
Date: Fri Jun 01 2001 - 20:01:36 MDT
Anne Marie Tobias wrote:
> Why did the energy crisis suddenly blossom, when
> fossil fuels strongest advocate entered the white house?
Because the population of Taxifornia continued to rise and
no new power generation capacity was being built. This
"crisis" was foreseen at least four years ago by people who
concern themselves with this sort of thing. I refer you to
Ideas Futures, where memes to that effect were offered
for sale some time ago.
> Why is that man unwilling to give California representatives more
> than 20 minutes of his time...
The current Taxifornia representatives are not *worth* 20
minutes of his time. Or mine for that matter.
> The largest economic engine in
> the country, and the president won't talk to the governor...
> What's wrong with this picture.
Because this governor seems to be confused on the concept
of ownership for starters. Yesterday's SF Chron, which I
totally admit is not a trustworthy news source, quoted Red
Davis threatening to seize the assets of municipal power
generation facilities, invoking the emergency powers act.
This act was designed to allow the governor to seize assets
in true emergencies, such as natural disasters and war, where
lives are at stake. I fail to see how it can be applied to a
manmade disaster which cluey ideas-futurists have seen
coming for years. Now Davis whines because the fed
refuses to invoke price caps, after the failure of Taxifornia
to build capacity caused the price to skyrocket in
the first place.
So, to answer your question of what is wrong with this
picture, I say: failure to allow free markets to set prices.
Let the prices rise. That enables alternate energy sources
to come online, supply rises, price drops. Trying to legislate
the price of anything is chasing the wind. As for Bush not
wanting to talk to Davis, I can't blame him. I wouldnt
want to talk to him either. Davis doesnt seem to understand
the concept of ownership. If I *own* something then by
god its MINE and I will use it as I see fit.
Davis wants to order cities that have their own municipal
power generation facilities to participate in the rolling
blackouts while running their generators full bore and selling
their power at cost to the state. I hope those cities have the
intestinal fortitude to tell that commie so-called governor to
go to hell without an air conditioner.
> As long as there is more profit in being stupid, why would'nt
> you ever expect the people in power to do all they can to kill
> the smart. It's just good business.
Thats right, and they are free to spend their resources to try
to kill the smart. Of course if it is *really* smart, all the oil
money in the world cannot keep it dead, and their spending
money on trying to kill alternatives only makes the oil more
expensive and less competitive.
On a lighter note, I have been tracking the payback time for
solar panels on the roof. If it doesnt pay back in less than about
10 years or so, it is not an attractive investment. But if power
prices rise only a modest amount, solar panels become a good
investment, even without tax incentives, consequently the
industry will blossom like a field of Taxifornia poppies after
a spring rain. Stand by Anne Marie, we shall see capitalism
in action. {8-] spike
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