Moot Causes

Bush pushes refineries and nuke plants as solution to high energy prices

Many analysts say high energy prices are the result of inefficient use of non-renewable resources. President Bush does not employ any of those analysts. In a speech today, he will propose to address the "root causes" of high energy prices by, um, increasing the inefficient use of non-renewable resources. His five proposals will likely end up in the energy bill by the time the Senate votes on it. They are: encourage the construction of oil refineries on closed military bases; encourage the construction of nuclear power plants by easing the licensing process and providing federal risk insurance (long live the free market!); increase federal authority -- i.e., decrease state authority -- over the siting of liquefied natural gas terminals; encourage other countries to promote nuclear, "clean coal," and other slightly less polluting energy sources; and allow purchases of cars and trucks running on "clean diesel" to receive the same tax credit already slated for hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles.