Originally Posted by barackobama.com

Obama's plan will reduce oil consumption by at least 35 percent, or 10 million barrels per day, by 2030. This will more than offset the equivalent of the oil we would import from OPEC nations in 2030.

Increase Fuel Economy Standards: Obama will double fuel economy standards within 18 years. His plan will provide retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers, so that they can build new fuel-efficient cars rather than overseas companies. Obama will also invest in advanced vehicle technology such as advanced lightweight materials and new engines.

Originally Posted by jasperg35

i agree with much of what you said...

but i didn't get which side you prefer, let's say who's better short term, and who's better 20 years from now?

because let's face it... a 20+yr plan has nothing to do with the next 4 years. and isn't that what this election is about?

a long 20 year plan that may not even come to fruition is an easy way, to say,'i've had a great idea, thanks for electing me, don't expect things to get better for 2 more decades, so if they get worse, it wasn't my fault, and everything i could possibly do, will get undone when people finally realize i was too incompetent to figure out a quicker solution.'

Originally Posted by shibal_z

I think Obama has a more pragmatic plan short and long term. At this point, we have to realign energy prices to the "real" cost of energy. We have been spoiled for decades with cheap energy which boomed our economy and kept prices and inflation low. Now, we are in an economic situation that cannot be reversed or undone. We printed hundreds of billions of dollars and eventually, it will be circulated into the American currency supply, ratcheting up inflation and prices (It's already happening).
(i don't see a plan here, yet)

As this happens, we need a focused plan that allows us as Americans to stand up new technologies and markets to reawaken American manufacturing capacity and put hard working Americans in well paying jobs. It is inexcusable that we have neighborhoods in Ohio that are virtually abandoned due to foreclosure and economic depression due to globalization. With one sweep of a pen, we have put millions of Americans out of work and billions into the coffers of corporations who have moved their manufacturing to places like Mexico and China who don't even offer the same level of worker rights and are dismal human rights violators. Is this how we make money in America?
(i don't see a plan here yet, either)

I think improving fuel efficiency in ICE is still a viable step in the short term. I also believe new more eco-friendly battery technologies or some kind of infrastructure to ensure safe disposal/recycling of batteries from Hybrids and plug-ins is needed. More longer term plans should include commercializing hydrogen fuel cell technology and mass production/distribution of hydrogen to fueling stations.
(i see a plan, but new manufacturing won't rid the nation (or world) of current cars, trucks, and airplanes. these changes probably won't change anything until maybe 10 years from now (when we start phasing out older technologies, buying new cars, etc...), and offer no real short term (1-5yrs) solution)

I believe that technology is cheap. The long pole to all of this will be to change the way Americans think and see these changes. Europeans and Asians are farther along this thought process. Much of this is driven by the fact that populations in European and Asian nations are much more dense than in the U.S. As the world calls for global action in stemming human effects on the global environment, the only good answer McCain can come up with is to drill for more oil... -_-;

Originally Posted by Jeff92se

I don't know who has that plan. But someone should get on board and MAKE it their plan.

Originally Posted by telegramsam

The real truth - Cut back or pay more!. Drive less, turn down the t-stat in the winter/up in the summer. Buy less. Repair instead of replace. Buy fresh. Shop close to home. Live close to work. These are some real solutions. Ride a bike, walk more often. Watch less television. On and on. Nobody wants to do this yet but Europeans have and adjusted to skyrocketing enery costs long ago. I am the worst offender. I am a carbon junkie. There are no simple solutions, just hard choices. Hard choices are hard to swallow in an election year.

Originally Posted by jasperg35

well that's the freedoms that i enjoy - personal choices based on priorities.

if i want to cut back on fuel... i drive less and slower. that is my personal choice.

just like mccain using his 3 full-size suv's to go around to talk about the energy crisis, paid for by our taxes.