Bush’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia to plead for lower prices is an embarrassing reminder of the sorry state of our energy policy… and our foreign policy.  The scene is thick with irony when we see a former Texas oil man going to this oil rich nation in hopes that they might cut us a break.  The Saudis basically told him, politely, “no deal”.  It is truly a sad day when the US President must go to Saudi Arabia with his hand outstretched in the hopes that this country will take pity on the American consumer.  The reality is that it didn’t need to be this way.  We could have greatly reduced the pain that we are now experiencing with a little forward thinking a few years ago. 

Let’s consider what might have been.  In the aftermath of 9/11 the President could have chosen to rally to the country in a bipartisan manner, not to spend more, but to conserve more.  He could have brought Democrats and Republicans together to raise CAFE standards to match those of Europe… or even that of China, which is now much higher than the US.  He could have chosen to incrementally raise the gas tax, creating an incentive for the production of alternative fuels and technologies.  He could have made dramatic investments in our public transportation infrastructure to provide Americans with an alternative to our reliance on automobiles.  The Europeans are now paying about $9/gallon for fuel.  Although they’re certainly not happy about it, they are much better prepared to absorb this increase.  He could have made substantial investments in research for alternative fuels such as cellulosic ethanol.  None of these interventions would have been painless.  They would have all required sacrifice.  But, remember, in the wake of 9/11 the American public was ready to sacrifice.  However, instead of being asked to sacrifice for these long term solutions to our energy problem, our President rallied the country around the invasion of Iraq. 

But the blame doesn’t just rest on the shoulder of the President.  It’s on all of our shoulders also.  Our policy decisions (or lack thereof) reflect what policymakers view as politically feasible.  For too long policymakers have been loathe to ask the American public to sacrifice for long term gain.  For too long we’ve been told that we can rely on cheap gasoline, that we all deserve suburban homes with large yards, that we can expect cheap food imported from around the world.  Politicians haven’t acted because we haven’t required it of them.  Maintaining the status quo has been the safe political move.  Calling for sacrifice was seen as dangerous or politically foolish.  Our infrastructure and economic system that incentivizes driving is now exerting a tremendous costs.  Now we’re left with a President of a proud nation begging for handouts.  But it’s not just the President begging.  It’s all of us. 

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