Why are so many conservatives so opposed to energy conservation and efficiency?

Question

Why are so many conservatives so opposed to energy conservation and efficiency?

Answer 1

As usual you operate under a false premise. I don't know of any conservative who is opposed to energy conservation and efficiency. I know I am not. That being said, while they are admirable traits, they are not by themselves an energy policy. That is like saying if there is a food shortage the only solution is for people to eat less.

Let's look at the facts. Imagine what today would look like if we only had the supply of energy that was available in 1979. Now couple that with the explosion in our population from illegal immigration along with all of the modern day conveniences that we have all come to love such as our cell phones, PDAs, Blackberry's, and computers. When I grew up we had one refrigerator and one television and one telephone (that didn't need electricity) and no answering machine. Think of all the things on your life today that you have come to rely on and then come back and tell us all what you are willing to do without for good.

As to efficiency, just about everything we have today is more efficient than it was 20 years ago. From a basic economic standpoint when you make something more efficient, you use more of it. If you really wanted people to use less of something, the key is to make it more inefficient. If you don't understand that, I suggest a course on basic economics. Thomas Sowell has a great book that will help you tremendously.

So as you can see, conservation and efficiency are great things. But, by themselves do not constitute a sensible energy policy. Neither does sitting around waiting for all of these alternative energy sources to come on line. What makes sense is a policy incorporating all of these PLUS drilling for our own oil while we wait for everything else to come online.

So the question I ask of you is why are you so opposed to the one energy source that is proven without a shadow of a doubt to be more cost effective than any other out there?

Why are you so opposed to shedding our dependence on foreign oil when we can drill for our own right here in the good ole US of A?

The GOP has a monumental moment here to swing the election this year in their favor. They can beat the democrats over the head with their obstructionism. If gasoline stays at $4 a gallon, people won't care about global warming or the polar bear or the caribou.

Answer 2

were are you people coming up with these questions?   conservatives don't oppose conservation or efficiency.   what conseratives oppose is big government and regulations that have reduced this country to depend on others to fuel the country.    since the 70's the liberals through the democratic party has taken us down this road with no visible proof that we are out of oil or coal or the ability to build safe nuclear energy plants.   the conservatives don't oppose alternate fuels just that both can work side by side and not ruin the country in doing so.   I believe that liberals have backed the wrong horse in letting the eco freaks and al gore types lead the country to ruin.   maybe as the saying goes "the chickens are now coming home to roost"  mr  doodles

Answer 3

Because it's new.

They HATE "new".

Answer 4

Please find me a mechanism that is more efficient in its allocation of resources than a free market. This is what conservatives are arguing for. Allow people choose to conserve or not. It is not the right or responsibility of government to force this onto people. The market will take care of scarce resources with increased prices which will lead to less demand and therefor conservation. Liberals arguing for efficiency is politicians arguing for a balanced budget.

Answer 5

I'm conservative, but I am also "green".  Conservatives are usually pro-business, because they believe that healthy business provides lots of jobs for people, and that makes the economy healthy.  They often don't like any restrictions placed on business, and some are willing to place business interests over what's good for the earth.

Answer 6

Because there is no need for it.  We sit on top of Trillions of Barrells of oil here in the US.  We can be totally energy independant, just drill everywhere we can drill.  Oil could be at our pumps in no more than 18 months.  Energy diversity is smart, but it is not an immediate necessity.  Dependence upon foreign oil is crippling the rest of the US economy.  And so are Liberals and Environmentalists who've passed legislation making it next to impossible to build refineries here in the states.  Energy diversity should be a choice, not a law.  Hybrids, Electric cars all good.  But they should be choices, and not necessities at this point.  Higher milage vehicles will do just fine for now. We need to use coal(which we have an enourmous supply of), nuclear, wind solar, all of it.  But first and formost we need to drill for our own oil.  ASAP!  Liberals will have the lights turned off, and all of us living in the woods before you know it if you let them.  We can't do ________  (insert any word),  because it's bad for the environment.

Answer 7

I'm not. Conservation and efficiency should be principles that conservatives embrace.  

Answer 8

You really believe that ???  Most "conservatives" that I know are tired of the HYPOCRISY of the left wing nuts !!!  "MOST" conservatives are aware of the idiotic "costs" to "save the world" .....  HOLY COW !!!

Answer 9

Many of them are in the back pockets of those who are in direct opposition to efficiency and conservation. They receive high dividends for their not-so-conservative voting patterns. Bush's republican politicians are not conservative by any stretch. It seems that they deceived many people, but the truth is catching up to them now. A little late, but better late than never.

Answer 10

I consider myself a conservative and I'm not opposed to energy

conservation and efficiency but I am opposed to the oil companies

and outlets price gouging the daylights out of us!

Answer 11

It's so simple.

Big business opposes energy conservation and efficiency.

Conservatives favor big business.

Hence conservatives oppose energy conservation and efficiency./

Answer 12

They're not.  They just don't want to completely replace inexpensive coal and oil with expensive  and inefficient solar and wind technologies.

Answer 13

We are not.  

But we know it is not a "solution".  You can conserve gasoline, for example, all you want, but you will eventually need to fill your tank and conservation will not do that.

The free market responds to things.  Just by President Bush eliminating the executive order against off-shore drilling dropped oil prices some $25 per barrel in a week.  Now that BOTH leading presidential candidates have said they will support off-shore drilling you will see prices drop another $20 or more THIS week. Maybe even TOMORROW!  I ahve already seen overnight trading numbers for Asian markets and oil is going to take a hit tomorrow!  Just the speculation of more supply will cause speculators (the real controllers of oil prices) to look elsewhere and take their money elsewhere.  As the price tumbles, the oil producing nations, which need oil as their only source of revenue, will increase sales (production) to re-coup some of the lost money and prices will fall further.  Oil will be below $100 per barrel in two weeks.  And maybe by Wednesday.  Obama's announcement that he will support off shore drilling is perhaps the best thing he ever did for the country!  Now the speculators know it does not matter which one is elected.  Our current AND future President will be pushing for more production.  You heard it from me first.

If congress would lift the restriction on ANWR and off-shore drilling, even without issuing a single permit to actually drill, the price of oil would drop below $75 a barrel.  See if I am wrong, I am not.  It is balderdash that it would take 10 years to make a difference, it would make a huge difference in one week!  Oil prices are a bloated bubble, just like housing prices were.  The prices are being driven by greedy speculators who will take their money and go straight home if they think for one second they will lose.  The OPEC countries will have no option but to increase production.  One good kick and the legs fold like a card table...THAT is the free market.

As far as the "future" goes...well, our transportation today bears no resemblence to that of 100 years ago and in 100 years it will bear even less resemblence to the way it is now, of that I am sure.  The government does not need to mandate anything, and in fact will stifle innovation if it does.  The free market will decide the way of the future and I do not think any of the alternatives we try now will be it, but they will lead to other innovations and when the best solution is found we will buy it like half price hotcakes and we will be off to the races for another hundred years.  Have faith in the free market.