According to recent polls, no matter how much people complain about gas prices, people think they aren't paying enough for gas. And as a result, either because they are uneducated in economics or are simply idealistsic, Democrats have their confidence.
But it is clear that people are confused about the issue of energy. When asked if it is more important to protect the environment or find new energy sources 62% said finding energy source was more important than protecting the environment (21%). Fourteen percent said it was important to do both.
But 57% think we should not exploit the oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
With regards to energy in general, 47% disapprove of building more nuclear power plants (45% approve, however). Fifty One percent don't want any more coal powered plants to be built either. People seem to like the idea of power plants that use natural gas. Only 37% think this is a bad idea even though it emits green house gases. And, unsurprisingly, 87% think building wind and solar power plants are a good idea. In this case, it seems that idealism wins over practicality for most people.
Now with regards to gasoline, people are in favor of the Government forcing car manufacturers to be more energy efficient, which is the Obama solution. They must be blind to the fact that people have the power to make that change without government intervention: They could simply choose to buy more energy efficient cars. Car makers respond to consumer demand; If you buy them, they will make them.
Capitalism at work.
But people in general do not seem to have a firm grasp on capitalism, or markets in general.
People in the polls complain that higher gas prices are hurting them financially (60%) but the obviously do not understand that the only way to bring those prices down is for more, not less, oil to be available on the market. It is a simple economic principle that if there is more supply than there is demand, prices will come down. The reason that gas prices are so high is precisely because the United States is producing less oil than it could be producing AND because it is producing less gasoline than it could be producing.
But people do not believe this. They believe that the reason gas prices are a high is because a) Oil companies are making too much profit (83%) and b) the War in Iraq (64%).
Most people do not blame their own driving habits (4%).
Yet, to the extent that people use less gasoline as a result of high gas prices, is the extent to which gas prices will fall (baring other factors).
Wind and solar power will not run your car no matter what. At least not in the foreseeable future.
And it is a fact that if there is more oil and gasoline on the market, prices for these commodities will fall regardless of the "Big Oil" companies.
But it seems that consciously, or unconsciously, people want to pay more for gas because they do not want to do what it takes to bring gas prices down. They do not want to conserve; they want the government to encourage conservation (68%). But they do not want that encouragement to come in the form of higher gasoline taxes. Fifty Eight percent oppose that idea. They want more oil on the market, but they want to depend on other countries, most of whom are hostile to US interests, to produce it. They want more gasoline on the market, but they do not want more refineries to be built.
What they want is magic. They want gas prices to magically go down. They think that if Government makes a law for automakers to make cars that get 500 miles to the gallon, that's what will happen.
Magic.
They think that if oil companies were forced to give up their profits, gas prices will go down.
Magic.
They think that if the war in Iraq ended, gas prices will come down.
Magic.
Forget the fact that the world, with China and India becoming first world countries, is demanding more oil.
Forget that with problems in Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela, oil supplies are being disrupted.
Forget that with Russia producing less oil, there is less supply.
Forget that with the US producing less oil and gas than it could so there is less supply.
And forget that al Qaida and the Islamists are targeting oil supplies in their war on us, and succeeding in places like Nigeria and with oil tanker piracy.
No forget all of that.
The answer is magic.
If you want to win the political debate on energy, you have to encourage magical thinking.
Something Democrats are much better at than Republicans.
