Start the drilling, build new refineries, and sell it at a lower price then what OPEC does.
And how does drilling solve the the Climate Change Problem? Your police vehicle might be a canoe by then.Also keep in mind that it will take 22 YEARS before any effect on the price of oil.
"The US Energy Department's forecasting arm has said opening the Pacific, Atlantic and eastern Gulf of Mexico regions to drilling "would not have a significant impact on domestic crude oil and natural gas production or prices before 2030".
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/US-President-George-Bush-Lifts-Ban-On-Offshore-Drilling/Article/200807315035757?lpos=World%2BNews_4&lid=ARTICLE_15035757_US%2BPresident%2BGeorge%2BBush%2BLifts%2BBan%2BOn%2BOffshore%2BDrilling
America is addicted to oil, you don't treat an addiction by increasing the dosage. All you are doing by drilling more is increasing the damand for gas-gussing SUV, but the problem will still be there 20 years later. This is yet again another high-five to the big oil industry, who has been pushing to end the memortium the day after Bush Senior 41 signed it. Bush as been such a puppet to the oil industry in the past, I dont see any reason to trust him on this.
Same with oil. During the 1980s oil dropped up to 42% in price per barrel for the same reason. After the Oil Embargo the US stated that we would drill for our own oil and would develop are coal and shale into oil. OPEC immediately lowered the price and increased production because they knew that if the US started producing their own oil that they would lose their main source of profit and also that they would have to compete against another major oil producer.
Your example is sorely flawed because Except in 1980 the World didnt have the demand for oil that China and India do now. Its essentially two countries whose growing economies will be larger than ours. Its a much different picture today, OPEC is not going to lower its prices. The only way to drop the price is not to use oil.
While we do this we must go into a huge industrial project to the same level that we went for atmotic weapons during WWII for an alternate source of fuel.
For electrical power for homes and services. Nuclear is the way to go. Cheap, long lasting, and reliable. It is safe. The Soviets weren't safe... they were a bunch of drunken chimps.
US Nuclear plants arnt much better, remember the 3 Mile Island accident? Our Nuclear plant infrastructure is at the same level as everything else: crumbling. The only way to do what you suggest is to build new plants which is time consuming, dangerous and extremely expensive.
For transportation. Hybrid is currently the way to go but there are a few problems with it. One, price. There are not many people that can afford a $30,000 automobile. The price of Hybrids need to drop to the $10,000 range. Number two, it might seem small and trivial. Looks. Hybrids should not look like some small damn egg. Make then in standard designs and styles. Make them for pickup trucks and full side four door sedans.
For a short term solution yes. The price of hybrids will drop (it already has) but Hybrids do not solve the problem completely because you are still burning gas. Oil has got to go, just as windpower and steam power went the way of the dodo so does oil. The problem is the oil cartel who loves the $400 Billion in profits they are making each year.
As a replacement. Electrical cars don't work. They didn't work in the past either. The reasons are just as now as in the past the following. One, charge time. With gasoline it takes two minutes to fill up a tank and you're done. With electrical automobiles you need to have them charge for hours. Two, transportation of fuel. You can take extra jerry cans of fuel but you can't transport electricity the same way. Batteries are bulky and expensive to produce and transport. Three, battery life. You get no range for electric powdered cars. 40 miles is about the max for a full charge. Most people travel close to 40 miles one way to work. Doesn't work for our economy. Everything is transported by truck over long distance. Also during disasters, electricity is easily cut of during storms, quakes, tornadoes, etc... You can stock up on gasoline but you can do so with electricity. You can still manually pump fuel out of tanks but if you have no electricity flowing through the power lines you have no enegry for an electric car.
What you are saying is about 30 years out of date. 40 Miles Max was the limit in the 1970s. Todays cars can do over 200 miles on a single charge. The technology is so improved you even have Shell Oil (yes an oil company) discussing their new battery technology. 200 miles is more than enough for short distance runs, which are 80 percent of Americas driving habits. Battery technology is so vastly improved oil companies such as shell are already pushing the technology.
What we need for a alternative fuel source is possibly hydrogen or maybe some other easy transportable and productional fuel.
