March 17, 2011
The Power Breakfast segment this morning on WAMU, my local NPR affiliate, told listeners that the debate on reducing the country’s dependence on foreign energy was between people who wanted to increase supply by increased drilling and those who favored conservation. This is not true. There is not enough reserves of oil or gas to make more than a small difference in U.S. dependence on imported energy.
A news organization would point this fact out, since it is the job of reporters to know this fact. Unlike listeners, they are paid to know this information. Unfortunately, Power Breakfast led listeners to believe that the country has an option of being energy independent if it were only willing to put its environment at risk. While increased drilling may be able to wreck the environment it can have no noticeable effect on the country’s need for foreign oil. Reporters old enough to remember the BP spill in the Gulf understand what is at issue.
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