A long post why Trump/Vance “energy independence by drill baby drill” CAN NOT work.
At one time the US was a manufacturing powerhouse. Vance wants to blame it on Democrats, but it was actually Conservatives of both parties that saw China as a manufacturing hub. The main incentive? Cheap labor.
Now, this wasn’t PLANNED planned, no one stopped to think, “Hey, how will this affect Americans”, it was just the cheapest thing to do.
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To me, energy independence means all of our energy is produced in the United States. We would buy or import none from other countries.
You will see why that definition is important.
John McCain is the one most people remember as saying “Drill Baby Drill” and it has been echoed, but there is a major flaw in this: we cannot make energy cheaper in the US than it is to import. Many reasons for that, much having to do with American labor.
See, for some reason…
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… Americans want a living wage, the selfish bastards. Much of what we buy is determined by payroll costs. Typically, your salary is about ONE THIRD of what it costs the company. So if you make $50,000/year, you are costing the company about $150,000.
Oooff!
So, right off the bat, BEFORE we consider anything else, the workforce payroll is a MAJOR driving reason why American oil is more expensive than foreign oil. And we haven’t EVEN discussed other issues.
What are those issues?
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Regulatory issues. Like environmental, health and safety, things Republicans really really hate.
Because if you work at an oil field, you should lose a finger or two and be like a real oil man (yes, losing fingers is something that really happens).
Environmental? Okay, there is stuff that is called “mud” used in oil fields. It sounds benign but it isn’t. Mud pits kill wildlife. So there are some tough regulations regarding it.
Guess who want to eliminate those regs?
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Okay, so when Republicans call these “burdensome” that’s code for “it drives up the cost of oil and means we can’t compete” — which is a lie because what REALLY prevents competition is the payroll cost.
So, you may ask, how does this relate to, well, oil?
We have already seen that China beats us on manufacturing because cheap labor (and minimal regulations). Republicans want the same.
Pay Americans less (cheap labor) and eliminate regulations.
Win/win right?
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But not a single American wants to live poorly. That ISN’T the American dream (if you think Trump/Vance believe it, then you are dreaming).
In the same way, not one American wants to pick lettuce in the hot sun.
Republicans want to pay us less to live in a country that is filthy. I’ve seen that in the 60’s. We “drilled baby drilled” and then OPEC damaged our economy by limiting oil.
The US CAN NOT “drill baby drill” its way to energy independence. Because Americans…
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… want to live the American dream.
You can’t promise both. “Drill Baby Drill” is a myth. A lie. It’s what Republicans tell their silver-spoon teething children so they become VP of ExxonMobil.
There is only ONE way to become energy independent and that is something Republicans hate (which oddly is VERY capitalistic):
Renewable energy.
It creates jobs by NOT trashing the environment. But conservatives now only believe in the RIGHT kind of capitalism.
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@feloneouscat The U.S. is still a manufacturing powerhouse. Manufacturing jobs are in decline, but that isn't the same as output. Manufacturing is also in decline as a percentage of U.S. GDP.
However, the U.S. is second only to China is percentage of global manufacturing output. U.S. output is greater than Japan, Korea, and Germany combined.
It may be a moot point from the perspective of manufacturing jobs, but the common perception we aren't producing anymore isn't right.
Yes, but that isn’t my point. My point is that “Drill Baby Drill” can not achieve energy independence in the same way we cannot bring back manufacturing from China without a) increasing the cost of goods or b) paying Americans less.
My argument is not about whether or not the US manufactures goods, it does. I have worked for 40 in companies that manufactured goods my firmware/software was embedded in.
Let me clarify, because many will mistake my “goods” incorrectly: the goods I’m referring to are hardware with software embedded in it. For, example, check scanning devices or semiconductor robotics (the latter was some of the most fun I’ve ever had).
I’ve even worked at an oilfield instrumentation company, do I know a little about the oilfield (it is not a human friendly place).
Company after company moved their workforce (or rather eliminated the jobs here and formed them there) until manufacturing was all but gone in the US. “Don’t worry, we will make up for it” and when asked how, “In other ways”.
Now, today, it is hard to NOT buy from China — we do not make things.
Now, you are asking, how does this IN ANY WAY relate to energy independence?
First, lets define what “energy independence” means, because what I mean is not what Republicans mean.
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