Great thing about natural gas is just that: it’s natural. Earth Farts. The microbial mass that is the core of the earth generates the stuff faster than popcorn and beer. Where crude oil takes ages to form in the primordial goo, Nat. Gas. replenishes at a much faster rate. I don’t subscribe to the dead dinosaur/ dead vegetation + a million years equals oil theory at all.
The natural gas angle does have substantial merit. Clean burning, abundant, conversion technology already in place; add in a little little consumer education (OK, Maybe a lot)(gas being trickier to handle than liquids) ONLY ONE LITTLE ISSUE: Distribution, delivery and final mile transport. Big Scary Sh!t to the Greenies. HOWEVER: Under Eisenhower, we built roads. Under McCain/Palin, we should undertake a nationwide distribution networks of Gas Pipelines. Owned by investors in the Master Limited Partner arrangement (read citizens), through a Soc. Sec. related bond fund, available to all Soc. Sec. contributors (Horrors! Privatization!) paying market rates for capital. End run around our banking buddies.
The nation wins: cleaner, domestically produced energy.
The consumer/investor wins: Higher than average bond return on invested capital, safe & secure investment, backed by a money making asset: the pipelines and the ‘rights of way’ upon which they traverse. Huge jobs potential! Not someone’s lockbox.
Industry wins: Cash flow increases based on wider consumer demand as gas replaces gasoline in the short haul vehicular market.
The taxpayer wins: Every cubic foot of that gas is taxed not only for its final use, but unlike Saudi oil, the Govt. gets well licensing fees and taxes per cubic foot because its domestically produced.
WHO LOSES? Not T. Boone; his biggest overhead hurdle has been taken care of by his countrymen.
Note to McCain/Palin: Energy security STILL has legs as an issue. Lets get specific, and show some creativity here!