Energy Talk
Democrats Need to Learn to Sell Their Priorities
Almost 29 years ago, on July 15, 1979, President Jimmy Carter delivered what is considered one of the worst speeches of his career. Americans were struggling with an enormous energy crisis. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries had jacked up prices again. A majority of gas stations in America did not have sufficient fuel, and those that did were charging far higher prices than one year before. Carter's energy plan, which took a long
time to pass Congress, had not calmed the roiling issue.
After meeting with all kinds of experts at Camp David, Carter gave a speech to millions of Americans. He implored citizens to accept that they lived in an age of limits. He called for self-sacrifice and diminished consumption.
While the speech might have touched on the real problems underlying the crisis, it was deemed a political failure. Critics complained that the president was lecturing the nation at a time he needed to be offering relief. Presidents should not give sermons but rather solutions. Newspapers were filled with op-ed pieces lambasting the president for blaming Americans for the problem.
Democratic proponents of new energy policies have been trapped in that July moment ever since. Even though these Democrats have continued to offer more accurate assessments of the energy challenges and focus on solutions more likely to end the crisis -- like conservation, an increase in fuel efficiency and the development of alternative energies -- oil friendly Republicans have regularly done a better job on the campaign trail at selling their ideas.
Since the 1970s, most members of the GOP have consistently offered two solutions to the energy problem: more drilling and more militarism. While these do little to offer immediate relief at the pump, they make sense to voters and seem to offer a clearer vision of what government can accomplishment.
Ever since the 1973 Arab embargo, many Republicans have pushed for more domestic drilling as one solution to the problem of insecure sources of high-priced oil. In his 1975 special message on energy and the economy, a year after the embargo had led to long gas lines and soaring prices, President Gerald R. Ford warned, "Americans are no longer in full control of their own national destiny, when that destiny depends on uncertain foreign fuel at high prices fixed by others."
More than three decades later, in his 2007 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush echoed Ford. "For too long, our nation has been dependent on foreign oil. And this dependence leaves us more vulnerable to hostile regimes and to terrorists who could cause huge disruptions of oil shipments and raise the price of oil and do great harm to our economy."
From Ford through Bush II, the Republican solution for energy independence has been to make it easier for the oil industry to drill in the U.S. by offering subsidies, tax breaks and an easing of environmental restrictions. Since Bush took office in 2001, Republicans have pushed for increased oil exploration -- especially in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve.
Even if they fail in Congress, their calls for greater supply sound better on the campaign trail than Carter-era appeals to cut back. As Bush said in the midst of the California energy shortage "you cannot conserve your way to energy independence. We can do a better job in conservation, but we darn sure have to do a better job of finding more supply." In a direct contrast to Carter and his cardigan-wearing pleas for conservation, Vice President Dick Cheney said, "Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it is not a sufficient basis for a sound, comprehensive energy policy."
In addition to increasing domestic supply, the other GOP solution to securing more oil has been an increased military presence in the Persian Gulf. This has been a policy posture that many Democrats also accepted.
The drive began in the 1970s and 1980s, when Carter and Ronald Reagan increased the U.S. commitment to having military forces in the Persian Gulf region to protect oil resources. Washington worked with allies, ranging from Iraq to Saudi Arabia, who helped stabilize the supplies.
Democrats, as well as moderate Republicans who support new energy policies, have not done a good job framing the two main goals they pursue: search for renewable sources of energy and try to substantially reduce energy consumption.
Democrats will have to offer more in the short term than populist attacks on Big Oil that don't actually deliver cheaper prices at the pump. Energy-related issues have lagged behind other aspects of environmentalism, which have taken a deeper political hold since the 1970s -- like recycling or water quality control.
But there is evidence that we are in a moment of change. In certain respects, public opinion has outpaced political rhetoric. Even though Carter's speech was a flop, the environmental movement gradually influenced the way the public thought about issues like conservation of energy. With energy prices at extremely high levels, polls suggest that the public is more willing than ever to deal with environmental challenges.
Building on the work of the environmental movement, former Vice President Al Gore has helped to popularize the issue of global warming through his Oscar-winning film and advocacy. More Republican politicians have started to question the Bush approach to the energy crisis. National-security concerns have also broadened electoral interest in reducing energy dependence on the Middle East.
Even when the Republicans controlled Congress, the Bush team has not been able to get through a measure to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve to drilling. Shifts in consumer attitudes and consumption have also helped citizens see practical steps toward reducing oil use. According to several recent reports, the high cost of fuel is persuading a large number of Americans to switch from Humvees and SUVs to smaller cars and even bicycles for daily commute. Mass transportation is experiencing stunning rider increases.
Yet environmentalists still have a long way to go. The alternative Republican solution still holds strong electoral appeal. The United States is a country defined by suburbanization, cars, big houses and the extravagant use of fuel. With all its progress, the environmental movement did not halt this trend.
Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, has, over the years, been more complex in his actual policy positions but he just recently embraced the traditional GOP response of calling for off-shore drilling. Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, will have to work on this challenge.
As in the 1970s, Americans are again frustrated with the rising price of oil. But Democrats need to work on how they frame and sell their policies -- or they could end up like Carter in 1979.
Meg Jacobs is an associate professor of history at MIT. She is writing a book on the energy crisis in the 1970s. Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School. He is the co-editor of "Rightward Bound: Making America Conservative in the 1970s."
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© 2007 The Washington Independent
Comments:
Posted 06/24/2008 12:48pm with
I will post this Thursday at Texas KAOS:
The Texas Plan
It reflects my work with the Texas Democratic Party, the Progressive Populist Caucus, and the Oil Patch Democrats, but strictly my own views.
For immediate relief, I would follow the “infant industry” doctrine of subsidizing both alternative fuels and vehicles. Further, I would revert to common carriage principles of public utility regulation (without public indemnity for private folly).
And, finally, I would move slowly but boldly towards replacement of coal-fired boilers and obsolete reactors for electrical power generation and process-steam applications such as synthesizing clean or renewable fuels.
All of these can be popular policies anywhere but Washington, where propping-up declining industries, Soviet-style indirect taxation and monopoly rent-sharing, as well as Edwardian navalism are still the rule, even after the Great, World, and Cold Wars ended.
That cannot go on, but if Democratic populists cannot change anything, right wing extremists or populists will both generate and exploit the catastrophe it will take to do so after their own fashion.
Posted 06/24/2008 03:05pm with
Being born in 1984 I missed this Carter speech but have often wondered lately why no one is pushing conservation, instead focusing mainly on increasing supply. If energy abundance was the only problem, this may be a viable solution, but we have the environment to think about also, so an increase in supply would lead to an increase in consumption, exactly what we don’t need. And McCain makes me laugh with his 300 million dollar battery prize. John, the future of portable energy is not a battery.
Posted 06/24/2008 11:41pm with
I remember that time, and that speech. = It was one of President Carter’s finest moments. It might have been a turning pont for our country and the world. But Americans were not ready to hear the truth and respond to it with rationality and altruism, and reactionaries twisted his words and tarred and feathered him in the press. Chief among the reactionaries were the monied oil and arms interests – read Bush and Company.
Apparently it was just not the time for rationality and progressive, just policy. It was not yet the time for Americans to accept a shift in their short sighted and wasteful life style
Quoting Jimmy Carter:
“With the exception of preventing war,” said Jimmy Carter, a man of peace, “this is the greatest challenge our country will face during our lifetimes.”
He was right then, and the world situation today would be unimaginably and unrecognizably better had we heeded his worlds and followed his leadership three decades ago.
Perhaps President Obama will be able to pull off what President Carter could not.
Reference: “Carter Tried To Stop Bush’s Energy Disasters – 28 Years Ago” by Thom Hartmann (2005) http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0503-22.htm
The full text of Carter’s speech: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/filmmore/ps_energy.ht…
Posted 06/24/2008 11:49pm with
(Let’s try this again – there seems to be a glitch with how my comment above was posted. (Webmaster: Please check the programming of your POST COMMENT feature!)
Posted 06/25/2008 12:01am with
I remember that time, and that speech. It was one of President Carter’s finest moments. It might have been a turning pont for our country and the world. But Americans were not ready to hear the truth and respond to it with rationality and altruism, and reactionaries twisted his words and tarred and feathered him in the press. Chief among the reactionaries were the moneyed oil and arms interests – read Bush and Company.
Posted 06/25/2008 12:05am with
Oh well!
Posted 06/26/2008 09:14am with
The irony here was that Carter had both effective energy and military reform policies, bi-partisan ones, in fact, that paid-off for this country about a decade later.
But, he was killed by the bureaucratic, interest-group, legislative, international, and media politics of all of it.
We need sound politics driving sound policies. Sound policies alone, like infantry with no artillery or air, will get cut down.
That is how I am hoping Obama will be different from Carter.
Posted 06/30/2008 12:34am with
There is only ONE way to solve the problem:
JOHN McCAIN’S 3R ECONOMIC PLAN 2008
Abbreviated version
Progressive Republican Candidate John McCain comes through for America with his 3R economic plan. In the persona of Theodore Roosevelt, McCain’s plan just makes sense.
NUTS AND BOLTS of the plan are simple.
The US needs a separate tax revenue source before it can move away from fossil energy fuels which supply hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes for state and federal agencies.
Here is the John McCain 3R solution.
McCain’s 3R is about technical, closely monitored and rapid hands on training from pros to create new pros. Thousands of currently-job-displaced “once leaders in the manufacturing arena” will be asked to train and play instructor rolls in the 3R plan.
Paid, of course, as these new leaders will help create a whole new style of prosperous America. A massive restructure providing thousands of new American MFG companies means millions of new jobs for infrastructure alone.
1. RETHINK: America must see globally on what America is capable of in our current state of technology, engineering and meet the demands that face the world.
“RE-Think” the basic job goals involve the dwindling retirement, health care and social security plans that are failing Americans. With a strong base and a higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) America has a new bargaining chip in the way we live and the ways we retire.
Private Sector framework is in place and current laws allow the 3R to happen. The Progressive attitude of John McCain to get things done by crossing party lines will resurrect America.
2. REFORM: The American people must demand higher quality products and less restricted trade routes for Made in USA components. We will lead the way of MFG again!
The USA will reform its dead manufacturing base to create the most innovative and green-engineered products possible. We will compete in a world market along with other high quality products. Our Private Sector teams are making this reality now.
3. REINVENT: America and Americans must reinvent themselves to reach and maintain these standards and by sheer American ingenuity, control the world’s marketplace in the competitive manner, as the USA has always been proud to be #1.
Americans are going back to McCain’s 3R-schooling program where they are paid to reinvent their skills and learn new skills to design and lead their personal LLC, Corporation or joint venture company. That’s easy enough to comprehend and just as easy to implement.
The 3R plan is designed as a six-month rapid advancement system. Graduates may return for additional skill enhancements from time to time, or step up after new advanced training in executive management.
While manufacturing is a very important part of this plan, thousands of other new businesses must to be created to meet the new surge of 3R manufacturing industries to create a new era of prosperous Americans.
Initial estimates of 1 in 5 students will begin his or her own company and drive even more Americans into a viable lifestyle with real jobs, real benefits and a retirement to look forward to.
This 3R plan will be done without costing taxpayers (or the government) additional funds. America has the means to follow through with John McCain’s 3R plan, ready and in place across the USA. The buildings we need sit vacant for the most part. By assuming leases on abandoned stores and factories across America with MC-3R schools and mini-manufacturing training centers, the USA made products can be sold and support the stores. Building owners write off the loss in taxes over a few years if they donate the space!
This is the new place for financial speculators to invest!
The speculators who first drove the economy with mortgage investments and most recently with crude oil investments have a better arena for their investments. America as nation of industrious individuals who want to work and want to succeed will make them huge profits. The supply of eager Americans with ideas and dreams to prosper is limitless.
Although the thousands of new businesses manufacturing USA Made products is exciting enough, the real excitement comes from the massive amount of additional jobs that will be created to provide the new housing, new buildings, new parks, shopping, grocery stores, schools, government outlets and so much more.
McCain’s Progressive nature embodies Theodore Roosevelt more than any US presidential candidate in history since the original Rough Rider blazed the greatest era of growth in America.
We need John McCain to lead our nation with the same type of change.