Rising oil prices- back over 4 dollars due to Ike- have pushed America and the world towards alternatives to oil. It no longer matters whether the ANWR or offshore reefs are opened up for drilling; soon (within the 9 years necessary for the oil to start flowing), oil companies will either have to adapt to a world where oil is unimportant, or die off. Unfortunately, this is also causing biofuel and coal use to increase too, with the resulting consequences for the environment and food prices.
It's no coincidence that every single alternate energy field is booming, at the same time Americans are cutting back on their energy consumption.
Nuclear Power? Check.
Biofuels? Check, although that may not be a good thing.
Coal?It may not be green, but it is being caught in the rising tide.
Wind power? Check.
Solar Power? Check,_check,_and checkmate.
Even T. Boone Pickens is investing in alternative energy sources, according to CNN.
Once investment in alternate energy gets started, it will continue to move faster and faster, as mass-production and more research money make it cheaper, more efficient, and more and more profitable. Luckily enough, that investment has gotten started, and so every day stopping the Green Revolution gets harder and harder.
To paraphrase Thomas Friedman's latest column, Making America Stupid, Innovate, Baby, Innovate.
The timing of this rise is significant. This liberal cause will alleviate pressure on the US economy as Obama, a Democrat, comes into office, driving yet another nail into the Republican coffin. Also, because liberals tend to be innovators, and innovators liberals (*cough* Daily Kos & Google, compared to, what, RedState and Conservapedia?), the Democratic party may start getting even more money.