Summary
For the second time in as many weeks, President Bush has gently suggested that Americans should conserve gasoline by driving less. This time he went farther and suggested that the federal government should set the example by encouraging employees to use public transportation and by using less energy. If the president were serious about conservation and not just hoping to minimize the economic consequences of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, he'd follow up with policies to boost automobile fuel efficiency and to promote alternative energy. Instead, expect he and Republicans in Congress to push for more lenient energy exploration rules. Consider it an opportunity lost.
After Hurricane Rita shut down much of the oil production in the Gulf Coast, which was recovering from Hurricane Katrina, the president said that if Americans were "able to maybe not drive on a trip that's not essential, that would be helpful." Not exactly forceful, but a nudge in the right direction. "We can all pitch in by being better conservers of energy," he said before heading off for an aerial tour of Texas regions hit by Rita.See the full content of this document
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Energy Conservers
Tourism officials immediately worried that the president's message would dissuade peopl...
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