Oil Reserves for War Not Politics

May 19, 2004

The Bush Administration plans to fill our Strategic Petroleum Reserve by 2005.  Most of the reserve is in Louisiana where large salt caverns will eventually hold 700 million barrels of oil. The program was started in 1977 when the nation finally realized an oil reserve would be helpful in a crisis or oil supply disruption.

The Reserve is part of the debate today as it was in in 2000 when candidate Gore wanted timed releases from the Reserve to control oil prices. This was "pure politics" by Gore then and by candidate Kerry now. Kerry wants a stop to filling the Reserve with some Democrats calling for oil releases.

At least Bush has been consistent about the Reserve.

In September 2000 he said the petroleum reserve was for a “sudden disruption of our energy supply, or for war. The strategic reserve should not be used as an attempt to drive down oil prices right before an election. It should not be used for short- term political gain at the cost of long-term national security.”     “Tapping the Oil Reserves”, September 21, 2000, Online News Hour with Jim Lehrer, PBS.

Bush was right then.

Today Bush said, "The idea of emptying the Strategic Petroleum Reserve would put America in a dangerous position in the war on terror.” and  "We will not play politics with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve."     Reuters, 05/19/2004.

He is right now.

The Reserve only causes debate when oil prices rise during an election year. The rhetoric is political and simplistic and confirms how politicians care very little about our energy needs.

Instead of talking about the Reserve, politicians should be proposing credible and detailed plans to improve supply, reduce demand and improve energy efficiencies.

Americans deserve a government willing to work on energy problems all the time. Neither political party has been willing to do this since the Reserve was created in 1977.  It is frustrating that politicians have caused our energy problems by politicizing a very important problem.