Obama in NC urges end to oil dependency

From GoUpsate: Obama in NC urges end to oil dependency

MOUNT HOLLY, N.C. — President Barack Obama on Wednesday made his most urgent appeal yet for the nation to wean itself from oil, calling it a “fuel of the past” and demanding that the United States broaden its approach to energy.

Mindful of the political dangers of high gas prices, he said shrinking demand for oil must drive the solution.

Obama, promoting his energy policies in a politically prominent state that will host the Democratic National Convention, called on Congress to provide $1 billion in grants to local communities to encourage greater use of fuel-efficient technologies. The administration’s goal is to make electric vehicles as affordable and convenient as gasoline-powered vehicles by 2020. [Aren't we bankrupt? Isn't our debt ceiling over a trillion dollars? Where does he think this money is going to come from? How about weaning our dependence on people's tax money?]

The president also proposed greater tax incentives to encourage the purchase and use of more fuel-efficient vehicles. [How abut tax incentives for people who can't afford new, hybrid cars and still need to drive to work, or on vacations across country so they can see what this country "used" to look like, before all the tourist-based businesses go belly up because no one can afford to travel anymore.]

Gasoline prices are at their highest levels for this time of year and Obama has been traveling in recent weeks to promote energy proposals he says will reduce foreign oil dependency over the long term.

“We need to invest in the technology that will help us use less oil in our cars and our trucks, and our buildings, and our factories,” Obama said. “That’s the only solution to the challenge. Because as we start using less, that lowers the demand, prices come down.” [He doesn't know much about economics. Prices rise so businesses can earn the same amount of money from fewer customers.]

The president spoke at a Daimler truck plant in Mount Holly, N.C., a state with political implications for his re-election. He traveled there as the Republican field seeking to defeat him in November remains unsettled. Mitt Romney squeezed out a win in pivotal Ohio on Tuesday, captured five other states and padded his delegate lead in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. But the front-runner was forced to share the Super Tuesday spotlight with a resurgent Rick Santorum. Obama’s attention to energy comes as high gas prices put a strain on pocket books. On Wednesday, the nationwide average for regular unleaded slipped less than a penny to $3.761 per gallon, according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. While the price has stabilized somewhat over the past two days, a gallon of regular unleaded is still 48.5 cents higher than it was at the beginning of the year.

Republicans have been pointedly critical of Obama, blaming his energy policies for the spike in gasoline prices. Gingrich has argued that as president, he would reduce the price of gasoline to $2.50 a gallon.

Without naming Gingrich, Obama dismissed his claim.

“Next time you hear some politician trotting out some three point plan for $2 gas, you let him know we know better,” Obama said. “Tell him we’re tired of hearing phony election year promises that never come about.” [Drill here, drill now. Prices will come down.]

Selecting North Carolina for his energy message has a strong election-year undertone. Obama won North Carolina by only 14,000 votes in 2008, the slimmest margin of all the states he carried. He was the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter to carry the state.

Obama struck a cheerful, relaxed pose, engaging in a bit of call-and response with the crowd and praising the hospitality of North Carolinians.

“Even the folks who don’t vote for me, they’re nice to me, they usually wave five fingers,” he joked.

The visit marked Obama’s first to a foreign automaker as president, but he was pushing a familiar theme.