Conservation Strategies

I haven't been bashful on how I feel about re-building New Orleans, a city 12-feet blow sea level in an area that gets lots of hurricanes. The levees are in disrepair around the city, and the wetlands have all but been destroyed. Future hurricanes could cause just as much or more damage than Katrina; yet, here we go with a $200 billion effort to set the dominos up; er, I mean, rebuild the city. And do you have a warm and fuzzy feeling about the accuracy of government estimates regarding the costs? Me neither. Instead of using $200B in federal aid to line up the dominos in New Orleans, how about using the $200B to create a conservation drive? For example:

* All consumers who own vehicles that get less than 25 mpg, could get a check from the government for trading it in for a vehicle that gets above 40 mpg.

* All consumers who own a vehicle that gets less than 25 mpg will be assessed an annual $1000 Oil tax by their local DMV, that gets sent to Washington DC. For vehicles between 25-40 mpg, a $500 Oil tax. Over 40 mpg, no Oil tax. This money would be used to fund infrastructure issues and whatever else needed to keep the oil flowing. (That "whatever else" probably includes military funding to keep fighting for foreign oil. How sad is that reality?)

* Consumers who rely on heating oil to heat their homes, could qualify for a government check to help them buy pellet stoves.

* Somewhere in the mix has to be a plan to build more nuclear plants, and drill for more domestic sources of oil. It'd be great to have some initiatives for solar and wind power, and none of this funky CA-Democrat rules about fair wages that would derail the process. Just get it done.

I know these ideas aren't perfect and are a little rough around the edges, but isn't it about time we got started doing something? If there were ever a time for all of Americans to unite together, regardless of party affiliation, shouldn't this be it?