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By

Scott Conroy /

CNET/ August 27, 2008, 5:35 PM

T. Boone Pickens Predicts $200 A Barrel Oil

(DENVER) In town for the Democratic convention to promote his "Pickens Plan" for alternative energy, billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens predicted $200 a barrel oil within three years.

"In two or three years, we're going to be at $200 a barrel—could be $300 a barrel for oil," Pickens said inside the "Big Tent," a complex outside the Pepsi Center set up for bloggers. "And consequently, our economy is going to struggle and our security is just—it's a disaster."

Pickens was joined on stage by Sierra Club president Carl Pope and Center for American Progress president John Podesta, both of whom endorsed The Pickens Plan, although each called for additional proposals.

Pickens said the United States is blessed with "two corridors" that are conducive to alternative energy sources: the "wind corridor" from Texas to Canada and the "solar corridor" from Texas to California. Although Pickens said he agreed with Al Gore that global warming is a major problem, his first priority is to help reverse the tide of sending billions of dollars overseas for America's energy needs.

"I can promise you, if we go ten years without doing anything more than what we've done about our energy plan in America, if we just duplicate the last ten years, it'll be closer to ten trillion dollars," Pickens said. "Well, a sad part about that is if we pay ten trillion dollars for energy from foreign sources in the next ten years, I can tell you we don't have to worry about health care or education. We're not going to have the money to do anything about it."

Pickens said that hundreds of thousands of new jobs could be created in the alternative energy corridors.

"We're not talking about me and my generation," Pickens said. "I can make it to the finish line, and some of you out there I see could too, but there's a lot of you can, but our kids and grandkids can't, and that's what it's about. We have got to change what we're doing on energy. We've gone 40 years with no plan. My dad said, 'A fool with a plan, son, will beat a genius with no plan.' We are like a fool with no plan. We have done nothing."
© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.
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    Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.

10 Comments Add a Comment
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mattcat25 says:
This situation with over priced fuel is exactly what the Republican Conservatives have been working for over the last 8 years of Oilmen Bush and Cheney. You only have to look as far as the Republicans in Congress and their back pockets being filled by Private Multinational Oil Corporations to find the reason why Americans are being gouged at the pump.

Sure demand has risen in the world, but is way down in the US. The price of Oil should be at about $80.00 per barrel which is still too high! But considering the unstable situation with the US occupying Iraq and the constant threat of further military conflict has allowed speculation to reap havoc on the world market price per barrel.

Oil Companies (that aren%u2019t even American any longer but, private multinational corporations with bank accounts in Dubai) are not drilling in already approved leased land to short the American People of supply. Congress needs to first enforce a %u201Cuse it or lose it%u201D bill spur Oil Companies to start producing on fields they%u2019ve been sitting on to assist the drive of the price per barrel.

The United States needs a comprehensive energy strategy that is exactly 180 degrees away from the invisible tax the Republicans have levied upon the American People to divert wealth from the masses to the elite private sector.
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tonysp2 says:
I''m sure T Boone Pickens is rooting for $300 a barrel oil. It will help his natural gas business. T Boone Pickens is just another disgraced billionaire like all the corrupt subprime bankers who make such a large part of the Bush administration.
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BeyondGreen says:
The exorbitant price of fuel has driven up the price of everything from the increased production and shipping costs. I have yet to hear more than a sugar coated one liner from either candidates as to their plans to bring Americans relief. Does either candidate even have a plan other than to support new off shore drilling. It is easy to say we need to decrease our dependence of foreign oil and seek out alternative fuel sources, but where''s the beef...where''s the plan?

sites to share if you should be interested...

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jayblrdi says:
Tcoleman oil companies have made it clear that they have enough supply to meet the demand. That''s not the problem. They are making record profits and they are just looking to exploit politicians to get their hands on more land to use in the future.

Oil companies in the US already have access to land that they haven''t started drilling on yet. They just want to use this as excuse to grab more.

And by the way if they get more land it will be 7-10 years before the oil hits the market. It is also unlikely that the oil from offshore drilling will have a significant effect on the price of oil.
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deacon20081 says:
Pickens main goal is not wind energy, it is WATER. He wants control of land sitting on an aquafer. We in Texas are familiar with Pickens I assure you.
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deacon20081 says:
Posted by tcoleman12
Seriously, JoeReed, what is Obama going to fix?
Obama is not interested in Domestic Drilling. Obama is not interested in increasing Refining. Obama is not interested in building additional Nuclear Power Facilities in the US. Obama is not interested in Clean Coal power.
Maybe wind, solar? How much gasoline will that produce in 3 years when we are behind supply/demand wise now?
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Where do you get this insight? The GOP disinformation machine?
You mention Refining...Valero has SHUT DOWN 2 Refineries in the last several months. Why? "They say they will not make gas unless they can make more money on it" Oil is too expensive they say.


This is a Democrats fault?
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rockpeterson says:
My Dad worked for 33 years in the energy industry, first for Skelly Oil, then Getty Oil. I can''t believe that we will have $200.00 per barrel oil. The price of oil is dictated by the law of supply and demand. If it costs too much, Americans will not pay. It''s as simple as that.
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tcoleman12 says:
Seriously, JoeReed, what is Obama going to fix?
Obama is not interested in Domestic Drilling. Obama is not interested in increasing Refining. Obama is not interested in building additional Nuclear Power Facilities in the US. Obama is not interested in Clean Coal power.
Maybe wind, solar? How much gasoline will that produce in 3 years when we are behind supply/demand wise now?
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joereed007 says:
Obama can fix it. Republicans can''t fix anything, they create, ignore or hasten the problem.
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bladdy10 says:
Could someone please explain to me what difference it makes to us ''common people'' who it is squeezing our last dime out of our pockets? T Boone or some arab shieck has only one thing on his mind and that is profit. Seriously, I want an answer. Hey T Boone or any other rich robber barron why don''t you invest in solar panels for our houses so we can get off of the grid all together? All this alternative energy talk is just more of the same Con Job Americas rich and powerful has been foisting on us since the country began. Pay atention folks, everything about this country is a con job designed to seperate you from what little money you have left. Want some good advice? Run away from your upside down mortgage now. Who is more important to you? Your family or your bank? But don''t be lazy, remember what it said on the gates of Auschwitz.
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