Richard Nixon on Energy: "We Must Use Less"
Doing the right thing for the wrong reasons
“In the short run...we must use less energy”
Huh? Say again? Nixon said, “(W)e must use less energy”?
Yup. He said that.
“In the short run, this course means that we must use less energy--that means less heat, less electricity, less gasoline. In the long run, it means that we must develop new sources of energy which will give us the capacity to meet our needs without relying on any foreign nation.” (1)
Really???
He went on: “The immediate shortage will affect the lives of each and every one of us. In our factories, our cars, our homes, our offices, we will have to use less fuel than we are accustomed to using. Some school and factory schedules may be realigned, and some jet airplane flights will be canceled.” (1)
Wow!!! Nixon actually told the country to ration energy??
Okay, okay, I confess. I’m taking this out of context.
In 1973, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) imposed an oil embargo in retaliation for U.S. support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War. Accordingly, demand for petroleum was outstripping supply. Long lines of cars queued for gasoline. (2)
So all that Nixon was attempting to do was deal with what he thought would be a short term constriction. It wasn’t like he was suddenly becoming an environmentalist.
In fact, he simultaneously spoke of converting power sources from oil to…..ready?….coal.
He also wanted to accelerate the construction of nuclear power plants. And step up domestic oil production. Oooookay.
Yet in other respects, Nixon ended up (as I like to say) “doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.” As part of the same address, he spoke of setting a national speed limit of fifty miles per hour.
Subsequently, the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act of 1974 set the limit at fifty-five miles per hour. It remained in force until 1995. (3)
I note as a wry aside how he ended his speech:
“As a result of the deplorable Watergate matter, great numbers of Americans have had doubts raised as to the integrity of the President of the United States. I have even noted that some publications have called on me to resign the Office of President of the United States.”
“Tonight I would like to give my answer to those who have suggested that I resign.”
“I have no intention whatever of walking away from the job I was elected to do.” (1)
Ah, another one of history’s chestnuts.
#RichardNixon
#Energy
#EnergyConservation
#RichardNixonEnergy
#SpeedLimit55
#Watergate
Sources:
(2) https://history.state.gov/milestones/1969-1976/oil-embargo
(3) https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-signs-national-speed-limit-into-law