T. Boone Pickens appeared on the MSNBC news program “Morning Joe” to talk about the third anniversary of the Pickens Plan to reduce America’s dependence on OPEC Oil.
Boone told hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski that over the past 10 years we have spent one trillion dollars on OPEC oil. “And you know where that money’s gone,” he said.
Boone went on to say that because of increased consumption and higher prices “if we don’t make any changes over the next ten years we will send $2.2 trillion to OPEC nations for their oil.”
The portion of the Pickens Plan which is contained in the NAT GAS Act (H.R. 1380) calls for a targeted tax credit for heavy duty truck owners to replace their current vehicles burning imported diesel with new trucks running on domestic natural gas.
Scarborough asked Pickens how much the NAT GAS act would cost and how much it would save. Pickens said the total cost would not exceed $5 billion over five years but it would reduce our need for OPEC oil by half – a potential savings of more than one trillion dollars over the next ten years.
Joe Scarborough pointed out that Boone had spoken in Marin County (just outside San Francisco) which is known as a particularly liberal area. He asked how Boone was received.
Boone said, when he was asked about his politics, he told the crowd “I’m a patriotic old man with a good idea.”
Boone said he “got a standing ovation.”
To see the entire interview on the MSNBC website, click HERE.