Business and Economy , National
Are we stockpiling too much oil?
By John Hockenberry and Adaora Udoji
April 21, 2008, 02:45 AM
The Takeaway
The Department of Energy is continuing to add to the nation's 700-million-barrel Strategic Petroleum Reserve at a time when oil prices are at all-time highs. Taxpayers are footing the bill.
Is the Bush administration expecting a geopolitical catastrophe? Or is this just plain idiocy on the part of the administration? We talk with economist and author Stephen Leeb.
Takeaway facts:
- The United States has the largest oil reserve in the world, with the capacity to hold 727 million barrels. The second largest is Japan's with a capacity of 579 million barrels.
- Representatives at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve say that the Bush administration is required by the International Energy Agency to have a 90-day oil supply. Right now, the United States has 58 days of supply.
Guest: Stephen Leeb, economist and author of "The Oil Factor"
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The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International,
in collaboration with The BBC World Service, New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
