An Energy Plan with Depth

I don’t know about you but I’m tired of politically expedient politicians pandering for our votes with simple solutions to complex problems. I’m also tired of uninformed people allowing themselves to be so easily manipulated. This time, this year, this November, it has to be different.

John McCain says his energy policy consists of drilling in ANWR, and drilling offshore. Yes, that’s the ticket. T. Boone Pickens says in his recent TV advertisement “This is one crisis we can’t drill our way out of.” Who’s correct? Pickens, of course, certainly not McCain. Pickens knows the truth and is telling the American people. He knows the answer will involve a range of solutions that include aggressive development of alternative fuels, renewable energy sources, advanced technology in generating coal-fired electricity, construction of safe and secure nuclear generation facilities, and enhanced development of technology to extract petroleum from American oil shale – to name a few areas of national energy policy concentration.

That’s a lot to put on our plate, but we have to do it all. Americans need to stop looking to candidates to give them short-term knee jerk solutions to complex problems. That will not put us any closer to energy independence – which is what everyone wants. Energy independence is the only way we can regain control of our own economic destiny.

Look, when the first Arab oil embargo occurred in October 1973, lines formed around service stations, sometimes for miles, as Americans waited for gasoline. Politicians beat their breast and said “we must never again put ourselves at the mercy of the OPEC nations.” Yeah, right. We took that to heart, didn’t we? It’s time to get serious.

Obama has come to us in 2008, dismissing Hillary and John McCain’s idea of a gas tax holiday and other short term “solutions.” He has resisted the temptation to play their game. I find him refreshing in that he is truly seeking to put on the table the beginnings, at least, of a long range energy plan. He wants to:

1. Increase fuel economy standards

2. Invest in plug in hybrid electric vehicles

3. Develop the next generation of sustainable biofuels

4. Establish a national low carbon fuel standard

5. Develop and deploy clean coal technology

6. Invest in a “Smart Grid” for the reliable transmission of electricity

7. …and the list goes on and on.

I’m ready for a plan with depth and breath, aren’t you?