Freedoms Truth

Environmentalism May Face Major Setback in 2009

"While I am not so concerned with the environment, I am concerned about the super dependence on oil. Oil producer monopolists and cartels of the world need some real competition for a change."
What you have to understand is that cap-and-trade and other anti-energy policies will HARM our ability to get to energy independence. Why? We are the 'saudi arabia' of coal, and cap-and-trade is all about killing coal, not stopping oil imports. Cap-and-trade is about bringing the USA down a peg economically.

The solution for energy independence is simple:
1. Oil import tariff of maybe $30/barrel to get a floor on prices for alternatives
2. Open up US drilling, offshore, ANWR, etc. pursue oil shale in Colorado. Pursue NG hydrates in Alaska and the huge NG reserves offshore Cali.
3. Build more nuclear power plants and say yes to all forms of domestic energy. Wind, etc. OTOH Solar and hydrogen are pipedreams, and ethanol is a waste of money. Dont fund the non-economic forms of energy and dont force 'renewable' mandates that cost a lot and do no good. If the goal is energy independence have an 'all of the above' approach that supports on a level basis all alternatives.
4. plug-in hybrids that run on CNG/biofuels and the electricity based on domestic nuclear energy.
5. Add to gas tax (reduces conumption better than CAFE stds) and make it economically helpful via using the money to reduce payroll taxes, but dont tax alt fuels.
6. Build a better battery to support #4.

Result would be more domestic energy and reduction in clout of our OPEC 'friends'.