Politico – Dear 44: Taking Back Our Energy Future

6/20/08

Rising gas prices have placed energy on the top of the worry list for many Americans. The key question for our elected leaders is whether they will continue with an ineffective, stovepipe approach to our energy challenges or finally adopt a comprehensive, common-sense energy plan that will address the broad range of consumer needs.

Recent history does not give us much confidence. Six months ago, Washington lawmakers were high-fiving and backslapping over their incredible success in passing a new big energy bill only two years after the last one. Despite taking to the floor or the podium repeatedly to warn constituents that there was no single silver bullet to ease rising prices, somehow a miracle had happened in Washington.

When the energy bill was passed, oil was at $95 a barrel and prices at the pump averaged $2.81. Now oil has risen more than 30 percent to a new world record, gas and food prices are soaring, and everyone has sticker shock and buyer's remorse.

So quick, let’s find a new instant hit — let’s get rid of the gas tax. No, let’s raise the gas tax. Let’s tax the oil companies and prohibit new discoveries of our own oil and gas resources. Let’s sue OPEC and suspend deliveries of oil to our nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Let’s prevent the construction of clean coal plants and new nuclear plants that collectively supply 70 percent of U.S. electricity. Let’s make sure that NIMBY — Not in My Back Yard — is a thing of the past and instead embrace NOPE — Not on Planet Earth. Oh, and let’s let incentives for solar and wind electricity expire.

If it wasn’t so serious, it would be great fodder for late-night comedy shows. But it is serious, and short-sighted solutions are doing a dramatic disservice to the American public, to our economic competitiveness and international standing.

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