As you may have noticed, I've been writing about energy quite a bit these days, complained about the lack of attention it was getting, and then got a lot of it! I'd like to use this position to make things move forward in a concrete way, and use the power of the community to come up with a message that could be used in a consistent way by Dems on the topic of energy.
As I wrote in my previous diary, I think it would make sense to summarise the policy in a few easily understood points.
We need these to be explicit, on target, and simple.
To get there, I'd like all of you to pitch in. I am providing a first draft below, based on the many suggestions I have found in my earlier diaries and prepared jointly with Meteor Blades and Devilstower (who both intend to work with me in a joint effort on this), and I'd like you to critique this mercilessly, with a view to improving it.
Here we go:
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Democrats have a plan to provide reliable and sustainable energy for all Americans
- The Bush/Cheney energy policy is ruining America
- Energy is a national security issue. America deserves a comprehensive policy and strong leadership
- Diversification and conservation must be encouraged
- A smart energy policy will create jobs and prosperity
- We need measurable goals
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Democrats have a plan to provide reliable and sustainable energy for all Americans
We acknowledge the seriousness of the energy situation. We care about all Americans and will guarantee that higher energy prices do not penalize unfairly our economically weakest citizens. We propose simple measures (Mileage Credit Act, emission trading, Renewable Portfolio Standard, Home Improvement Credit Act [...]) that will yield immediate results by making it possible for Americans to make smart and informed choices. We will fund R&D in technologies that are not yet mature and will make it easier for our companies to find the smartest ways to bring them to the market. We are planning for the future, for a healthy, competitive, safe and diverse America.
The Bush/Cheney energy policy is ruining America
Under Bush, billions of dollars of giveaways to Big Energy have sunk the budget. Yet energy prices have gone up across the board. Lax enforcement or reversal of rules that protect the environment are ruining our children's future, and our relations with a number of key energy suppliers around the world have soured out of hubris or incompetence. Global warming is becoming more obvious by the day. The administration is ignoring this very real energy crisis, relying on the same "solutions" that have left Gulf Coast residents helpless and abandoned; reckless and wasteful spending on "other priorities," cronyism, neglect of the environment, and short-term fixes - all behind closed doors.
Energy is a national security issue. America deserves a comprehensive policy and strong leadership
Diplomacy, homeland security, and the economy are all connected through our energy policies. America is importing 60% of the oil it burns, from places like Iran, Venezuela or Russia. We are sending growing amounts of money to regimes that are hostile to us or to their own populations. Increasing prices are threatening the competitivity of our industry, our jobs and our prosperity. Dependence on oil and its concentrated infrastructure is making us vulnerable to unpredictable - but frequent - events like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Oil and gas production is likely to peak in in the not too distant future while demand - and competition for the remaining resources - from China, India and others is increasing rapidly. Doing nothing is not an option.
Diversification and conservation must be encouraged.
We cannot live without our cars - Americans deserve to have more choice: more fuel-efficient vehicles, safe and reliable public transportation, or walkable communities with nearby shopping and work opportunities. Conservation efforts will be encouraged, via programs to help Americans save on their utility bills [link to more detailed proposals to be provided] and encourage them to use more efficient cars [link to DT's Mileage Credit Act]. All alternatives to hydrocarbons will be encouraged simultaneously: renewable energies (via Renewable Portfolio Standards), clean coal (with tightened emissions rules), nuclear (with appropriate standards), biofuels. We trust our engineers and technicians to innovate and take the leadership in the technologies of tomorrow, and help American companies stand at the forefront of this movement.
A smart energy policy will create jobs and prosperity.
Conservation is the cheapest energy source, and it is all in America. Simple improvements on our homes, cars and industrial facilities can yield great returns, if our capacity for innovation and hard work is properly encouraged and focused, Renewable energy will offer America permanently cheaper energy, a better environment for our children, local, well-paying jobs, and the lead in vital technologies for the future.
We need measurable goals
Our goals are simple, and we commit to putting in place the policies to reach them:
- 20% of our electricity from renewables in 2020
- 20% reduction of our consumption [imports?] of oil and natural gas by 2020
- 20% reduction in our carbon emissions by 2020
Democrats take this vital issue seriously and offer responsible long-term solutions.
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This is meant as a statement of principles, and will need to be backed up by more detailed presentations on the analysis of the situation and the concrete proposals to be made. We should discuss these at a later stage, once we agree on this general document.
So, what do you think? Do you feel anything is missing, or that there is too much? Do you have better wording? A different way to present ideas? The floor is yours. And if you don't have suggestions or comments to bring up, do rate the ideas of others to give them more weight. I will try to make sense of all of your input to provide a new version, and we can start again until a reasonable number of us are reasonably happy.
My only request: provide positive input, i.e. if you don't like one point (or any), propose an alternative. We will use this input to prepare a new version (or several ones) for further discussion. Once we feel we have something that works, we'll try to push it to the outside world.