Interesting comparison on where Obama stands on energy. He's running his campaign on this energy policy, which many Americans should remember from
2006 and 2007 - it's almost identical to George W. Bush's!
Obama's energy goals, taken right from his website:
1. Reduce the Burden of Rising Gas Prices on Working Families
2. Reduce Carbon Emissions 80 Percent by 2050
3. Invest in a Clean Energy Future
4. Support Next Generation Biofuels
5. Set America on Path to Oil Independence
6. Improve Energy Efficiency 50 Percent by 2030
7. Restore U.S. Leadership on Climate Change
Source:
www.barackobama.com...
Bush (in 2006):
Keeping America competitive requires reliable, affordable, and clean supplies of energy.
Sounds like #3 above
Over the past five years, my Administration has taken steps to increase the domestic supply of energy, including alternative and renewable
sources.
We will also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn, but from wood chips, stalks, or switch
grass.
Like #4 above, introduction of Ethanol
By 2017, the renewable fuel and fuel efficiency components of the plan would cut annual emissions from cars and light trucks by as much as 10
percent, about 175 million metric tons – equal to zeroing out the annual emissions of 26 million automobiles.
The plan could cumulatively prevent the buildup of more than 600 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Sounds like #2 above
For the sake of our economic and national security, we must reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy – including on the natural gas
that is a source of electricity for many American homes and the crude oil that supplies gasoline for our cars. To achieve this objective, we will take
advantage of technology. My Advanced Energy Initiative provides for a 22-percent increase in funding for clean-energy technology research at the
Department of Energy.
Just like #5 above
To change how we power our homes and offices, we will invest more in zero-emission coal-fired plants, revolutionary solar and wind technologies,
and clean, safe nuclear energy. To change how we power our automobiles, we will increase our research in better batteries for hybrid and electric cars
and in pollution-free cars that run on hydrogen.
Sound familiar to Barack Obama's mantra of pushing for alternative sources of energy?
We have also worked to improve energy efficiency and to make our energy infrastructure more secure and reliable.
Like #6 above, except the link provided below goes into great detail about how this efficiency can be achieved.
As for reducing the burden of rising gas prices, the only way this can happen is to reduce demand. Once the price gets too high, demand drops off and
the price goes down, just like we are seeing now. I honestly don't see how Obama plans on reducing the burden of rising fuel costs on families. He
says he's all for another round of tax rebates, or the idea has come up to give taxpayers like $1,000 taken from a tax on oil companies. Bad idea for
two reasons - 1. You're subsidizing fuel with that money and increasing demand which will increase the price; 2. Oil companies will raise prices to
compensate for the tax.
And on climate change??? Give me a break! We can't even get scientists to agree or deny that global warming is caused by car emissions or is a part
of a natural cycle.
So given this info, Obama isn't introducing anything new with his energy policy! In this way, he's more like Bush than people say he is!
Source:
www.whitehouse.gov...
and
www.whitehouse.gov...