ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

If we want a reduction in Greenhouse gases and/or a reduction of dependence on despotic petro-states with horrendous human rights records, we need a long term plan towards energy independence.

All sane plans must recognize certain truths.

We have two main sources of energy:

1. nature-dependent (wind/solar/hydro)

2. nature independent (oil/gas/nuclear)

In the nature-dependent category, we should maximally incentivize a domestic industrial/manufacturing base to bring all sources on line as soon as possible.

However, given that nature is inherently unpredictable, we need to ensure domestic capacity to backup the entire electrical grid.

Nuclear is cleaner than natural gas, which is cleaner than oil, which is cleaner than coal.

Every $1 that gas prices rise, drains $100 billion/year from the pockets of working Americans and directs those funds to the shareholders of oil corporations, and into the coffers of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Venezuela.

This is a level of leverage our leaders have given to foreigners who share little of our values and interests.