OPINION/COMMENTARY

Kerry’s Energy Plan Fails to Match the President’s for Helping Consumers

Let’s be clear; neither candidate has an energy plan to lead America to energy independence. Energy independence is a myth. Like everything else in this age of globalization, energy is bought and sold on the world market and that is not going to change. Moreover, estimates indicate that during the next 20 years, U.S. oil consumption will grow by one-third and electricity demand could increase by more than 45 percent. Having said this, the comprehensive energy plan that President Bush put forward early in his administration clearly does more to secure future supplies of affordable energy than candidate Kerry’s recently announced energy plan. The Bush administration laid out 105 recommendations, 42 of which encouraged conservation and environmental protection, while 35 of the recommendations dealt with diversifying the U.S. energy supply and modernizing our antiquated electric and natural gas delivery systems. The plan was not perfect; no plan would be. However, it was comprehensive and the proposals did not contradict each other....