George Bush's stance on energy policy
Energy Policy: The United States both produces and imports more energy than any other nation in the world. Since 1990, proven oil reserves in the US have dropped by 20%. Meanwhile, China's rapidly increasing energy consumption is placing upward pressure on oil prices, which this month reached prices of 50 dollars per barrel for the first time in history. In the future, some fear American dependence upon energy from volatile areas like the Middle East and Africa could damage our economy.
George W. Bush:
Description of Candidate's Position: President Bush has proposed a national energy policy (which became the Energy Bill) that focuses on increased energy production and decreases dependency on foreign sources of energy. This policy proposed building nuclear power plants, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and natural gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico (but not near Florida).His policy provides funding for initiatives to increase fuel economy and develop technologies for hydrogen-fueled vehicles. This policy has not yet been passed by Congress. To help make energy production more efficient, Bush will ease laws restricting the construction of oil refineries and modernize our nation's electricity grid. Finally, to decrease energy consumption, Bush will offer tax credits for constructing energy-efficient homes and purchasing highly fuel-efficient vehicles.
Quotation from the Candidate: "We can restore investor confidence by building a better business environment for years to come, starting with having a realistic, sound energy policy -- a policy that says, of course, we can conserve better, but we need to aggressively seek new supplies. We need an aggressive, forward-thinking energy policy that balances the needs of our environment with the needs of the people of the country.
Assessment of the Proposal:
Positive: The Heritage Foundation, a foremost conservative think tank, has claimed that President Bush's proposed energy plan rightly focuses attention on increasing domestic energy production. They believe that drilling in ANWR will enhance our nation's energy independence.
Negative: The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, believes that Bush's energy policy goes against Republican Party principles by showing distrust in the ability of private business to provide a continuous supply of quality energy. Furthermore, they believe he wants to give money and tax credits to technologies that are impractical on the national scale.
Comparison: Kerry also believes that energy independence must be the primary focus of any energy policy. However, Kerry did not support the Energy Bill because he believes it didn't contain any long-term solutions to our energy problems. Furthermore, Kerry believes that renewable energy sources, rather than energy production, must play a primary role in future energy independence.
Link to Kerry Issue Brief.