U.S. Chamber of Commerce: President Tom Donahue- 'A Comprehensive, Commonsense National Energy Policy'

Source:U.S. Chamber of Commerce- Tom Donahue: President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue discusses energy, energy policy and the importance of the Institute for 21st Century Energy's release of an open letter to the 44th President of the United States and the 111th Congress which puts forth 13 principles that must serve as the foundation of a comprehensive, common-sense national energy policy." 

From the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Americans are a very resourceful people with many skills and talents that they have. And all the fields and sectors we are able to compete in. Another one would be our vast natural resources with all the resources that we have that we don't use and promote for our energy consumption. Despite all of our natural resources, we don't use all of them or not nearly enough to the point that we are still importing foreign oil and importing oil from foreign nations that don't always sometimes rarely if ever have our best interest at heart. Like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Kuwait, Libya, Venezuela. 

And now we the Obama Administration is even encouraging Brazil to drill for oil, which creates jobs in Brazil. But does nothing to create jobs in America, instead of encouraging American oil companies to drill for oil, in I don't know, let's say in America, where we have plenty of oil to drill for that we don't drill. That would create a lot of good high-skilled and well paid jobs that we need in America. 

Despite Sarah Palin's expertise in the oil sector from being Governor of Alaska and being able to see Russia from her backyard (and no I don't mean that seriously) Drill, Baby Drill is nothing more than a cute pop culture catch phrase. Coming from a very cute, wannabe politician. We do have a good supply of oil in America, but it's not enough to get us to energy independence on its own. We need a wide-range of menu options to reach energy independence. 

America has if not all the natural energy resources in the world, about all the natural energy resources in the world. Only Russia would top us in the amount of natural energy resources. We have oil, water, gas, natural gas, nuclear, ethanol, solar, wind, heat and I'm sure more. But we really only promote oil and gas and ethanol to a certain extent. And we don't do a very good job of that. We should be promoting all of these natural energy resources. Making the economic climate as good for them as possible to produce their energy in America. Without giving them corporate welfare. 

The renewable energy sources are great because well they can be used over again. Which is also great for the environment. This means wind and solar, but the problem with these renewable sources is they are not ready to become the major energy sources in America yet. Because we haven't developed them yet. Which means we should start developing them now, while we continue to use our energy sources that are already established in America that we have an abundance of oil, natural gas, nuclear, electricity, and ethanol. 

What we should be doing in America is eliminating corporate welfare including subsidy's for big oil and gas, with a broader tax reform package. But in exchange for allowing big oil and gas to drill in areas of the country where they don't have much of an impact right now. Like in the Southeast, Southwest and Rocky Mountains. 

See, a comprehensive energy policy for America helps up on four fronts. Our economy of course because of all the high-skilled well paid jobs it would create in brand new energy industry's. But it also helps us with our foreign policy by getting us off of foreign oil. So we're no longer dependent on foreign nations for our our energy consumption. And they would have less leverage on us, when we need them to do something. 

This would also helps us with our environmental policy because of all the renewable energy sources it would be promoting. And it also helps us with our deficit and debt outlook because of all the new economic activity it would create. 

There are no silver bullets to fixing our dependence on foreign oil. Despite what big oil and gas and their allies may say, it will take a comprehensive approach to doing this, by promoting all of our vast natural resources. As well as consuming less energy with new fuel and mileage standards. But its something that we need to do, the well being of our economy depends on it.