ACTION ALERT: The 2020 Energy Plan

October 10th, 2005 - by admin

Hon. Harry Reid / US House of Representatives – 2005-10-10 00:21:50

http://giveemhellharry.com/page/petition/gas

It seems as though every time I flip on the television some pundit is talking about how Democrats have no agenda. Well just because a myth is repeated a few thousand times doesn’t make it true. The other day I heard one say “Democrats have no energy agenda.” Actually it’s Republicans whose only energy agenda seems to be giving tax breaks to their friends at oil companies.

Anyone who is serious about national and economic security, knows we must be serious about moving our country toward energy independence. While the Republican energy bill did nothing to lower gas prices or make us more energy independent, Democrats have a 2020 Energy Independence plan that will reduce our reliance on foreign oil over the next 15 years.

Our plan will create innovative new jobs and build a cleaner, greener, and stronger America. You can read the details of our 2020 Energy Plan below.

Why does the myth get spread? The White House public relations machine has an annual budget of millions of dollars a year, plus Republicans have thousands of flacks spinning their message at every government agency. Not to mention the millions Republican cronies in Big Oil spend to prevent change that will free our great nation from our malignant overdependence on Mid-Eastern oil. I need your help to get our message out.

So today I am asking you to visit GiveEmHellHarry.com and use our simple tool to write a letter to the editor talking about Democrats’ plan. Letters to the editor are one of the most read sections of any paper, so you can really help get the word out by visiting:

http://giveemhellharry.com/page/speakout/2020energy

Democrats believe reducing dependence on foreign oil is crucial to our nation’s future. Republicans, on the other hand, believe high gas prices and our dependence on Middle Eastern oil are tolerable. And now they are using the devastation of Hurricane Katrina as an excuse to push through environmental rollbacks and more oil industry handouts. This is simply unacceptable.

The Democrats’ 2020 Energy Independence plan will spur new jobs and build a cleaner, greener and stronger America. Help me get the word out and write a letter to the editor today by visiting:

http://giveemhellharry.com/page/speakout/2020energy

Thank you,
Harry Reid

P.S. I also wanted to let you know that more than 20,000 people have used GiveEmHellHarry.com to write letters to oil companies asking them about their record profits while American consumers are being gauged at the pump. We are going to keep the pressure on these companies, so ask your friends to send letters as well by visiting:

http://giveemhellharry.com/page/petition/gas

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE 2020
FOR A CLEANER, GREENER, AND STRONGER AMERICA

Democrats believe the Federal government can and must do a better job of protecting consumers, businesses, and farmers burdened by today’s skyrocketing energy prices. We must break our country’s dangerous reliance on foreign energy.

We believe our leadership and vision can help ensure low cost supplies of sustainable energy to improve American competitiveness and the security of our nation. That’s why Democrats have a strategy to make America energy independent by the year 2020. We plan to:

Launch an Apollo Project for Energy
• Create a massive commitment to support research and development necessary to develop alternative energy sources to free us from foreign oil by 2020.

Diversify and Expand Our Energy Supplies
• Increase dramatically the production of domestically grown biofuels — Institute a national renewable portfolio standard
• Enhance incentives for energy production from solar, wind, and geothermal
• Utilize existing domestic oil and gas leases’ for environmentally compatible extraction
• Encourage construction of the Alaskan natural gas pipeline
• Support the development of a hydrogen economy
• Increase the deployment of advanced clean coal technology like integrated gasification and coal-to-liquids, in conjunction with carbon capture and storage approaches

Protect Consumers and the Environment
• Prevent oil company price gouging, market manipulation, and disaster profiteering
• Increase energy market transparency and consumer choice at the pump
• Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to cover increased household energy costs
• Provide car buyers with accurate fuel economy information
• Protect pristine public lands from short-sighted oil and gas exploitation
• Enhance funding for weatherization and low-income energy assistance needs in all climates

Improve Energy Security and Prevent Price Volatility
• Create geographically diverse strategic gasoline and jet fuel reserves
• Streamline fuel specifications while maintaining state clean air protections
• Encourage the development of a smarter and more distributed electricity system
• Leverage trade relationships to maintain competitiveness of energy-intensive U.S. manufacturers

Reduce Demand for Oil and Natural Gas
• Lower petroleum use in the federal fleet and improve government conservation efforts
• Provide consumers with more fuel efficient vehicle choices
• Develop renewable substitutes to replace natural gas use in the petrochemical industry
• Improve infrastructure and electricity options for hybrids and plug-in hybrids
• Increase mass transit use and incentivize transit-oriented development
• Advance air traffic management to shorten flight times
• Reduce tractor trailer fuel needs by improving aerodynamics, logistics, and idling

Invest in Energy Efficiency and American Jobs
• Update efficiency standards for appliances and small engines
• Invest in math and science education for the next generation of energy engineers
• Ensure access to worker training and retraining in advanced energy technologies