Democrats Abroad France/Environmental
Policy Group Position Paper Feb. 25, 2006 - in
pdf form | in
html
Energy and gas prices in
pdf form
Past statements from Howard Dean and the DNC are giving
an impression that the Democrats’ sole priority
(with respect to the current "energy crisis")
is to lower gas prices, and that Democrats are actually
opposed to the idea that Americans should be asked to
conserve energy. The resulting impression is that the
Democrats are insincerely pandering to the electorate
and are missing a golden opportunity to show bold vision
and leadership in dealing with this critically important
issue.
As current global forces have placed a strain on the
supply of oil and gas, Americans have suffered from higher
prices at the pump and will certainly feel the squeeze
when they receive their winter heating bill. But the global
supply shortage has not only cut into Americans' disposable
income but has also injected enormous uncertainty into
their daily lives. These price increases and volatility
will also cut into the bottom line of many small and medium
sized- firms—not to mention large firms that together
provide millions of jobs for Americans. With such uncertainty,
U.S. companies are less enthusiastic about investing and
hiring, two crucial elements to a sustainable competitive
economy. THIS WILL HAVE PROFOUND AFFECTS ON THE QUALITY
OF AMERICAN LIFE. There are steps that could be taken
to slow the rate of price increases, but this is just
a short-term "Band-aid" solution. It does not
help the country address the larger, underlying oil-addiction
problem. (As a doctor, Dean should know that a chronic
addiction problem cannot be healed with a Band-aid!).
Dean's vague references to "energy independence"
do not give any sense of what actual alternative policies
the Democrats stand for. The Senate Democrats' Energy
Independence plan does contain some excellent proposals
for stimulating the development and use of clean, renewable
energy technologies. Such proposals should be given far
more attention in statements from the DNC, rather than
putting all the focus on demands for lower gas prices.
A major concern is that one hears almost nothing from
the Democrats about the need to reduce our country's oil/gas
dependence. Where are the calls for energy conservation
and efficiency measures? Where are the calls for better
public transportation and land use planning (which could
not only lead to huge energy savings, but can also lead
to dramatic lifestyle improvements for the millions of
Americans who want an alternative to spending their lives
stuck in traffic or who cannot afford a car).
Enabling and empowering Americans to create a better
life for themsleves and their children is what has made
America great. Shouldn't we continue to pursue that ideal?
The DNC should learn from and endorse efforts such as
the Apollo Alliance and Smart Growth America, which are
providing bold, exciting strategies for how America can
address its current energy problems, while at the same
time vastly enhancing our nation’s economic competitiveness,
security, and quality of life. Furthermore, these initiatives
are hugely popular among constituencies that the Democrats
are struggling to attract.
