Army!
We’re on the march. Every measure of how much President Obama has produced in his first 100 days includes a discussion on how much of the Pickens Plan has been put into place or is well along in the legislative process.
You know that I have insisted that a National Energy Policy be a non-partisan effort. Well, it’s even better than that. The legislation which is working its way through Congress including…
– Natural gas as a major transportation fuel
– A 21st century transmission grid
– Energy efficiency
– Building out our wind & solar capabilities
– Renewable Electricity Standard
…have the support of Democrats and Republicans. And that’s because they know that over 1.5 million Americans – not Republicans or Democrats but Americans – are watching them very closely to see that they do their jobs.
In his first 100 days, President Obama moved aggressively to push a stimulus plan that jump-starts our nation’s move to renewable energy, particularly wind and solar. That’s great, and I know he recognizes the need to address the continuing economic and national security threat of foreign oil.
You remember that the President promised to end imports from the Middle East within 10 years. The only way he can get that done is to replace foreign oil/diesel in transportation with a domestic fuel, and the only fuel that will substitute for imported diesel in all classes of vehicles is clean, domestic, and abundant natural gas, which is available in ever-increasing supplies.
For four decades, every U.S. President has promised to make us energy independent, but it hasn’t happened. President Obama knows that, and he has made reducing our oil imports a priority. Let’s give him credit – in the midst of the recession and all that entails, the President hasn’t let energy fall by the legislative wayside.
My commitment to the Pickens Plan is as strong today as it was last July 8 when we kicked it off. I’ve presided over dozens of overflow town hall meetings on the subject, I know that’s what grassroots America – that’s you and your fellow members of the New Energy Army – wants as well.
Boone