Bill Richardson Wants to Start an ”Energy Revolution”

        Four years ago I volunteered for John Kerry. Like many of you I was upset how eager Bush seemed for invading Iraq. Though I think Kerry would have been a good President, I am even more excited about the possibility of having a President Richardson.

        One reason a Richardson Presidency excites me is that America would have a long over due aggressive Energy Policy - one that mandates we act. If the Iraq war is not motive enough, how about the economic havoc a sudden or gradual interruption in the supply of oil would cause. Its not hard to imagine after the last few years, seeing pump prices jump on just rumors of bad news. And of course every day we are reminded of how Global Warming is affecting lives across the world. All these issues, independently or collectively, should give us ample motive to insist energy policy is a priority in the next administration.

         Following is a partial list of proven technologies that America should be investing in.

        Passive and active solar collectors to heat your home

        Geothermal Heat Pumps - making heat pumps economical in colder climates

        Combined Heat and Power Systems -CHP and Distributed Energy - DE

        New Commuter Rail Systems

        Bio-gas - a natural gas substitute made from animal wastes

        Bio-diesel fuel  (had its development kept up with ethanol our corn been crop rotation would not have gotten so out of balance)

        Diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles

        Why are these systems and products under utilized? We have the activists that have been telling us to use these things. We have the researchers that can improve these technologies. We have entrepreneurs that want to accept the challenge and produce these kind of products. And the market has convinced Americans that oil dependence is a major problem and that we can't allow solutions to be attacked by sound bite adds paid for by oil companies. But unfortunately they still have a friend in the White House.

        Bill Richardson might be able to make up for lost time, because he has an ideal background from which to do it. Under his leadership as Governor, New Mexico has become a leader in renewable energy, while making the state compliant with the Kyoto protocol. For a couple of years he held the office of Secretary of Energy in the Clinton Administration, so he is well aware of the complexity of a national energy policy. When he says the mature industries of coal, oil and nuclear don't need to get all the federal funding,  he speaks from experience. When he says we should fund the new technologies that help the solar, wind, and bio-fuels industries, he has seen the results in his state when they did.

        To show what a contrast a President Richardson would be to our current President, lets compare them - "The foibles of President Bush vs. Richardson's record of leadership"

        President Bush claimed he new a little about the petroleum industry, after all he was once an 'oil man'.

        Bill Richardson wants to save more fuel than oil was found during the bush administration by pushing fuel economy standards to 50 miles to the gallon by 2020.
 

        President Bush worried that if we addressed global warming it might make people in Siberia mad. Yet, if pressed, he will ask us to conserve energy.

        Bill Richardson tells Iowans as he crosses the state that he thinks its time that we take energy conservation seriously. (Is it not time that we do! Think of what we are doing to fellow Americans and people through out the world. We waste fuel which increases demand which in turn raises prices which takes more money from the pockets of those that can least afford it.)

        President Bush's tax code encouraged people to buy large vehicles that they didn't need or want until they felt they were penny foolish not to. Now, we all pay at the pump due to the increase in demand for gasoline.

        Bill Richardson champions both the all electric car and the plug-in hybrid. (He owns a Ford hybrid - which he jokes is too small for him.) 
   

        But I  don't want you to think this man doesn't have other experiences to draw on for all the pressing issues before us. In case you weren't already aware of his impressive Resume, I'll list it here for you:

        Seven term Congressman (served 15 years)

        UN Ambassador

        Energy Secretary

        Governor of New Mexico

        he also has been a Special Envoy to North Korea, Iraq, Cuba and Darfur (for these efforts he has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize four times)

        With these considerable positions in Washington, covering two branches of government, his various successes as a diplomat to Asia, the Middle East, and Africa and his current position as an executive of the state of New Mexico, wouldn't we want him to be our President at this time of uncertainty. 

        Most of the other candidates are already working for us. If you support Bill Richardson you will in essence be re-hiring a man that the US tax payer has been training for years. You will be saying that records are important - that results are important. Supporting Bill Richardson is saying, "I am tired of training Presidents while they are on the job!"