You can blame Bush, but this is a bipartisan scam. The Dems in the farm states are promoting this nonsense too.

Just realize that from this day forward everything that is said and done in the US is with an eye towards the 2008 elections. The Dems need to get some items passed that they can point to as accomplishments over the next two years, while the Repubs need to appear to still be in control of the agenda.

Jerome, you should have learned that the entire US population is in a state of denial from your posting about raising a gas tax the other day. Nothing meaningful will happen until we have the "Katrina" of fuel supplies, whatever this will turn out to be.

Keep pointing out the folly of the proposals, however.

Is there any reason that the EU can't take the lead on "energy independence" internally? Reforming the energy equation would give Europe a competitive edge over other areas as the cost of energy goes up and spills into every other sector from manufacturing to farming. Having already made the transition to sustainable use Europe's costs would be lower and thus their exports more competitive.

Perhaps a diary on what steps are needed in Europe?

Policies not Politics
---- Daily Landscape