created through drilling, coal mining, building new nuclear powerplants, and developing alternate energy?

Americans need to change, as well. Don't cry for the jobs lost due to the global economy.....those old manufacturing jobs are gone for good. As long as there's work, almost anyone can get re-trained for a different job.

Becoming energy-independent will provide plenty of work for plenty of people.

The key is to do as much alternate energy as possible.

And... no drilling without a comprehensive energy plan.

Handing it over to Big Oil without a comprehensive energy plan is like going into Baghdad without an exit strategy.

You know.... real stupid!

Alternate energy can provide jobs just like drilling, coal mining, building new nuclear powerplants.

Drill NOW!

Harness WIND NOW!

Improve BATTERY and Electrical Transmission Lines NOW!

Improve and market Solar Panels NOW!

And LOTS more things.

It really is ridiculous that WE rely on others for our energy needs. Our Contitnent is one of the richest energy continents in the world.

--Wind Power: I beleive that the West and Plains states represent the largest repository of WIND energy on the globe...

--Solar Power: Certainly we have MORE than enough to lighten the load on our grids..

--Water: We have done well with that (TVA), but more might be able to be done (especially the development of underwater turbines that can be placed in Ocean currents, and at the mouths of many rivers...)

Nice to see you embracing the Obama plan.

Actually, that's the McCain/Palin plan.....:-0

It was the Edwards plan, until Obama stole it, and now mccain stole it from Obama.

The difference is that I don't trust the gop to actually do anything right.

WIll this even be on anyone's radar this time NEXT year?

Basically, everyone running for office KNOWS we need to do something. Yet, this makes a damned good election issue, and...ANY "Comprehensive" plan is going to take time, planning, and WILL have a short-term negative effect on the economy. After that.....BOOM...technology and industry will energize the economy....

But getting there is going to take TOUGH policies and some decisions that may be politically costly....

But I don't see any short-term fix to our economic woes. No matter what, the economy is staying in the shitter for the next year or so. The question is whether or not we take the steps to improve things later.

Under the McCain plan, it can be surmised, there would be few steps taken since he is merely a replay of the last eight years.

His plan sounds exactly like the things he's opposed for years, and his VP is yet another oil industry shill. We've seen what happens with them in the White House.

There is a long and extensive record of what happens. McCain can say the word change all he wants, but until he actually defines the difference between his policies and GWB's, it's just hot air.

Of course he would never take that step as there is no difference.

That's for sure. To make us energy independent - whichever form of energy we use - should be the primary goal of any President we elect. And whoever gives us the best outline of how he would do that should be the one we want.