Analysis: Reid to change U.S. energy plan

[jpak]

http://www.upi.com/Energy/view.php?StoryID=20061201-035549-3766r

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- When he takes control of the U.S. Senate in January, Harry Reid's agenda will include moving the country toward energy independence -- a U.S. security issue, he says -- which he blames the Republican Congress and president for hindering.

In an exclusive interview with United Press International in his Las Vegas office, the future Senate Majority Leader said Thursday he's astonished by how much oil the United States consumes and by the lack of attention paid to drawing down the crude habit.

"Think about this: We use 21 million barrels of oil every day," said Reid, D-Nev. "But then to make it even more profane, we import 65 percent of that."

He said voters Nov. 7 decided on the Democratic Party, partly because "energy independence" was part of its platform.

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[adnelson60087]

1. This article should be on trumpeted on

every TV News Show in America. Energy independence is a huge issue that affects every person in the industrialized world, and with the pending effects of Climate Change, clean energy will become essential to our long-term viability as a country and society.

[4dsc]

4. Energy independence is a myth!!!

Damn I wish the news media and politicians would quit giving false claims as to the US ever being energy independent!! We use and waste too much and because OIL will never be replaced in the amounts needed to become "energy independent" we should be planning for a future that uses less oil, alot less oil!! But atlas, we are not!!

[haymark]

2. Tax Exxon

I especially like taxing oil companies' excess profits. Higher taxes lowers the use of the taxed product and we need less oil use and a higher gas prices: sort of like the cigarette tax, a pack costs a lot more today then 20 years ago and there are a lot fewer packs being sold and smoked. Everyone wins.

[KAT119]

3. Bill Clinton often states that becoming energy independant would

create record number of jobs for US citizens:))