Posted by
Stefano on Friday, August 08, 2008 10:54:07 AM
Dear Mr. Carnahan:
The United States economy is heavily dependent on energy. It is imperative that the US government not stand in the way of our ability to produce affordable energy to run our industries, our infrastructure assets, our commercial and residential real estate assets, and our individual and corporate transportation systems. I noticed on your website that a component of your long term vision is to "Lower energy prices, create hundreds of thousands of new 'green' jobs, provide incentives for clean, renewable energy and fight potential energy price gouging and price fixing by OPEC". I believe that your long term goal to lower energy prices is commendable but I believe that we need some short term relief right now from the escalation of energy prices. The goal of new "green jobs" is a good one also but many of your constituents in the airline industry, the travel industry, the automobile industry, and the trucking industry are quite concerned about the jobs that they have right now. The high price of all types of transportation fuel is causing increasing layoffs and business failures. Many working class folks are unable to even afford getting to work. I'm all for development of alternative, clean, renewable energy sources but that is a long term vision that will not affect our energy problems for some time to come.
What we need from you and the Congress is an energy policy that includes alternatives like solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal, clean coal and coal to liquids, and also increased domestic oil production. I keep hearing from your caucus that we cannot drill our way out of our energy problems. That argument disregards what I have already said about a comprehensive policy. The production of domestic oil through drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf, ANWR, oil shale in Colorado and other western states, and the eastern Gulf of Mexico is our energy bridge to a future of renewable energy and nuclear energy. Without the drilling, our economy will go into a tail spin. You say on your website that you have "...been working in Washington to make certain the economic challenges facing ordinary people aren’t forgotten." This is your opportunity to put your statement into action. The poor and the working class are hit the hardest by high energy prices. Poor folks spend upwards of 50% of their income on energy. A doubling of prices is devastating to their budgets and their ability to survive. You can do something about that right now.
Twenty-five days ago President Bush lifted the executive ban on Outer Continental Shelf, ANWR, and other oil production. Up to this date Congress has done nothing to lift the Congressional ban on such drilling. In fact neither house of Congress will even allow an up or down vote on such drilling due to the obstruction of Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid. I am personally unhappy that the Congress went on vacation for five weeks without taking a vote on this vital issue. A growing number of members of the House of Representatives has called for Speaker Pelosi to reconvene the House for the purpose of allowing a vote on increasing American-made energy. Human misery is not acceptable when we have the resources in the ground to enable a smooth transition to sustainable energy. I urge you to take a courageous stand apart from the obstructionists in your party for the people of Missouri and the people of the United States. Take a step toward the liftng of the ban on drilling by calling on the Speaker to reconvene Congress for a vote on a comprehensive energy plan. This could be the most important vote you ever make for our economy and our national security.