Obama's Manhattan Project

Want a real energy independence plan? Try Barack Obama's.

Published March 1, 2006 8:08PM (EST)

Grist is running the full transcript of a speech Illinois Sen. Barack Obama made yesterday on U.S. energy policy. It's too good not to plug here as well. The speech includes concrete proposals, a nice summation of the current dismal state of affairs, and an efficient dismantling of our supposedly all-gung-ho-for-energy-independence president.

"But so far, President Bush seems like he is offering less -- much less."

"His funding for renewable fuels is at the same level it was the day he took office."

"His latest budget funds less then half of the energy bill he himself signed into law -- leaving hundreds of millions of dollars in under-funded energy proposals."

"And while he cannot seem to find the funding for any of these energy proposals, he has no problem allowing the oil companies to stiff taxpayers $7 billion in royalties that they owe us for drilling on public lands. These are the same oil companies that are currently enjoying the highest profits on record."

"Again, this is just not a serious commitment to energy independence."

Read the speech. I'll bet you'll find yourself wondering, just as I did, whether 2008 is really too soon for this guy to run for president.


By Andrew Leonard

Andrew Leonard is a staff writer at Salon. On Twitter, @koxinga21.

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