While paying lip service to concepts such as using more coal and building new nuclear power plants to meet the nation's energy needs, Sen. Barack Obama's campaign for president makes it clear that "alternative" fuel sources and conservation are the foundation of its plan. It won't work, of course. Plentiful, inexpensive sources of energy are needed immediately - not decades down the road.
During a campaign stop in Toledo Wednesday, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin reminded Americans that the energy plan put forth by presidential candidate Sen. John McCain makes sense. It would deliver vast new sources of inexpensive energy quickly.
Palin, McCain's running mate, noted that all facets of energy independence are covered by the plan. Conservation and development of alternative fuels are key parts of the McCain program. Any doubt that she and McCain favor alternative energy and conservation can be resolved by noting that while governor, Palin has pushed for $250 million in renewable energy funding and $60 million in help to make homes energy efficient - in her home state alone.
That certainly sounds like a commitment we can believe. It contrasts sharply with Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, who contradicted the campaign's alleged commitment to clean coal technology during a visit to Ohio a few weeks ago. "We're not supporting clean coal," Biden emphasized.
McCain-Palin have made clean coal technology and nuclear power twin keystones of their policy. Hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for new coal facilities - including those to produce gaseous and liquid fuels - are included in their plan. So is expansion of the network of safe nuclear power plants.
McCain and Palin refer to their energy plan as an "all of the above" strategy - which also includes drilling for new oil and gas reserves here in the United States.
Obviously, their plan makes sense - and should be supported with votes for McCain and Palin on Tuesday.