If I were President

Lets play a game called "If I were President". If you were President what would you do to fix this country and fix this zoo? What a better way to solidify your stance on many issues. Then compare what would you do to what is being done. Compare your presidency to any candidate. Vote for the one that's closest to you. I think you would see a big shift in who's in Washington.

So here's my shot at this game. Ruffles and Flourishes are playing. Someone announces "Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States". I approach the podium and ....

"My fellow Americans. Today I come before you with a Bold Challenge. For too long America has been dependent on foreign energy sources. For too long American dollars have gone overseas to governments and corporations. Tyrants, dictators and terrorists finance their attacks against us using our own dollars and hold us hostage. Like a drug addict we have an oil monkey on our backs. Our addiction has made us look outside our borders for the cheapest and easiest oil fix we can find. It is time to stop! It is time to stop sending our wealth overseas to enrich those who hate us. It is time to stop sending our more precious wealth of our Sons and Daughters to fight and die in wars we could have stayed out of or had a smaller roll in if it weren't for our addiction to foreign oil. Our addiction has made others our Masters. America has no Master. Therefore...

I am announcing today that as of January 1, 2020 America will be energy independent! This is a Bold Challenge but one we can make. President Kennedy challenged America to put a man on the moon by the end of that decade. Struggles and setbacks were met head on. Tragedies occurred. In the end the American Flag was placed on the Moon as a lasting testament to the American Spirit. Just as America rose to that challenge so will we. We can do this! Beginnings will be difficult. There may be false starts and set backs but America will succeed. We will succeed. You and I will succeed.

I know we can't drill our way out of this. I know coal alone, nor wind alone, nor solar or nuclear or hydro alone will get the job done. Where we can drill we will drill. Oil refineries will be built. Coal will continue to be mined and used. But wherever solar can be used under our beautiful and spacious sky's it will be used. Wind turbines will be built where ever the wind blows our amber waves of grain. Our waterways from sea to shining sea will be used to generate electricity. Nuclear power will be used. Fuel cells and other technology we don't even know about will be used. For Americans are a hardy industrious people. We have just forgot our pioneering spirit. Americans have come from all over the world to forge this great nation. From the earliest explorers and settlers we forged 13 colonies that took on the foremost world power at that time to form a Nation. In wagons and boats we spread across this continent. Our spirit has made us the most advanced industrial nation in the world. Our spirit has lead us to help in two World Wars to defend freedom and defeat tyranny. It is time for our spirit to lead us in fighting for our freedom from foreign oil.

As in any war sacrifices will be made. But we will not sacrifice our air, our water or our health. As much as possible we will protect our environment. In fact we will continue to improve it. Impossible? Not for the American Spirit. This will not be a massive government bail out of the energy industry. This will not be a massive government tax and revenue grab. Your government role in this will be to coordinate, encourage and cooperate. Your government will coordinate the efforts so there is one mind, one purpose, one direction. We will remove as many of the obstacles as we can by enacting Tort reform. Opening up areas to be explored for our own oil and coal and natural gas. We will encourage through education and incentives so advancement of renewable energy can go forward. Your government will cooperate with industries and provide what funding it can but it can do only so much. You, the people of this great nation have the will. Have the knowledge. Have the spirit to win this war. We are all soldiers now in this struggle for our Freedom. Our living rooms and neighborhoods are our battlefields. I will see you in the trenches.
God bless and God bless America." The crowd goes wild!!!

There you have it. The beginnings of an energy plan.... If I were President