Issue Position: Energy

Issue Position

If we are to get serious about returning to American prosperity, then we must become an energy independent nation. The untapped oil reserves of the United States equate to an estimated 2.3 trillion barrels of oil, which is nearly three times the reserves of all of the OPEC nations combined. However, the federal government forces us to buy the majority of our oil from foreign countries; though they have no Constitutional authority to do so. I believe Federal land is owned by the people of the United States. We should allow American businesses to harvest our own oil in a free market. This will stimulate the economy in two ways:

*It will create jobs and create an economic boom for our country.

*It will put more money in consumers' pockets just by lowering gas prices.

The government also needs to get out of the business of choosing winners and losers. Solyndra was a $500 million disaster and yet, we still continue to subsidize green energy to the tune of billions of dollars a year. This is unacceptable and inappropriate. Not only is the government gambling with hard earned, tax-payer dollars, it's preventing healthy, free-market competition from organically develop ing these renewable resources in the most cost-efficient and effective way. The Federal government has no constitutional authority to subsidize certain industries over others and with a $17 trillion debt, it is fiscally irresponsible to engage in reckless speculation that has the potential to cost taxpayer millions if not not billions of their hard earned money.

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