Don't say the 's' word

                                    

OK, somebody got off script. I’m not sure how this happened, but suddenly a lot of presidential candidates and the surrogates are saying that their climate policies are going to force the American people to S A C R I F I C E.

Not since President Carter put on a sweater and asked Americans to turn down their thermostats have we seen evidence of a failed energy policy.

The reason the “S” word is being batted about is because finally folks are starting to get the message that it is not possible to meet America’s growing energy needs without coal.

I’m sorry, but a lot of people are already sacrificing. They’re making the hard and difficult choices between heating and eating this winter.

I don’t buy it. In an energy rich country – a country that uses technology, not fear, to meet our challenges - we don’t have to make a choice between affordable, reliable and secure energy and a clean environment.

We can have both, but only if we have policies that allow us to avoid unnecessary sacrifice.

Our nation’s climate policy needs to be based upon spurring investments in technology … not asking Americans to sacrifice.