National security: What’s coal got to do with it?

The first presidential debate is scheduled for tonight on the theme of national security. Of course, you can’t talk about national security without mentioning a topic inextricably linked to it: energy independence.

From running Wall Street to getting people to the emergency room, we couldn’t maintain our daily operations without energy. And as long as we import energy sources from volatile parts of the world, we’ll remain vulnerable to the fallout of foreign conflicts—including energy shortages and steep energy prices.

Fortunately, we can best address this issue by putting to work our most abundant resource: coal.

We have coal like the Middle East has oil, and currently over 50% of the electricity we use every day comes from American coal. For the past 30 years, we’ve used coal to meet America’s growing energy demands, hold down electricity costs for families and businesses, and improved air quality—making it all the more clear that coal is part of America’s solution for energy independence.

As you watch the debate tonight, remember that our economy and the livelihood of U.S. families depend on a reliable energy infrastructure. We need a president who supports homegrown energy initiatives, funneling money into American energy projects instead of sending it oversees to nations that don't have our best interest at heart.

Comments

[Cindy Pike]

IF we can burn clean coal than why not persue it. The Republicans don't want the us to become independant of other countys because they can't send jobs over sees and make astranomical profits off the us americans selling it back to us.

[David]

Clean Coal is a mirage. Once you take the 40-60% energy penalty for taking out the CO2, coal is no longer competitive with wind or solar or nuclear. The only reason coal is cheap is that we don't account for the cost of global warming.

Stop burning coal!!!

[David]

Clean Coal is a mirage. Once you take the 40-60% energy penalty for taking out the CO2, coal is no longer competitive with wind or solar or nuclear. The only reason coal is cheap is that we don't account for the cost of global warming.

Stop burning coal!!!

[Jack]

Not only do I whole-heartedly agree that clean coal technology is essential to any energy independence agenda and therefore to national security, I believe we should take this idea one step further and seriously inquire about coal to diesel conversion processes and the modernization of steam locomotion that could be extremely advantageous to rail transportation.

[RD]

Let's stick to the Pickens Plan FIRST..wind, solar and
CNG, not the coal-to-liquid
'scheme'..Conservation should be #1, energy-efficiency and devote TWO billion to solar R & D, the ultimate energy source.....ps - Boone also says 'Klean Koal' an oxymoron...