US Energy Issues

During the past few years most of us Americans have seen and felt the costs of energy skyrocket. This is a major issue for our country and one the next president will have to seriously address. In the Statesman editorial, "McCain, Obama offer no-pain, all-gain energy promise," the author lists the different plans the candidates are proposing and some if the problems with these plans.
In the article the author points out that both candidates recognize the need to reduce energy consumption and reduce our need for foreign oil. Although their plans differ, there seems to be holes in both of them. When the candidates speak about their plans they make is sound almost as easy as flipping a switch. Senator McCain leads towards nuclear power and offshore drilling, while Senator Obama is pushing for fuel efficient vehicles and a windfall profits tax on oil companies. Both candidates feel there is a need for more wind and solar energy production. The author points out that some of the problems with Senator McCain's plan is nuclear waste storage and the cost of offshore drilling, with very delayed results. Although the author failed to point out any problems with Senator Obama's plan I believe that helping car manufacturers to build the efficient hybrid/gas or electric vehicles is great, but can the average American afford these pricey vehicles? Offering a tax credit to individuals who buy them is great, but buying a hybrid/gas vehicle cost upwards of $5000.00 more then buying the equivalent non-hybrid model. Taking into account the tax rebate it will still take years for the fuel saving to catch up to the price jump. The author points out that we have already uncovered the solution to reducing our independence on foreign oil. The solution is higher fuel/gasoline prices, possibly combined with a higher gasoline tax. Just recently when gasoline reached 4.00 per gallon, Americans reduced driving, took more public transportation, and even traded in their trucks and SUV's for more fuel efficient vehicles.
This article was geared towards any American with energy concerns. It is a problem that all of us face and will to continue to face for quite some time. Since the article was listed in the Statesman I expected it to left leaning and sure enough it was. It was obvious that the author favored Senator Obama and his plan. This was made clear more then one time, but most importantly in the final paragraph when the author stated, "an Obama administration."
I believe the author has made a fair argument for a successful solution. It was truly amazing how I changed my own life when gasoline reached 4.00 per gallon. My wife and I reduced additional errands and tried to consolidate them into our drives to and from work. To get some relief at the pump we traded in one of our SUV's for a fuel efficient car. We also felt the crunch when we opened our utility bills, so we made a conscious effort to reduce those resources as well.
I believe that we all play a part in reducing our need for foreign oil and conserving resources. We have proven that we can cut back on energy usage and should continue to do so. I believe that with responsible citizens and smart energy programs we can solve this problem. I think we need to take full advantage of solar and wind energy and do everything in our power to keep American dollars in America.