The Unites States is in the midst of an energy crisis. New exploration and the production of energy resources has almost completely stopped, our refining capacity is stretched to the limit, and our dependence of foreign energy sources is at a historical high. Any effort to make electricity and fuel more expensive, or to cap or regulate CO2 will only exacerbate an already critical situation and cause tremendous economic damage. RELIABLE ENERGY NOW, AND FOR THE FUTURE

Our current energy woes have once again focused attention on America’s dependence on overseas sources of oil, particularly from price-fixing cartels like OPEC. Common sense tells us that if we have the capability, we should produce more oil here at home. We do it better, cleaner, and more efficiently than other countries - many of which give little consideration to responsible environmental stewardship.

Copley News Service, 02/13/2001 California Gov. Gray Davis and the state's Democratic legislature are starting to seize control of the energy industry in order to ''manage'' the state's power crisis, but Democratic Sen. Diane Feinstein has a better idea. According to Investors Business Daily, she wants expedited permitting for new power plants and true market pricing. As the senator points out, ''Absent that, there is no incentive to conserve.'' To which I would add, there's no incentive to increase supply, either.

As most Americans know by now, California is in the throes of a power crisis. Sky-high prices and rolling blackouts have made California’s once-roaring high-tech economy seem like a third-world basket case. There is an old saying that no one is totally useless, they can always serve as a bad example. Failing to learn from California’s bad example, a slew of western governors, facing energy challenges of their own, seem eager to import chaos into their own states.

Copley News Service, 12/28/2000 A grinch who wanted to create an energy crisis would prevent new energy supplies from being tapped or created and limit return on investment in energy production to reduce or eliminate economic incentives. He'd micromanage energy supply and demand by promoting grossly inefficient "boutique" energy sources such as solar and wind power while imposing myriad environmental regulations that require "boutique" energy products. Meanwhile, he would demand energy austerity by the public under the rubric of "energy conservation."

The recent spike in gas prices has once again focused attention on America’s dependence on overseas sources of oil, particularly from OPEC.

Do you remember choosing your power company? Probably not, because you had no say in the matter. Unfortunately, when it comes to electricity, there is no customer choice—your only option is the local government approved and protected monopoly. In other industries, competition keeps prices low and service reliable. But electric power is the last major industry where there is no competition, and because of that, many customers pay too much. Facing high costs and poor service, what can consumers do—live without power?