MaxxC,

I mentioned the Brazilian story to illustrate what is possible when all parties decide to work together to solve a collective problem. We haven't been able to do that in this country. We don't have a comprehensive energy plan, we don't have the political will to make the difficult decisions required, and we don't have the support of the American people to get behind any such program.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the corn-based ethanol program in this country because of the energy inefficiency involved in producing it. The fact that it has achieved its current prominence in our current energy program is, IMO, more reflective of the influence of the farm lobbyists than good science.

I am strongly supportive of nuclear power, but its role in helping our country achieve energy independence is part of a long-term solution. You just can't build a new nuclear plant overnight.

I'm not a big fan of coal at this time. The fact that I live in arguably the most polluted city in the country is reflective of the current widespread use of coal in power generation and Bush's gutting of the Clean Air Act. We see a lot of commercials on our local TV touting the benefits of Clean Coal. "Clean Coal" is not a current reality, but may be the wave of the future. But I'm willing to wager that in 30 years, "clean coal" will still be part of this wave of the future.