Green Jobs - No So Fast

President Obama and the Democrat Socialists that control Congress are intent on subsidizing various green technologies that are not economically feasible today with tax payer dollars. And, to make green technology, like wind and solar energy, more viable, Obama has often said that the price of carbon based energy must go up, which is the whole basis of Obama's CAP & TAX scheme that has been passed by the House of Representatives. There is only one problem with this Scheme, it will result in significant job loss in the United States.

All we need do is look to Spain as our example. Several years ago Spain elected a Socialist government committed to green technology. Spain invested heavily in wind power and other renewable energy sources. Each job created in Spain cost about $750,000 and only 1 in 10 was permanent. If the US were to follow this model, it would cost $2.25 Trillion to create 3 million green jobs. However, Professor Gabriel Calzada Alvarez and colleagues at Spain's Universidad Rey Juan Carlos found that if America followed Spain's example, for every renewable energy job that is created, the US will lose, on average, at least 2.2 traditional jobs. And, further, if we look to Spain, we will see a country that is near insolvency with 20% unemployment; the highest in Europe.

That fact is that we need to develop current energy sources as part of a 50 year plan and bridge to future technologies. That means developing more nuclear plants, clean coal, natural gas and YES drilling for oil in the United States including Anwar in Alaska. All of this can and should be done with stringent environmental protections; but most important this plan represents a common sense approach to energy independence not environmental wacko pie in the sky that will destroy the American economy. And, these are real jobs in the energy sector that cannot be off shored.

Nevada could become the energy capital of the US. As a Nevada resident, I call for bringing Yucca Mountain, 100 miles from Las Vegas, on line, as a nuclear repository and reprocessing plant. Billions have been spent developing Yucca Mountain only to have Senator Harry Reid stop implementation. This at a time when Nevada has real unemployment of 18% or higher. Certainly, the people of Nevada now understand that we must diversify our economy and that we cannot be dependent on the tourist industry alone. Further, a second nuclear repository and processing plant should be built 100 miles from Reno. And, then multiple nuclear plants should be built around these Processing Plants to create a nuclear industry in Nevada. The state of Nevada can generate nuclear storage fees and taxes for years to come if this plan is adopted.

Finally, rather than build an $8 Billion high speed train and boondoggle between Anaheim, California and Las Vegas, we should instead build an east-west and a north-south sophisticated train line in Nevada, avoiding population centers, to support what could be our nuclear industry. At the same time, Nevada is blessed with sunshine and wind so that as solar and wind power become more economically feasible, there should be wind and solar farms as far as the eye can see in the desert between Las Vegas and Reno to replace these nuclear plants 50 years from now.

We need a common sense energy policy in the United States that is not likely to come from President Obama and the Democrat Socialists that control Congress. We must take back our country in 2010 and 2012 by electing Conservatives that support limited government, a balance budget, term limits, a strong national defense, energy independence, the right to bear arms, the sanctity of life and family values. We can do it. We must do it.