Election's energy issue important to Wisconsin residents

By: Loyal and Bernice Durand

Posted: 10/13/08

The economy of the nation is in crisis. We are losing our competitive edge in technology and importing more high-tech products than we export.

We face critical challenges - satisfying our energy needs while achieving independence from foreign oil and gas, controlling global warming, promoting technological innovation and competitiveness, furthering research on familiar and emerging diseases and ensuring national security. The energy issue is especially important in Wisconsin.

We must power our farms and factories and heat our homes in a cold climate, and are paying higher prices for gas and electricity. To attack the energy problem, Barack Obama proposes to double federal funding over the next decade on the development of clean and efficient renewable energy sources.

This push will generate many new U. S. jobs. John McCain proposes instead a freeze on funding, holding research on renewable energy at its present inadequate level, and attempting to drill our way out of our present problems, an approach that cannot be sustained as the nation's - and the world's - oil supplies dwindle.

In contrast to Obama, he also intends to freeze the investments needed to solve the other challenges noted above. We urge you to consider these policy differences when voting.

Loyal and Bernice Durand
Cross Plain, WI