Green Prosperity

Between 2010 and 2035, the world is going to use 33% more energy than we do now. That number is going to increase even more as the population and standard of living worldwide also increase.

According to the this estimate, most of the world's energy demand will still be met by fossil fuels. I respectfully disagree. The filth of fossil fuels coupled with the untapped potential of clean energy makes it a near impossibility that the world won't make the transition from coal and oil to the sun and the wind.

When this happens, and it's only a matter of when, not an if, will America be the country leading the world forward or the country sitting on the sidelines. I'm still banking on the former, but the time to act is now. It's a relatively short period of time, 25 years, but if America is willing to take the appropriate steps, it's more than enough time for a fledgling alternative energy industry to blossom.

I want a gas tax - it keeps money out of the hands of terrorists anyhow. I want subsidies and tax breaks for companies investing and producing alternative energy products. I want a tax on carbon emissions. I want all these things because I want America to be the world's best in 2050 just like we were in 1950. I want these things because I want to live in a prosperous country and a clean world. There's a way forward that's visible even in the future haze of pollution. We know what needs to happen, it's all a matter of taking the necessary steps. If we do, we'll usher in an era of green prosperity that will benefit all Americans.

Now the question is, do we have the fortitude to do it?