The letter below was sent to Senator Robert Menendez on June 28 and posted here on August 23.
Dear Senator Menendez:
We need a national program to phase out fossil fuels and build a sustainable 21st century economy powered by clean energy. Let’s call this program “ReEnergize America.”
Enclosed is a letter to President Barack Obama in which I urge him to call for this program, to set the goal to stop burning fossil fuel by 2050, to declare the rest of 2010 to be a period of national dialog on the program, and to call for enabling legislation from Congress in 2011.
A core component of ReEnergize America should be a system of carbon fee-and-dividend. Impose fees on fossil fuels, collect them at the source, and return the revenues to the people as dividends. Many economic and business leaders favor a carbon tax to discourage the burning of fossil fuels. The fee proposed here will not be a tax, but will accomplish this goal.
I know that many have worked long and hard to produce an energy bill, and I regret to say that I believe the bill now before the Senate is seriously flawed. I also doubt that it can be passed. It will be a mistake for Democrats to spend a lot of time pushing this bill this year. The country has more urgent and immediate needs, like producing jobs and reducing foreclosures.
If President Obama calls for the program to ReEnergize America, and if it becomes a subject of national dialog, it can become an issue in the fall election that should help Democrats and bring back many of those who voted Democratic in 2008. You and other Democrats and Republicans should then proceed to pass stronger and simpler energy legislation in 2011.
Thank you for considering this proposal.
Respectfully yours,
Bill Allen