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I have voted no, but it is not a black and white situation, as are most propositions.

Politicians are always driven by fear of loosing their elected position and status. They go with the flow and try and make their electorate happy. By doing so they get reelected. It is only human nature.

If renewable energy is the "in thing" then the Party machine will support it and earmark umpteen billions of dollars to promote this endeavor with subsidies and research and development grants and so on. The funds used are your tax dollars. Should they be doing this?

Perhaps up to a point. But where does this point lie? In the USA, is it $500 million, or $1 billion, $10 billion? and so on.

I can not speak for the US situation because I live in Australia. Therefore I shall offer a few thoughts on the matter concerning the Australian scene which I find worrying.

Conservation of energy is important. We should not waste energy. If there is a more energy efficient way of doing something then let's do it.

Do you think that the bureaucrats in State or Federal Government have the knowledge to decide what is the most effective way of doing something? What experience do they have of private enterprise and the risk of investing ones hard-earned money into some new venture? Answer: Zilch.

What is the alternative? This question rarely worries the bureaucrat.

There is a parallel universe which is to do with the business world and free market economics.

Government policy is regarded by some in the same light as putting sand into the gearbox of a car and expecting it to run better!

Should Governments (Obama or Rudd, Australia) try and pick winners? NO. They haven't got a clue of how the world will develop over the next 5 or 10 years.

We must leave the evolution of energy resources to the free market. Get the Government out of the system and see what happens. There should be a sensible restraint on environmental protection but that is about the limited role of Government that I see necessary.

What worries me in Australia?

Here we have the Prime Minister of Australia , Kevin Rudd, picking winners, just like he is at the Melbourne Cup, which is our premier horse racing event, by investing a few billion on building a huge solar energy plant, 3 times that already existing in the world. Millions are being earmarked for so called "clean coal technology" which is totally bizarre and unscientific, God knows how many wind mills are going to sprout up due to Government development subsidies.

Where is it going to end? Roll along the next Federal election so that we can rid the country of this misguided Green egomaniac.

Learn more about this author, Allan Taylor.
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