Name THREE very important positions/opinions held by Lee H. Hamilton (see foreword)

Foreword LEE H. HAMILTON In a 1977 speech on energy policy, I observed that, "Although many Americans refuse to believe it, there is a serious and continuing energy problem in this country." I also noted that "a frustrating struggle with energy questions was a distinguishing feature of the 94th Congress." Sadly, I could make the same statements about the current energy situation in America and about nearly every other Congress of recent decades. Despite the oil shocks of the 1970s, the Persian Gulf war, and numerous other energy-related problems that have faced the country, America has failed to develop a comprehensive, effective, and sustainable energy policy. Establishing such a policy is as important today as ever. Energy is the lifeblood of our society and economy. We need it to cook, to heat and cool our homes, to travel, and to work. Moreover, we are accustomed to buying energy cheaply and using it lavishly. While Americans make up less than 5 percent of the world's total population, we consume 25 percent of the world's energy. The insatiable American appetite for fossil fuels creates numerous problems: it increases pollution, contributes to global warming, subjects us to major price fluctuations, and makes us dependent on imports from other countries. Fur- thermore, it is not sustainable. Although many predictions of imminent limits to oil production have been proven wrong, the supply of fossil fuels that are xiiiForeword *V lower tax rates. The same cost-benefit analysis applies to congressional votes on global warming, which will affect future generations far more than ours. If our national leaders explained the importance of developing a sustainable energy policy, and pushed hard for one, I believe the American people would follow their leadership. Most Americans are keenly aware of our energy chal- lenges and are prepared to make sacrifices to ensure that we have an adequate, secure, sustainable, and affordable energy supply. The outline for a sound and sustainable energy policy is clear. As the editors of this book argue, a comprehensive plan must include the diversification of sources of energy, more efficient energy use, greater energy conservation, and population stabilization overseas. Increased production in the U.S. should be part of the equation, but new investment and production should be concen- trated in nuclear power and renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, rather than fossil fuels. We should also invest heavily in research and new tech- nology that will boost the energy efficiency of automobiles and appliances, and we should find ways we can reduce our energy use. Greater investment in mass transit, for instance, could go a long way toward slashing our consumption of oil. Additionally, we should support reproductive health, education, and eco- nomic development in poor countries, which will help reduce worldwide popu- lation growth rates, and thereby limit the growth in global energy demand. For thirty years, our nation has struggled to develop a sustainable energy policy. Until we do so, our tremendous dependence on imported energy will continue to cause us numerous problems. This unique book, which looks at America's energy situation from a wide range of perspectives, should renew our commitment to develop the comprehensive energy policy we need to maintain our way of life, preserve the environment, and provide security for future generations.xiv Foreword accessible at a reasonable cost will run out in the not too distant future, and we will be forced to turn to other energy sources. Our dependence on imported oil complicates U.S. foreign policy. For instance, it has a major influence on American policy in the Middle East. Since we do not have nearly enough oil within our borders to meet our demand, we rely heavily on imported oil from the Middle East, which is home to roughly two-thirds of the world's proven oil reserves. This is why every U.S. president refers to the American interest in access to Middle Eastern oil as vital. That vital interest forces us to look at issues that are difficult enough on their own - such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, our policy toward Iraq, and our complex rela- tionship with Saudi Arabia - through the lens of our oil needs. Were it not for our dependence on Middle East oil, we might not have gone to war with Iraq in 1991, and we would not have to spend billions of dollars each year main- taining a major military presence in the Persian Gulf. What should be the goal of our national energy policy? In my view, it should be to provide an adequate, secure, and sustainable supply of energy at reasonable prices. This goal, of course, is much easier to state than to accomplish because some aspects of it often conflict with others. For instance, our desire to have an adequate energy supply leads us to import huge quantities of oil, but the more oil we import, the less secure our energy supply becomes. Similarly, our wish to purchase energy at reasonable prices leads us to use the most inexpensive energy sources - fossil fuels - but their use at today's levels is not sustainable for very long. Strong political leadership is needed to reconcile these conflicting goals. Sev- eral presidents, from Jimmy Carter to George W. Bush, have made energy pol- icy a high priority, and so have many members of Congress. But our political leaders have failed to forge a national consensus around a comprehensive approach to our energy problems. Some, such as President Carter, have empha sized conservation and investment in alternative fuels. Others, such as President Bush, have emphasized increased domestic production. None of them have pro- vided the leadership necessary to achieve all of our energy goals. Our failure to establish a comprehensive and effective energy policy is not a failure of our imagination or capacity, but of our political system. Many politi- cians are reluctant to exert the kind of leadership we need to set our energy pol- icy on a sustainable course. A sustainable energy policy requires us to make some sacrifices, but politicians do not like to ask their constituents to make sac- rifices, as Randall Baker points out in his chapter on the politics of energy. Politicians prefer to offer their constituents rewards. So when it comes time to vote on energy taxes, the short-term appeal of lower taxes outweighs the long- term benefit of conservation in the minds of many politicians, and they vote for