Well, its becoming more political than financial but I can't say I 
  
disagree with any of the reasons cited as why it is imperative that 
we 
  elect people who will design and implement an "moon program" to 
reach 
  energy independece within a decade. However, that said, it 
must be 
  economically viable. Productivity = energy costs. Therefore 
any energy 
  alternative must allows us to still compete on world 
markets. If done 
  properly we will develop alternate energy that is 
actually cheaper than 
  the cost to produce conventional hydrocarbon 
energy and thereby remove the 
  manufacturing compeitive advantage that 
China is positioning itself to 
  hold thru its extensive program to 
secure long term conventional global 
  energy. Thus we would not only 
neutralize the future chinese advantage but 
  turn it into a stone 
around their neck as they are left saddled with 
  uneconomic "old 
energy" investments of trillions of dollars.
Energy 
  Independence solves much of our economic, environmental, 
security, and 
  technologic problems looming ahead.
Dick Berger
At 08:26 PM 
  2/20/2008, you wrote: