Obama has touched on many topics on his web site and in his energy policy papers. It seems as if he is looking for points by mentioning every type of alternative energy or pet project currently out there. He has plans for coal, alternative energy, international cooperation, and lots of mandated targets. As you would expect, many programs are driven and managed by the Government. The combining of energy and environment issues and policies leads to a somewhat confusing list. There is a lack of detail on many policies but overall there is a good sense of what he wants to try and accomplish.

Some are good, easy programs, some are not good and huge programs. The problem is always in the detail and there are not many. Another consistent problem is ‘unfunded mandates’, this is what Democrats use to describe the No Child Left Behind program for example, Obama’s list is full of easy to make long term (when he is out of office) mandated targets. Make it real, Barack. What will you accomplish in your first term? In your second term? What can you do with existing funding?

I will spend some time reviewing the Obama and McCain campaign materials for Energy Policy. As this blog highlights, my interests are reducing/eliminating our dependency on foreign oil, incentivize private industry to develop alternative energy sources, reduce our overall energy consumption, and reduce our carbon and methane emissions from the production of energy.

I would like to do this as quickly as possible, with private industry and individuals taking the lead, with incentives as opposed to punitive fees or taxes, with economic development in mind, and with transparency and collaboration wherever possible.

With these in mind, I have established a scoring system to rank some of the current ideas being talked about or not being talked about by the 2008 Presidential candidates.

All factors are 1-10, 1 being the weakest in supporting the goals, 10 being strong.

Time to Market

Foreign Oil Use Reduction

Funding

Promoting new Technology

Environment

For a total of 50 points.
More to come.