there is tons of research in alternative energy. The Danish government predicts that they will get 40% of their energy from the wind, by the year 2015. In Germany, the alternative energy field has created almost 50,000 jobs. You can look at successful projects in the U.S. as well. Cape Wind, the world's largest wind farm, is predicted to be able to provide power to 500,000 homes in New England area. In 2003, California State University at Northridge built the largest solar panel system on any campus in the U.S. The university saves close to $100,000 on energy costs every year, and has reduced their carbon emissions by 75%. It is the republicans fault for not focusing on this issue, and investing in it. Imagine what alternative energy would be today if we would have invested in it like we do now, twenty years ago.
Drilling more oil is not the answer. This may provide a sort term solution to the problem; this sort term solution has many devastating impacts on the environment, and on society. I don't have to tell you how this will hurt the environment, because it should be obvious. Drilling for oil will hurt the nations GNP in the long run. If we drilled for oil off the Atlantic Coast, this could have a number of devastating impact on the GNP; it could kill the fishing industry, the tourist industry, the boating industry, etc. These are all business that should be in place in the future, but if we drill were they operate, they will surly disappear; this obviously effects us in the long run. In the state of iowa, people use chemicals to enhance their crops. these chemicals may produce larger crop yields in the short term, but in the long run they damage the top soil beyond repair, causing the farm to go out of business. As you can see, this would be very bad for our GNP, and our economy.
How is our government supposed to continue to grow if we don't invest in things like science. The only way the U.S. will continue to stay on top of the global economy is if we continue to invest, create new technology, and continue to be the leading innovators of the world. Republican budget plans cut so much, that investing in these things will be nearly impossible. It is obvious that much needs to be cut, but it must be done in moderation, so we can continue to invest and grow.
