ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the political differences that exist over energy exploration, energy use, and energy conservation as they relate to the impact on the national economy and the environment. It explains the challenges the United States faces in the age of energy exploration, dependency on foreign sources of energy, and the emergence of alternative energy sources. The chapter explores the public policy options that are currently being discussed to address energy exploration, energy use, and energy conservation. Democrats in Congress and candidates running for the Presidency in 2008 agreed with President Bush on the need for alternative energy sources, conservation, and so-called "green" incentives to promote environmentally sound technologies. During the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama, for example, set his goals for energy policy as "support for the next generation of biofuels, setting America on a path to oil independence, and improve energy efficiency by 50" by 2030".
