The recent budget bill that passed and was signed into law cut money for the development of alternative energy sources. It wasn't as big a cut as the House had wanted last summer, but it shows where the Republican Congress would like to move on energy. The oil, coal, and gas companies funneled a ton of money toward Republican candidates in the last election, and they want those Republicans to now strangle the development of alternative energy sources so they can squeeze money money out of consumers -- and the Republicans are ready to give them what they want.
This energy policy makes no sense. These fossil fuels are not unending, and will be tapped out soon (except for coal, which is the dirtiest fossil fuel of all). And there is no doubt that the current fairly low prices will not last. Oil and gas prices always go up and down according to the season and supply -- and as the supply dwindles (as it surely will) the prices will climb to record levels. And this doesn't even consider the harmful effects our dependence on fossil fuels is having on our environment.
This is not what the public wants, and if the Republicans continue down the fossil fuel road, without developing alternative and renewable energy sources, they are going to find themselves at odds with public opinion on yet another issue.
Note in the charts above that 60% of Americans think it is more important to develop alternative energy sources than to continue to depend on fossil fuels. And that includes almost every demographic group. Only two groups seniors and Republicans don't show a significant majority preferring the development of alternative energies -- and the seniors prefer alternative energies by a 7 point margin. Only the Republicans have a majority preferring fossil fuels.
These charts were made from information in a new Pew Research Center survey. That survey was done between December 3rd and 7th of a random national sample of 1,507 adults, and has a margin of error of 2.9 points.
And the public doesn't consider nuclear energy to be one of those acceptable alternative energy sources. About 53% oppose increasing the use of nuclear energy, while only 41% supports it.
