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Parties might find common ground on energy concerns

Early edition: Dependence on foreign oil was a key concern for voters, and it will be at the forefront of the new Congress’ agenda.

By DAVID ADAMS
Published November 13, 2006

MIAMI — When Boca Raton Democrat Ron Klein took the stage election night for his victory speech, he didn’t talk about the war in Iraq or congressional ethics.

Instead, he offered this definition of the “new direction” voters wanted: “a 21st century energy policy that makes us energy independent in 10 years.”

His energy reference was virtually ignored by the media in the next morning’s coverage and in the week since. But energy is likely to be one of the first legislative initiatives pushed by Democrats when the new Congress convenes in January.

In fact, energy could be one of the most promising areas for bipartisan cooperation in the new Congress. When President Bush telephoned House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to congratulate her the morning after Election Day, energy independence was one of the topics they discussed, White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters.

Not since the 1970s oil embargo has energy featured so prominently in an election, activists say. During the campaign, both major parties addressed energy security and the nation’s addiction to foreign oil. But Democrats gave it greater prominence, elevating it to one of their top six priorities — what national campaign directors dubbed their “Six for ’06.”

An August survey by Democracy Corps, a Democratic strategy group spearheaded by former President Bill Clinton’s campaign adviser, James Carville, found that “reducing dependence on foreign oil” was the No. 1 national security concern among voters, ahead of combating terrorism and the war in Iraq.

Nowhere was it more effective than in Florida’s congressional District 22, where Klein made energy independence a central theme in his effort to unseat 26-year Republican incumbent Clay Shaw.

Klein’s position won him support from a number of Republican backers. “I supported Ron Klein because he was more in tune with Americans’ needs,” said Mark Emalfarb, a registered Republican and president of Dyadic, a Jupiter biotech firm on the cutting edge of alternative fuel technology.

When activists from Environment Florida, a Tallahassee nonprofit, contacted the Klein campaign in October, they were also pleasantly surprised by his willingness to endorse a “New Energy Future” platform they were touting to candidates.

The platform, sponsored by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, was designed “to show broad public support for moving America beyond oil and toward a cleaner and more secure energy future.” Candidates in 50 targeted races were asked to endorse it. Thirty-seven Republicans and Democrats agreed to do so. At least 18 and as many as 22 of those candidates emerged as winners.

“It wasn’t much of a battle at all to get Klein to endorse the plan,” said Adam Rivera of Environment Florida, who spent a month “bird-dogging” candidates in District 22 with a team of volunteers. Shaw agreed to look at the platform but never endorsed it.

“Floridians are coming to terms with the fact that energy lies at the heart of some of our most important problems,” Rivera said. “People like Klein were savvy to notice that.”

Klein says it was a no-brainer. It makes no sense to have a foreign policy based on “where a drop of oil is coming from,” he said. “We need to be very proactive in finding alternative sources of energy.”

He has a drafted a bill that would support increased research and development funding for alternative clean energy, redirect oil industry subsidies to fund challenge grants for new energy businesses, and increase spending on education to change consumer behavior.

Republicans believe there will be bipartisan support for a broad range of energy options in the new Congress, noting that the Bush administration has lately shown new enthusiasm for renewable sources.

“I am optimistic that we will continue to see support for nuclear energy, for electricity supply and practical expansion of ethanol production for transportation fuel,” said Jerry Paul, a Florida consultant with Capitol Energy and a former Bush administration Energy Department official.

Democrats will take over key energy, transportation and commerce committees in both houses of Congress. In the Senate, Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who will head the Environment and Public Works Committee, has already announced she will set a new course on tackling global warming. In the House of Representatives, Don Young, R-Alaska, an energy conservative considered a friend of big oil, will relinquish control of the all-important Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

“Energy is right in the center of the picture now,” said Deron Lovaas, a transportation fuel expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The question is what are we going to get done.”

David Adams can be reached at dadams@sptimes.com or (305) 361-6393.

[Last modified November 13, 2006, 22:39:09]