Energy policy critical

Another "economic stimulus" package is being proposed by some members of Congress and Sen. Obama.

Like the last one, which we just got, we're not going to turn down the government any time it wants to give us some of our money back (assuming they make cuts in programs to match the "return" so we're not going to just have to make it up with higher taxes next year). Yet, like the last one, the effects are likely to be minimal on the overall national economy and do nothing to address the underlying issues that have gotten us into this mess.

Following severe mismanagement by lending companies and federal oversight agencies, the housing/lending crisis would normally be enough to cause an economic problem in the country. But when combined with the skyrocketing price of gasoline (and other energy), our economy has come to a grinding halt. Those gas prices are causing a huge increase in the cost of food, which ironically, isn't included in most of the government's indexes of the nation's economic health because they are "too volatile."

Many Mountain Home residents commute to Boise. The last rebate checks barely covered the increase in the cost of gasoline to get to work. Combined with the rise in food prices and far too many local residents are feeling a serious pinch in their household budgets.

The real priority of Congress must be on solving the issue of rising gasoline/diesel costs. Since 1972, when the first oil embargo was launched, we've been warned that today was coming. Congress ignored those warnings and never developed a serious, coherent and comprehensive energy policy. Now the oil crisis is here and there are simply no short-term solutions that are going to help us in the foreseeable future.

Like the last economic stimulus package, this one -- if it is approved -- will almost certainly be used to cover the rising costs of gas and food for most households. It won't be used to help other businesses expand and grow, which is what it's intended to do. In effect, Congress is simply subsidizing the basic living needs of voters in an election year -- and big oil companies.

Meanwhile, the underlying problems continue to be ignored. Rather than appealing to quick fixes, we urge the presidential candidates to lay out their ideas for a comprehensive energy policy. More than any other policy they may propose, that's the one that will have the most impact on the future of this country.