Energy Playing Big Role in U.S. Election

Energy Playing Big Role in U.S. Election

Sep 10 - United Press International

Energy issues are more prevalent in this year's U.S. presidential election than at any time since the 1970s oil shocks, analysts say.

High gas prices, soaring heating and electricity costs and concerns about global warming have become so widespread that energy issues will probably receive more presidential attention after the election than they ever have, USA Today reported Wednesday.

"No matter who wins, there is likely to be far more action on energy policy than in the past few presidencies as high prices and concerns about global warming push the issue to the top of many lawmakers' to-do lists," Greg Valliere, chief political strategist at the Stanford Financial Group, told the newspaper.

Republican Party nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona favors big subsidies to the nuclear power industry, while Democratic Party opponent Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois says security and nuclear waste issues must be solved first, the newspaper said.

The two also diverge on coal. Analysts told USA Today that both want to develop "clean coal" technology but McCain says new coal plants should continue to be built in the meantime while Obama says such plants must be designed to allow for retrofitting of carbon-capture devices.