Ken Silverstein | Nov 04, 2010

Two days after an historic mid-term election, a huge pall is hanging over the White House. The same angst that swept President Obama into office two years ago is now working to clean house in Congress, literally.

Republicans, though, should not misconstrue the voters' message. The overarching issue, no doubt, is about jobs and the economy. And no longer will the electorate tolerate the partisan bickering that serves only to divide the American people. It, instead, wants cooperation - leadership that will result in rejuvenation of the national spirit. To that end, a mutually-derived energy policy would help inspire that dream.

"The only thing that's going to solve our economic problems in this country is jobs," says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who survived an extremely bitter election. "Jobs, jobs, jobs. And I'm going to do everything I can to create jobs."

Energy is the foundation of any growing economy. While disagreement abounds over how to allocate the national treasure, consensus does exist in many critical areas. As President Obama emphasized in his press conference yesterday, there is strong support for developing new natural gas supplies as well as building electric cars.

Likewise, he notes that this is a chance to "re-start" the nuclear industry. And he says that the only way to move forward is through "cooperation." To that end, the president says his administration had achieved new fuel efficiency standards by soliciting auto makers.

But certain policies will be derailed for the time being, he adds, specifically mentioning the House energy bill that would limit carbon emissions. That said, he went on to say that climate change is a serious issue but that there is more than "one way to skin a cat," meaning that cap-and-trade is a means to an end.

"Some areas there will be too much disagreement," says President Obama. "But let's not wait. We can continue to have a strong healthy debate in areas where we don't. The American people want to see more transparency and more openness."

Mix and Match Ideas

Indeed, the divide between the political parties seems insurmountable. But the president said clearly that that if the economy is to gain speed, it will require bi-partisanship. Job growth in the private sector, in fact, has been occurring for nine straight months. But the rate of acceleration has been slow and frustrating, which manifested itself in this election.

The goal now, says the president, is to "mix and match" ideas - and to get out of this rut. The reality is that both parties benefit when they are able to collaborate with those with whom they disagree to craft solutions. Republicans said they would work to find common ground but remained steadfast to their guiding principles.

"Across the country right now, we are witnessing a repudiation of Washington, a repudiation of big government and a repudiation of politicians who refuse to listen to the people," says Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, who will likely become the next House speaker. 

If lawmakers can rise above the partisanship, the discussion will turn to what responsibilities power and gas companies have in a revival. What is required is the formation of a cohesive national energy policy that employs a host of energy sources. With the demand for energy expected to rise by as much as 30 percent in 20 years, it is crucial to use both cleaner base-load generation and more sustainable fuels.

The president specifically made note of developing non-traditional natural gas resources such as shale. With new drilling technologies that are able to access to these deposits, shale gas can play a vital role in fulfilling America's energy needs going forward. Ditto for nuclear energy, which is in the process of commercializing state-of-art reactors that promise to be more efficient and safer than any ever built.

And while the president made no mention yesterday of clean coal, his administration has funded several projects that aim to capture carbon and then to bury it. It's an idea that could gain increasing momentum now that Republicans control the House. At the same time, the administration remains committed to developing a green economy and to ensuring a permanent place for the wind and solar industries.

"Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have supported the U.S. wind energy sector, too, for many years because they know it creates jobs for Americans and investment in our economy, as well as homegrown clean energy made in the U.S.A.," says Denise Bode, chief executive of the American Wind Energy Association. Energy security and job formation will trump the entrenched and partisan interests.

The political atmosphere will change. The hostility won't easily wither but the level of conciliation will increase: Jobs and economic productivity are at stake, all of which will require a greater degree of legislative and regulatory certainty. A sound energy policy is integral to that effort - one that sets the stage to meet future demands with the cleanest possible technologies.

EnergyBiz Insider is nominated for Best Online Column by Media Industry News.

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