The Presidents and Their Energy Policies

Each one gets to try to put his stamp on energy in the USA.

FDR - the great hydro-dams. They cost a mint and even though they still produce plenty of electricity, can only satisfy something like 5% of the nation’s needs.

Eisenhower - started the age of commercial nuclear energy.

JFK & LBJ did not focus so much on energy, Viet Nam kind got in the way.

Nixon - authorized the Alaskan pipeline & warned about dependence on foreign oil. Neither popular at the time.

Ford - created the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Carter - called for the “moral equivalent of a war” on energy. Nobody was listening.

Reagan - attempted to abolish the Department of Energy

Clinton - tried for a new generation of vehicles that would get high gas mileage without sacrificing anything else.

Dubya - tried to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

Obama - wait and see just how green we will go.

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