from masterresource
Author: Mark Krebs and Tom Tanton
“The Deep State is essentially like a cancer. Like a cancer, it must be eradicated before it metastasizes — just like another four years of the Harris (Obama 4.0?) administration.
“It's time Make it bigger. Scrap the Department of Energy and abandon any mission worth preserving. Any mission deemed worth saving should only be saved with a thorough review of zero-based budgeting.
Our March 2017 post, “EERE at DOE: Secretary Perry’s Reform Ideas,” noted that while “trails of consumer concern remain,” the department is heavily biased toward society-wide electrification under the guise of “net zero.” .
Whatever vestiges of consumer concern remain within the DOE are not worth saving. In fact, eliminating the pipe dream of an all-electric society could save U.S. citizens $18 to $29 trillion in capital costs. Other analysts estimate cost inflation to be much higher, while others conclude that full electrification is unlikely to any cost.
While there was some initial rhetorical support for DOE reform from some politicians (which we documented in the article above), little actual reform has occurred. Congressional appointments moved slowly, and the Department of Energy's so-called “career professional” staff resorted to traditional tactics to appease the eventual appointees. Reforms that did occur under then-Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Daniel Simmons (sworn in on January 16, 2019) were quickly abandoned by the Biden administration.
We tried again to illustrate our point of view in “EERE Reform: The Brouillette Transformation” (The threat of “deep decarbonization” remains) on October 24, 2019. Under Dan Brouillette, almost nothing meaningful happened. In fact, he transferred to the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and was quickly fired.
Brouillette has also been mentioned as a possible return as energy secretary. If so, since EEI stands to gain so much from electrifying vehicles and buildings, Brouillette can at least have some important explanations to “we the people” to separate ourselves from the swamp.
A real opportunity for reform
The incoming administration can and should do more than trim overgrown greenery; it should serve the legitimate interests of American citizens and American prosperity. However. The details in our previous recommendations (mentioned above) warrant review by the incoming Trump administration If for no other reason than to log historical errors and avoid them continuing. Regardless, our old proposals are no longer ambitious in terms of best serving the American public and dramatically reducing the national debt's deadly inflation.
But in the face of the previous situation of little success, how should we promote “deep reforms”? After all, the incoming Trump 2.0 administration is more aware of the depth and breadth of the deep state and its fashionable “single-party” groups. Options range from modest “reform” to abolishing the Department of Energy and handing its truly important mission to other federal agencies or private sector competition.
Essentially, it's time Make it bigger. Scrap the Department of Energy and abandon any mission worth preserving. Any mission deemed worth saving should only be saved with a thorough review of zero-based budgeting.
Given we the people Taking control of the House of Representatives and leading the Senate is a unique opportunity that must be taken full advantage of. After all, the world has changed fundamentally since the Department of Energy was created to address certain problems: supply shortages and scarcity, as well as cartel behavior by foreign actors. Today, we have strong supply and mainly just need to relax regulations.
“With money we can get men”
A little guidance from Thomas Jefferson and Karl von Clausewitz can get us started. Thomas Jefferson quoted in Volume 4 of Notes on Virginia, “With money we can find people.” In full context:
Nor should our Parliament be deceived by the integrity of their own purposes, and conclude that these unlimited powers can never be abused, because they themselves have no intention of abusing them. They should look forward to a day, and not a distant day, when corruption in this country, like the one from which we came, will seize the heads of government and be spread by them through the entire institution. When they will buy into the voices of the people and make them pay.
Human nature is the same on both sides of the Atlantic and is affected by the same causes. The time to guard against corruption and tyranny is before they take over us. It is better to keep the wolf away from the sheep pen than to expect to have its teeth and claws pulled out once it enters the fold.
Continuing with Clausewitz:
- Politicians who hesitate to strike preemptively when they see war is inevitable commit a crime against the country.
- The first, highest, most far-reaching act of judgment that statesmen and commanders must make is to determine the type of war they are about to wage; without mistaking it or trying to turn it into something contrary to its essence.
- Many people think that half the effort will yield results. Small jumps are easier than large jumps, but people who want to cross a large ditch don't cross it halfway first.
To say the least, we are fulfilling Jefferson’s prophecy. We need to fully consider how the Deep State is plotting to impose its “Great Reset” on our country. The “deep state” is essentially like cancer. Like cancer, it must be eradicated before it metastasizes—just as another four years of the Harris (Obama 4.0?) administration will.
deep state enemy
Clausewitz thought only of victory. If that’s true for Trump (and he is), then rearranging the DOE’s “deck chairs” is just a small step across a huge chasm. Deep State Cancer will most likely only go into remission for four years, but one day, with the return of another Democratic administration, it will come back with a vengeance.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to serving the deep state/single party or serving the legitimate best interests of “we the people.” As the current Biden administration has made abundantly clear in its words and deeds, there is no middle ground of “live and let live.” “All-electric” or even “all of the above” energy policies also don't have enough money.
We cannot afford the self-indulgence of environmental virtue signaling. We just need to pursue an energy policy that is objective, comprehensive, and focused on planning (and tendering) at the lowest economic cost, so that we can avoid the reality of looming economic collapse. Yes, there is still room for improvement in objective energy efficiency; if it were market-based (rather than Big Brother asking for money to be thrown at an illusory problem). There is even room for environmental progress at the lowest cost. Little RFK knew that soil regeneration was one of them.
The Trump 2.0 administration must achieve and demonstrate real and effective results for energy consumers as soon as possible. Immediate action should include rolling back the miserable Inflation Reduction Act, a buffet for countless parasitic “clean energy” fanatics. These fanatics have received enough (unwitting taxpayer) IRA funding to haunt “We the People” for decades to come.
The most effective strategy (but not necessarily the easiest) is to simply eliminate the Department of Energy division responsible for overseeing such funding. At the same time, repeal the same corrupt legislation that authorizes DOE’s regulatory mandate to creep in, such as the outdated Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975 and its self-serving, loophole-riddled revisions.
In short, the Department of Energy is not worth trying to save because its cancer culture is impervious to modest political reform and intervention. So, like a scrapped car, separate out the parts that can be safely and cost-effectively recycled, and retire the rest. Assuming control of the House and Senate, this is entirely feasible for the first time; giving the will to persist. So let's declare victory over the natural gas pipelines of the 1970s and continue to overcome resistance in the House and Senate to dramatically reduce the economic threat of excessive cholesterol spending.
————————–
Mark Krebsis a mechanical engineer and energy policy consultant who has devoted more than thirty years to energy efficiency design and project evaluation. Mark has served as an expert witness in dozens of state energy efficiency lawsuits, served as counsel to the Department of Energy, and filed dozens of federal energy efficiency filings. You can find his many MasterResource posts on natural gas and electricity and federal policy for “deep decarbonization” here. Marchk's first article was published in Public Utilities Biweekly with the title 'It's a war: Gas workers question electricity efficiency' (December 1996). Krebs recently retired from Spire Inc. and joined other veteran energy analysts to form an energy policy consulting firm (Natural Gas Analysis and Advocacy Services).
Tom Tanton (tantontwitter@gmail.com) is director of the Institute of Energy and Environmental Law. Mr. Tanton has 45 years of experience in energy and environmental policy, focusing on promoting technology options and economic development. Mr. Tanton has testified before numerous state legislatures and Congress as an energy policy expert. He served as chief policy advisor to the California Energy Commission.
[3] Dan Brouillette's brief tenure at EEI marked tense relationship with utility chiefs
Relevant
