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Giuliani on Energy Policy

By Eric McErlain
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani gave a speech last night in New York City where he touched on what he believes should be priorities for a national energy policy:
"I can't imagine how you can achieve anything in government without a plan," he said in his remarks at the Princeton Club, referring to the nation's long-range energy needs. "This is an area where we haven't had a plan in a very, very long time."

Mr. Giuliani, whose consulting firm, Giuliani Partners, advises energy companies and a liquefied natural gas project on Long Island Sound, called for easing and hastening permits for more nuclear power plants, natural gas ports and oil refineries. He said the nation could not afford another 30 years without a far-sighted energy policy.

"We've been sitting there for a generation, just hoping there'll be some magic solution," he said.

(snip)

Asked by an audience member what his advice to Mr. Bush would be, Mr. Giuliani called for fixed numerical goals and deadlines to build more nuclear power plants, encourage use of hybrid cars, and increase the supply of ethanol and other resources. Ethanol is an economic priority in Iowa, which has the nation's first presidential caucuses.

(snip)

"The idea of energy independence for the United States is maybe the wrong paradigm --— I don't know if we can ever be independent," he said. But he added, "I think you can be independent by being diversified," arguing that Americans needed to depend more on home-grown fuels and energy resources.
Though the New York Times says Giuliani was critical of President Bush, many of his suggestions are already part of Administration policy.

For more, see the AP account of the speech, or visit the Giuliani Blog. Thanks to Taegan Goddard for the pointer.

UPDATE: Ryan Sager has more. Thanks to Instapundit for the pointer.

UPDATE: A lot of folks are liking what they heard from Giuliani, including Hot Air, Jay Reding, Tinkerty Tonk and TexasXtreme.

UPDATE: More thoughts from Decision '08 and What If?.

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