Why Do We Have a Department of Energy?

Thirty years ago, Congress created the Department of Energy. The purpose of the Department of Energy? To Lessen the Nation's Dependence of the Nation on Foreign Oil.

Here we are thirty years later, through 5 administrations--both Democrat and Republican-- and we're more dependent than ever on foreign oil. The Energy Department is a total failure. In a sector--government--synonomous with failure, the Energy Department, as Linus of the Peanuts crowd might say, is the failurest.

Here's the problem: This Carter-era white elephant costs taxpayers $24 billion a year. It employs 16,000 government workers and over 100,000 contract workers. I can tolerate someone's failure and total ineptitude if it doesn't cost me any money.
But when I think of the problems facing this country, including health care, crumbling infrastructure, a failing education system, and paying for the Bailout of the Week, it seems that we could put that $24 billion to better use.

Hey, President-elect Obama, the Energy Department's run out of gas. Time to shut it down.


Just thought you might like to know.