{"id":351280,"date":"2024-11-15T09:30:41","date_gmt":"2024-11-15T08:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=351280"},"modified":"2024-11-15T09:30:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T08:30:44","slug":"doe-efficiency-standards-consumer-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=351280","title":{"rendered":"DOE Efficiency Standards: Consumer Time?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From Master Resource<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Mark Krebs and Tom Tanton<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe Deep State is cancer-like in nature. Like cancer, it must be rooted out before it metastasizes\u2014as it would have if subject to another four years of a Harris (Obama 4.0?) Administration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time to go big<\/em>. Scrap DOE and part-out whatever missions are worth saving.  And whatever missions are deemed worth saving should be saved only with thorough scrutiny of zero-based budgeting.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Our March 2017 post, DOE\u2019s EERE: Reform Ideas for Secretary Perry<\/a>, stated that while \u201ca trace of consumer focus still exists,\u201d the department\u2019s heavy bias was towards society-wide electrification under the guise of \u201cNet Zero\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever trace of consumer focus may be remaining within DOE is not worth salvaging. In fact, eliminating the pipe dream of an all-electric society would likely save US citizens $18 to 29 trillion<\/a> in capital costs alone. Other analysts have estimated far higher cost inflation, while others conclude that total electrification cannot be accomplished at any<\/em> cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there was some initial lip service about DOE reform from a few politicians (which we documented in the above article), little actual reform took place. Congress slow-walked appointments, while DOE \u2018s so-called \u201ccareer professional\u201d staff resorted to traditional tactics of placating eventual appointees. And what reforms did occur under then Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) Daniel Simmons<\/a> (not sworn in until January 16, 2019) were quickly jettisoned by the Biden (mis)Administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We tried again to make our case on October 24, 2019, in EERE Reform: Brouillette\u2019s Turn (\u2018deep decarbonization\u2019 threat still alive)<\/a>. Little if anything meaningful occurred under Dan Brouillette either. In fact, he moved<\/a> to the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and was soon fired<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brouillette has also been mentioned as possibly resuming being at DOE as Secretary. If so, since EEI stands to gain immensely through vehicle and building electrification, Brouillette at least has some major explaining to \u201cwe the people\u201d for differentiating himself from the swamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Real Reform Opportunity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The incoming Administration can and should do far more than just trim back the overgrown greenery; it should serve the legitimate interests of the American citizenry and American prosperity.  However. details in our previous recommendations (cited above), are worth reviewing by the incoming Trump Administration if for no other reason than to document historical mistakes and avoid them going forward<\/em>. Regardless, our old recommendations are no longer sufficiently ambitious in terms of best serving the American public and drastically reducing the National Debt\u2019s deadly inflation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how should we move forward for \u201cdeep reform\u201d versus the meager results from before? After all, the incoming Trump 2.0 Administration much better understands the depth and breadth of the Deep State and its joined-at-the-hip \u201cUniparty\u201d cohorts. The options range from modest \u201creform\u201d to scrapping DOE and parting out its truly vital missions to other Federal agencies or private sector competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In essence, it\u2019s time to go big<\/em>. Scrap DOE and part-out whatever missions are worth saving.  And whatever missions are deemed worth saving should be saved only with thorough scrutiny of zero-based budgeting<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given we the people<\/em> hold the House, and lead the Senate, this is a unique opportunity that must be exploited to the full extent feasible. After all, the world has fundamentally changed since DOE was formed to address certain issues: low supplies and scarcity, coupled with cartel behavior by foreign actors. Today we have robust supplies that mainly just need regulatory relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith money we will get men\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A little Thomas Jefferson and Karl von Clausewitz guidance may provide instruction to get us started.  Thomas Jefferson cited  those  words \u201cWith money we will get men\u201d in Volume 4 of  Notes on Virginia<\/a>. In full context:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nor should our assembly be deluded by the integrity of their own purposes and conclude that these unlimited powers will never be abused, because themselves are not disposed to abuse them. They should look forward to a time, and that not a distant one, when a corruption in this, as in the country from which we derive our origin, will have seized the heads of government, and be spread by them through the body of the people; when they will purchase the voices of the people, and make them pay the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human nature is the same on every side of the Atlantic and will be alike influenced by the same causes. The time to guard against corruption and tyranny, is before they shall have gotten hold of us. It is better to keep the wolf out of the fold, than to trust to drawing his teeth and talons after he shall have entered. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Moving on to Clausewitz:<\/p>\n\n\n\n