It's never easy to admit you're wrong, but in this case, I'm somewhat happy to do so. In my March 2005 opinion piece, titled, "The Energy Policy Graveyard," I expressed my frustration with Congress and with the Administration for their inability to pass an energy bill. My sharpest words were these: "It's time to either punt or lock the executive and legislative branches of federal government inside the Capitol building, shut off the power and the heat, and let them stew until they can craft a policy with America's best long-term interests in mind." I'd like to think those words were distributed to every member of Congress and served as the inspiration (or kick in the pants) for what finally happened this summer, culminating in President Bush signing the Energy Policy Act of 2005 on August 8. I'd like to think my call for a smaller bill focused on "targeted actions with readily measured results" had Congressman and Senators silently nodding their heads in agreement as they sat down to negotiate the compromise legislation. I'd like to think the graveyard image seared their collective consciousness and convinced them to change the meaning of RIP from "Rest in Peace" to "Really Important Plan."
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