Critically Thinking about the Dept of Energy

Three Powerful, Practical, Plausible Recommendations to Improve it

There is now an unprecedented opportunity that Critical Thinkers (that’s us) should take advantage of.

Arguably, for the first time in modern US history, the federal government is: 1) open to making radical changes in government agencies, 2) has the right political perspective, and 3) is receptive to citizen inputs.

Yes, there are always reasons to be skeptical — but the upside is so great that we should assume the best, and offer assistance. For those who are incurably cynical and say no, then you are foregoing your future rights to complain!

I’m polling my Critical Thinking Substack readers as to their best ideas regarding the Department of Health and Human Services (FDA, CDC, etc.), Department of Education (DOEd), Department of Energy (DOE), EPA, and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). [If you have any good connections with the upper echelon of any of these federal Departments, please email me.]

—> Let’s say that this is the scenario: a) we are given five (5) minutes for a face-to-face meeting with the Secretary of each of these Departments, and b) we are asked to limit our suggestions to three (3) items. Due to these rules, we need to filter out many ideas so that we are left with just three (3) succinct, important, doable recommendations.

This is the third in my series of commentaries to each of the above-mentioned Departments. Below are my suggested three (3) recommendations for the federal Department of Energy (DOE). Critically Thinking readers can constructively weigh in with support or any improvements on what I’ve proposed, in the Comments below...

We’ll then try to get the end product to the new Department of Energy Secretary, likely to be Chris Wright.

Recommendation #1 —

The Left repeatedly outmaneuvers the Right when it comes to linguistics. As a result, we are way too often playing defense.

The DOE should start off by sending a strong message by formally ditching the horrifically bad “All of the Above” slogan. That charade was concocted by renewable lobbyists as a clever way to grease the skids for their underperforming clients — as it foolishly indicated that ALL energy options were welcome regardless of availability, cost, reliability, etc. Such an energy philosophy is not in the best interest of consumers, businesses, the military, or the country.

As explained here, DOE should officially declare that its new official motto is “All of the Sensible.” What are our sensible energy options? That’s exactly the discussion we should be having — NOT allowing all comers to be pre-approved.

Recommendation #2 —

Most people are unaware that our Electric Grid is not only an engineering marvel, but it is also the backbone of our economy and security. Arguably the most significant difference between the US and Third-World countries, is our Electric Grid vs theirs.

Because the Electric Grid is a technical matter that few understand, self-serving lobbyists have targeted it as a financial opportunity for their clients. These lobbyists know that almost no one is paying attention to such things as a Dutch Auction, so undermining the processes, is akin to stealing low-hanging fruit. Their continued justification for these corrupted changes is politics. For example, “Wind needs special treatment as it is politically favored.” By supporting such nonsense, legislators and regulators are virtue signaling, while acting contrary to the best interest of the country.

That said, almost all of such changes that favor renewable energies are: 1) reducing the reliability of the Grid, 2) increasing the cost to all electricity users, 3) adversely affecting the environment, and 4) undermining our national security. This is a classic case of benefits for a few at the expense of many.

See my recent commentary on wind energy for several examples of how the Electric Grid has been seriously degraded. Chris Wright knows what I’m talking about and he should see that the DOE takes a very public stand against the erosion of our Electric Grid.

Recommendation #3 —

Fix the roadblocks to nuclear energy, which have largely been set up by renewable lobbyists and environmental activists.

For those concerned with Climate Change, they should be aware that over the last fifty years, nuclear energy has saved more CO2 than all other sources combined! Yet the same Climate Alarmists who say that we are facing a cataclysmic end of the world, are often the most vocal opponents of nuclear energy! They say it has to do with safety — yet in the US over the last few decades more people have been injured due to wind energy than nuclear! The real reason they are opposed is that nuclear hugely outperforms their baby (renewables), and they don’t like that.

Some actions where the DOE can take the lead on this topic are: 1) see that the law is changed so that all US nuclear facilities are required to re-process past and future fuel; 2) see that the Yucca Mountain (or WIPP) repository for storing all reprocessed nuclear waste is formally approved and used*, 3) reduce nuclear power plant regulations that are statistically unreasonable, 4) aggressively support SMRs as well as Next Generation nuclear facilities, 5) etc.

*GAO says that “Tens of Billions of dollars” are lost by the current arrangement for handling nuclear waste, so this is also a DOGE winner

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Yes, I am fully aware that there are many other US energy-related issues — and several of them are significant. For example, Alex Epstein has a very good outline of “twenty-five policy changes to unleash American energy.”

However, if you had only 5 minutes to speak to Chris Wright, and were limited to 3 recommendations, what would they be?

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