Reason #10

Complete and Total Energy Independence

This is a big one... actually a huge one.

The State of Texas is #1 in the United States for production of crude oil, refined oil products, and natural gas. We are also #1 in the production of electric energy from wind power. How about that, we've got it all. So why, in the name of the Union, would we want a central government to tell us that we cannot drill for our own oil? Why would we want a central government to dictate the price at which we can sell energy products to other states?

Texas is so influential in the crude oil world that daily spot prices for crude oil are based on the price of Texas Sweet Crude. And yet, because of regulations from Washington, oil producers in the State of Texas are not allowed to exercise their free right to drill, extract, refine, and market oil products as they see fit.

Texas is the #1 state in exports, largely in part because of oil and gas production. Because of this, an independent Texas would not only reap the financial benefit of its own energy resources, but the state would be able to exercise a much greater control over its own energy markets.

The Federal Government has positioned itself against the development of nuclear power plants. Nuclear energy is the cleanest and least expensive form of electric energy production known to Texas. Yes, it is much less expensive than wind energy, and less expensive than solar, coal, or natural gas. It creates ZERO polution and operates as a "steady state" source of electricity. Yet, the Federal Government's Nuclear Regulatory Commission will not issue a permit for a new nuclear power plant. This makes just about as much sense as not drilling for your own oil. UPDATE: the NRC currently has 6 applications for new nuclear power plants... 3 of them in Texas, however 2 of the plants have now been denied permits because of an NRC regulation that a nuclear power plant cannot be owned or dominated by a foreign entity.

Texas has the resources to become one of the largest energy exporting countries in the world, except that an overbearing Federal Government will not allow it. Is this the "will of the people?". It this an example of "State Sovereignty?". No. This is yet another example of how the Federal Government has exceeded its Constitutional power.

Now let's talk about "Cap and Trade", or what is formally known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES). ACES aims to "cap" the total amount of carbon emissions in the nation, and reduce that total slightly every year through 2050. See Reason #2 for a more detailed explanation of Cap and Trade. For now, understand that Cap and Trade requires carbon credits to be purchased for production of carbon dioxide gas. In Texas, there are thousands of "marginal" oil and gas wells that continue to operate as long as production costs remain low. Once the operators of these wells are required to purchase carbon credits, these wells will no longer be profitable and will be shut down. This will result in a loss of jobs in the state of Texas, and a reduction of total natural gas and oil production domestically, resulting in an INCREASE in reliance on foreign sources of energy. Cap and Trade will cause energy prices to INCREASE and will cause our dependence on foreign oil to INCREASE. Nothing could be more harmful to Texas and the nation than this totally insane piece of legislation. Did I say "insane"? Yes, I did. Our federal lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have lost their grip on reality. Fortunately, this horrible piece of legislation did not make it through the Senate. The result had been an abundance of oil and natural gas production in the state of Texas and a substantial reduction in the importation of foreign oil.