Obama Agenda Receives Two Pieces of Good News Friday, July 16, 2010
Two pieces of positive news gave President Barack Obama’s energy agenda a boost this week. BP reported success with its latest attempt to control the Macondo spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the US Senate passed a landmark financial industry reform bill. The capped well is currently holding steady, which may allow all the oil leaked from Macondo to be gathered at the surface for the first time. Given past technical failures, however, the President is right to wait before trumpeting its success. Financial reform, on the other hand, is one of the President’s most important legislative initiatives and he ... More
Introduction: Energy Intelligence Tracks Obama's New Energy Policy
New US President Barack Obama has taken the energy business by storm. Rating the sector second only to the economy in his priorities, the new president is pursuing his vision of a new energy economy that includes reducing US dependence on foreign oil, restructuring the transport sector, developing alternative energies and addressing climate change. If successful, the policy will amount to nothing short of a revolution for the energy industry, with repercussions around the world. At the same time, key aspects of Obama's foreign policy are interwoven with the energy sector, particularly his pledge to advance the Mideast peace process and adopt a new approach to Iran. Obama will not be able to push through his entire energy agenda, nor achieve all his goals. But by moving swiftly on all fronts after taking office Jan. 20, he aims to make maximum use of high approval ratings and strong executive power. This special section explores the energy and foreign policy issues at play.