AltEnergyStocks.com Endorses Barack Obama in the U.S. Presidential Race

With about a month to go to the 2008 presidential election campaign, and after two presidential and one vice-presidential debates, we have heard enough from both tickets on the issue of energy to make up our mind on an official endorsement, an issue we do not take lightly. John McCain’s and Barack Obama’s stances on energy can seem very similar to the casual observer. Both candidates support a cap on carbon emissions, and both tend to argue for “All of the Above” when asked about specific forms of energy. But there are key differences: 1. In the second presidential debate [transcript], Tom Brokaw asked each candidate to prioritize the important issues of Healthcare, Energy, and Entitlement reform. McCain avoided the question, saying that he would work on all simultaneously, while Obama put energy first and foremost. At AltEnergyStocks.com, we also believe that energy should be the new president’s top priority. 2. Energy Efficiency. Despite supporting an “all of the above” approach to energy, John McCain very seldom speaks of energy efficiency, and using the energy we have more wisely. Barack Obama nearly always speaks about energy efficiency when he speaks about energy. The incident where Barack Obama truthfully said that properly inflating tires would save more oil than offshore drilling is likely to produce [video], after which McCain ridiculed him for it, is just one memorable example. Although AltEnergyStocks.com supports all forms of renewable energy, we know that energy efficiency is the cheapest and cleanest form of energy available, and so energy efficiency has to come first. For more differences, this Wall Street Journal article explores the candidates’ energy policies and voting records in more depth, and shows that Barack Obama has consistently supported renewable energy, while John McCain has sometimes been an obstacle. For all these reasons, AltEnergyStocks.com joins other alternative energy and cleantech businesses in endorsing Barack Obama as the best candidate for the Alternative Energy Industry, and for our personal investments in the sector. But beyond immediate economic and financial considerations, we believe that a fundamental shift in the way we produce and utilize energy is a necessary condition for peace and prosperity for the generations that will follow us, and we believe that Barack Obama is the most willing and best able to ensure that this shift occurs. Charles Morand, Partner & Editor Tom Konrad, Ph.D., Partner & Analyst Brian Gomes, Partner & CTO