Paul Ryan's World

From Paul Ryan's "Path to Prosperity" [PDF]:

Eliminating welfare for energy companies

Sounds like a good start! Hey, maybe he'll propose to cut those oil subsidies!

Since his inauguration, the President has promoted a heavy-handed compliance culture in the energy sector, brimming with regulations and reckless spending on government-appointed winners and losers. Instead of promoting policy rooted in innovation and the entrepreneurial strength of American business, the President’s agenda has consolidated decision-making in Washington through a toxic mix of increased spending and more regulations.

Alright, whatever. We know this is all BS, but Paul Ryan is highly partisan, and it's to be expected he's going to try to lie his way into things.

Regulations have extracted some $1.75 trillion per year from the economy, according to a recent report from the Small Business Administration, including $281 billion for environmental regulations that disproportionately hit small businesses. The President has also stifled domestic energy production by blocking or delaying production both onshore and offshore, destroying jobs and idling American energy sources. The stimulus alone allocated $80 billion of taxpayers’ dollars specifically for politically favored renewable-energy interests.

The results are plain to see: Gas prices have more than doubled since the President took office. Burdensome and ineffective regulations on businesses in the service of dubious environmental goals have driven up the prices of many products and services, while creating barriers for needed capital investment and job creation.

Eh, OK, time to get down to business now and stop bullshitting. Paul, will you cut the $20 BILLION in oil/coal/gas subsidies?

To stop Washington’s policies that are driving up gas prices, and to expand American energy production and create more American jobs, the new House majority launched the American Energy Initiative earlier this year. This initiative provides a critical check on policies that make it more difficult to reduce dependence on fossil fuels from foreign nations.

It scales back spending on government bureaucracies seeking to impose a job-destroying national energy tax. It assumes increased revenues from bonus bids, rents, royalties, and fees as a result of lifting moratoriums and bans on safe, environmentally responsible exploration for domestic energy supplies. And it encourages the development of American-made renewable and alternative energy sources, including nuclear, wind, solar, and more, affirming the position that environmental stewardship and economic growth are not mutually exclusive goals.

This budget would continue funding essential government missions, including energy security and basic research and development, while paring back spending in areas of duplication or non-core functions, such as applied and commercial research or development projects best left to the private sector. Ultimately, the best energy policy is one that encourages robust competition and innovation to ensure the American people an affordable and stable supply of energy. This budget would roll back federal intervention and expensive corporate-welfare funding directed to the president’s allied industries. Instead, it would promote policies aimed at reliable energy, lower energy prices, greater revenue generation through prosperity, and market based solutions to the goal of sustainable energy.

No! Of course not! Why go after the huge, low-hanging fruit of oil, coal and gas extraction subsidies, when you can cut the tiny bit of money we invest in solar and wind?