Daniel Koffler: Despite the bad rap it gets from environmental activists, nuclear power may be the key to solving our energy crisis

In keeping with the frenetic, rhetorical ping-pong that has marked virtually every moment of this young general election, Barack Obama gave a big energy policy speech in Las Vegas last month to counter the big energy speech John McCain gave just prior to it. Obama proposed a substantial federal investment in alternative energy sources, including wind power, solar power and biofuels, and he promised to hike fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks (though he didn't say by how much). He has already proposed a cap-and-trade scheme with auctions for emissions permits, which are key to making any such scheme work. (John McCain's version of cap-and-trade does not include auctions.)

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