If Politics Powered Homes, We’d All Be in the Dark

Politics has a way of stepping into places where practicality should lead, and nowhere is that more obvious than in energy policy. Time and again, progress stalls not because solutions are unavailable, but because leaders choose ideological battles over outcomes that actually work for people who pay the bills and keep the lights on.

This week offered another clear example. During his address, Donald Trump continued his war against renewable energy, calling it a scam and claiming it drives electricity rates higher. At the very same moment, the Southwest Power Pool was being powered primarily by wind. At eight eighteen PM, electricity in that market was selling for negative thirteen dollars. That is not theory or ideology. That is real time market data showing abundant generation and low costs driven by renewables.

On the other side of the aisle, the story is not much better. During the Biden era, the Keystone Pipeline was shut down and there were vows to end fracking. Regardless of how one feels about those decisions politically, the impact on workers, domestic supply, and long term energy stability cannot be ignored. These choices ripple through communities that depend on energy jobs and through industries that rely on affordable and reliable power.

This is the core problem in energy today. Both parties too often choose politics over good policy. The result is higher volatility, confused signals to investors, and real pain for ratepayers and industry workers alike. When policy swings wildly depending on who is in office, progress slows and trust erodes.

Energy should not be a culture war. It should be a practical conversation about reliability, affordability, security, and environmental responsibility. Wind and solar have proven their value. Oil and gas still play a critical role in keeping the system stable and meeting demand. Nuclear remains one of the most reliable sources of clean baseload power we have. Ignoring any of these for political points only weakens the system.

What we need is a fair and balanced energy policy that supports an all-of-the-above approach—one that lets markets work, encourages innovation, protects workers, and delivers affordable power to consumers. Progress happens when facts matter more than slogans. Until we put policy ahead of politics, energy will remain trapped in a fight it never should have entered.

by Destinee Weeks, Development Director