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Manchin would be wise Energy pick

Perhaps the most important Cabinet secretary President-elect Donald Trump will select is a person to head the Department of Energy. Our entire economy, not to mention much of our foreign policy, relies on energy.

During the past eight years, President Barack Obama and liberals in Congress have used energy and environmental policy as a vehicle for social engineering. Their goal is simple: to eliminate use of fossil fuels by Americans. Their starting point was destruction of the coal industry and with it, affordable electricity.

Now, Obama has moved on to oil and natural gas, blocking pipelines those industries need to supply Americans.

Meanwhile, the president has funneled billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to the solar and wind power industries.

That, in a word, is crazy. It forces Americans to pay more for energy. It continues our reliance on foreign oil.

One of Obama’s leading Democrat opponents in that policy has been Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

Manchin is a staunch defender of the mining industry, pointing out coal can be burned cleanly. But he also is a firm believer in an “all of the above” policy — making intelligent use of all forms of energy.

Reportedly, Trump is considering Manchin for secretary of energy. Nominating him for the post would help ensure our nation pursues an energy policy that is aimed at serving Americans best — not furthering an agenda that, in reality, is not an acceptable “alternative.”

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