President Obama told a green energy conference in Las Vegas Monday night that conservative opponents of his energy policies are conducting an un-American campaign to restrict consumer access to green energy sources in order to protect their own investments in the fossil fuel industry.
"They're trying to undermine competition in the marketplace and choke off consumer choice and threaten an industry that's turning out new jobs at a fast pace," Obama told the crowd at the National Clean Energy Summit 8.0, specifically singling out billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who are two major Republican donors, reported The Washington Times.
The Kochs, along with "big fossil fuel interests" and "conservative think tanks," are guilty of ideological inconsistencies, Obama said, accusing them of championing free market solutions except in cases when free markets improve renewable energy, according to Fox News.
"It's one thing if you're consistent in being free-market. It's another thing when you're free-market until it's solar that's working, and people want to buy and suddenly you're not for it anymore. That's a problem," Obama said. "When you start seeing massive lobbying efforts backed by fossil fuel interests, or conservative think tanks, or the Koch brothers pushing for new laws to roll back renewable energy standards, or to prevent new clean energy businesses from succeeding, that's a problem."
Obama did acknowledge that there are differences that still need to be worked out - like who will pay for power transmission when solar generation is mostly decentralized, according to USA Today. But, Obama said, opponents are limiting consumer choice, even when some Tea Party leaders are supporting pro-solar policies.
"That's not the American way. That's not progress. That's not innovation. That's rent seeking. That's standing in the way of progress," Obama added.
Philip Ellender, Koch Industries' president of public affairs, responded to Obama's remarks by stating, "Koch Industries supports all forms of energy, but we believe they need to stand on their own merits. We will continue to call them what they are - corporate welfare," reported USA Today.
A top House Republican said the president is trying to trick the public with an agenda that will actually increase energy prices.
"Raising utility prices by as much as $1,000 per family, which will reduce GDP by as much half a percentage point a year, is not powering progress, but instead [is] a recipe for America's decline and continued energy dependency," Rep. Rob Bishop, Utah Republican and chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources, said, according to the Times.
"Instead of spending another $1 billion of taxpayer money to prop up noncompetitive sources of energy, the president should cut barriers to energy development on federal land and offshore," said Bishop.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) a longtime foe of the Koch brothers, hosted the annual conference.
Obama's speech was the first leg in a climate tour that will end with a three-day trip to Alaska next week. He also announced new executive actions and other efforts underway to make it easier for businesses and homeowners to invest in green energy, according to Fox.
