Bob Burnett: Welcome to Romneyland!!

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's policies would degrade American life. If Romney had his way, the US would follow the dysfunctional course of Wyoming, a state run by big oil and gas companies and governed by conservative Republicans, a state where pursuit of corporate profits trumps quality of life. In Romney's acceptance speech he promised, "By 2020, North America will be energy independent by taking full advantage of our oil and coal and gas and nuclear and renewables." Reframing the Republican mantra "drill, baby, drill," Romney's energy plan would "open America's energy reserves for development" and "provide a rational and streamlined process to regulation." A Washington Post analysis of the plan concludes Romney would "open all federal lands and waters for drilling, including the entire Pacific and Atlantic coasts, as well as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge." Currently, the Interior Department has the power to issue drilling permits for Federal lands and waters. "Romney would give that power to the states." In addition, Romney would "approve the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil sands from Canada to the Texas gulf coast." To facilitate his full throttle approach, Romney would significantly weaken the regulatory power of Federal agencies. He would "strip the Environmental Protection Agency of the power to regulate carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas." In addition, Romney would "remove obstacles and regulations" that impede the development of coal. Romney has called the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts "outdated" and said "they need to be overhauled." If this sounds familiar, it's the strategy Republicans have been using in Wyoming since the '60s'. The Cowboy State is the ninth largest in size, 97,093 square miles, but last in population with 568,158 residents.