The issues are renewable energy and global warming, not 'Energy Independence.' Here's why it matters: The special interests are at it again.

The special interests are trying to get coal and nuclear loan guarantees into the House omnibus appropriations package. But if we approach it as renewable energy and global warming, we'll see the issues clearly, and we won't be fooled.

Nuclear has its problems, obviously: safety, waste disposal and tempting targets for terrorists. With those drawbacks, why should taxpayers give it loan guarantees? Why shouldn't nuclear compete with other energy sources, and prove itself on a level playing field?

And coal? It's the worst possible energy source in terms of global warming. And these loan guarantees are the worst of the worst: Loan guarantees for coal liquids? Just burning the coal is bad enough, but coal liquids generate twice as much CO2 per BTU of liquids. They've been called 'The Fuel from Hell' for a reason. And they're ridiculously expensive besides.

There are much better alternatives. According to a study at the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center, it would be cheaper and cleaner (with lower CO2 emissions) to run plug-in hybrids on electricity than to run a car on liquid coal. That's true even if the electricity comes 100% from coal, and even if none of the resulting CO2 is sequestered. In comparison, carmakers selling plug-in hybrids don't cost taxpayers anything.

The special interests want a subsidy for nuclear and coal liquids? That's insane.

But that's just business as usual in Washington. With lobbyists running amok, we're getting the worst laws money can buy.