Harnessing this energy

I agree with Ryan's viewpoint except for a couple of minor exceptions.
1. I think the goal is to influence ENERGY policy not space policy.
2. While the think tanks are very influential, I have noticed that
Congressman Barton knows academics from around the state, Texas.
Probably as a result of the academics trying to get funding for various
pet projects. And that he expects an informed, timely, and mostly
unbaised answer to any question that he asks them particularly if he has
previously steered research money their way.

So maybe a start at identifying these people would be to look at where
energy research money has been flowing for the last ten years. Those
would be the people that owe congressmen favors.

Mitchell James