The Washington rhetoric surrounding energy legislation is becoming more absurd.

It is claimed that the various proposed legislation is a plan that will create jobs, reliability and efficiency. But the proposed law is just a collection of payoffs and subsidies for every energy group that can afford a lobbyist. None of it is a coherent plan.

Even if the legislation were a real plan, it would be the wrong thing to enact. Government economic planning caused the collapse of the Eastern European economies.

The current energy proposals will do nothing but transfer money from truly worthwhile activities to politically favored energy groups and projects that cannot attract private investment.

During economic downturns when capital is restricted, I urge end users to focus on management systems to develop the ability to respond to peak demand prices.

Rod Funderburk, Columbia