Today's debate over energy policy is often defined as an either/or proposition: Either the nation embraces and invests in renewables, or it continues to rely on fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas.

Against this confrontational backdrop, it's refreshing to hear from someone who takes a holistic approach to energy policy and injects some common sense into the discussion.

Enter John Felmy, API's chief economist, and the author of a guest post at New Energy and Fuel. In a few short paragraphs, he discusses the benefits and possible shortcomings of various forms of energy and suggests a path that makes sense for America:

"This nation needs a rational energy policy. Yes, we'll need energy efficiency. Yes, we'll need alternatives, but we're going to need more oil and natural gas as well. We're going to need oil for the cars, we're going to need natural gas for power generation, and we're going to need coal and nuclear...The United States has fueled its economy on affordable and reliable energy for many decades. It can continue to thrive and provide a much needed boost to the economy by expanding the development of traditional energy resources, including oil and natural gas, while investing in energy resources for tomorrow."

The United States doesn't need an either/or approach to energy policy. Nor should the U.S. government pick winners and losers among the various forms of energy. All credible projections of energy demand indicate this nation will need all of the energy it can get to meet its future needs.

John and API have been espousing an "all-of-the-above" approach to energy supplies for many years. For more information, read John's guest blog post, watch John discuss energy policy in the video below and read the energy primer.

By the way, check out John's ties in the photo and video. They are among his 50+ ties from Penn State, his alma mater.