U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman took a break from his competitive senatorial campaign to speak about energy independence to an audience of about 50 people at the Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs on Thursday. The main thrust of the forum was ColemanâÄôs thoughts regarding energy independence, specifically his efforts to pass a new energy bill called the New Energy Reform Act , or New ERA for short, which he expects lawmakers to vote on after the campaign. The bill was a collaboration between 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans who call themselves the Gang of 20 . Coleman said $4 gallons of gas earlier this year finally spurred lawmakers to action on energy issues. âÄú[High prices have] given rise to the comparison between the U.S. and the famous experiment of the frog in the beaker who dealt so well to its slowly rising temperature that he boils to death rather than jump out,âÄù Coleman said. âÄúIf that frog is the political leadership in the nation, IâÄôm optimistic to report that that frog is about to jump.âÄù The plan would reduce American oil consumption by two million gallons a day in 12 years and three million by 2030, Coleman said. It would also invest $84 billion in energy conservation and alternative energy programs, he said, which would be funded entirely by revenue received from new drilling sites and by shifting tax incentives for the oil industry to other industries. Most of the new drilling will be offshore, Coleman said, and the proposal doesnâÄôt include drilling in the controversial Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, which Coleman has opposed, although many other Republicans support it. âÄúThis is how you get bi-partisan compromise in the United States Senate,âÄù he said. âÄúSometimes itâÄôs what you donâÄôt put on the table that will allow you to get the deal done.âÄù The plan also includes an increase in clean coal and nuclear plants, along with corresponding research into disposal of nuclear waste. âÄúBecause weâÄôve been out of the nuclear game for such a long time that weâÄôve lost some of the nuclear lead on dealing with reprocessing,âÄù he said. The energy bill would put $2.5 billion into research for renewable fuels and biofuels, as well as $5 billion for research on non-oil vehicles. The proposal also would give a $7,500 tax break to people who buy alternative fuel cars. Toward the end of his speech, Coleman noted that gas prices have recently dropped. âÄúIt would be very dangerous,âÄù Coleman said, âÄúfor Americans to lose the resolve that we need to have to overcome their dependence on foreign oil because all of the sudden the price of gas is dropping.âÄù The forum was sponsored by the HumphreyâÄôs Center for the Study of Politics and Governance and was part of a series that has included many other political candidates in past weeks, including ColemanâÄôs challengers Al Franken and Dean Barkley. Coleman spoke for about 25 minutes and afterward sat with moderator Larry Jacobs , the centerâÄôs director, and responded to questions from Jacobs and the audience. The forum is a unique format because it allows candidates to choose their own topics on which they deliver an uninterrupted presentation, Jacobs said. In his opening remarks, Coleman said the format was a good change from campaigning. âÄúThe chance, by the way, to speak for 15 to 20 minutes here is actually a relief from the campaign trail,âÄù he said. âÄúItâÄôs a challenge to explain your life and your vision and your path in the two minutes you typically get in the debate process.âÄù The debate allows candidates to transcend their usual talking points, Jacobs said. âÄúYou could see Sen. Coleman, there were a lot of issues we got into, those are issues he doesnâÄôt talk about in the campaign [because] itâÄôs not an appropriate forum or itâÄôs not necessarily political helpful,âÄù Jacobs said. Most candidates have embraced the structure, although some occasionally lapse. âÄúSometimes you do get the talking points and IâÄôll press them,âÄù he said. âÄúMy job is not to say this is wrong or right, just this is the way you think about it.âÄù Noel Nix, a graduate student in regional and urban planning and Franken supporter, said the forums have been a refreshing change from typically superficial sound bites. âÄúItâÄôs more a thoughtful discussion and a little less about back-and-forth partisan battle,âÄù Nix said. âÄúDebates have their place, but even in presidential politics, you see more in a forum than stump speeches and debates.âÄù The series of forums allows the University to play the important role of brokering serious discussion about policy, Jacobs said. âÄúPeople are so angry about negative campaigning and negative ads. HereâÄôs the alternative,âÄù Jacobs said. âÄúA lot of campaigning now is like going to a football game, and itâÄôs too serious to be treated like that.âÄù