I kind of share your cynicism. However, making clean fuel expensive is a political decision -- fuel can be either taxed or subsidized, as you imply -- while shifting to clean fuel can create millions of jobs . . . as other countries, including China and plenty of others, are demonstrating.

There's an article of relevance here: http://www.truth-out.org/amid-solyndra-mess-doe-stays-course-making-solar-cheap-coal/1316882588