Common Sense Energy Policy - Lack of Leadership!

OK, I admit that, as a citizen of the U.S.A., I am writing this hub out of peeve. I am peeved at how congress, which is supposed to be run by fairly intellectually gifted representatives of the people, cannot get a straightforward energy policy for us average peons. I am annoyed that gas is $4/gal and there is NO rational reason (if rational people run things), why it should be. I am outraged when I am told by a certain candidate for president of this country that I should not set my thermostat in my own home at 72 or that I shouldn’t drive my SUV or go where I want or eat what I can and want to eat, while he jets and uses more fuel on one trip to pitch his “concern” over the environment (to get my vote) than I would use in a year. I am red with rage when I hear of all the oil off the Pacific coast, and off the Atlantic, and in the Gulf of Mexico, and in “fly over” country, and in Alaska, and then I am told by congress that drilling in any of these is off limits. I am “spittin’” angry at a group of idiots that call in top oil executives and herald platitudes and sermons (posturing themselves as outrage for me) when they tax a gallon of fuel five times more than the oil companies make. I am sorely vexed when I think about we being the very country which pioneered the nuclear age, and we cannot build a nuclear plant. I could go on and on; the list would include refineries, alternative energy sources, trade policies, and the unveiled hypocrisy of nearly all those “protectors” of the common interests. However, I am going to keep this article fairly short and hope my readers will chime in at the comments section below and fill in any gaps or errors that I may make!

Let me begin with a few common sense facts. First, the word “crisis” generally indicates (to us regular folks) an impending emergency where some kind of judgment or action MUST take place or else disaster will follow. Politicians know this, so whenever there is an agenda item they care about, they elevate the issue with this magic word. The media, ever watching for hype as fact, joins the band and the ignorant masses sing the chorus, “what must we do to be saved?”. Most of the time this “salvation” involves taking extra taxes from the “villains” (these are those defined by the same politicians who are following the political winds of the times)! The point is – there is NO energy crisis; it is a political crisis. We abound in energy: energy below our feet; power in the winds; heat in the sun; and energy hidden in the atoms of every drop of water! I taught science years ago, but it doesn’t take a scientist to understand this.

Secondly, politicians are good (very good) at one thing, and that is being politicians. The priorities of a politician are always two-fold: to get elected and to stay in office as long as you can. To get elected you need issues, and to stay in office you must keep issues. If you solve too many problems, you run out of issues, and you are toast as an elected official. So, what many politicians do is to solve a little and to blame a lot in order to keep the fires of change and hope fueled by controversy. This may not be true of all elected officials. There are others who just choose to “buy” their electorate off with sweet deals that mostly help only their constituents. Anyway, this is the prism through which we can see and understand why common sense takes a back seat in the present energy policies!

Now I give my short suggestions for an energy policy. This is just the skeleton, and it would never pass because it is too simple. They are each necessary and I have tried to place them in order of importance as I see it.

First, we must set a goal to be energy independent.

We would never have landed on the moon if President Kennedy had not led the nation in setting the goal. America is unstoppable when we come together in the pursuit of something good. This is also a national security issue. It also requires real leadership with a vision. NONE of our present group of presidential candidates is an energy leader and the present congress is too busy pandering to do anything. (A side suggestion would be to enact term limits. Maybe a few of these elected jesters would become more concerned with the people than themselves. A professional politician leads to an elitism caste system that panders to the kingdoms of special interest!)

Second, we must major on oil supply.

This means exploration, drilling, refineries, pipelines, delivery, etc.. We need to loose the hands that feed our liberties rather than biting them. Make no mistake, at present oil is the fuel that drives our liberties. Without oil we cannot go and do; without fuel our economy is under control of others, without oil government steps in and tells us how to live, without oil private ownership rights are weakened (because we cannot develop our properties as we choose), and without oil the pursuit of happiness is impeded as our human right!

Third, alternate energy research and development must be funded and pursued religiously.

For the present oil is a must, but the future must include R&D in every channel of power possible. Some can be implemented immediately, others over time. However, all must be pursued! It is worth the investment!

Fourth, the environment must be protected.

No one wants dirty air. However, use common sense. The problem with the present “environmental” movements is that there is far more politics than real science or real concern about the environment. If we can send people to the moon and land rovers on mars and plan some sort of manned mission within 20 years, we have the technology to find oil and alternative energy sources, develop them and keep them relatively clean –and it can be done at the same time. However, now is not the time to just say, “no” to R&D.

Fifth, conservation of present resources is also important.

I believe in a common sense approach. I detest the hypocrisy of leaders that say one thing and do not follow their own advice. I do not believe in panic but I am against waste.

Sixth, adjust the tax structure to attract development and not discourage it.

Making fuel cheaper here brings jobs to America and frees the hands of the American people to produce and compete. We do not need protectionism or isolationism; we just need a fair opportunity. Rather than social engineering determining how much we can travel and where we can go, free the people and they will compete and produce. The state and federal taxes on fuel are far too high. Find other ways to fund highway development. When people are free, everyone prospers.

Conclusion

I know there is no instant answer, but the start is simple. Just do it! I would rather do it and make a few mistakes than see my liberties buried with the forgotten oil beneath our feet.

1. In case anyone thinks I am pro big oil, I am not. I appreciate the service they bring to the folks, but they should also be held accountable under the laws of our land.
2. In case anyone thinks I am anti-environment, I am pro-environment. Having said that I insist the present movement is not science but politics!
3. Climate change is real and the forces that lead to it are more complex than present science can know. For manmade global warming to exist, global warming itself has to be proven first, and then the variables of man’s intervention weighed in. I try to keep up with this in my readings, and I am seeing very little science and a whole lot of science fiction, doomsday, and monsters in the night hysteria. This must be studied carefully, but not panic in the streets. Al Gore is not a scientist, nor does he use scientific methods. Otherwise, his media productions would not have to use deception and misleading propaganda to get his agenda across.
4. Science is built upon objective observation and not consensus. At one time the consensus of science was that the earth was flat. The scientist reached this conclusion because their money, jobs and lives depended upon it. Many scientists today owe their jobs to federal grants that would disappear if their conclusions were any different than accepted dogma. My dad always taught me to follow the money and that trail leads to a contrived pseudoscience. Climate change has always been real and it is even more difficult to accurately predict than the weather next month (and we are not very good at that).
5. The bottom line is that there are many who believe that America should be punished for being so prosperous. It is just not fair. Misery needs to be shared by all.

Enough of my ranting. You may not agree with all six of my conclusions, but this is my plan. I do not ask for your vote. I do not ask for you to agree with me. However, if enough of us sound off, maybe we will see something done! Keep hope alive!