The fundamental difference between a free nation and one locked in the thumbscrews of tyranny has historically been representative government.
As Americans, we belong to a constitutional republic with elected representatives tasked with enacting legislation on our behalf that enhances our freedom, security and well-being. But when our representatives are diametrically opposed to the wishes of the people and actively work against them, we no longer exist as a free nation. Rather we suffer under a congressional oligarchy.
We all know that Congress bears much of the blame for the current state of our energy infrastructure and supply problems. Environmental alarmism has gutted the U.S. oil industry. Their political cowardice and failure over the last 30 years to increase our energy supplies or build up the infrastructure needed to support increased consumption is one of the direct causes of the current woes. There have been no U.S. increases in refining capacity or power plant construction since the 1970's. And while congressional inaction didn't directly cause the price spikes, they left us woefully unprepared to deal with these shortages and price increases that apparently blindsided them and are probably permanent.
High oil prices are draining Americans dry. But, in addition to paying more at the pump, the cost of everything has increased. And for once, it seems that Americans are in near unanimous agreement that something needs to be done NOW! The simple laws of economics dictate that we need more domestic oil production. The people have already indicated that Congress should allow an immediate resumption of offshore drilling, but all we get from the Capitol is a bi-partisan poke in the eyes.
• A Democratic congressional aide was recently quoted sarcastically deadpanning that Americans need to drive more hybrids and wait for the wind.
• Phil Gramm had to resign as an economic advisor for John McCain's campaign because he said Americans were a nation of whiners and were in a collective "Mental Recession".
• Barack Obama says to save fuel, you should regularly check your tire pressure and drive 55.
It has been apparent for some time that Congress isn't listening to Americans. But it was a quote from Senator Maria "Can't Drill" Cantwell (D-WA), a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, that revealed the true intentions of Democrats with respect to future energy policy. Back in July, Cantwell was asked on Bloomberg Television's Money and Politics whether Democrats would even consider how increased drilling would offset the high foreign oil prices that are killing U.S. consumers. She was quoted as saying:
"...We definitely want to move beyond petroleum. And so there will be a supply side offered by the Democrats and it will include everything from battery technology to making sure that we have good home domestic supply, and looking, as I said about moving faster on those kind of things like wind and solar that can help us with our high cost of natural gas."
Move Beyond Petroleum?
As one of Ms. Cantwell's constituents, I asked her to clarify what she meant by her statement "move beyond petroleum". Did she mean a wholesale elimination of oil from U.S. energy markets? To date, I have received no response from Cantwell or any of her aides regarding a legitimate question I posed to her as my Senator. When you can no longer get a straight response from your Senator about an important policy position that affects the entire country, we live in a dictatorship. At least my Democratic Congressman has the courtesy to respond to my questions, even though I disagree with many of his positions.
This Democratically-controlled Congress simply has no intention of allowing more U.S. oil to flow forth from the ground. They'll never admit it, but Cantwell, just let it slip. Her lack of response to my inquiry is due to her inability to defend the indefensible. It is well known that most Senators and Congressmen intentionally refuse to read or respond to email from people they don't represent. But when they refuse to be answerable to their constituents for their legislative views and votes, this entire nation has a huge problem on it's hands.
Democrats view the current oil problems as a blessing. They now see their opportunity to rid the U.S. of this foul black goo and they intend to seize that opportunity to rapidly, forcibly and permanently wean us off of oil. It's for our own good. They aren't allowing any Republican Amendments to see the light of day and have now recessed until after Labor Day without addressing what many view as a monumental crisis.
After several days of poring over energy bills under consideration, Congressional efforts to legislate solutions to our current energy problems include:
• Increases in fuel economy and the establishment of a fuel economy "credit trading" scheme whereby those who can't meet the tougher standards can purchase credits from those who exceed them.
• Educating consumers about the gas-guzzling tendencies of the vehicles they purchase, much like they currently counsel us on what video games to play, what music to listen to or what foods to eat.
• A National Tire Fuel Efficiency Consumer Information Program to lecture consumers about the wisdom of their tire purchases and to influence them into making "more educated" tire purchasing decisions.
• Grants and incentives to develop cleaner, lighter, more fuel-efficient automobile technology, hybrids, electric vehicles, biofuels and battery technology.
• Replacing the entire federal fleet of some 630,000 vehicles with low-emission models.
• Commercial and residential Energy Code "improvements".
• Invading our homes by mandating increases in the efficiency of lighting, light bulbs, clothes washers, dish washers, freezers, electric motors, pumps air conditioners, heat pumps, ceiling fans, candelabra base lamps and God only knows what else.
• A zero net energy emissions program for commercial buildings and 55 percent reductions of energy consumption in federal buildings by 2010.
• Peak demand reductions.
• Adoption of tougher, international efficiency standards for public housing and other areas.
That's all great, but not one word about a single additional drop of oil in any energy bill. Every reference to the word oil in any legislation proposed by Congress referred to decreases.
Let's be serious for just a moment. Any forward-thinking person realizes that we must invest in, adopt, standardize and mass-produce alternative sources of cleaner, more efficient energy if we are to advance and thrive as a society. But, until we can deliver these alternative energy sources to the masses at a cost they can afford, oil is all we've got. Democrats are pulling out all the stops, trying to sink every effort to increase domestic oil supplies. Their legislation offers up every solution under the sun except more domestic oil, but the pressure is finally getting to them. In yet another shift towards the middle, Barack Obama now says as of last Friday that he supports what he characterizes as limited increases in offshore drilling as a way to enact other energy measures such as alternative fuels and more efficient cars.
But in return, Obama wants to put draconian taxes on the oil companies, who will then turn around and raise prices again to recoup the revenue losses from Obama's tax.
And on the Republican side, John McCain seems to think that because he waffled on drilling sooner than Obama, that he can claim some sort of moral high ground on energy policy. Don't get me wrong, I applaud his change of heart, but he still compared barren Alaskan permafrost to the Everglades and Grand Canyon. He too was only convinced that drilling was the answer when his political survival depended on it.
For Obama, his previous refusal to consider drilling was a deal-breaker. He couldn't possibly be elected President under the current economic circumstances while opposing more domestic oil production and his campaign knows it. And for McCain, his experience as a politician contrasted with Obama's naiveté and actually shows he was shrewd enough to recognize much earlier than Obama that he needed to change his tune on domestic drilling.
Despite what many liberals believe about conservatives, the very word conservative means that we believe in conservation. That includes conserving the health, beauty and resources of our planet, but not at the expense of our liberty, wealth, prosperity or progress. Liberals harbor deep-seated guilt about what our predecessors have done to the planet by trapping, hunting and fishing numerous species to extinction or near-extinction, logging, mining or polluting, but none of that is my fault. And while we would all benefit from cheaper, cleaner, more efficient energy sources, any rational person understands that you just can't turn off the tap, legislate an end to oil and say "Tough".
But that's exactly what Congress intends to do. Nearly 8 of 10 Americans want Congress to start drilling for oil as soon as possible. But most in Congress couldn't give a damn with their hundreds of thousands in annual salaries, stipends and perks such as fuel and vehicle allowances.
Most in Congress are still dangerously indifferent to, or out of touch with the situation we now find ourselves in. Common sense says we need to drill for oil now. You cannot simply address this problem in a comprehensive fashion by decreasing supply in order to force decreases in demand. That's economics in reverse and using government pressure to change people's behavior, otherwise known as fascism. All it will accomplish is to raise prices further and cause more economic grief among Americans who are already suffering.
Only increasing pressure will crack Congress and get them to act now to actually fix this problem.
To Senator Maria Cantwell:
As one of your constituents, I say: "Next time you decide to screw me along with the rest of the country, at least have the common courtesy to kiss me first."
