The Solution Is So Clear

Energy Independence. Oil is a major player in our most serious issues, the issues which will shape the future of our nation, and indeed the world. That is a fact that will remain unchanged until we no longer need to beg for oil on the world market.

It is absolutely shameful of our leaders to allow us to get into this mess. We had our first taste 35 years ago, and since then we have have been scurrying about trying a great many things, encouraging alternative, discouraging known/viable sources, and although we have made progress in many areas, we still have a mess. According to Fox News in 1973 we were importing 35% of our oil, today we are importing 60%. That is going the wrong direction. Look at our situation today, now ask what it would be like if oil goes to $300 a barrel. I don’t think anyone would be so foolish as to try to convince us that $300 a barrel is totally unrealistic.

I have been led to believe that between off shore, ANWR, shale, we could produce enough to meet all of our needs. Well, that is what I think they are trying to say. Let’s be definitive, let us establish Energy Independence as a national goal. And let’s work at it even harder than we did when President Kennedy established landing on the moon as a national goal. Energy Independence is at least as important to our future, I believe much more so.

Our leaders have failed us, so it looks like we will have to do some sorting out on our own, including establishing Energy Independence as a national goal. Let’s put every option on the table, look at the facts, figure out how they best fit into the mix. We need to consider environmental impact absolutely. We need to evaluate based on overall risk, including risk to the environment.

I need to make a very important point. I cited Fox News for some stats before, and though I can show you where they said it (assuming they have the show available online), but regardless, I do not trust them. I am afraid they are pretty close, but this is an important issue, I am not about to accept Fox News, or any news organization’s word on it. The data should be relatively easy to prove/disprove from reliable documented sources. That is what we need to accumulate upon which to make our decisions, the true facts, not the flights of fantasy we have been fed for 35 years.

We need to be realistic. One reality is that we consume one heck of a lot of oil, and we need to cut that back. We have been trying for 35 years. What have we learned? Obama wants to do a windfall profits tax, and I heard a republican suggesting we roll back the speed limit to 55 again. Hmmm, been there done that on both scores. Is that the best they can come up with? This is truly mind boggling to me why neither of the two candidates for President have come forward and declared Energy Independence as a national goal. Well, let’s do it for them. Let’s set it as a national goal, and let’s do it by letting our candidates know. If enough of us demand it, they will have no choice. And that will allow the election to better focus on the issues.

Here is the hard part, we must force both sides to give us the cold facts, enough of the emotional diatribe and political games. Give us the facts, prove to us you know what you are talking about. Let’s create a place on the internet where together, we can capture the facts, and keep them together, give it an honest evaluation. We can have a place to list the questions we want answers to, then go out and find them. Kind of like a wiki for Energy Independence. As a matter of fact, I will submit the idea to them, their format would work well.

History has so eloquently what we can expect if we trust our politicians, media, business, the leaders of our society to decide. Let’s cut through the hype and look at the cold facts. I am sure that we will all be surprised in some ways, some of our ideas will be proven to be wrong, or not the best for today. I think it is time for all of us to put our beliefs to the test, let’s start with a clean page and examine the facts, decide where to get our energy from for the next 20 or 30 years. Or as long as we need to until we get to the point where energy is no longer a factor, we have more than we need. I honestly believe, that we will not get to that point if we don’t do the right things now.

I am on a quest, and I am asking for help. I am going to send this to a great many people, it will take some time to compile my mailing lists. It is first going to the blog, the one my daughter and I have. Then I will be sending it around trying to enlist support and help in the quest. A huge task done alone, but together, I am sure we can do it.

Rix Kix