Open Letter to Obama and McCain

I have just sent the following to both the Obama and McCain websites, up to them if and how they respond.

Open Letter to Obama and McCain

Gentlemen: In my humble opinion, you have both let us citizens down terribly. 35 years after the first time the price of oil more than doubled, we are importing even more of our oil than we were then. That is shameful. You, and your contemporaries in politics for these past years, have proven to me that I cannot trust you to give me straight facts, come up with real, workable solutions. Shame on you. And shame on me. I and my contemporaries over the past 35 years have allowed you to get away with it. And what I have seen so far from both of you in this current evolution of the energy crisis is – business as usual, more hype, more emotional arguments, more of the same. As Col. Potter used to say on Mash, horse hockey. We need some answers and we need them NOW.

That’s enough for me, I am going to do what I can to force you to deal with the issues honestly and sincerely. I have launched a campaign to first, establish Energy Independence as a national priority and national goal, somewhat along the lines of what President Kennedy did on going to the moon. I don’t have the clout of Kennedy, obviously, but through the internet, perhaps I can muster the support I need. I think I can. My campaign has been launched at my blog Uncrossing the Wires, a blog jointly owned by my conservative self and my liberal daughter. You will see a copy of this letter posted there.

I believe that if one of you were to stand up and pronounce your agreement with Energy Independence as a national priority, you would win the election hands down. We are fed up with it, we don’t like paying through the nose for gasoline. And we are tired of being fed emotionally charged hype, created for the sole purpose of convincing us to vote for you. You want me to vote for you? Give me facts, try to eliminate emotion from the issues, or at least reduce it as far as possible. You know well that our judgement suffers when emotions are aroused, and you use that against us. So stop it. I don’t have time to listen to you two and your huge propaganda machines try convince me to vote for you, but I will listen to factual presentations your positions on energy. Oh yes, and I will be holding you accountable to do what you promise to do.

Maybe I am just a silly old man operating in my own fantasyland believing that the overwhelming majority of the voters will agree with me on this. But maybe not, time will tell. But if I have my way, as candidates for the highest office in the nation, you will be judged by the voters to a higher standard. Your positions will be considered against the reality of the last 35 years efforts on energy. Good luck, may the best candidate win.

Rick

Citizen of the United States of America, retired and living in Thailand (where the cost of living is far far less)