TO DRILL OR NOT TO DRILL

I just saw the results of a nationwide poll today asking the question “To drill or not to drill?” 70% favored immediate drilling wherever oil might be found. 20% did not and the rest were not sure. 54% favored the immediate opening of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge for drilling. I hope our lawmakers are paying attention. Those who choose to defy the vast majority of the people in favor of a few loud mouthed financially well healed contributors do so at their peril.

We all would like to see alternate sources of energy. I wish I could operate my car using fuels other than gasoline. That will probably be a reality in the future. But it is not reality today. If left unchecked, energy cost will continue to rise until our very standard of living is threatened. Heating our homes, feeding our families, flying across country for business or pleasure, delivering goods to all parts of the country, the mail, anything and everything is being negatively affected. That would all change if our Congress gathered up some courage and opened up the necessary areas for oil exploration.

So who is standing in the way of this vital opening up? Who stands to gain if America is brought to her knees? How is it possible that a few morons in Congress who are financially beholding to the environmental lobby can so negatively affect our country? Right now most of them are hiding. With the poll numbers now available, an accounting will soon be made however. They will no longer be able to hide.

What is the argument for keeping the status quo in Alaska? Some say the caribou will die off. Absolute nonsense. Today with the Prudhoe Bay pipeline, caribou are flourishing. They have even chosen to do their calving near the pipeline because it is more comfortable for them. They argue that this is a pristine area of the country. It is pristine in the same way the surface of the moon is pristine. It is pristine in the same way the floor of Death Valley is pristine. It is pristine because it is uninhabitable. Ask any Alaskan what they think about drilling in ANWR. They will quickly tell you to get at it and soon.

This essay seeks to pose the question, “What is really going on?” Rarely are things as they seem. Especially when it comes to the Congress.

Is this an environmental issue or is it strictly financial? Is there a movement afoot to bring America down? Who owns these congress people who would stand in the way of our very security? What do they stand to gain? Do people really think they can turn this country into Europe and everybody would get around on bicycles? Do they see the future as cities swarming with people but with no exhaust fumes? Do they see the mountains as quiet streams and trees solely there for their pleasure?

I have a big reality for them. This is not and never will be Europe. If Europe is so great, why are their citizens trying to escape and come here? Our cities are not built in circles around the train station. The vast majority of our citizens cannot walk or bike to work. We could not begin to provide public transportation sufficient to handle the numbers of people it would have to move.

Are these liberal congress people who would defy the will of the majority of U.S. citizens in the pockets of the oil companies? I don’t know. I just know that something is definitely wrong with the system as it is right now.

To those who say that even if we did start drilling today, it would take ten years for the oil to reach the market. That is probably true but if we started today, oil prices would tumble until all of the speculation was eliminated from the price. OPEC can’t drink their oil and they also can’t stand the competition of our producing our own. If you care about the future of this country, put some heat on your Congress person. There are no more acceptable excuses. The new mantra is open it up and start drilling now.

Ron Scarbro June 23, 2008