Why We Need Energy Independence
September 14, 2012 2 Comments
The madness in the Middle East continues. It has spread to Tunisia, Sudan and Lebanon. Reports today suggest the intensity of the riots is picking up in Cairo. In London a mob is protesting outside of the US Embassy. Jay Carney suggested that the protests weren’t aimed at the United States. You almost wonder what planet he’s on, except he’s only saying what the administration told him to say. Which of course means it’s the position of the United States that these riots aren’t aimed at us. Who exactly does Obama think they’re aimed at? Of course to admit that these attacks are aimed at the US is to admit that Obama was wrong when he suggested in 2009 that Muslim hostility will ease when he gets into office.
The media is running around suggesting we limit free speech. God forbid people have free speech, they might offend Muslims. Offending Christians is of course acceptable speech. Whether it’s the National Endowment for the Arts funding “art” such as “piss Jesus” (a jar of urine with a crucifix) or Obama forcing Christians to fund contraception, offense of Christians is acceptable. But Muslims, we can’t say anything bad about them. The administration is even pressuring You Tube to take down the supposedly offending video. It’s amazing how quickly the left is willing to give up what is American, make no mistake there’s nothing more American than free speech.
With all of the chaos in the middle east, what is the most important national security issue we face. The answer isn’t being fat as Michelle Obama suggested recently. The answer is energy independence. Romney really needs to make this point loud and clear. He’s already supported energy independence during this campaign, he needs to link the chaos in the middle east to our need for energy independence. Yes, Egypt isn’t the biggest supplier of oil in the world. Libya provides about 2-3% of the world’s oil, most of it going to Europe. But if we look at the middle east, there are riots and/or trouble all over the place. The sooner we become energy independent, ie not dependent on the middle east for oil, the more secure our nation will be.
Because we are dependent on foreign oil, we’re stuck being involved in an intricate way in the middle east. It’s becoming abundantly clear that this isn’t a good idea. We’ve tried to make this work and clearly it isn’t working out very well. We’ve suffered the 9-11 terrorist attacks, we’ve fought two wars, Obama supported the Arab Spring which has resulted in widespread riots and the deaths of four Americans, including an Ambassador. To say nothing of the first Gulf war and the endless trouble we’ve had with Iran. At what point do we say that oil isn’t worth all of this?
Yet we can’t ween our dependence on oil from the middle east because the Democrats won’t allow us to. While they’re chasing expensive green energy, which is largely a fantasy, they’ve opposed oil exploration in the United States. We’re still not drilling Anwar in Alaska because the Democrats won’t authorize it. Obama has actively tried to prevent new offshore drilling, going as far as to defy a court order. Under Obama oil permits on Federal lands are down substantially. First on board with shale oil and gas extraction, the left is suddenly against it now that natural gas prices are down substantially. Meanwhile Obama continues to oppose the Keystone XL Pipeline which would bring us oil from friendly Canada.
Romney needs to be making this argument. We need energy independence now. If the United States cannot get the overwhelming majority of the oil we use from within our borders or from friendly nations such as Canada, then we’re going to have to continue to be involved in the decidedly unfriendly middle east. Obama opposes every measure that will reduce our dependence on middle east oil. Romney supports energy independence. We need to be making this argument and we need to make it forcefully. Especially so while our Embassy’s are on fire and our Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets are smoldering. Romney has a real opening here but he’s not taking advantage of it.
About Steven
I couldn’t agree more, Steven. More than ever, the case for energy independence is strong. We have the capability to produce much more of our own oil. Some may say that will do no good because the oil market is world wide, but I disagree. If we produce more of our own oil and ship it to our refineries and produce our own gasoline, how can that not be a good thing?
I think that in terms of lowering the price producing more oil at home won’t lower gas prices. But what producing enough oil for our consumption at home will do is insulate us from Muslim crazies in the middle east and aggressive actions by Russia and China.