The price of gasoline in the United States is where the rubber meets the road at the intersection of American foreign and domestic policy.
There’s not much we can do (except cheer for the forces of freedom) to influence events in Egypt or the other countries in the Mideast where there is political unrest. But we can control our fight for energy independence here at home. [See photos of the Egyptian uprising.]
Since the protests in Egypt began, the price of a gallon of gas has risen by more than a dime. Egypt is quiet at least for now, but there are antigovernment demonstrations going on in Iran, Yemen, Bahrain and Libya. As long as there is political unrest in the countries that supply the United States oil, gasoline prices will continue to rise.
Thankfully President Obama made a strong commitment to federal support for the development of a clean energy industry in his State of the Union address. He followed up on that pledge with trips to clean energy industrial factories in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and New York. President Obama has used his trips to focus public attention on the progress we’ve made in developing a vital clean energy industry that will give us new jobs, cleaner air and energy independence. Our oil based economy is a job killer. Alternative sources of energy like the sun, wind, and water will also prevent another oil spill like the one in the Gulf Coast which killed the livelihoods of thousands of people. [Read more stories about energy policy.]
Scientists call oil and coal fossil fuels because the supply comes from the carcasses of dead dinosaurs. Fossil fuels are finite resources that will run out some day because the only dinosaurs still around are the people who believe that fossil fuels will last forever and that oil and coal don’t foul the air with unhealthy levels of carbon dioxide. Think about it. In the 21st century, our economy still runs on dead dinosaurs.
Congressional Republicans pose a grave threat to our national security because the party of tea wants to eliminate the federal programs for the development of alternative sources of fuel that will lessen our dependence on the deadly dictators who control our supply of oil.
Penny wise and pound foolish.
- See 10 cities adopting smart grid technology.
- See a roundup of editorial cartoons about the Egypt uprisings
- See photos of protests in Egypt.
Reader Comments Read all comments (5)
R.L. Schaefer of CA 3:28PM February 18, 2011
Hunter of WI 8:01AM February 18, 2011
Hunter of WI 7:35AM February 18, 2011