Catch-up versus Leadership

Why drill for oil? To catch up with imports? But suppose Anwar, offshore California and the Gulf—plus the continental shelf could make us the world’s largest producer of oil? What would be the effect on our dollar or our deficit? Shouldn’t this be our goal? Supply would drive the price of oil downward. Is this any less important a goal than the Manhattan project?

When T. Boone Pickens points out that we give $400 billion per year to friends and enemies alike for oil we can’t produce—reverse the equation! What if with Anwar, offshore and the continental shelf, we were exporting $400 billion of oil to China, India, and other emerging economies? Would we not be once again the economic leader of the free world? Why do environmentalists have a hate of carbon at the expense of our national interests? Hasn’t global warming been disproved?

Regardless, how do we stop India, China and other developing nations in their pursuit of carbon? All our failures—banks, autos, and energy--can be traced to our loss in leadership in oil production starting in the 1940s. The Saudi sands were easy to drill. The continental shelf was unthinkable. But, technology changed—led by the United States. How did Al Gore’s greenies steal the march?

It is our technology propelling Petrobras, Russia, and even countries sympathetic to Chavez. Technology moves market to market. Oil in the ground is static. We must control crude oil in the ground in order to control the market.

A Blog for NAFTA

The thrilling rescue of Ingrid Betancourt and three American engineers makes our commitment to NAFTA more important. The potential axis of Colombia, Chile, and Brazil as counterweight to Hugo Chavez's spread of Marxism throughout South America is compelling. Let Bush-McCain stand up for Colombia and freedom.

Shame on TV

Watch TV coverage of the floods ravaging Iowa. Listen to herds of people screaming for federal help. Where are they? In a disaster multiples greater than Katrina. How does coverage differ from the coliseum in New Orleans? Where is the hysteria? Black Americans in New Orleans came from the poorest precinct in the city. TV turned a pitiful situation into a front page racial issue. Shame on TV! Those people were the poorest in the nation. Pawns of a corrupt mayor. They deserved better.

Lest We Forget

General Schwarzkopf conducted the first Iraqi war. A brilliant victory was won with the least casualties in modern warfare. Our state department turned victory into a winless truce. Defense secretary Rumsfeld, listening to field commanders, adopted more modern technology to wage a faster war--fewer civilian and military casualties. Saddam's air force flew to Iran as communications were knocked out on the first day.

Rumsfeld's press conferences humiliated the left-wing press with his unprecedented civility. Then came an American Caesar. Who appointed him? In a castle, residing as a Roman emperor, he turned liberation into occupation, freeing the Iraqi's army, their arms left, to be grabbed by both Shia and Sunni. Ancient hatreds were fueled by Alcida, creating a civil war. American troops were surrounded, ducking fire from both sides.

Finally as in Aristophenes' Trojan Women, civilians turned on their oppressors, allowing the achievement of order. Then came the miraculous General Petraeus. He concentrated on educating the people and the war was won. Victory to the people. But death to Alcida.

Call Their Bluff !

Democrats rail about the 68 million acres leased to oil companies not being drilled. Is it not possible that there is no oil under those acres? Has anybody asked? Has anybody replied? Acres do not produce oil!

Character

What a Saturday! Watching the Democratic Party's handling of the Florida and Michigan primary votes, I found myself admiring Ione Herman, a hated enemy in the Clinton years. She was sad-faced but uncompromisingly open-minded and fair. Then Barack Obama delivered the most brilliant speech of this political season. Then came Harold Ickes, showing his deep hatreds. This election is not about Iraq, oil, the economy, or the environment. It's about character. On that basis, Senator McCain has no opposition.

Health Care Crisis

First, there is no health care crisis. No hospital denies care to anyone! As a result, hospitals are crowded in the emergency rooms by poor people looking for sympathy and companionship. Universal health care will free up the emergency room. My last two visits included a wide range of complicated tests, 80%-plus proving unnecessary. Gone is the house call internist. Every doctor's office administers blood, urine, and other tests. Doctors say that only by these tests can they exist with Medicare. Procedures pay—advice does not. When my doctor finally quit, he had figured out that 8 minutes was all he could afford per patient to break even. If government supported private health care, the screening triager, backed by well-paid internists, could reduce crowding in our hospitals. The idlers may wait all day. Legal?—probably not. Effective?—yes. A friendly government will create an effective health care system.