As long as gas pump prices were relatively low, most Americans ignored the battles between the “Bigs”—Oil, Coal, and Environmentalists—and the media nonsense pounded at us for 35 years.  Then, in the summer of 2008, gas prices at the pump shot to $4 a gallon and most politicians jumped on the bandwagon for lower cost gas and fuel and allowed the 1982 ban on offshore drilling to expire.  But somehow, just like the funded fence that still is not built between the US and Mexico, we the people find ourselves right back where we started—higher prices at the pumps and predictions of $10 a gallon gas in our future. 

 To make matters worst, we are finding out that the oil shortage and environmental damage of using oil is a bigger hoax than the line of bull we were almost sold on Global Warming—before thousands of emails documented data tampering to support their claims of doom and burying opposing views from hundreds of qualified scientists.  Most of us now get that it has actually been getting colder for the past 10 years—not hotter.  We just knew inside that something was wrong about how we were all going to die from heat in the next 10 years per Al Gore.  Seniors, when reminded, remembered that we were told in the 1970’s that we were all going to die from a new Ice Age by now. 

 Next we learn of major oil fields found off of the coasts of Florida and other states—oil fields the US will not develop because of the impact on the environment—So we are going to watch China and Cuba drill for the oil instead of us.  And where is the saving of the environment by that silliness when it’s proven that we do it the cleanest and with fewer spills than anyone else in the world? The drilling is still off US states’ shores, but they no longer will earn millions in revenue sharing like Alaska degotiated with the big Oil companies.  Where is the sense in that? 

 Then, in 2006, we learned that more oil was discovered under land in the US states than has been found in most of the entire Middle East.  What, you didn’t hear that in the news?  Stansberry Report Online – 4/20/2006   Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world. It is more than 2 TRILLION barrels. On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction. In three and a half years of high oil prices none has been extracted. With this mother load of oil why are we still fighting over off-shore drilling?  Well we have found a lot more US oil in other places too, but more on that another day. 

 So, now we voters get it.  The real battle is between the Environmentalists in Big Government (plus their friends in the news media) and “We the People” at the gas pumps.  Sure, we all want to and should be good stewards of the Earth.  But isn’t it a little arrogant to think that we humans are so powerful that our actions—other than nuclear war—could actually destroy it as we are being told we are doing?  For years these Environmentalists have been preaching our pending doom for a variety of reasons that, upon a closer look all together, simply make no sense.   

  • Claim—We can’t drill offshore because the oil spills will ruin our seas, kill animals and the oil rigs will ruin our scenery.  Fact—There has not been an oil spill from any US oil rigs, even during Katrina and other hurricanes that devastated our shores.  We can only see 17 miles offshore and that is why you have only seen an oil rig on TV. 
  • Claim—We must convert to biofuels like ethanol made from corn to significantly reduce oil consumption before it is too late.  Fact—Ethanol also emits fumes and many are now claiming that using corn for fuel has severely reduced the world’s supply of food; especially to our poorest populations.  Oh, and if you were wondering why food costs have shot up in recent years, that corn used to be fed to livestock and chickens etc. too, and it costs a lot more to raise them now.  Oh, and you are being taxed to pay for ethanol subsidies because, until oil gets more scarce and costs more (about $4 to $5 a gallon), it is still cheaper at $100 a barrel than it is to make ethanol. 
  • Claim—We should not make synthetic oil from our huge shale deposits (like Germany did to support all their needs during WWII) because it uses too much water to get it that we need for agriculture.  Fact—First, wouldn’t that logic make it dumb to waste the water needed to grow corn to make ethanol instead of food?  Second, it simply is not true, just as Germany did not run out of water getting their synthetic oil. 
  • Claim—Gasoline usage and CO2 emissions are killing the planet by burning a hole in the ozone layer above the earth.  Fact—cars emit carbon monoxide (CO) not carbon dioxide (CO2)   Humans exhale CO2, which all plant life must take in and use to stay alive.  Get rid of all CO2 and all the trees and plants will die.  Are they really saying we need a lot less humans to make them feel safer?  By the way, scientists have discovered a way to recapture gases before they can harm the earth’s atmosphere.  Who is pushing for money to be spent on that? 
  • Claim—Whatever else they can think of to make us agree that oil and anyone who uses it is evil and endangering the planet—because they say so.  Who are “They” anyway? 

 The Environmentalists (some call Earth Worshipers) Coalition versus “We the rest of the People.”  Listen a little more carefully and it becomes clear that their coalition to get their way consists of at least:
PETA—We will eat a lot less animals if it is mandated to use a lot more corn for ethanol so more of us can not afford the meat.  New 2007 legislation mandated increasing the use of biofuels from 4.7 billion gallons in 2007 (which already caused the food shortage) to 36 billion gallons by 2022. 
OPEC—What do you think the chances are that the Middle East suppliers that fix world oil prices are funding several environmentalist “causes” that prevent the US from being energy independent? 
Alternative Fuel Investors—Government subsidies funded by taxes on all of us guarantee profits for all approved alternative fuel development and production.  Those who get in on the ground floor stand to make the most money.  It doesn’t matter if it is windmills, hybrids, solar, or whatever else the public can be convinced to pay more to buy to “save the earth”, or whatever else our politicians can get by with raising our taxes to fund the subsidies they will get from new laws.   
Politicians—Seems obvious to me that corn and ethanol subsidies are more “PORK” legislation for a few states, and all subsidies make some Lobbyist Group happy enough to make massive campaign contributions—or send profitable business to families and friends of “key” politicians. 
Environmental Purists—Like the folks who got a little fish in California declared an endangered species, which then mandated a 70% reduction in the water supply piped to the agriculture belt of the state.  The resulting impact is estimated at a 50% reduction in farm production that supplies about 13% of the total US consumption.  So the majority of us want to pay 50% more for food to save a little fish that most of us never heard of?  Tell that to our hungry poor we hear so much about and lets hear what they think of it for starters.      
Socialists, Marxists, and Progressives—Who worship Big Government that they expect to control after capitalism, that has helped America outlast Russia and prosper more than every Socialist society known to man, is practically outlawed in the United States.  Even a minor review of modern history reveals that all Socialist societies resulted in the few who controlled the government becoming the Elites who determined who became the HAVES and who became the HAVE NOTS.  One popular Marxist theory is that if you destroy the financial well being of the average citizens, then they will accept all new controls from their government to get relief. 

 I saved the best for last.  Environmentalists also claim the US can not have more nuclear power plants to reduce our coal or oil usage because they are too dangerous and could hurt the earth.  The scare tactics over the 3 Mile Island nuclear facility problems in Pennsylvania in 1979 leave out a key historical fact.  The Kemeny Commission Report concluded that “there will either be no case of cancer or the number of cases will be so small that it will never be possible to detect them. The same conclusion applies to the other possible health effects.  Several epidemiological studies in the years since the accident have supported the conclusion that radiation releases from the accident had no perceptible effect on cancer incidence in residents near the plant.  Meanwhile, France, who already has no domestic oil and $6 a gallon gas prices, converted over 70% of their electricity production to nuclear power plants years ago.  Their redesigned nuclear plants are so safe that even a “bunker buster” bomb could not cause a radiation leak.  Oh, and nuclear power plants have NO significant harmful CO or CO2 emissions 

 Doesn’t it seem obvious that something is wrong from every angle on why Americans must be prevented from having cheap energy costs that improves our lives?  You will hear a lot more on this in the future as the Battle Over Energy Independence and Security heats up between We the People, and our politicians who have been abusing us by blocking more domestic oil at least since 1978.