We all know, or at least we should know, that our addiction to oil is hampering any and all diplomatic endeavors in the Middle East and the world for that matter. How can any leader of a Middle Eastern country that does not need the US for protection trust our diplomatic efforts for stability when we have a hidden agenda that is not so hidden. Face it; we know and they know that our reason for wanting stability is to keep the flow of oil coming.

Crackpots like Ahmedinejad and Chavez know this. Why else would they be stumping to move OPEC's money out of dollars. They know such a move would hurt our economy. Our weakness is glaring and easily targeted.

Our "leaders" have been giving lip service to energy policies but has anything changed? let me give you a hint: No.

It's time to put our representaives on the spot. We need a real energy policy focused on alternative methods of energy. We all know that geothermal, solar and wind not to mention more energy efficient construction materials and techniques are readily available if at a somewhat higher cost than traditional methods. Currently there are no real incentives for individuals to upgrade to alternative energy. Face it why would anyone spend thousands or tens of thousands for a measley $300 tax credit?

It's time for us to demand a real energy policy with real incentives. No more lip service. I am pestering my reps and senators to draft a bill that would give real incentives to incorporate alternative energy in both existing and new constrction. I am suggesting a 100% tax credit over 5 years for any investment in residential alternative energy systems such as ground source geothemal, solar, wind and even wood heating systems.

The benefits are obvious. The less oil we need from foreign and hostile countries, the better our security. Our diplomatic efforts for stability would improve since our hidden agenda is gone. OPEC would get a lot less money and hostile countries would not be able to use our own money to fund terroirsm dircted at the US. The US economy would benefit as new businesses open to provide the technology, equipment and labor needed to upgrade our energy systems and as a nice little perc, we would all have cleaner air to breathe.

This is not rocket science. The question is are we going to demand that our politicians stand up and show some balls for once or are the special interests scaring them too much?

Good post. Seems to me that rising oil prices may just help push the US in that direction. Not that such an effort would be easy; for example, you mention wood. I can hear the tree huggers and other environmentalists decrying such methods already.

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"Why, it appears that we appointed all of our worst generals to command the armies and we appointed all of our best generals to edit the newspapers. I mean, I found by reading a newspaper that these editor generals saw all of the defects plainly from the start but didn't tell me until it was too late. I'm willing to yield my place to these best generals and I'll do my best for the cause by editing a newspaper." -- Gen. Robert E. Lee

I posted an article on a claim that we can now make nearly unlimited amounts of Hydrogen for fuel purposes. If true it IS one step along the path.

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The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd. Indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.

-Bertrand Russell

Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable

-Laurence J. Peters

I never said that you had no right to have an opinion. I just said that it was, in fact, worth nothing.

-Maineman ( on 12 June 2007)

wood does not necessarily mean trees. Wood pellets are compressed sawdust and other waste material that burn clean. You can also heat with biomass furnaces that burn olive and cherry pits as well as corn and other clean combustibles

Tree huggers? Good sound bite. Bad explanation for continued wasteful and expensive energy DEMANDS on the WORLD for resourses that don't belong to US.

Energy independence is what we're looking for. Calling people names that admire and want to preserve ancient forests that are impossible to replicate and realize that their destruction may cause undue harm to future medical technologies and dimishish the ability of us all to fully appreciate the natural beauty of our world and the gifts that God gives us for the short term profits of the corporatists and otherwise short term profitteers of natural resourse depletion is astounding and completely cowardly in my opinion.

Tree huggers indeed. What is your solution? More importantly, what is your problem?

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Psychoblues

Turning Mississippi Blue, Again,,,,,,,One Red Assed Republican At A Time