Say No to Apathy

This [terrifying and probably accurate cartoon] appeared in the National Media yesterday - thanks to Chan Lowe of the Sun-Sentinal Media Service Group - along with some interesting, concise and not too uplifting commentary. Specifically Mr. Lowe points out that as gas prices settle back below $4.00 nationally, the American electorate may well quickly loose its communal and righteous anger regarding our government's negligence in crafting a reasonable energy policy and our resultant continued vulnerability to petroleum manipulators - be they countries, companies or charlatans.

Everything about this cartoon hurts because its truth is apparent to us all. The reader knows it; the paralyzed US car manufacturers know it; the politicians know it and every player with a puddle of oil for sale knows it. The collective sigh of relief could probably power our national wind turbine assets for a week.

Instead of practicing apathy; I would urge you to continue to tell (vote) your legislators to craft an energy policy that protects our country and its environmental assets now and in the future. Gas prices will go back up - just like a staircase. The only question is when, how high and how debilitating the next transfer of wealth - from us to "them" - will be.

We do not have to wait for our elected officials to conduct more polls and focus groups. One does not need to be a "tree hugging, sandal wearing liberal" to KNOW that the economic opportunity that will surge out of the quest for alternative energy sources will dwarf anything we have seen in a century - technology, jobs, revenues, taxes and growth! For the US not attack this opportunity full bore is a mistake of unimaginable proportions. Once again, I recommend you reach out to your elected officials and remind them that this is an issue that influences your vote: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ and http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm .