Oil crisis needs strong leadershipBangor Daily News OpEd
By BDN Staff
Gasoline has hit an all-time high at more than $4 per gallon at the pump and food prices are rising. The value of the U.S. dollar is plummeting and the world demand on global nonrenewable oil reserves is changing with the expanding economies of China and India.
It is time that Congress stop pointing fingers and provide real leadership to find real solutions to our second oil crisis and prevent an emerging food crisis. The United States of America is the most powerful country in the world. We have the technology and the innovation to solve this international crisis.
Congress must simply allow us to explore, recover and refine our own natural resource reserves and stop telling us we must use 33 percent of our corn to make fuel. We can and must do it in a way that respects the environment. We can safely drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. China, aided by Cuba, is already angle drilling 60 miles off our shores and stealing our reserves.
Two hundred miles to our east, Canada is building a world-class refinery. We haven’t built a new refinery for more than 30 years. If we don’t lead the world in the safe processing of these reserves, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and other emerging countries will, and they don’t care about polluting the planet. People are hungry in America and starving in Africa.
For 30 years, Congress has been nibbling around the edges. In the ’70s we saw gas rationing and lines at the pumps. All Congress did was impose taxes on big oil, demand increased mileage on our vehicles and have hearings to blame others for our woes. It’s time they stepped up to the plate and stopped bowing to the powerful environmental lobby in Washington.
I am a design-build contractor, constructing passive solar homes that heat with less than two cords of wood per year. In the 1970s we created solutions for individuals to conserve by employing efficient cost-effective methods to save energy costs. The new green movement is catching on and individually we can and are doing more to reduce consumption and protect our planet. But we can only do so much more, Congress must find the big solution to stabilize our vibrant economy and prevent a global crisis.
Partisan politicians call Iraq a "war for oil." The Arab states are importing coal to drill for their oil. They may believe their reserves are limited. Once they run out, and if we are not energy independent, China and other emerging third-world countries could be left to meet their demand by appalling means.
This is an election year. A time when we as Americans get the chance to affect our own future by holding our elected officials accountable. I’m concerned that neither of our presidential candidates, both products of the Senate, are still dabbling with stopgap measures and are not willing to lead with courageous concepts to create lasting solutions to our short-term and long-term energy opportunities. Our future and place in the world economy depend on them and us for leadership.
Maine has sent strong influential leaders to Washington in recent years. Bill Cohen was secretary of defense, George Mitchell was the senate majority leader, Ed Muskie was secretary of state. Margaret Chase Smith single-handedly stood up when no one else would to stop Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s and Susan Collins and Gov. Jock McKernan were forced to shut down state government to save our state’s economy from collapse over workers’ compensation in 1991.
Maine can lead us out of this crisis because we understand the needs of people who will pitch in to weather the storm. Of all the states in the union we understand, appreciate and respect the environment. But we also have the common sense to understand the innovation necessary to be self-sufficient; key word: self. We must stop feeling embarrassed that we have the means to lead the world in wisely processing our nonrenewable resources and creating renewable energy solutions such as safe nuclear, wind, hydro and solar while we, the people, are left to struggle for pennies in savings by driving less and turning down the heat at home.
There is an elephant in the room. Who will stand up and say "the emperor has no clothes?" Who will become the next Margaret Chase Smith and champion the ultimate solution because it is the right thing to do?
Richard H. Campbell of Orrington is a builder and former state representative.
