Whatever I want to write about: We continue to fail "to resolve our serious energy problem"

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

We continue to fail "to resolve our serious energy problem"

After listening to President Obama's Oval Office address yesterday, I prefer the Jimmy Carter "Crisis of Confidence" speech from 30-plus years ago. But, the fact that I am referring to Carter's speech is itself a reflection of how much the US has failed to act when it comes to energy and the environment. Pathetic. And, even when Obama talked about an energy policy need, he did not use that pulpit to urge the Senate to get cracking on the stalled bill ...

Bloody depressing that politics is thus ... To get more depressed (!) I thought it might be neat to dig up what President Bush (II) said about offshore drilling; wasn't a difficult search. Here he is in July 2008--his last days of the presidency:

As all these are happening, I thought this might be the best opportunity for Al Gore to come out swinging, and say "I told you so." But, of course, Gore is dealing with his split from his wife, and his daughter's divorce as well. If that is what is preventing Gore from being in the public on this topic, then I am all the more impressed with his priorities--as they ought to be.
Yet,

Contrast this with last summer, when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi brought her climate bill to the floor of Congress. Gore phoned wavering members and twisted arms alongside the president to pass the landmark American Clean Energy and Security Act. As the Senate debates a version of that legislation that could reduce emissions and consumption of domestic oil reserves, Gore is far behind the scenes.

Here is the first part of Jimmy Carter's 1979 speech, where he states the main purpose behind his address: "why have we not been able to get together as a nation to resolve our serious energy problem?"