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The following is an op-ed written to the Martinsville Bulletin in reaction to a previous letter, written by John Reynolds, criticizing the "oversimplification" of the energy crisis by those on the conservative side.

Follow up:

Link to Editorial
Letter: Tom Albanese

Sunday, July 6, 2008

A recent editorial reply from John Reynolds asserted that the oil problems we presently face are “more complicated” than what is described by those who feel strongly that increasing the supply of oil is the answer.

Ironically, his own letter was, in and of itself, needlessly partisan and over-simplified.

He degrades the debate with talking points.

He says that drilling itself does not solve the problem because the situation is more complex. However, no authoritative voice makes the argument that drilling is the only answer. His equally non-complex answer? Conservation.

Friends, at these prices, you are getting all the conservation any and every fool can readily muster. Believe me, if Fred Flinstone’s foot surrey really worked and my feet didn’t hurt so bad, I’d buy one in a New York minute.

I’ve got your conservation right here in my empty wallet and gas tank. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. By the way, has Al Gore ever heard of video conferencing? If he believed as he expects us to in his neo-religion, he would have accepted his Nobel prize via satellite.

Reynolds’ next point, a favorite talking point, asserts that there are already these lands leased for drilling that they are not drilling. These areas, however, are largely over-drilled and present needless risk for the oil companies when there is “low hanging” fruit that we need elsewhere.

It’s easy for a politician to offer to lease great gobs of land to oil companies on which they know they won’t drill. These lands were intended for nothing more than for this argument at this time. It is nothing more than “let’s not and say we did.”

At the end of the day, we all know the answer. We need to do everything and anything and persevere until we are energy independent with any and every fuel that works efficiently at a reasonable cost.

Both sides need to let go of their “sacred cows” and get out of the way. There has never been a clearer path to compromise. Encourage and invest in supply of both current and future alternative energy sources. Neither approach should benefit at the total failure of the other.

There is a false belief that we must “hate” oil in order to migrate to new energy sources. Pushing this false choice is making the left look ever more childish. Just recently, Sen. Harry Reid said fossil fuels are “making us sick.” Ludicrous. Life expectancy has never been higher and continues to go higher. What makes me sick is understanding why Harry Reid and his followers like Reynolds seem to love high gas prices and hate our way of life.

They want you to believe you and this country must feel pain and economic hardship here and they must endure starvation in Africa due to the food shortages brought on by the ethanol debacle until someone builds a windmill farm on Turkey Cock Mountain.

I can’t believe they are still obstructing in these times and getting away with blaming everyone but themselves.