TAKING ON T. FRIEDMAN

FEARLESS, BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING TO LOOSE BUT MY CHAINS OF DISSENT, I WILL TAKE ON THE FORMIDABLE PULITIZER-PRIZE WINNING WRITER, THINKER AND COLUMNIST, THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN, IN HIS COLUMN OF JANUARY 8TH. HE IS FIXATED ON OUR ADMINSTRATION'S ENERGY POLICY WHICH HE CLAIMS IS THE "BIGGEST THREAT TO AMERICA... TODAY." WHAT A GUSH OF FANTASY. ACTUALLY, HE IS SIMPLY AGAINST THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. ONE LUCKY STRIKE AGAINST HIM AND IN MY FAVOR IS THAT HE WRITES FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES, A SURE SIGN OF SOME LOGICAL AND REALISTIC DRIFT. ANOTHER FORECAST OF MY SUCCESS IS THAT HE EMPLOYS LEFT-LEANING, UNPROVEN ALLEGATIONS. WHERE DOES MR. FRIEDMAN PROVE IN HIS BLANKET INDICTMENT OF BUSH'S DEMOCRATIZATION POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THAT IT " WASTES TIME, MONEY AND ... THE LIVES OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE" AT HOME?

HE AND I CAN AGREE THAT OIL PRICES ARE $60.00 A BARREL. WE CAN AGREE THAT REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT LEGISLATORS ALIKE SHARE A LOVE FOR PORK, FOR PATRONIZING SPECIAL INTERESTS AND FOR WASTING TIME, ENERGY AND MONEY ON PET PROJECTS. BUT WHY THEN IS NOT A BIPARTISAN EFFORT BEING MADE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? WE AGREE THAT "PETROLISM", HIS TERM, IS A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY, BUT BLAMING OUR GLUTTONY FOR ENERGY IS NOT THE CAUSE. REMEMBER THAT THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF OUR FOREIGN OIL COMES FROM CANADA, FOLLOWED BY MEXICO. THEN SAUDI ARABIA AND VENEZUELA. IRAQ PROVIDES ONLY 1/3 THE NUMBER OF BARRELS AS THE TOP 5 SUPPLIERS. WHAT BIPARTISAN EFFORT IS BEING MADE TO MAKE US LESS DEPENDANT ON FOREIGN OIL? THE DEMOCRATS VOTED AGAINST DRILLING IN ANWAR, BUT FOR BIOFUELS WHICH GUZZLE UP MORE OF A NATURAL RESOURSE LIKE CORN (ALTHOUGH IT IS ABUNDANT). "GOING GREEN", AS MR FRIEDMAN SUGGESTS, WOULD PUT GREEN PROJECTS INTO THE RED BECAUSE.THEY ARE NOT COST-EFFECTIVE. COLORLESS, NATURAL GAS AND BROWN, ALASKAN CRUDE ARE RAW ENERGIES THAT SHOULD BE EXPLOITED BECAUSE IT IS SAFE, DOOABLE, AVAILABLE, RENEWABLE AND PRACTICAL - UNLIKE WIND, SOLAR OR BIOFUELS.

MR. FRIEDMAN CALLS FOR A HALT TO "THE BUSH-CHENEY NONSENSE ABOUT CONSERVATION, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENTALISM THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD." WHAT WE CAN'T AFFORD, IS TO PUT ANY CREDENCE INTO LIBERAL GENERALITIES ABOUT WASTING THE LIVES OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. SPOILED YOUTH, THE YUPPIES AND THE BABY BOOMERS, ARE WASTING WATER, ELECTRICITY FUEL AND HEAT AT A FAST CLIP. YET I AM WILLING TO BET THEY ARE OPEN TO DRILLING FOR OIL ON A POSTAGE STAMP IN ALASKA IF IT GAINS US BILLIONS OF BARRELS OF OIL UNATTACHED TO FOREIGN, BAD REGIMES. I BET THEY WOULD APPRECIATE A REALISTIC DISCUSSION ABOUT MARKET FORCES THAT ACTUALLY CONTROL THE PRICE OF OIL ALONG WITH HIGH STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.

THE PRESIDENT'S PRIMARY GOAL IS TO KEEP AMERICANS SAFE AT HOME. WHERE DOES MR. FRIEDMAN SHOW A CAUSE AND EFFECT BETWEEN AN ENERGY POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY? ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTALISM IN FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC POLICY ARE NOT THE "MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES." THE "TIGHT FISTS" IN MR. FRIEDMAN'S DESCRIPTION OF U.S. ENERGY POLICY SHOULD BE RAISED AGAINST THE TERRORISTS WHO ARE OUT TO KILL US, NOT AGAINST THE SUV'S AND IMAGINARY PETROL THEIVES. HE CANNOT SEE, DESPITE HIS VISION IN HIS BOOK THAT THE WORLD IS FLAT, THAT WE MUST ELIMINATE OUR DEPENDENCE UPON FOREIGN OIL NOT BY GOVERNMENTAL INTERFERENCE WITH A GASOLINE TAX AND INCENTIVES FOR CONSERVATION AT HOME AND RENEWABLE ENERGIES, BUT BY PURSUING NEW AND CHEAPER SOURCES OF ENERGY. IF A $40 A BARREL PRICE INCREASE OF OIL DOESN'T INSPRIRE CONSERVATION WHY WOULD A GASOLINE TAX, A PRICE CONTROL SOLVE A GLOBAL PROBLEM. HIS CONSERVATION IS LIKE PIDDLING IN AN OCEAN.

"REAL PATRIOTS ...OF DEMOCRACY," MR. FRIEDMAN, DO NOT LIVE "GREEN." THEY LIVE IN THE 'REAL WORLD' OF SCIENTIFIC DATA, INNOVATION AND OPEN MARKETS WHICH ENCOURAGE AMERICA'S PROGRESS.
I THINK EACH POLITICIAN, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN, SHOULD TAKE A PERSONAL SIT TEST, SPECIAL INTEREST TEST, TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH BIAS BASED ON PERSONAL AGENDAS OBSTRUCTS PROGRESS IN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. LIBERAL JOURNALISTS LIKE MR. FRIEDMAN, MIGHT TEST THEMSELVES TOO. FAILING GRADES WOULD BEFALL THE ENEMIES OF COMMON SENSE AND COST EFFECTIVENESS IN ENERGY POLICY.