Would You Rather ...

Allow American oil companies to drill (and profit from) American oil fields, keeping that money in America, benefiting Americans - and we all will benefit, that money doesn't go into some black hole called big oil, it's used to start new projects, buy equipment, travel, food, taxes, you name it, it will flow through the economy like oil through the pipeline.

OR

Continue sending our money overseas, benefiting people who don't like us very much and financing not only such luxuries as a skyscraper with revolving floors and elevators for the car so you can park near your condo in Dubai - and many other such projects - but also financing the very terrorists who are trying to destroy Western civilization.

Now, I have no problem with people wanting to build such things and enjoying the benefits of their riches but I would rather my money stayed here in the United States, improving our economy. Not to mention that Americans are far more generous with their wealth than any other country in the world. If America is doing well, everyone else does better, too. What happens in Dubai, stays in Dubai. (Sorry Vegas) I'm only picking on Dubai because they have been in the news so much lately with all kinds of huge projects.

Another thing. There is a lot of instability in the world today - that is what is driving oil prices through the roof - and the time is going to come when America will need to be able to supply it's own oil needs and do it right away in order to avert economic disaster. There will be a war, and most likely nuclear, that will cut off the oil supply. Take it to the bank, it's going to happen. It is suicide to not be able to provide for our own needs at that time. It's not going to be enough just having it in the ground, we need to have the infrastructure in place and working. The sooner we start the better.

I'm not saying we should forget about alternative energy, no, no, no. We need to continue to invent and refine new technology, but we can't do that without oil. Even the new hydrogen powered Honda could not be built without oil. And, oh, by the way, "most hydrogen fuel is derived from natural gas in a process that releases plenty of carbon dioxide." But I digress. You can't make an electric car without oil. If we cut off our oil supply or allow the price to continue to rise, we will be making it more difficult and expensive to invent the new technologies we need. There is no technology ready to replace oil at this time - none, and only nuclear power comes close for electrical generation. But, of course, we don't want to build nuclear power plants.

We need to face reality as it is, not as we wish it were.