Wars were funded by, impossible without, and usually fought over oil. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the Nazi invasion of Russia, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and countless other conflicts have been based in whole or in part on the world's addiction to oil. Even today, dictators and authoritarians from Venezuela to Russia, from Sudan to North Korea, base their actions--and their power to oppress their citizens and threaten their neighbors--solely on access to or sale of oil on the world market.
Since the turn of the new century, those hard facts have come home to America in the most vicious way. Attacked at home by oil-funded terrorists, at war abroad with oil-funded insurgents, threatened in global markets and faced with acquisition of our industrial base by oil-funded multinationals, we must defend America or face her utter destruction.
If we continue to follow this slippery, oil-slicked, downward-winding path, our citizens will shiver in darkness as our resources hemorrhage to Third World thugs whose only virtue is their control of petroleum-based energy.
These threats are real, they are immediate, and they are potentially overwhelming. And the saddest part, the most terrible irony, is that we finance them every time we pump gas or pay utility bills.
The threats are not new, nor is their solution. President Carter warned us about it in the 1970s when he proposed real solutions--conservation, fuel efficiency, and alternative fuels--to what he correctly named the "moral equivalent of war." His proposals were ridiculed by Republicans who forgot that both Presidents Nixon and Ford had joined him in calling for America's energy independence.
That bipartisanship, however, became partisan as this nation entered an era of oil industry dominance when, for the 28 years since 1980 except for the Clinton presidency, former oil industry executives have been president or vice president of the United States and indeed, for the past eight years, have filled both offices at once.
For the past eight years, the man in the Oval Office has tipped his hat over his eyes, kicked back his chair, and snoozed at his desk. Charged with protecting our national interests, he slept on duty while his vice president conspired with oil industry cronies. Tasked with cutting off funding to terrorists, he slept on duty while oil shortages worsened, oil prices soared, and dollars by the ton were delivered to terrorists' banks in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. Faced with a new kind of war, this president and his vice president helped their friends the old-fashioned way:
through war profiteering, tax cuts for billionaires, and in many cases out-and-out corruption.
There are honest answers to the problems we face, but they call for hard solutions and common sacrifices, the kind of sacrifices that this administration has only asked the American people to bear when it lined the pockets of the obscenely rich.
There's an answer, but only if someone will speak truth to power.
There's an answer, but only if someone will unite Americans to share common burdens to reach common goals.
There's an answer, but only if someone has the values, the virtues, and the vision to lead us through these troubled waters to that beckoning shore.
There's an answer. There's a man. Barack Obama.
Barack Obama is unique. So are we all. Each of us brings to the world our own strengths and weaknesses.
What qualities then, have earned him our support for the highest executive office? Even his opponents agree Senator Obama is smart and thoughtful. His biography proves he's committed to basic American values like hard work and fair play, and that he is honest and forthright. He articulates a vision of energy independence that is comprehensive and based on sound science and sound policies, science we know will work.
These policies include the answers we discussed at our energy summit in Las Vegas last week: wind, geothermal, and solar power generation and the development of efficient power transmission. Even more importantly, they include conservation measures ignored and indeed ridiculed by the current administration: smarter vehicles, more efficient and accessible mass transit, energy-effective building codes, and retrofitting all have their place in Senator Obama's vision of an energy-smart America.
But John McCain has a vision too, which in fairness I must address.
When doctors screen out the quack nostrums and phony remedies we call snake oil, they use two fundamental principles: the maxim "first, do no harm" and the question "is it safe and effective?"
In Congress, as in medicine, when we are offered snake oil as a remedy for the nation's energy ills, our question should be: "Is it safe and effective? Does it do more harm than good?"
Senator McCain and the Republicans have centered their answer to our vital energy needs on one solution: off-shore drilling. Senator McCain calls for it in every speech; his party has demagogued the issue in both houses of Congress.
So, is off-shore drilling energy policy or snake oil? Let's review the facts. White House analysts, congressional analysts, and the oil industry all agree that off-shore drilling won't add one drop to our energy pool for at least ten years. The way things are going now, in another ten years we won't need more oil; nobody will be able to afford it.
T. Boone Pickens said it right: "We can't drill our way out of this crisis."
But even if Doc McCain's magic off-shore oil elixir won't work, will it do any harm?
The answer is, we just don't know, and neither does he. It might not ruin tourism in the Gulf or on the California coast. It might not destroy vital fisheries. It might not pollute our waterways.
Nobody really knows. But kindly old Doc McCain would like to sell it to you anyway.
The simple fact is that the promise of more oil isn't part of the solution; it's part of the problem. At best this is an 18th century answer to a 21st century crisis; at worst it's pure baloney.
There are no quick and easy answers here, folks. For over a quarter of a century, the Republicans have sold their magic beans with a promise of a giant beanstalk and gold over the horizon. Look what they've done to our country. Look what they've done to our planet.
It is time to bring our nation back to reality. It is time for an energy policy that recognizes national security means ending dependence on oil and that the future is about new ideas and change for the better, not snake oil and quackery.
It is time for recognition that threats to our planet are threats to our great country.
It is time to understand that in the long run, indeed in the short run, we must wean ourselves of addiction to oil.
It is time, my friends, to elect Barack Obama as President of the United States.
As you watch the convention unfold, it is important to remember the "New West" - Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming -- is emerging as the future of the Democratic Party.
In 2004, George Bush won all the states listed above. Today, four of those states are considered up for grabs - and if you ask me, are likely to be won by Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In recent years Democrats have picked up two Senate seats, seven House seats, in addition to winning two state legislative chambers. And Mark and Tom Udall are well positioned to win Senate seats in Colorado and New Mexico this year.
Throughout the week, you will hear from some amazing western leaders. Be sure to watch Governor Napolitano and Governor Schweitzer speak from the podium Tuesday night. They are two true leaders of the New West.
So as you watch the convention this week remember, with four battleground states in 2008, the road to the White House will run through the West!
Nevada First: Prevention Funding. There are few things in the world as tragic as suicide. Our country has made great strides in its efforts to combat suicide. Sadly, Nevada’s rural counties have a suicide rate twice that of the rest of the country. Thankfully, Nevadans have Harry Reid representing them, and he’s been one of the Senate’s loudest voices for suicide prevention. Sen. Reid penned an op-ed last week, in which he outlined some of the ways to reduce suicides in rural communities - starting with telemedicine. The Weekly Reid mentioned the way the VA is using telemedicine a few weeks ago - and now Sen. Reid wants to apply the same principals to suicide prevention. Read the whole op-ed, and pay particular attention to the part about the Stop Senior Suicide Act. Sen. Reid lost his father to suicide 35 years ago - so the issue is a deeply personal one.
Must Reid: CODEL-rific. Sen. Reid took to the skies last week, on a Congressional Delegation to Afghanistan and the surrounding region. One of the first stops was Kyrgyzstan, where Sen. Reid and his wife had lunch with five Nevadans stationed at the Manas Coalition Air Base, which is just outside the capital, Bishkek. He also met with President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, with whom he discussed the burgeoning democracy in his country. From the Department of Understatements of the year: After the meeting, Sen. Reid said, "While many Americans may have never heard of Kyrgyzstan, as an important developing democracy in Central Asia, ensuring its success is vital, especially given its proximity to Afghanistan and the role this country plays in our fight against terror." Many Americans have never heard of Kyrgyzstan? Come on!
In Afghanistan, Sen. Reid met with President Hamid Karzai, and also with American generals who are leading the fight against a resurgent Taliban and al-Qaida. The meeting was productive, and Sen. Reid left the meeting sure of two things: First, we need to focus more attention on Afghanistan. And second, one of the keys to stabilizing the region is reconstruction. “I am proud of our men and women in uniform and what they are doing to defend our country. Their service fighting the Taliban and al Qaeda, as well as helping the people of Afghanistan, is invaluable and has not gone unnoticed,” Sen. Reid said.
Setting the Agenda. Before he left for his CODEL, Senator Reid also weighed in on the September work period in the Senate. There’s a lot left to do, and Sen. Reid laid out an aggressive agenda. On that agenda (described by Roll Call as “hectic”): Tax Extenders (blocked numerous times), an energy bill (blocked countless times), the DOD Authorization (which didn’t come to the floor before recess because Obstructionist Republicans preferred to talktalktalktalk about offshore drilling), LIHEAP (blocked), the Tom-nibous (more exciting the second time around), an expansion to the Americans With Disabilities Act, and, just for kicks, a CR that would fund the government and avoid a shutdown. Just so you have something to look forward to, the Weekly Reid will be providing a blow-by-blow account of each and every Republican filibuster.
Reid's Watching: Schumer's First Rule. Kay Hagan went up today with her first ad of the general election - it’s great, because it reminds North Carolinians what Kay Hagan’s been doing for the last ten years: balancing budgets and standing up for North Carolina’s families.
And Al Franken, the winner of the Give ‘Em Hell Harry “Pick A Candidate” contest, is also up with a new ad. The Weekly Reid loves this ad because it follows Schumer's First Rule of Political Campaigning: If they hit you, hit ‘em back. Hard. And the stay tuned bit at the end? America loves a cliff hanger. Like when the Weekly Reid saw “The Empire Strikes Back” and put his Han Solo action figure in the freezer until “The Return of the Jedi” came out. Classic.
Thank you for voting in the "Give 'Em Hell Harry" contest. It'll be great practice for when you vote on November 4th and elect a stronger Democratic majority in the Senate for Harry Reid to lead in support of President Barack Obama.
CLICK HERE TO HELP ME JOIN HARRY REID IN THE SENATE!
And, of course, thanks to you and Senator Reid for this opportunity to ask you for your support. By which I mean money. It's going to take a lot of support (money) to beat Norm Coleman, one of the best-funded Republican incumbents in the country and one of George Bush's favorite rubber stamps in Washington.
Make no mistake: Norm Coleman needs to go. He's voted with President Bush nearly 90% of the time, rubber-stamped the war in Iraq, and taken more money from Big Oil than any politician in the history of Minnesota. I'm working hard every day here in Minnesota to spread our positive message of change - but I can't do it alone.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO HELP ME WIN THIS CRITICAL RACE!
On January 20, 2009, George Bush leaves office (you can go ahead and applaud). And on that day, we'll swear in President Barack Obama. But if we're really going to change this country, we'll also need to swear in enough Democratic Senators to give Harry Reid a real working majority.
That's how we're going to get to universal health care. That's how we're going to end our dependence on foreign oil, cut the price of gas, and build a renewable energy economy. That's how we're going to turn our economy around and make it start working for working people again. That's how we're going to restore our standing in the world - starting with ending the war in Iraq.
I'm ready to join Harry Reid in the Senate and get to work - but I need your help. Can I count on you to make a contribution - whether it's $500, $50, or $15 - today?
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TODAY!
I know that Senator Reid works hard every day to get this country moving in the right direction again. And I know that you work hard to support him in his efforts.
Thank you for everything you've done - and, more importantly, thank you for supporting my campaign (with money).
Sincerely,
Al Franken
Polling in NV-3? Why are veterans thanking Harry Reid? Who is Mark Begich sending through the car wash, the local car wash? Reid on!
Nevada First: We’re Up. Up. Up And Away. Great News. Huge News. But not Surprising News. Dina Titus, the congressional challenger in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional district leads Rep. Jon Porter 50 - 43. For the last three months (remember, Dina got in this race late) she’s been all over the 3rd CD, talking to some of the 25,000+ newly registered Democrats and reconnecting with those folks who supported her in her gubernatorial bid in 2006. And all that campaigning is paying off. She has her finger on the pulse of the 3rd CD. Jon Porter? Not so much. He can't get anything through Congress. And he's becoming more of a partisan, Bush-McCain Republican every day. Oh, and he hasn’t been campaigning. In fact, it's been so long since he's been seen on the stump, that Las Vegas bookstores are considering replacing their stock of Where’s Waldo books with the new Where’s Jon Porter edition.
Dina’s going to win this race because she knows what Nevadans want - someone who can think for themselves and isn’t beholden to special interests. Or the Republican Party and their failed policies. In fact, that's exactly why Dina first ran for office 20 years ago.
News That's Fit To Print. Last week, the Weekly Reid mentioned Harry Reid’s Clean Energy Summit, set to start on August 19th at the UNLV campus. Well over the weekend, Harry Reid had an op-ed published in the Las Vegas Sun, where he again called for making Nevada the renewable energy capital of the world. “Nevada is an independent state born of opportunity and of the great resources we held both during the Civil War and today. The treasure we have offered to the country in silver, gold and minerals, we can now offer in heat and power from our vast solar, wind and geothermal potential.” And channeling his inner-Obama, Sen. Reid continued, “Our moment, as Nevadans and as caretakers of our families and our planet for generations to come, is now.”
With partisan bickering and Republican obstruction dominating the energy debate in DC, there aren’t too many people who could pull together a bipartisan energy summit with as many big names as this one. But Sen. Reid’s got clout, and he’s using it to showcase Nevada’s natural resources - and remind Americans that we can be energy independent.
We Have Sen. Reid To Thank. The Weekly Reid couldn’t have said this any better:
“Rural Nevada veterans now have easier access to federal benefits information and assistance through an innovative Remote Benefits Delivery Program using video conferencing technology. In partnership, the Nevada Office of Veterans Services (NOVS) in Elko and the Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Reno will be providing this additional service to an estimated 7,671 veterans who reside in Elko, Humboldt, Lander, Eureka and White Pine counties. [snip] ‘We have Sen. Reid to thank for this enhanced service which will benefit our rural veterans. Through his efforts at the federal level, our State is the second in the nation to obtain this Remote Benefits Delivery Program,’ said Tim Tetz, Executive Director of NOVS.”
The Weekly Reid covered Sen. Reid’s request to the VA back in April. Let’s be honest - we owe it to our returning vets to provide them with the best care possible. They’ve stood up for us, and we need to keep our promise to them.
Must Reid: The Recess Recap. The Congress stands in recess for the next five weeks, and each of the 535 members are back in their home districts, meeting with constituents, and (for all but the 66 Senators not up this cycle) campaigning for reelection. Follow the Weekly Reid down memory lane, as we look at what each party has to be proud of as they head home to talk to voters.
Democrats:
We listened to the American people and passed sweeping and far reaching housing legislation. At first the President didn’t like our bill, but after a record-breaking seven cloture votes the bill that emerged did more for the American Family than anything the Republicans did in their years in the Majority. Before the bill passed about 8,500 Americans received foreclosure notices every day. Since the bill passed, more than 50,000 Americans are safe in their homes because of our Democratic majority.
With the help of Ted Kennedy’s surprise arrival on the Senate floor and his now famous, thundering “Aye!” Democrats passed the so-called “Doctor’s Fix” of the Medicare bill. Millions of America’s seniors breathed a sigh of relief. Teddy - their favorite liberal lion - was back, and their doctors were going to get paid.
Under the steady-handed leadership of the Democratic majority, the Senate passed a bill to combat the Global AIDS epidemic. To their credit, the (normally obstructionist) Republican minority saw the light and supported the legislation. You know, people around the world look to the US for leadership on the most pressing issues of the day. If we’re not leading in the fight against global HIV/AIDS, then how can we expect the world to look up to us?
In a last minute flurry of activity last Thursday, Democrats in the Senate led the charge and passed two bills especially important to middle class families - The Higher Education Opportunity Act and the Consumer Product Safety bill. Now, American parents can sleep a little better, knowing a college education is back within reach for their kids, and the toys in the game room are safe to eat(?).
Republicans:
(crickets)
Republicans are on the ropes. Rather than listening to the American people and working with Democrats to solve problems, Bush-McCain Republicans are resorting to partisan attacks and political chicanery. They know they can’t win on ideas, so they’re throwing a wrench in the whole political process.
Reid’s Watching: Perfect Timing. The Weekly Reid LOVES Mayor Mark Begich’s ads. In the (timely) ad “Car Wash,” Mayor Mark takes a subtle jab at the corrupt, scandal prone Alaskan GOP. And Mark had a great week last week - he’s up 21 in a new poll.
Other great ads this week: Al Franken and Kay Hagan (this is part of the ad blitz the DSCC is paying for, highlighting how ineffective Liddy Dole is).
Bloggers for Reid. Harry Reid’s been on the cutting edge of technology for years now (unlike John McCain). Rumor has it he had one of the first BlackBerries on the Hill. And he’s also one of the Hill’s biggest supporters of the blogosphere. Two weeks ago, he sat down with a few of the most prominent political bloggers for the second installment of “Meet the Bloggers.” Check it out here.
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