TORRANCE TRIBUNE February 5, 2015 Page 5 One Man’s Opinion Another Man’s Opinion The Boy Scouts and Barack Obama It’s Time To Become Less Dependent On Foreign Oil Let me start by saying that I don’t believe that everyone has to convert to a fossil fuel-free lifestyle. While we will not stop using crude oil, coal and natural gas in the near future, it is in our best interest to rely less on oil from outside sources such as the Middle East. The basis for this argument comes not from an ecological perspective but from a national security point of view. Several news agencies have reported that ISIS released a video where these terrorists threaten to behead President Obama and covert America into an Islamic province. Much like when a reporter threw a shoe at President Bush, this threat launched at President Obama makes me angry. These savages threaten, torture and kill people as part of their distorted ideologies. The thing is that for groups like ISIS to function, they need money and I’m going to go out on a limb and say that some, if not all, of these terrorists groups are funded through oil money. Much like the criminal activity that takes place south of our borders, which is made possible through drug money, these criminals in the Middle East are funded with local resources and the biggest source of money in the region is oil. So, maybe, just maybe if we stop buying oil from this region in the world we would be able to starve out the threat that is ISIS, and all other militant groups. If we as a country developed local energy sources, and just stopped funneling money to this region of the world, I am pretty sure these barbaric groups would no longer be a threat; at least not at the level that are at this moment. Of course politics and economic agreements make such a move more of an ideal situation than a close reality. However, while our military and intelligence agencies find ways to divert attacks and neutralize threats, our private sector and elected leaders should develop the technology that will phase us into local, clean sources of energy. If groups like ISIS lose funding and we transition into a source of energy independent of the Middle Easts’ sources, terrorists will go from holding grenade launchers and automatic assault rifles to throwing a temper tantrum like a child in a candy store unable to get a treat. These groups already hate us and it makes no sense that our fuel consumption continues to fund their underground, violent and disturbing activities. So what better than to have them hate us anyway, but completely bankrupt them? Believe me, I have no ambition of ever driving an electric vehicle and the thought of driving a Prius makes me cringe. I would much rather drive a 1970 split bumper Camaro. However, since I am too old and overweight to join the military, the best way I can help in this battle against groups like ISIS is consume less fossil fuel. In our lifetime we will never stop using these resources but we certainly can transition into cleaner and more local energy source. If not for ecological purposes, in all seriousness, for national security reasons • By Gerry Chong Once, a stand-up comic did his shtick ridiculing the Boy Scouts, concluding with, “Clean mind, clean body . . . take your pick.” Similarly, the President had a choice between two alternative policy objectives. Green world, strong economy . . . take your pick. So he chose. In his first year in office, his Administration declared its intention to drive the price of gasoline to $10 per gallon to reduce its usage. To meet that goal, he reduced the amount of oil drilling on Federal land. He slow-walked applications for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. He outlawed oil drilling on both coasts. He stalled for six years, and now appears to deny the construction of the Keystone Pipeline. He has outlawed the coal industry which supplies 40% of the nation’s electricity. He signed an agreement with China in which the U.S. agreed to immediately reduce CO2 emissions while the Chinese agreed to begin ten years from now. Some of his efforts are absolutely comical. In one report, the EPA stated the amount of methane gas released into the air is far less than originally thought. Nevertheless, it issued new regulations requiring escaping methane (the primary component of “natural gas”) to be reduced by 45% between 2012 and 2025. Of course, that’s the industry’s intention also, since they’d rather sell it than allow it to escape into the air. How big a threat is this to the public? The Energy Research Institute says “cows emit more methane when they pass gas than the natural gas industry.” (Look out cows, you’re next). There’s good news and there’s bad news. The good news is that he failed to raise gas prices to $10 per gallon; but the bad news is that he managed to double the cost of gasoline that had cost $1.86 a gallon when he took office. That doubling was a tax on all drivers and home heating. It increased the cost of anything made of plastic. It increased the cost of moving any manufactured and agricultural product to market, and raised the cost of travel. As wages remained stagnant, our standard of living fell in one of the worst economic recoveries on record. Now we are all poorer in dollars and spirit. Paraphrasing Maya Angelou . . . these caged birds dance on the graves of dreams. Ironically, the private sector may reverse the Obama error in judgment. The science of fracking has made the U.S. number one in the world in oil and natural gas production; and in the last quarter, oil prices have fallen by half causing the economy to grow by over 5%, the fastest rate in nearly 20 years. In fact, the private sector is reversing some of the damage done by bad policy, but the economic harm done will reverberate for decades. In fact, the New York Times declared on January 25, “The Middle Class Shrinks Further as More Fall Out Instead of Climbing Up.” So let’s reconsider the question: “Green world, healthy economy . . . take your pick.” • Finding Senior Housing can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be. “You can trust A Place for Mom to help you.” – Joan Lunden Call A Place for Mom. Our Advisors are trusted, local experts who can help you understand your options. Since 2000, we’ve helped over one million families fi nd senior living solutions that meet their unique needs. A Free Service for Families. (800) 605-7996 A Place for Mom is the nation’s largest senior living referral information service. We do not own, operate, endorse or recommend any senior living community. We are paid by partner communities, so our services are completely free to families.
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