A Lifeline To The Obama Administration

I am a registered Independent. I have voted for both parties. I have no agenda other than seeing America survive the great peril that Washington mismanagement and consumer ignorance has placed us in.

The next three short paragraphs outline why I am writing to you. The remainder of my letter offers specific suggestions on how to move the iceberg out of the USS Titanic’s path.

The House stimulus bill is not only a joke, it is a potential national disaster. Washington may well so damage the dollar that inflation, even  hyper-inflation will ensue. That would likely lead to the world dumping dollars AND refusing to buy US debt instruments. That would certainly result in the highest energy prices we’ve ever seen, which would likely trigger a national depression of epic proportions.

Furthermore, once Washington has squandered the proposed billions and billions of dollars that it DOES NOT HAVE [as in stealing from the American people], we lose all our options!! It will be gone, you won’t get a second chance!! Unless you plan to print so much worthless paper that the US becomes like  pre-Nazi Germany wherein its people needed a wheelbarrow of Deutschemarks to buy a loaf of bread.

Historically, lowering taxes has seemed to speed economic recovery, so I have few reservations in that area. However, virtually NONE of the proposed spending has ANY positive track record of success. Most government spending seems to end up in the pockets of political cronies, and merely makes the rich richer, and the poor poorer. Let the states that have wasted billions on foolish spending lay off government workers, just like the private sector has too. Let the politicians that avoided dealing with economic reality deal with the political consequences, don’t punish the tax payers in fiscally responsible states.

If you must spend money, the one area that seems to offer no downside would be making America energy independent. I am a serious, environmentalist. Unlike Al Gore, who spouts pseudo-science endless, then wastes energy shamelessly, I walk the walk. I would love to have an affordable electric car. I would love to have a fully solar home. There are many things I would like to have, but can’t afford. American can’t afford what you’re trying to do, but herein is what Washington can afford to do.

The US is sending $500 Billion abroad annually. Aside from Mexico, mostly to countries that want America reduced to burning embers. Green energy would be wonderful, and where it is cost-competitive, go hard and heavy. Wave generated power is practical and works 24-hours a day. Turbines in the Gulf Stream could make Florida energy independent. A turbine in the Hudson is powering a huge supermarket in New York City according to a recent Discovery Channel program; building, installing, and connecting more of those would mean REAL jobs as opposed to depression era WPA type jobs.

But no more ethanol fiascos. It was blatantly obvious that using foodstuffs for energy production would send food prices soaring. How many poor died of starvation around the world because government wishful thinkers wouldn’t drill in Anwar, or allow US companies to drill offshore before the Chinese do. President Bush urged Switchgrass research for Ethanol production, but Washington was so busy being partisan that it wouldn’t act upon any idea that wasn’t exclusively Democrat. Way to fiddle while Rome burns folks.

And no more wind farms killed by the Kennedy clan and their ilk, like the debacle off Hyannis Port. That political abomination derailed a privately funded venture that would have provided VAST amounts of Mass.’s power needs, all pollution free. Where America can produce significant amounts of renewable energy, do it. Declare a Marshall Plan, declare marshal law against the NIBY’ers and the Mongol hordes of lawyers that who have placed America’s survival at risk. Legislate for no frivolous lawsuits for 5, 10, 15 years. Look up the definition of common sense and try it out for a change.

Furthermore, not all projects have to be massive. A man invented a helix-design windmill that can go atop almost any building, and his design is impervious to wind storms that force traditional blade turbines to shut down. . He has some working in New York City atop at least one apartment building. [It was featured on the Discovery Science Channel within the past year.]  Small hydro-turbines that can power small farms and homes are available from a variety of sources, but most people don’t know they exist.

For peanuts, the US Government could provide a web site that helps business and citizens find energy solutions and the businesses that provide them. And no blasted politics, if a company has say 25 units operational and can supply references, they get listed!!! If a business runs a scam, they go to jail and pay restitution.

Fast-track Nuke Plants. If you want to see America’s roads humming with electric cars, give America abundant, AFFORDABLE electricity and we’ll start dumping gas vehicles in droves. You don’t want carbon? Well nukes are a proven source of cheap, emission-free power, if it doesn’t cost billions and billions to get the first brick laid. We have uranium, so we don’t have to rely on foreign sources. We have the expertise to build them which means thousands upon thousands of jobs.

And God yes, drill here and drill now. Oil can’t be replaced overnight. Ditto coal and natural gas. ALL OF THE ABOVE!! Coal supplies half of America’s electricity and the US of A has VAST supplies. A clean coal electric plant is visible from my Virginia home. I have toured it. It is clean a and a vital source of income and desperately needed jobs for Lunenburg County, VA. Have you ever visited a modern coal facility, or have you merely listened to far left loons?

By all means, improve America’s energy grid. A massive solar storm could send America back to the stone ages, same for a high-altitude EMP attack. New York City is working on Super Conductive cable projects that would preclude cascading blackouts, yet take up far less space than current traditional cables. There are indeed grid projects that would create jobs that are truly vital and will improve America’s future.

The Democrat party has become overly fond of using Orwellian double-speak regarding the word invest when they really mean spend. What I suggest is a true investment in America, consider these points:

* The $500 Billion the US exports for energy could stay in the US. Every dollar spent domestically passes through many hands due to the ripple effect. That could mean a multi-TRILLON dollar positive effect upon the economy. It would give us a chance to eat away at our past fiscal follies by increasing revenues via a vibrant economy. It also would help the dollar, which helps our economy and national security.

* The $500 Billion the US exports for energy would not be sent to Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and other countries that hate America for simply being successful. Every time those counties get their hands on high energy revenue, they waste vast amounts on military spending, which forces the US to bolster our military spending lest we be attacked of bullied.

* If the US stops buying so much foreign energy, energy prices will become far more stable and would likely remain affordable for the whole world. Knowing the US is forging ahead with energy independence would therefore likely help the global economy recover. Remember, it is the poorest countries that suffer that most hunger and poverty during a global slowdown, another bone for most philosophies.

* The lessons we learn striving for energy independence would translate into skills and technology that we can export. Our trade balance has been negative for years, this could help it big time. Furthermore, we could end up exporting clean energy production which would appease the global warming zealots.

* If the US doesn’t address the energy problems we’re facing, at the first hint of economic recovery, we’ll be right back to $4~6 dollar gas, heating oil, and killer electric rates. If Washington spends my tax dollars as foolishly as it today appear hell-bent on doing, the inflation they’ll likely create could well result in $10~$20 gas. Then American may really find out how bad a depression can get.

* If Washington is so worried about carbon, go plant a billion trees every year. Trees are carbon sinks, plus they scrub many, many pollutants from the air. Seedlings cost pennies, they grow into valuable trees worth hundreds of dollars. That is how a true investment works. Make arbor day a national event, make tree planting patriotic. Four trees times 300,000,000 citizens equals 1.2 Billion trees. God knows California needs tons of trees after all the fires. How many homes don’t have a blessed tree in their yard. Trees lower heating and cooling costs, which means more energy savings and less pollution. More tree means less lawn, lawns are a huge waste of energy and precious clean water.

* These projects can be preformed in all 50 states, so every representative could potentially take home jobs, or retraining for energy production jobs. Lower energy costs translates into more disposable income, and lower cost of producing goods which benefits consumers and exporting Americans goods.

That rush to spend away America’s future is insane, it is suicidal. Rushing to spend money by some magical date in utterly foolish. The only reason Washington wants to rush is so pork projects get funded before the voters can learn what you’re trying to slip past them. There is no law that requires massive spending bills! If some politician feels that a project is sooo important, let them get it passed in a standalone bill.

In closing, I have never written to a politician before. I work two jobs, and drive a 25-year old car. I worked 26 years for Johnson & Johnson, yet will retire with only a $1,000 pre-tax pension and no medical benefits. The inflation Washington is about to create will destroy my retirement and those of millions of other senior citizens trying to survive on a fixed income.

Larry Sass