1980s Gop short-sightedness led to current energy crisis.

[Democrats_win]

America’s national goal was to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. Through tax-breaks for solar energy, greater domestic drilling and numerous conservation efforts America was on its way to achieving that goal before Reagan dropped the ball.

He pulled the rug out from domestic suppliers (ask Bu$h, he too suffered from this) and a generation of American engineers dedicated to the goal. The goal was based on the experiences of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo. This hurt our economy as millions of Americans lost their jobs and everyone else bought Toyotas as gas prices skyrocketed even after the embargo ended.

America knew that we could not depend on the ME for our oil. Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter were dedicated to this goal and they funded programs and enacted laws to achieve it. Then in the 80s, Reagan/bush1 persuaded the Saudis to open the spigot which dropped the price to $10 a bbl. The Reagan administration also cut tax-breaks for solar energy and America coasted on the gains that we had made. Our efforts were wasted.

As our nation abandoned this strategic goal, we bought SUVs left our lights on longer and wasted energy. Still, congress could have acted to increase gas mileage on SUVs, but the old fear tactic that we’d all be forced to drive tiny purple cars insured that this would not happen.

Now we are in the EXACT position as 1973 but without the hope of domestic oil production or North Seat crude to save us. Furthermore there is no talk of conservation although most Americans are being forced to conserve by high prices.

Now, 30 years later Bu$h, who has never had any success, plans to fix the problem that his father and fellow goppers helped create. We were serious about fixing the problem on our terms. Bu$h must fix this problem or his dreams of empire will crumble as our national debt swallows everything. His motivation is not because it’s good for America, but because it’s good for his power. Yet like everything else he does, this will be a half-hearted effort and Americans will be forced to conserve under the terms of Exxon and Saudi Arabia.

America isn’t walking very tall anymore because of the Gipper’s short-sightedness and Bu$h’s failed presidency.

[zbdent]

1. The cuts to research by Reagan are detailed in

"The Triumph of Politics" by Stockman . . .