- Essays on Lingua Lincoln -
- On America's Dependence on Foreign Oil -
by Lincoln Sayger
The words ring clearly through the ages. "We the people. . .do ordain and establish this Constitution," the message begins, "in order to. . .insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense. . .and secure the blessings of liberty." The American government sits in abject failure. The words of its masters are now ringing through the ages in a haunting rebuke. This government, which we established to protect us from foreign powers, has sold us into bondage to them.
A few caribou, or to be more accurate, a few people who think they know what is best for the caribou stand in the way of our being self-sufficient. They would have us believe that drilling projects would frighten away or somehow kill the caribou which live in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. According to Glenn Taylor of the Northern News Service, however, areas around responsible oil developments "offer the caribou a habitat with less (sic) mosquitoes, and one where they can more easily monitor predators." Furthermore, caribou herds have grown in size in the years since development started. Opponents also try to promote the fear that oil development will take away the livelihoods of the local peoples, but according to ANWR.org, 71% of Alaskans support responsible development. ANWR.org also states that if development is allowed, less than 2000 acres out of the 1.5 million acre coastal plain would be affected. The caribou are not harmed by oil development, and neither are the people who live nearest to it. It would benefit them, and it would benefit all of us.
Foreign powers control much of our oil supply. If they were to cut that supply, America, great nation of power, would grind to an unpleasant halt. With our mechanical transports halted and our electricity brought to a fraction of its current level, how could we defend against, or even be warned of, a foreign invasion?
Imagine for a moment the impact if the oil cartel suddenly decided, or was persuaded, to turn off the faucet. They stop all new shipments and divert what tankers over which they have control. Within ten days, the oil flowing into our country is all delivered. Within twenty days, almost all natural gas electricity generators have to shut down, and all citizens are driving on fumes. Within thirty days, there is little petroleum fuel to run trains, so coal burners are brought out of mothballs to try to keep America's lights burning, but America's highways stand desolate, littered with the sheet metal corpses of our cars. Within forty days, in spite of conservation measures, coal plants are forced to stop producing electricity because of an inability to get coal deliveries. America's lights go out, even on military installations. With no electricity to run the RADAR network or radios, America sits alone in the dark and waits.
When and where will the attack come? Will it be from the north, over the pole? Will it be from the west? The Carribean? The eastern shores? Whatever the source and whoever the attacker, America sits helpless. Only ground troops can move, and they cannot move faster than 50 miles in a day, nor do they stand a chance against the attacker, who still has fuel to power his jets, tanks, and submarines.
Just as the American people waited and waited and waited for the prices to fall, just as they waited and waited past the time for action, now they can only wait, knowing that one day soon, the attack will come, and when it does, there will be no one to defend us. So, we wait. Just wait.
Want me to write for your publication on a topic of your choice? Want to print this in your publication? Click here.