Oil

Rush Limbaugh is fond of saying that oil is the fuel which powers the engine of freedom. It would be more accurate to say that oil is that which powers the engine of global civilization. Like it or not it is a vital natural resource and there is not enough of it currently being pumped to go around. This is especially true with two billion Chinese and Indians clamoring for their share of the world supply.

However much anyone may not like to hear this oil is worth blood. It is worth both shedding and spilling blood for. Alternative fuels are a partial answer right now. We should not be using one ounce of petroleum to generate electricity when we have the technology to make nuclear and coal both clean and safe.

Motor fuel is another matter. I used to think that alcohol was the answer. After all it could power automobiles with more MPG and less pollution. Then I learned that there isn't enough farmland in North America to grow the corn needed to make the fuel to run America's cars. This does not even address the need for heating oil, natural gas and all the other things we use petrochemicals for.

Face it. For the forseeable future the world is going to be addicted to oil. It should be drilled for wherever it can be found. The technology exists to make this clean and safe, both off shore and on land.