The EPA War

            In a recent (4/12/12) blog I accused the Obama administration of waging a war on fossil fuels by using the EPA to bypass Congress to, among other things, prevent domestic oil and gas exploration. As if on cue, the EPA has made my case.

            As evidenced by a video made by Al Armendariz, a top EPA administrator, we now know that the EPA's philosophy is to "crucify" oil and gas companies and "make examples" of them. Armendariz compared this tactic to the Romans' use of crucifixion as a method of subjugating conquered villages.
            The clear purpose, according to Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma, is to incite fear in the public with unsubstantiated claims and intimidate oil and gas companies with threats of unjustified fines and penalties. Inhofe cited the example of the EPA's targeting of natural gas producers in Pennsylvania, Texas,  and Wyoming with a claim that hydraulic fracturing was a cause of water contamination. The EPA has never produced any scientific evidence to support that claim.
            Another tactic used by the administration to wage war on fossil fuels is through EPA regulations. The prime target here is the coal industry. Clean air regulations issued by the EPA make it financially impossible for the industry to upgrade old plants or build new ones.
            What will happen if coal-fired energy plants have to shut down? Hundreds of thousands of people will lose their jobs, including not just workers in coal-fired plants, but also in the mines that supply the coal and the railroads and ships that transport it.  In West Virginia, a state with a population of only 1.2 million, an estimated 40,000 workers would join the unemployment lines.
            Coal accounts for just about half of the electrical energy produced in this country. And there is enough coal in the ground to last another 100 years. You just can't replace this resource with green energy, not with wind and solar that produce a measly 1% of electrical energy, and, as evidenced by the failure of companies like Solyndra, hold doubtful promise for the future.
            The best replacement for coal, over time, is natural gas. It is plentiful, clean, and cheap. It is so cheap, in fact, that some companies are cutting back on production because they can't make a profit. Wouldn't it make more sense for President Obama to clear the decks for the increased use of natural gas in our power plants and in our transportation industry? But for that he would have to call off the dogs at the EPA.
            With the EPA advocating crucifixion of the oil and gas industry and attempting to regulate the coal industry out of existence, it seems to me that the president has let go the leash and has no intention of retrieving it.     

Scandals and Wars

            Why should anyone be surprised by the GSA scandal?

            A million-dollar party in Las Vegas featuring a clown and a mind reader for entertainment; an invitation to friends to join in the hot tub fun; a blast in Hawaii followed by side trips with the wife to the South Pacific. Let's spend all the money in the budget so we can ask for an increase next year. 

            Why not? The boss does it. Christmas in Hawaii, a vacation in Martha's Vineyard with a special plane for the family and the dog, vacations in Spain and Colorado and a safari in South Africa for the wife and her entourage; and let's fly up to New York on Air Force One to take in a Broadway show while we're at it.

            Why not? It's all on the taxpayer's dime, isn't it?  After all, we are the royal family, aren't we? Well, maybe we don't wear crowns, but at least we're entitled to be treated like we do.
            When the man at the top sets the example, is it any surprise that his minions follow it? 

            I'm afraid we're looking at a prevailing culture of corruption in Washington that permeates everything. It's the corruption of moral values (Secret Service scandal). It's the corruption of the truth (Fast and Furious). It's the corruption of a political system that was meant to serve the people, but now serves only special interests and personal agendas.

            We now have  the politics of class warfare, divisiveness, and envy. We are encouraged every day by our president to despise the 1% at the top who don't pay their fair share. Never mind that this 1% pays 40% of federal taxes while the bottom 50% pay nothing at all.  Never mind that this 1% includes the bulk of small business owners and job creators.
            We now have the politics of ideological warfare against free enterprise and conservative principles. No targets are spared. Not business and trade associations, not talk radio, not Fox News, not the Republican House, not the Supreme Court, not even the Constitution.
             We now have the politics of warfare against fossil fuels. It's not enough to demonize oil speculators and oil companies, the administration has to use the EPA to bypass Congress to destroy the coal industry, to prevent domestic oil and gas exploration, and to shut down refineries.  And let's not build a pipeline to import oil from Canada, either.          
            Finally, we have the politics of warfare against those like Congressman Ryan who would dare submit a budget to rein in out-of-control spending. Never mind that the president's budget for increased spending was voted down unanimously by Congress. Never mind that the Democrat-controlled Senate, in direct violation of its constitutional obligations, hasn't passed a budget in over a thousand days. A $16 trillion dollar debt is only paper money, after all.
            Domestic enemies like these do redefine the role of Commander-in-Chief, don't they?