Something's gotta give!

Thomas Friedman enlightens us on How 7 GOP senators can improve our energy policy. In my opinion, this article is clearly intended for liberal readers, because the author obviously does not think very highly of the conservatives, as you can tell by his sarcastic attitude when referring to their lack of care about energy.

Friedman explains how seven Republican senators need to sign the new energy bill, “which would raise energy-efficiency standards, require utilities to get 15 percent or more of their power from renewable sources, like wind and solar, and create a limited cap on carbon emissions from power plants,” in order for it to pass. He feels that if this doesn’t happen now, it will take basically an emergency or something drastic for us to change our oil hungry ways.

According to Friedman, the government is spending too much money on “honoring” soldiers who are fighting the war and not enough money “helping” them and their families. I absolutely agree that we need to be less dependent on oil, and that things need to change before the climate change gets really bad. But at the same time, I understand that war is a necessary evil and the money spent on weapons instead of energy conservation is done so because the government feels it is necessary to have such weapons. I think Friedman has a good point when offering his rebuttal to the disbelief in global warming. He points out that with population growth, “demand for fossil fuels is going to go through the roof — and all the bad things that go with it.”

I wish we just had more funds to go around for all the important things we need. (Who doesn't wish that, though?) I don't believe the military deserves any less money for the war effort, so something else has to give in order for us to obtain a better energy policy, and soon.