Friedman on Energy

Once again, Thomas Friedman has it right. A few years ago, Bush announced that we're addicted to oil. Bush, for once, was right. But, instead of doing anything sensible about it, like putting real money behind alternative energy technology or extending the tax credits for solar, wind and geothermal, he refused to ask Detroit to increase their average mpg and has continued his love affair with the Saudis.

Now, just as he's preparing to leave office, he's trying to give his oil buddies two last gifts: he wants congress to allow drilling off-shore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which will do nothing to bring down oil prices before 2030, and he wants the Saudis to give us more oil in the short term to lower prices, increasing our dependence on foreign oil, which would help to kill alternative energy development at home.

Bush has never had an energy policy, except for the completely shady one drawn up behind closed doors with no names attached, early in his first term. Once again, no leadership, just crony-ism.