The high gas prices we're expericing now is a result of our energy policy for the past thirty years. The reason we're dependent on foreign oil is because of the moratorium prohibitng offshore drilling. I understand environmentalist concerns about the potential danger to the environment, but their concerns have ramped into paranoia and crippled us from doing anything meaningful about our energy situation. Look at nuclear energy. We had one nuclear accident with Three Mile Island and as a result no new nuclear plant has been built since (although other factors did contribute to the halt of nuclear plant construction).

Those who oppose offshore drilling state we need to look at alternative forms of energy. The problem is the environmentalists who oppose oil drilling have also put enormous red tape on pursuing any form of alternative energy. If the govermnet announced that our society is to move to hydrogen dependence, you think hydrogen stations are going to pop up quickly? No, because all the regulation that exists requires countless environmental studies to be done before anything energy related can be done. It's great to talk about alternative energy but the reality is our bureaucracy will hamper any sort of pursuit of alternative by years. We need a short term solution to combat high gas prices. Yes, lifting the moratorium won't instantly lower oil prices, but I certainly don't believe Senator Obama when he claims it'll take five years or longer for domestic drilling to have an impact (I'm pretty sure he pulled that number out of the air, as politicians are so adept at doing).

Technology has come a long way to make energy exploration much safe. Of course there's a risk; there's risk in anything. That's not an excuse to sit idely by and continue to handicap ourselves. And how long do you think before countries like China and India, with their exploding populations, will be drilling for oil in international waters right outside United States?