Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it's off to work I go -- in a gas-guzzling auto that empties my pocketbook just as fast as it's filled. Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it's off to school I go -- with no where to park and congestion to boot. Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho.\nThe Senate passed a national energy bill Friday that concludes a six-year congressional tug-of-war between planet-loving Alaska wildlife refugees and profit-hungry oil companies during a global struggle for petroleum independence. Wedged in the fine print of more than 1,700 pages of legislated document, Americans are led toward increased nuclear power and deep-water natural gas exploration among other Pres. Bush "long-term national and economic security" initiatives outlined in the energy plan. \nOn the one hand, the energy bill demands federal reliability standards for national electricity grids, which replaces the human error tendencies of self-regulation that led to regional blackouts during the summer of 2003. Consumers also win in the way of tax breaks for purchasing gas-electric cars and other energy alternative improvements in new and existing homes.\nOn the other hand, the energy bill does not demand Detroit mandate gas mileage improvements in their automobiles or offer significant financial incentives for research into inexpensive alternative fuel and energy products. Gas-electric cars cost a fortune compared to Detroit's shift to "employee prices" on most car purchases, which results in tax-breaks for those of higher socio-economic statuses while the majority of American drivers continue to burn gasoline at the rate of 21 miles per gallon on average thus far in 2005, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. \nIn addition, costs associated with improvements in new and existing homes during the modern day technology-availability gap is also tied to socio-economic status because many available alternative energy improvements cost a fortune when compared with current living wage standards experienced by most Americans. \nAt the cost of sparing the Alaska wildlife refuge from the drills of big-oil machines, America's future energy priorities do not involve reducing the cost of energy for the American consumer, reducing America's reliance on oil in general, mandated gas mileage ceilings for all automobile makes and models nor any significant incentive for the post haste research and development of alternative-energy products like vegetable oil powered autos, wind-powered city electrical grids and sun-powered housing units.\nAccording to the EPA, light-duty vehicles account for about 40 percent of U.S. oil consumption despite more than a century of automobile research and development.\nThe bill's $12.3 billion budget paid throughout 10 years also provides billions of dollars in loan guarantees and other subsidies to expand renewable energy sources like wind turbines, but America's continued reliance on gas-guzzling machines benefits a few corporated land-owners, a few corporations and a few billionaires at the expense of the global bio-sphere, human health concerns about carbon-monoxide atmospheric intoxication and intensified global conflict based upon modern industrial addictions to petroleum. \n"Cleaner coal" is an oxymoron and global conversation should involve the development and production of inexpensive alternative-energy technologies like solar paneled autos and homes for all Americans so future national foreign policies are derived from neighbor-like concern instead of poker-playing faces bathing in pools of black gold. \nOil experts claim America, a country 300 million strong among billions of global citizens, consumes more than 50 percent of the world's resources on any given day. \nAlthough ethanol fueled some automobiles at the beginning of the 20th Century, Congressional leaders granted only $6 billion toward the production of new ethanol plants across the country, generating about 200,000 new jobs for many communities throughout the Midwest. Despite the fact that consumption requires global responsibilities to the health of humanity and the sustainability of the natural environment, many American consumers are now scratching their heads as to why current dismal fuel-efficacy standards continue to chip away at our freedom to live within a peaceful and sustainable world.\nAmerica's 2005 legislated energy bill also fails Americans because it lacks federal funding for energy-alternatives like national carpooling programs and affordable environmental-friendly energy. America needs to shift toward a more thorough alternative-energy lifestyle that offers consumers the option of leaving the smallest possible footprint behind.
The Associated Press contributed to this column
