The Rational Argumentator

A Journal for Western Man

Energy Socialism

Newsweek garnered a lot of attention for their provocative cover: “We’re all socialists now.” For some the bold statement was cause for a victory celebration. For others, it was a wake up call.

In brief, the core of socialism believes that government is the answer. That government knows better and can make wiser decisions about our lives than we can. Therefore, government has the control.

Conversely, the values on which America was founded state that individuals should be able to make their own decisions about their own lives. This is the heart of freedom. It is the foundation of private property and the free-market.

For years now we have been living with “energy socialism.”

The government believes it knows best. Therefore it has decided that we will use less efficient and effective and more expensive forms of energy — rather than the existing sources that are efficient, cost-effective, and proven. In California, voters have supported greater state control — particularly state-managed energy programs. Look where they are.

Everything began to change 40 years ago when a well blowout in the Santa Barbara Channel caused a shift in the way America looks at oil–and launched the anti-oil environmental movement. From that time on, prodded by environmental activists, government began to slowly take control. Recently the efforts have ramped up.

In early 2007 a document surfaced that outlined a detailed plan to shut down energy production in the American west. The “No Dirty Oil and Gas” campaign pointed back to Earthworks and the hundreds of community groups and organizations they count as partners. They denied any involvement. However in November of 2006 they purchased the domain name: “nodirtyoilandgas.org” and in February of 2007, they purchased “nodirtyenergy.org.” In May of 2008, Earthworks announced its “No Dirty Energy” campaign which follows “in the steps of the successful ‘No Dirty Gold campaign.’” The connection is difficult to deny.

The campaigns’ efforts are playing out through ever-increasing government regulation and restrictions.

Groups and individuals are wreaking havoc on the BLM oil and gas lease sales throughout the West by protesting the sales that pour billions of dollars into the overdrawn federal accounts and preventing exploration that adds large additional sums in rents and royalties and production taxes.

They have diligently worked to take public lands out of exploration and production–costing taxpayers billions in benefits. Three such examples are New Mexico’s Valle Vidal, Florida’s southern tip, and the Great Lakes . Each of these areas holds vast quantities of oil and/or gas. Yet, government regulation blocks access and the income that could pour in to fund important programs. While American citizens cannot get the financial benefit of these natural resources–others are! In each case, an invisible line divides the locale. In each place, on the other side of the demarcation, others are extracting the resource. In New Mexico, a private landowner is getting richer while we cannot. Off Florida’s coast, foreign countries are preparing to drill with Cuba ’s blessing and benefit. In the Great Lakes, America is on one side and Canada on the other. We cannot drill in the same waters where Canada can! They, then, sell the natural gas back to us.

Just last month the Senate passed The Omnibus Public Lands Act (S-22) that will restrict energy development on over 3 million acres of American land and will block pipelines, transmission, and hydroelectric construction. The House is expected to pass it as well.

These are but a few examples. Other energy sources are threatened as well. A Sierra Club newsletter brags about blocking uranium mining in New Mexico. The Center for Biological Diversity has just opened a new law institute in San Francisco and announced an initial $17 million to litigate existing laws and work to establish new state and federal laws that will eliminate energy generation by the burning of fossil fuels — particularly coal and oil shale.

For those of us who like to be warm in winter and cool in the summer, who like our computers, cell phones, and other modern conveniences, this should be a wake-up call! We have let the environmental zealots set policy for too long.

It is time to rise up and be heard — much like the villagers (citizens) storming the castle (Congress) with pitchforks and torches in the movie Frankenstein. We’ve seen through the process of the stimulus bill that public outcry does work. We can have influence in Washington today and vote for different people in the future as, like California, they do set the policy. We can end energy socialism, and vote for freedom!

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