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Sarah Palin: Further Proof of the Need for Energy Independence

Posted by Ron Devito on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 11:08:29 PM
Following is the complete transcript of Governor Palin's Facebook posting on energy independence, debt and the declining value of the dollar:

The British newspaper The Independent reported today that Gulf oil producers were negotiating with Russia, China, Japan and France to replace the dollar in pricing oil with a basket of currencies.[1] According to the Wall Street Journal, Arab oil officials have denied the story, but even the possibility of such a talk weakens the dollar and renews fears about its continued viability as an international reserve currency.[2] In fact, today a United Nations official called for a new global reserve currency to replace the dollar and end our “privilege” to run up huge deficits.[3] We can see the effect of this in the price of gold, which hit a record high today in response to fears about the weakened dollar[4] (Palin, 2009, ¶1).

All of this is a result of our out-of-control debt. This is why we need to rein in spending, and this is also why we need energy independence. A weakened dollar means higher commodity prices. This will make it more difficult to pay our bills – including the bill to import oil (Palin, 2009, ¶2).

In his book Architects of Ruin, Peter Schweizer points out that the Obama administration is focusing primarily on “green energy," while ignoring our need to develop our domestic conventional energy resources.[5] We’re ignoring the looming crisis caused by our dependence on foreign oil. Because we’re dependent on foreign nations for our oil, we’re also at their mercy if they decide to dump the dollar as their trade currency. We can’t allow ourselves to be so vulnerable to the whims of foreign nations. That’s why we must develop our own domestic supplies of oil and gas (Palin, 2009, ¶3).

Though the chant of “Drill, baby, drill” was much derided, it expressed the need to confront this issue head-on before it reaches a crisis point (Palin, 2009, ¶4).

Bottom line: let’s stop digging ourselves into debt and start drilling for energy independence (Palin, 2009, ¶5).

- Sarah Palin




[1] See http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/the-demise-of-the-dollar-1798175.html

[2] See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125484066563367821.html

[3] See http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.e272eaa74dccc30f21c6ff7638b0f37b.461&show_article=1

[4] See http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091006/ts_afp/commoditiesgoldmetalsprice_20091006144514

[5] See http://www.peterschweizer.com/



*Note: Schweizer’s book is a real eye-opener. The sections on ACORN are quite informative (Palin, 2009, ¶6).


Commentary

In five paragraphs, Governor Palin cuts to the core issues underpinning the need for energy independence. She supports her thesis with evidence and provides references to same. Out-of-control debt, weak dollar, high gold prices, high commodity and energy prices, global instability, scarce and rationed resources are all consequences of our addiction to foreign oil.

We must develop and use the resources we have here and that does not mean checking tire pressure (an Obama-ism), burning ethanol which requires more BTUs to produce than it outputs, or focusing on boutique alternatives. It means drilling in ANWR, and the Outer Continental Shelf. It means building refineries. It means having a single standard for gasoline -- not a different additive for each state in the union with summer and winter blends for three or four grades of automotive gas. All these things can be done while preserving the environment. Today's drilling is not the drilling of 30 years ago.

Obama is continuing three or four decades of failed energy policy. He promised "hope and change." Energy independence is change we must embrace for our nation's sake.

References



Palin, S.L.H. (2009, October 6). "Further Proof of the Need for Energy Independence." Facebook, Sarah Palin. Retrieved October 6, 2009 from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=148659543434

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AK Governor Sarah Palin Directs Filing of New Brief for Kensington Mine

Posted by Ron Devito on Sunday, May 17, 2009 10:18:25 PM

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on May 15, 2009 directed the state Department of Law to file “a supplemental brief with the United States Supreme Court supporting development of the Kensington Mine near Juneau” (Kensington Mine, 2009, ¶1).

“The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC) filed a lawsuit to stop the mine. The suit alleged that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers violated federal law by issuing permits that allow tailings to be deposited in a small and remote muskeg lake. The state intervened to assist mine owner Coeur-Alaska and the corps in defending the permit” (Kensington Mine, 2009, ¶3). Tailings are the waste material which remains after metal is extracted from ore.

”The U.S. District Court upheld the corps permit, but SEACC appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which reversed the lower court and invalidated the permit. An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court followed” (Kensington Mine, 2009, ¶4).

“Except for the oil and gas sector, mining jobs are the best-paying jobs in Alaska, with average annual wages over $80,000,” she noted. “These jobs and the jobs created indirectly would be a tremendous boost to Southeast Alaska. Coeur-Alaska also has a good record of working with the university and tribal and ANCSA entities to train and hire Alaskans” (Kensington Mine, 2009, ¶7).

The Kensington Mine is located on the east side of Lynn Canal, about 45 miles northwest of downtown Juneau. It holds an estimated 1.35 million ounces of gold (Kensington Mine, 2009, ¶8)

.

The mine has been under construction since 2005 at a cost of more than $300 million. About 400 Alaskans have been employed during construction, of which almost half either are Alaska Natives or are employed by subcontractors of Alaska Native corporations. Construction is complete except for the tailings facility that is the subject of the lawsuit by SEACC (Kensington Mine, 2009, ¶9)

.

Commentary

In today's "PC" world and with all the emphasis on "going green" leaving this issue alone or taking the side of SEACC might have been politically expeditious. But true leaders do not make decisions based solely on expedience or on "traveling the path of least resistance." A leader uses the following criteria as the underpinning of all decisions. Is the proposed action, safe, legal or authorized, and does the benefit outweigh the costs? (Hilley, 2008, p. 48).

The Kensington Mine satisfies all criteria. It is safe, legal, and the benefits outweigh the costs. As noted by the Governor, the mine produces 400 high paying jobs -- only oil and gas pay more. Alaska's Natives constitute over half the mine's employees.

That truly is a gold mine for Alaska -- in more ways than the precious metal being mined.

References

Governor Palin directs filing of new Kensington brief $300 million mining project would create hundreds of jobs. (2009, May 15). State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved May 16, 2009 from: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1846.

Hilley, J. (2008). Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

Supplemental brief for petitioner State of Alaska. (2009, May 14).

State of Alaska, Department of Law. Retrieved May 17, 2009 from: http://www.law.alaska.gov/pdf/press/051409-SEACC_brief.pdf.

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