Armand Nardi, Publisher
Gainesville Daily Register
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President Bill Clinton set the standard for his Democratic successors - when approval ratings take a dive, appease the Republicans with dramatic action and hope your constituents are distracted to the point of forgetting your prior transgressions. Shortly after Mr. Clinton addressed the nation admitting an "inappropriate relationship" with a former White House intern, he ordered a cruise missile pounding on alleged terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan.
Clinton expected a rally-round-the-flag reaction from conservative critics.
Unfortunately, he only succeeded in destroying an innocent pharmaceutical plant, and his political opponents continued their mud slinging. Despite its failure, this strategy has reemerged under the reign of President Obama.
After imposing an unsatisfactory healthcare mandate on the American people, Obama has lost strong approval from all but 29 percent of the nation’s voters. In fact, according to Friday’s Rasmussen Daily Tracking Poll, 42 percent of polled voters claim that they find themselves more closely aligned to the average Tea Party member than to the president.
Obama isn't really drilling for oil – well, not at the moment. He's drilling for votes for his comprehensive energy plan, wooing senators from states where new oil exploration is popular and attempting to rally conservative constituents back into his camp.
Opening up more access to offshore drilling has many benefits. As Obama said in his announcement, we must reduce our dependence on foreign oil. And with exploration and proper regulation, the environment can withstand such industry with the least amount of impact.
A notable concern, however, is the timing. With states clamoring for revenue from the leases and the jobs it would bring, there will be heightened pressure to loosen the regulations and bring as much harm as good.
Of greater concern is the temptation to dummy down the search for alternative fuel sources. When the price of oil skyrocketed in the 1970s, the immediate impacts were shortages and long lines at the stations. The rippling effects were lower speed limits and smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.
A decade later, gas-guzzlers returned to the dealerships and highways. The search for alternative fuel sources was put on hold, only to be resurrected when the economy tanked and gas prices approached $3 to $4 a gallon in 2007.
We need the oil and we also need to protect the environment. But most importantly, scientific research into alternative energy must continue at an accelerated pace.
Armand Nardi is the publisher of the Gainesville Daily Register. He can be contacted at anardi@ntin.net.
