August 18, 2008 08:40 am How ironic is it that the national figure promoting the most sensible, comprehensive energy policy for the country is a 27-year-old hotel heiress whose main claim to fame is that she is famous? As more than one pundit has observed, Paris Hilton, in a spoof candidacy spun off ads run by Republican presidential candidate John McCain, is the only one who is not focusing on only one or two of the many ways to address the world spike in energy demand that has pushed oil and gas prices to record levels. "Why not do them all?" she reasonably asks. Indeed, why not? Why can't McCain and Democrat Barack Obama stop reciting bumper-sticker slogans and apply some common sense to a problem that is crying out for common-sense leadership. Of course we can't "drill our way" out of this problem, as Obama is fond of saying while mocking McCain. Drilling will not supply all of the nation's long-term energy needs. But drilling can help to address prices in the short term. Indeed, President Bush's mere announcement that would lift the ban on offshore drilling helped cool the speculative fever in the market. Nor is the solution better-inflated tires and tuned-up engines, as McCain is fond of saying while mocking Obama. But if a majority of motorists followed Obama's advice and it cut consumption by even 1 or 2 percent, that would be significant. Democrats and Republicans ought to be able to agree that this nation should do everything in its power to increase supply and cut demand. It is not either/or. It is, or it ought to be, lots of things — drill for oil and natural gas, build wind turbines, get your car tuned up. This country has almost unlimited amounts of entrepreneurial energy. And so far, too much of that remains untapped as well.
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