This week is going to be big for American energy policy. By week’s end, it is likely that we will see the US Congress vote on any number of energy bills, including one put forth by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), as well as the New Energy Reform Act of 2008, which has been endorsed by the so-called “Gang of 10” Senators, who have since swelled in number to 16, and now 20 members. If you’re even remotely like me, you’re surely growing tired of the battle between the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate and the GOP minority that demands new offshore drilling. Unfortunately for all of us, few congressional Democrats have had the gall to stand up and say what’s been on all of our minds – offshore drilling isn’t the answer. That was, until last Friday’s Bipartisan Energy Summit, when Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse seemingly decided that he’d had enough.

Whitehouse asked his fellow Senators and the energy experts from any number of different backgrounds whether, given the numerous problems facing our country, offshore drilling should be our #1 priority. The silence should speak for itself.

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WHITEHOUSE: Gentlemen, we’re in the middle of a near total mortgage system meltdown in this country. We have a health care system that burns 16 percent of our GDP, in which the Medicare liability alone has been estimated at $34 trillion. We’re burning $10 billion a month in Iraq. This administration has run up $7.7 trillion in national debt, by our calculation. And there is worsening evidence every day of global warming, with worsening environmental, national security and economic ramifications. In light of those conditions, do any of you seriously contend that drilling for more oil is the number one issue facing the American people today No, it doesn’t seem so.

Many thanks to Senator Whitehouse for saying what so many of us have had on our minds for so long, and proving the point that no one else could.

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Photo Credit: mr_t_77 via flickr under a Creative Commons License