Boone Pickens on Energy Independence

You might remember a year or two ago Boone Pickens was on television talking about natural gas and making America energy independent. You also might remember that eight years ago Boone Pickens paid for a great deal of the Swift Boat campaign against then Presidential Candidate John Kerry.

The Swift Boat campaign was a travesty. If I was writing about that I would say that. I would, though, to be fair, ask how it was that a decorated War hero such as Kerry allowed that issue to be taken away from him. A strong response would have solved that issue.

So while I do not agree with what Pickens did in 2004 I have to say that what he said two years ago and what he is now saying again bears listening.

Is there anything that would be more beneficial to this country that being energy independent. Think of all of our involvements in the Middle East. The money spent, the wars, and on an on it goes. Now suspend your foolish belief that our actions have anything to do with altruistically making these countries free. If these countries had no oil you can rest assured our interest in them would be minimal to non existent. We always dress up our motives but we all know the truth.

So when T Boone Pickens talks of huge natural gas deposits and the chance of being energy independent we should listen. Pickens is a rich man. He does not bet on losers. Does he have a huge financial stake in natural gas. Of course he does. That should not matter if there is a legitimate truth and possibility of disengaging ourselves from the Middle East.

Can you think of any better picture than the Sheiks in Saudi Arabia being unable to sell the oil they have.

One thing we must know. The whole energy industry is corrupt. It is laced with money, subsidies and kickbacks. These people make the Mafia look the boy scouts.

Even if we have to follow the mafioso that wants us to buy native natural gas that is a better proposition than paying those Americans that facilitate the transfer of our wealth overseas, accepting the dirty riches they do in the process.

If ever there was a cause for a populist cause the Americanization of our energy would be it. From the left we would hear that we were being xenophobic and jingoistic. From the right the established interests in what exists today would see their spot at the troth disappearing and fight it tooth and nail. Still in the wide swath of the middle of the American citizenry we all know that anything we do not have to buy abroad makes us a stronger country. I am waiting for a populist candidate to rise and speak on this issue.