The American Spectator

How exactly did we get in this place where the cost of energy is doing such damage to Americans? Why are you paying so much for gas at the pump? For running your air conditioner or heating your home? What is the connection between Obama’s liberalism and the reality of your life? Here’s an example of liberalism at work on five critical energy issues. Our actor friend Leo is involved with the very first one.

p>* Building refineries: This story is as reported on July 10, 2008 by CNSNews.com senior editor Susan Jones: br> /p>

Environmental Group Sues to Block Oil Refinery Expansion

(CNSNews.com) — An environmental group on Wednesday filed a lawsuit intended to stop the expansion of a BP oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana. A shortage of oil refining capacity is often mentioned as one reason for soaring gasoline prices.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is challenging air permits granted to the refinery by the State of Indiana.

br> OK. Stop right there. Liberalism alert in Indiana. Here we are in this major energy crisis, which Americans are reminded of every single time they pull up at the gas pump. As this news story correctly says, a shortage of refinery capacity in the United States is one of the culprits in sending the price of gas at the pump skyward. But why do we have a shortage of refinery capacity in the first place? Who, very specifically, is out to stop the expansion of this particular Indiana refinery? Why, the Natural Resources Defense Council, a longtime liberal special-interest environmental group. And who sits on the board of the NRDC? Yes indeed, America’s favorite Titanic star, Leonardo DiCaprio himself.

THIS IS BUT ONE REASON why Senator Obama wants to brusquely dismiss the idea that this election is about “liberal or conservative” and re-make it Dukakis-style to something else — the future versus the past. Were the American people ever to fully understand that it is liberal political philosophy in action that is directly responsible for high gas prices, well, can you say President McCain? But don’t think for a moment that I’m picking on just poor Leo here. OK, rich Leo. Here are other recent examples of liberalism at work in causing America’s energy problems that don’t involve a rich liberal movie star:

p>* Building nuclear power plants: Here’s an AP dispatch from July 9, 2008: br> /p>

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — An environmental group has filed a petition with federal regulators, seeking to block Duke Energy Corp.’s plan to build and operate two nuclear reactors near Gaffney, S.C.

In its filing with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League said the cost to build nuclear power plants and the inherent dangers of operating them outweigh the benefits of increased power generation.

p>* Drilling for oil: This story is an Associated Press report from December 2007: br> /p>

Environmental and Native Alaskan groups asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to block Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s plans for exploratory drilling near the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Lawyers for the groups challenged the U.S. Mineral Management Service’s decision earlier this year to allow the energy giant to drill up to 12 exploratory oil wells in the Beaufort Sea off the northern coast of Alaska.

The attorneys told a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that the federal agency failed to adequately consider the impact of Shell’s exploratory activities on endangered bowhead whales and other marine mammals.”

“An oil spill in this area can have a potentially devastating impact that could linger,” said Dierdre McDonnell, an attorney representing the Alaska Wilderness League, Sierra Club and other conservation groups.