Editor,
I have always been supportive of preserving our environment. I do empathize with what will happen to the arctic wildlife community if we start drilling, but to help our foreign efforts in the Middle East, we should not always be at the mercy of oil producing nations.
Instead of bending when a nation threatens an oil embargo, we could bargain on our own terms if we had enough of our own oil.
This week, the U.S. Senate will begin debate on drilling in the arctic.
There is also a bill from Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Daschle that would require automakers to increase their cars' and light trucks' fuel efficiencies and find alternative methods to power vehicles.
The Bingaman-Daschle bill would help reduce the need for future drilling, if we can effectively push automakers to speed up technological leaps in fuel alternatives and efficiency.
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The combined efforts of finding alternative fuels, increasing fuel efficiency, and arctic drilling will lead to a far better United States energy policy.
Better energy policy does come at a cost on both sides of the political spectrum.
Consider this though: tyrants of the world should not be allowed to hold this "oil card" any longer.
We need to make these sacrifices to preserve peace throughout the world.
Agree or don't agree, don't just write a response to the opinion pages, write or call our senators. Democracy demands it!
Michael Salinas
UNM Political science and history major
