What would life be like in the United States if the Congress and Senate acted on behalf of the people rather than letting special interest groups get in the way?
What would it be like to have extra money at the end of each month? This can be a reality if a great political agenda were combined with a great financial agenda.
The United States has 279 million acres of land that sits above large volumes of oil and natural gas. Consumers are not aware of this because the media have led the public to believe that paying $2.50 per gallon for gas is reasonable.
Let me assure you that it is not.
The first step in solving this problem would be to fire Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and offer 40 percent of that land to bid to oil companies and natural gas companies.
We have to fire Salazar to make sure there are no ties to environmental groups like the Sierra Club, the Hewlett Foundation, the Alaska Wilderness League, etc., so that we can make some progress for Americans. This bidding would raise between $400-600 billion without raising anyone’s taxes.
After the bidding was complete, 4.2 million jobs would be created in the energy sector (high paying) for pipeline building, drilling and refinery construction. After drilling, we would begin to export oil, which would reverse our revenue stream to a positive.
We import $770 billion worth a year from foreign countries, and 27 percent of that comes from Communist dictators or terror supporters (OPEC).
Did I mention that we need to fire Steven Chu (Secretary of the Department of Energy) who is also an environmentalist, not an energy guy?
The second step would require us to allocate these funds, and I have a plan for that.
First, we would take 5 percent of the bid money and offer it to families for well-care certificates for preventative check-ups. This would put a dent in the health care debate. Second, we would raise merit pay for teachers, firemen and police, and that would make these professions well paid and desirable. This also eliminates three unions that are no longer needed.
Third, I would take 2 percent and build prisons to give us more space for the bad guys. This creates construction jobs. Fourth, I would take the balance and begin infrastructure jobs to up fit America. Fifth, I would offer $4 billion to any individual or corporation that can come up with a cost-efficient method of creating alternative energy.
I can promise you that if we had a national agenda that looked like the above commitments, and Americans were paying between 60 and 80 cents per gallon at the pumps, happy days would be here again, and elected government positions would be servant positions once again.
By the way, for those elected officials who may consider breaking the above policies for individual gains, no lobbying jobs after you serve the American public for eight years after your last service date.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
This should keep those who get through the cracks of honest elections from corrupting us again.
This solution is greater than the Pledge to America because it is specific. It’s time for a real solution with real ideas. It’s time for the resurrection of a nation.
John Walker, co-author of new book Resurrection of a Nation: Solving the Energy, Financial, & Political Crisis in America, is a sales and marketing executive who credits his 22-year career and faith in God for giving him the ability and desire to actively protect the future of his country.
