The Global Warming crowd is in scramble mode after e-mails were hacked and they have been caught in some dishonest scientific behavior. The idea that this has been taken out of context is ridiculous when you have to sift through pages of boredom to see the smoking gun.

Does global warming exist? Is it man made?

The problem is the answers to those questions should be irrelevant. There are plenty of other reasons to consider changes in our energy behavior.

The United States is addicted to oil consumption. That addiction is fed by some countries with serious problems. It includes Venezuela, Nigeria and the countries in the Middle East everyone is familiar with. Canada, which supplies more than anyone, looks completely out of place on the list.

The public got a shock during the 1970s oil crisis. We had another shock recently as gas prices rose to unseen levels.

There was a brief response both times where people started to look at more fuel efficient cars. That response gives way quickly as seen in the 1980s and 1990s when every soccer mom just had to have an SUV.

Americans simply do not care. If you point this out they will stomp their feet and make it clear no one has the right to tell them what to drive.

That is completely true. It is also completely insane to ignore the dependence that has developed.

Pollution is an issue even without global warming. There are essentially no technologies out there without some impact. We need to look at solar, hydro, geothermal, and wind options because they are less polluting.

Nuclear power also needs to be part of the solution. The safety record of nuclear power in this country is a good one. Three Mile Island is not enough to keep us from looking at the option.

The main barrier has been economic. As Al Gore pointed out in Earth in the Balance it is unlikely other technologies will develop fully until oil becomes more expensive and less economically competitive.

A curious thing about oil haters. They complain about profits when prices got high. They also complain when prices go low because it only strengthens the addiction.

Oil prices have been high enough for some time now that some projects should be considered. The usual citizens against virtually everything show up to thwart dams and wind projects and even crush the alternatives unfortunately. Remember Ted Kennedy and the wind project planned for Massachusetts?

Citizens should also do their part by insulating there houses, using compact flourescent light bulbs, energy efficient appliances and conserving whenever possible. Again, the idea that it is a right to waste energy always gets in the way.

There will be some new issues like dealing with nuclear waste or the mercury from CFLBs. Or how to set up dams and windmills to not kill fish and birds. There are no deal breakers.

It will not be easy to get the large environmentalist and other agenda driven groups to lay down their weapons. The fight is what keeps the donations coming in and allows them to be employed. A large part of the dishonesty here is without a cause they have no job.

We need to tap into the desire to do what is best for the country. This country has not unified for a common cause on a large scale since World War II.

The enemy here is energy dependence. Everybody needs to put aside the selfish desire to do what they want and delay some gratification.

Most of this comes back to the selfish nature of America. It is also the need in this country to flaunt wealth as if driving around in as gas guzzler makes you a better person.

We do need to drill for the oil we have but that is not a long term solution. The right needs to understand that.

The left needs to understand that the Global Warming argument is not only weak but is not going to appeal to the masses in this country.

Now, getting behind changes because it is good for all of us to fight this war for energy independence. That seems like something even Rush Limbaugh and Ed Begley, Jr. could agree on.

(I have links for this piece but I had to rewrite it at work today because my home computer crashed last night. I'll insert the links at some point)