Palin Has Gas

Alaskan Governor and Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin continues her shock and awe candidacy. I never ceased to be amazed. Today for example, an Associated Press article reported that Governor Palin "backs" shipping natural gas produced in Alaska to Asian countries! Exclamation point intended. Consider the following quoted from today's article:

"When we talk about energy, we have to consider the need to do all that we can to allow this nation to become energy-independent," Palin said earlier this month during the vice presidential debate. "It's a nonsensical position that we are in when we have domestic supplies of energy all over this great land. And East Coast politicians who don't allow energy-producing states like Alaska to produce these, to tap into them, and instead we're relying on foreign countries to produce for us."

However, when the Energy Department agreed to extend Kenai Liquefied Natural Gas facility's license, which was to expire in 2009,to export gas to Asia through 2011, the Governor applauded the decision according to this same article. Even though some federal officials were against it. After all, while the Governor from Alaska and her running mate - remember him?- shout "drill, drill, drill," to the faithful, some of us wonder if we have to drill for energy resources in wildlife preserves and other environmentally sensitive places like water off shore, why are we selling what we have to foreign countries? Profit is the answer. Good old fashioned profit for the state of Alaska. Bear in mind that this facility is the only one of its kind in the United States. Have no fear though, Governor Palin made sure to have the license agreement include keeping just enough natural gas to serve the state of Alaska and it's residents.

"In these times of economic uncertainty, this is great news for the state and its residents," Palin said when the license was approved in June. Really? Did she really say that? Apparently so. What's going on here? Maybe she simply realizes that she might just have no choice but to return to Alaska after November and she has started to court her residents. Wise? Not if she wants to be Vice-President of all the United States.

Yes, I know that gas and oil prices have dropped in recent weeks, but filling up at $2.79 a gallon did not give me a huge feeling of relief. The United States continues to have a very serious energy crisis. It's not going to just fix itself. Leaders of our country must come up with solutions like not selling our natural resources abroad, exploring alternative energy sources, and thinking outside the box.

I don't know, perhaps Governor Palin doesn't have a clue how hypocritical she sounds on this issue. Perhaps she is just simply that parochial. I do know that it's worse than the usual political "flip-flopping," it's more like good old fashioned talking out of both sides of her mouth. When this is all over she could become a ventriloquist. It's not funny at all, it's about as funny as her appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend. If you missed it, be glad you did. Humor is not among her qualifications, but then, what is?