we all know Homer Simpson, that ever-bumbling character on The Simpsons. His two most entertaining characteristics are his tendency to create one scene of havoc after another – after which he walks away from the disasters he creates – and his continual belief that he has the world all figured out when in reality he is hopelessly stupid.
Homer Simpson is the paradigmatic symbol of the modern American liberal.
With that introduction, allow me to introduce the thinking of “Homer” Friedman:
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Published: September 13, 2008Imagine for a minute that attending the Republican convention in St. Paul, sitting in a skybox overlooking the convention floor, were observers from Russia, Iran and Venezuela. And imagine for a minute what these observers would have been doing when Rudy Giuliani led the delegates in a chant of “drill, baby, drill!”
I’ll tell you what they would have been doing: the Russian, Iranian and Venezuelan observers would have been up out of their seats, exchanging high-fives and joining in the chant louder than anyone in the hall — “Yes! Yes! Drill, America, drill!” — because an America that is focused first and foremost on drilling for oil is an America more focused on feeding its oil habit than kicking it.
The question immediately at hand is, “Who is making who stupid?”
You get this? Oil rich nations WANT the United States to drill for their own oil, because by doing so Americans will continue to be oil-addicts and never address their addiction.
Now, Homer Friedman loves to wax eloquent about economic matters. But what makes him such a “Homer” – who would blithely create a disaster that he would ultimately simply walk away from while never acknowledging what a fool he is – is how the facts fly in the face of his little “Homer-like” reality.
There are at least three things wrong with Homer Friedman’s position.
Just over a week ago, the Times printed an article, and the title said it all: “Iran calls for production cuts as oil price plummets.”
Why on earth would Iran want to cut production as the price of oil plummets? Because by producing less oil, the price of oil would correspondingly increase, and they can increase the price they get per barrel. This is THE LAW (not the ‘theory,’ not the ‘Republican conspiracy’) OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
The Times article points out that, “Crude oil has lost more than a quarter of its value since the price peak in July of $147 per barrel.”
Question for the non-Homers among you: what happened in July?
On July 14, President Bush lifted the ececutive ban on offshore drilling, that had been in place since 1990, and urged Congress to likewise lift its ban which had been in place since 1981.
And what happened in the immediate aftermath as an immediate result?
Another title says it all: “President Bush Lifts Offshore Drilling Ban, Crude Drops over $6.00 a Barrel.”
And three subsequent updates appear above the text of the article:
Update: July 18, 2008 Crude Oil has dropped to $128.88 a Barrel
Update: July 17, 2008 Crude Oil has dropped to $130.73 a Barrel
Update July 15, 2008 Crude Oil has dropped to $138.74 a Barrel Biggest drop in 17 years
And the price of oil has continued to drop in the aftermath of the genuine possibility that Americans will begin to harness their own oil resources, and in so doing increase the supply of oil on the market.
Only Homer Friedman, and the unrelentingly stupid psuedo-intellectuals who dominate liberal thought could be such, well, Homers that they would claim that big oil producing countries would actually WANT the United states to increase its production of oil.
This is grab-you-by-the-collar-and-slap-you-repeatedly-in-the-face stupidity.
When I was in boot camp, our mercilessly pragmatic drill sergeants – confronted with the naive theoretical idiocy of one of the recruits under their charge – would ask, “You went to college, didn’t you, boy? Only an intellectual could have thought of something so incredibly stupid.”
And only the New York Times would be dumb enough to print it (You know, the same New York Times that thought John McCain’s editorial piece was beneath them?).
But that is only one-third of the ridiculous, mind-numbing stupidity of Homer Friedman and his fellow gang of misfiring liberal neurons.
The second third of Friedman’s claim is that – by drilling for our own oil – the United States somehow signs a pact with the devil such that we will never be able to end our dependence on oil.
Modern liberals have always despised the so-called Domino theory, so it is no wonder they would completely butcher it when they try to put it into practice.
But what? Excuse me?
T. Boone Pickens’ ad says, “drill, drill, drill” in his new ad, even as he calls for increased investment in alternative energy. He doesn’t seem to think that drilling for domestic oil will eternally damn us. But then again, he’s not a Homer.
OF COURSE WE CAN DRILL, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY PURSUE INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE ENERGY. AND ONLY A TOTAL “HOMER” WOULD THINK WE COULDN’T.
If we want to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, nothing we can do would help us achieve that end better than harnessing our own oil resources.
The final third of the Homer-like stupidity is the belief that we will be able to stop – or even significantly reduce – our oil consumption in the near-term.
The simple fact is that the United States – and the world – depends on oil to meet nearly 90% of its energy requirements. And nothing on the horizon has even the potential to meet our energy needs and replace our need for oil.
And as our population – and the planet’s – increases, our need for oil will continue to increase proportionately.
A couple of months ago I wrote an article titled, “Obama’s Absolutely Inexcusable Non-Energy Plan.” Because “Homer” Obama is a card-carrying member of the “Homer Simpson Energy Idiot Club” as well. But given the fact that Homer Hussein Obama is running for President of the United States, he is the most dangerous “Homer” in the world.
The sad fact is that I am probably actually insulting Homer Simpson. Dumb as he is, he probably has enough sense to realize every time time he puts gas in his tank that we need to have enough gas to put in our tanks in order to keep our cars running. “Homer” Friedman and “Homer” Obama don’t get that, because they live in a world of theory, and think that non-existent abstract alternative energy will meet our needs. And they are willing to gamble our national future on that discovery.
It is Homer Friedman and Homers just like him who are “Making America Stupid.”
Tags: America, crude, drill, energy, Homer Simpson, Iran, oil, oil addiction, Russia, Thomas Friedman, Venezuela
Start Thinking Right 
September 18, 2008 at 10:31 am
Very good reporting of the kind we need but hardly ever see. Excellent analysis of the available facts and statistics! Not the usual mumbo jumbo.
When energy was first mentioned way back in March Obama’s first and only reaction was to blame it on Bush and nothing else. I submitted a sarcastic comment to FoxNews asking him whether he had ever heard of OPEC. Needless to say FoxNews did not post it. I repeated reminding Him of OPEC as crude went up. When McCain first mentioned the Xmas oil tax break I did the same with the same lack of response. Then when OPEC really went nuts a few months later and McCain suggested drilling [which Obama opposed] to which McCain added the need for reduced consumption plus ongoing research and development for alternative energy fuel resources OPEC as expected saw the red lights and realized they could not push McCain any further. I submitted this to FoxNews and they did not post it. I then taunted them and Obama to tell OPEC they would have to drink the stuff if they continued holding the World literally over the barrel.
Thanks for standing up to them Michael. America and the World need to do exactly what McCain suggests. It must all start now and it must remain an ongoing process with the suggested combination of own oil and alternative resources. In fact I suggest that a few holes are drilled right away [if necessary cap them afterwards]. Bet you crude will drop to no more that 80 dollars the moment the first six drills go down and reach 60 dollars before they are halfway. Why? OPEC has no other money! Oil is all they have [sitting on oceans of it] but they have to sell it because they can’t drink or eat the filthy stuff!
Is there any other alternative? Of course, there is! The best one is Obama’s: tax the oil companies and all manufacturing out of business, add windfall taxes to make sure, and pay OPEC 200 dollars a barrel for crude. What did Biden call it? …. Barack’s America or something like that? Duh. Oh yeah, almost forgot: you have to crown Him Messiah Emperor World Idol first!
September 19, 2008 at 4:42 am
I really appreciate your kind words and support, Impressed.
You know, this blog has a REAL nice search engine. If you type oil and Obama in the blank, you will get a whole trove of articles I have written on the subject.
Oil is and will continue to be the mainstay of our economy, the “grease” that keeps the wheels turning. We need useful energy alternatives, but so far government has funded dog after dog based on special interests rather than practical utility.
What we need – as you wisely understand – is independence from foreign oil (and mainly OPEC itself). It too see that with crystal clarity. And while we are harnessing our own massive energy resources, we can seek GOOD, USEFUL, and CHEAP alternatives to oil.
Thanks again,
Michael
September 19, 2008 at 11:25 am
You have it so right Michael. I will look up your previous articles. Please bear with an old Small-Town fellow clinging to guns and religion whilst trying to work a keyboard and still doesn’t quite grasp what Blogs are but nonetheless very Proud of America. Do remind Obama he must try and find out about OPEC.
September 19, 2008 at 6:45 pm
What worries me is a report by the Human Events people that the Harry Reid/Pelosi bunch threatens to close the government down on McCain’s “drill here drill now” proposal for whatever reason they concoct for such a negative step. But it can be effective at this late stage if they succeed convincing voters to believe the lie that McCain/Bush and the Republicans must accept the blame for shutting down before Congress can vote on the matter. We all know that though those who want to be informed read as much as we can but if you have followed FoxNews for a while the harsh truth hits you that the average Obamabot does not read much and even when he does he does not understand logical analysis of the truth. He is blinded by Obama’s Charm and Speeches so in the end McCain/Palin will have to get the message out to their potential supporters [point one] and point two: ensure they will all be at the polling booths in the fall.
September 19, 2008 at 9:34 pm
The liberal Congress seems intent on taking the most deceitful path on the issue of energy. They want a bill they can hide behind: one that doesn’t allow for any actual drilling, but which gives them a facade they can hide behind (“I supported a measure to allow drilling…”). It’s reprehensible, how these people play the worst kind of politics with the most pressing issues of our economy and our national security.
But I would argue that many liberals DO read. The problem is that their reading doesn’t tolerate the truth. It’s like the liberal “intellectuals” in college; they do all kinds of reading – but only from radical liberals exactly like themselves. And their readings ignore any interaction with any but a straw man of the conservative view.
I have a number of Bible commentaries written by conservatives. In virtually every case, they interact with numerous points of views – including prominent liberal scholars’ views. They attempt to accurately present their arguments, and explain why they do not hold that position.
I’ve also read quite a number of liberal Bible commentaries. They rarely ever even refer to conservative scholars’ arguments, as though they don’t exist, as though they have been banished from the realm.
Liberalism is very much like a theology – one that purges dissent just as they try to purge dissent with their “fairness doctrines.”
The issue of oil should not be a political issue; nearly 90% of our economy is fueled by oil, and it is insane to abandon our own oil resources in favor of calling for “alternative energy” which could never possibly replace oil in any of our lifetimes. It is by refusing to allow America to drill for its own oil that we are doomed to keep buying OPEC oil.