Energy crisis beyond leaders’ comprehension

Leopold A. Potsiadlo, Las Vegas

Saturday, May 3, 2008 | 2:04 a.m.

There was no need for coffee to awaken me when reading Thursday morning’s Thomas Friedman commentary, headlined “What energy policy?” in the Las Vegas Sun. In fact, in answer to Friedman’s question, “Are you sitting down?” I was standing and was barely able to get to my chair to read more.

After reading Friedman’s thought-provoking facts concerning the dismal future of our energy policy, I could not help but begin to imagine him being invited to appear before Congress, with all present, including the president and his minions, who are provided with paper and pencils to take notes. Friedman reads his commentary into the Congressional Record twice, stressing its importance.

Those assembled are then given test papers, and guess what? They all fail, because they do not understand, as Friedman wrote in his column, that “our problem is so much worse than you think. We have no energy strategy.”

Will Congress and the president fail the real test this time, or will they awaken to the facts and take the necessary action to restore a sensible, workable energy policy without the interference of monied lobbyists and special interests?