What's Wrong with this Picture?

In response to a political team-building message recently circulated in Maryland:
"Why Employers Should Support Governor Ehrlich

· Governor Ehrlich has fostered a business climate of growth and prosperity.
· Nearly 70,000 new jobs have been created since Governor Ehrlich took office.... " etc.

It is sad that the "business" community needs to be persuaded to vote for and support a Republican candidate. It is a sad commentary on the business leaders as well as on the Republican Party. I don't know which is worse. Until last night I was sure it was the business leaders who were the misguided ones.

That's when I happened to catch a few minutes of debate on the House floor regarding gas prices and energy conservation. The debate featured Roscoe Bartlett who is convinced that we will never have enough oil no matter what. The other "Republicans" were convinced, in turns, that we were directly funding terrorists, we are using waaaay too much oil (think of how terrorists will have to cut back their operations if we could only conserve a little!), and that we must start buying more hybrid cars like the kind Dr. Bartlett drives! The one "R" came close enough to calling for a law to FORCE Americans to buy certain fuel-efficient products! He literally had to choke back his words.

Building more refineries and LNG terminals were "schemes." More exploration is out of the question because Dr. Bartlett says there is no more. Nuclear power didn't even rise to level of scheme. I never heard a reference to more nuclear plants. Lastly there was an "R" who claimed to be a physicist and as such had a tangible relationship with energy. For most people, he explained, energy is odorless and colorless and otherwise intangible, except to him, which makes him a kook. And to prove it he theorized that if only energy was purple, like his tie, people would be able to see it and would be more inclined to conserve energy, you know, to keep all the purple in.

Thank God the Democrats were up next! Their ranting about not having any power, losing majorities, and lamenting the long, long list of scandals, and cronies, seemed soothing and familiar. Well, with performances like last night's, it won't be very long before the Democrats take it all back. It will start with the '06 election where we will lose both Houses of Congress (that we really ever had them is a matter of debate).

In 2008, Hillary will be president. We have only ourselves to blame. God help us all!