Oil insecurity
New Castle News
New Castle, Pa.

Every now and then, America receives a jarring reminder that it’s too dependent on foreign energy supplies.

The nation is experiencing that now, as political instability in the Middle East — including civil war in Libya — is ratcheting up crude oil prices around the globe.

It’s not that shortages exist, but oil is a commodity. And the markets dictate commodity prices. Fears that supplies may be shut off somewhere down the road lead speculators to bid up the cost of crude.

That’s why gasoline is topping $3.50 a gallon and heading higher.

. . . . Money is the reason so much oil comes from overseas. America’s readily accessible oil and gas supplies have been depleted.

Considerable drilling takes place in deep ocean settings and thousands of feet below the surface in the Marcellus Shale. These extreme sources are expensive to tap, and in normal circumstances, it is more cost-effective to obtain oil overseas.

Until there is a crisis, such as in Libya.

Supply shocks such as the current one from Libya spark renewed interest in domestic production. But inevitably, they fade. No matter what happens in Libya and who winds up in charge, the powers there will want to sell oil.

....Necessity, it’s observed, is the mother of invention. If Middle East crises and depleted overseas energy supplies drive up prices on a sustained basis, there will be greater interest in beefing up domestic energy production. The private sector will invest the money and new technologies will arise.

.... Any move toward greater American energy independence will take time and won’t lower today’s gas prices. In that regard, we need to pursue personal independence by conserving wherever possible.

X x x x

Keep focus at hearings on radicals
The Joplin Globe
Joplin, Mo.

We imagine most abortion opponents would hate being grouped with people who kill abortion doctors, and that most Baptists would have serious disagreements with being linked to the Westboro Baptist Church.

That’s why we hope that Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., stays true to his word that his controversial hearings focus only on “radical” Islam — we assume he would not like being compared to Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

King’s hearings in Congress are being held to investigate the extent of “radical” Islamic thoughts, ideas and action within our society today.

Holding such hearings is very controversial — even before any conclusions are reached after hearing all sides of the debate. It’s already way too easy to link the millions of peace-loving, terror-condemning Muslims with terrorist factions and regimes.

Americans deserve to know how involved jihadists or other radicals are within our society. It would be nice to know real truth on the matter and not political spin from various factions involved, because the topic is relevant these days.

Since 9/11, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now the turmoil in the Middle East, many Americans wonder about the involvement in radical groups espousing violent, abhorrent laws for all Americans, or jihadist overthrow of American ideals and government.

We would like to know the answers, and Congress has the authority to seek them. And we would think both Democrats and Republicans would like to know those answers as well.

... When the hearings are finished, we’ll be able to say whether King kept his promise. Already reviews are mixed, depending on the political leanings of the reviewer.

In the effort to protect and inform America, we should not forget that this is America. There are radicals within all religions and philosophies, and those small pieces should not represent the whole.