More
than anything else, it was the influence of American manufacturing that won the
20th century.
Its
revolutionary scale provided the planes, ships and tanks that helped America,
Britain, Russia and the allies to destroy Nazism and end Imperial Japan.
Facing
the Soviet Union, American manufacturing offered global citizens an informed
choice between the rot of communist authoritarianism and the opportunity of
capitalist democracy.
It
delivered the industries and machines and jobs that brought new prosperity to
billions across the planet.
But that was then.
Today,
there’s an urgent need for a new revolution of American industry – one that’s
fit for the 21st century - an energy revolution. That which can provide the foundation of America’s future prosperity and the
new shield of democratic international order.
And
let’s be clear, this is no pie in the sky delusion.
American
innovators have already marked out the road ahead of us.
In
the Shale surge, the tapping of new reserves and the development of better
supply lines, America’s energy future has never looked brighter. From the Bakken of North Dakota to Midland,
Texas; we’re finding that where investment goes in, broadly shared wealth come
out. After all, these boom-#towns offer $80,000 paychecks as the norm (*although social problems have also emerged).
For
many reasons, we desperately need to energize this budding opportunity.
Empowered,
our energy revolution would enable America’s escape from the OPEC dual-prison
of Middle Eastern theocracies and Venezuela’s necrocracy. Finally, our foreign
policy would see liberation from an addiction to cheap energy imports.
And
at home, with dynamic and diversified energy production we’d see lower costs
for individuals and businesses alike. We’d be able to expand our trade in the global
economy - barriers to entry would diminish and our commerce would increase.
More
relevant to present circumstances, as I’ve noted before, an empowered American energy industry
would also afford Europe an alternative to Gazprom blackmail. And as Russia pursues new exports to Asia, our energy exports would undercut
Putin’s strategy across the world – we could offer energy supplies at better
prices and without the baggage of threats.
These
ambitions are undoubtedly profound. Still, like a torch in the darkness, they
offer the intersection for America’s moral and strategic imperatives.
Unfortunately
however, while the bounty sits in clear view, our willingness to grasp the
evident potential is far less certain.
The
absurdity of President Obama’s Keystone
XL standpoint
provides the obvious case in point.
But
it’s only a symptom of a larger dysfunction.
Instead
of expedited export licenses, all too often we’re getting vague undertakings
and obvious disinterest. Absent approval for new exploration, we’re getting partisan
posturing. Somehow, just as the President always finds a way to fast track new energy regulations, he never
manages to miss an opportunity to unleash America’s bubbling abundance.
Unbelievably, the President seems to preference left wing lobby groups before
national security necessities.
We
can only hope that the President awakes from his slumber.
