The Issues

Look around you, ask anyone around you what are the big item issues challenging our freedoms from sea to shining sea? What you mean you can't engage anybody in an intelligent conversation – OK they're all glued to that “Twitter” thing. Hey, just turn on that “cell phone” blocker! What you mean you don't have one? Then get one, as it is better then a piece and disguised as a package of cigarettes! So we have before us today still the issue of abortion, immigration and NO More American Pipelines. So, here is my take on these three most important issues. Abortion, it's a woman's choice and I have not a say in that issue, strike out #1. Immigration, that's up to those seeking freedom here in America, once again their choice, not my concern. If they want freedom here and are willing to put up with a Congress that gives not a rat's ass about liberty – come on over! So it leaves only the NO MORE PIPELINE issue to debate! What's all the fuss? Take the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline, the most controversial pipeline ever built. Once approved by Congress back in the early 70s, it went in limbo litigation for another 5-years, when this nation was being bullied by the Saudis and gas lines were forming at petro stations on the West coast – we needed this pipeline and that oil from way up north. What caused the delay was based on two all important issues. Who owned the land, and was construction to be performed by union or non-union workers? So along came the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which demonstrated that anybody can be bought for the right price along with the fact that you don't mess with Jimmy Hoffa and the boys. So the Native Alaskans received a dividend for their land rights violated and those against the “Union” went missing mysteriously. Now with the issues resolved, overnight the union halls opened and the trenchers started ripping open the Alaskan wilderness for 800-miles and soon a whole bunch of oil was heading south, 20% of the nation's requirements, which allowed the gas shortage to go away. So after some 35-years, an estimated 17-Billion barrels has rolled down that line. Sure there been some minor leaks, and a bigger then minor league leak when some nut-case wounded the pipe with a bullet. But all in all, except for the Hazelwood follies, that line has transported Alaska North Slope crude oil without really an incident of magnitude that would instill caution upon this type of transportation system – as it is the safest and most cost effective over all other methods of delivery. In fact, when oil was discovered in Alaska and the word was out and visionaries started looking at ways to get it where it could be used, there came caution an optimism that a steel pipe would never run across Alaska, so other means were looked into – as the oil men were determined to get this stuff to market. Like retrofitting Boeing 747s so the wings could act as giant bladders to hold the oil and still be able to take off and take it far away. Then came the ice-breaking tankers, the DG crude oil submarine concept, ideas that didn't need a permit to cross the wilderness. But in the end, when all was said and done, it was a pipeline that won approval. Then came all the doom and gloomies, warning that the caribou herds would suffer as would all the other wildlife – hasn't happened yet! So I get the feeling when this sort of issue is debated down in the lower-48, there is concern that those pushing the agenda are either to far to the right, or too far to the south. Who ever coined the term “Dirty Crude”? All crude is dirty, I know, I've been around it for some 35-years. In fact, Alaska crude oil isn't a saint by any stretch of one's imagination on denial, as it contains maybe the highest levels of BETX – Benzene, Ethylene, Toluene and Xylene. Confusing? It means cancer causing constituents. Need I say more. But more and more crude oil has come down that line yet the controversial elements have all been but forgotten. Why? It worked, not because they said it would, because of dedicated pipeline workers – now into a generation thing - that call Alaska their home and do not want that wilderness to be destroyed, so they police the action of the companies they work for – it is that simple as too why it has worked so well. This is the Alaskan Spirit, this is the American Spirit. Look, we no longer give a rat's ass about our representatives for they care not about us or this nation, but we do care about the quailty of life – so we take some things under our own protection. We didn't have control of that nutcrack with the rifle, neither did we have control of Joe's tanker when it left in good shape away from the loading docks in Valdez. So when I hear all this hoopla about doom and gloom with the same damn situation as we saw back in Alaska way back when I forget, it doesn't make sense. And if you can't do it right, just hire Sarah Palin to manage things, at least we could get rid of her for awhile, and just think of the entertainment factor! But don't count on ever seeing the pipe.