Where's the U.S. Spirit of Creativity Gone?

We're in the middle of a very vicious political season here in the United States the outcome of which will have extreme consequences for not only the country but the entire world. This being the case, it's really important to keep up to date on what's being discussed- this is one election that we can't let slide by without caring about.

The current topic of the day as everyone in the country should know is the "energy crisis"- gas is up to around $4.00 per gallon based on where you live and this is putting a major crunch on everyone's budget. Unlike Europe, which has a sound mass transit system, in the United States you really need a car to function unless you're in Chicago or New York, for instance. Trying to equate the prices between the U.S. and Europe simply doesn't make sense- it's apples to oranges.

The current solution rallying cry led by the conservative right wing is "drill for more oil, now, off the coasts (and everywhere else possible)". And the majority of the country has signed on to the spin- nearly 70 percent want offshore drilling to take place, even though it has been shown that in the best of cases, the earliest we'd get any of the oil in use is at least five years from now, probably eight to ten. Yet, the price may dip some in the immediate short term just for announcing our plan to drill.

So our nation, concerned over paying the difference between $3.00 and $4.00, is willing to continue down the path of oil reliance that is destroying us. Time out- I did not say a single word about global warming or climate change. That's a debate for another time, but global warming is not necessary to bring up in order to say that being an oil-based society is destroying us. It is a fact how much pollution our cars, factories and other oil-burning endeavors emit. Pollution that is causing cancers, shortening life spans, and destroying the environment (again- not discussing the notion of global warming, just the obvious damage pollution does to nature). Why is it that a large majority of the people in this nation are so willing to continue down a damaging path, rather than strive for something better- even if it will be a challenge?

How is it that in the 60's, our president could turn to America and tell us we'd land on the moon by the end of the decade- an impossible task- and we banded together and accomplished it? Yet now Bush aims for a manned flight to Mars or Gore pushes for us to eliminate our dependence on oil in ten years, and not only are they lambasted with vitriol, hatred and name-calling- but the general mood of the people is "eh, we can't do that."

This is why America is quickly slipping from its singular world-power status- given another decade or two or this creative death, China, India and other rapidly progressing nations will easily overtake our superiority. Not military superiority, but the most important superiority of all- the burning spirit and passion to excel in all things that we had just a few decades ago.

How about you? Where's your desire gone? Are you hurting matters, by looking to continue to harm us and the environment to save a dollar on gas per gallon? Or are you helping by standing up and saying "There's no reason we can't be a green-powered nation in ten years!" or "We have to be the first to land men on Mars- it wouldn't be right if America didn't do it first!" Do you truly believe in ten years not one of our think-tanks or brilliant scientists could create a valid alternative energy source that's affordable and easily mass produced for our vehicles to run on? Of course they can- but it's not about spirit and ingenuity currently, or doing the right thing, it's about money and only money. The oil business will not let us kill it off. Do you mean to tell me you feel right letting it stay this way for weak excuses? "Well, even if we change here in the United States, we can't stop them from using oil in China." So what? If we lead the way, and the way is better- others WILL follow, period.

We used to have the strongest spirit. Now we're simply wallowing in a divisive swamp of lethargy and sloth, as we ruin our present and our kids' futures.

You may not like him or be voting for him- but as an American, we should ALL be embracing Obama's campaign slogan...

"Yes, we can!"

Because we always used to be able to in the past. Why not now- and the future?