Pincas Jawetz following Frank J. Gaffney Jr. (PJ@SustainabiliTank.info)

New York City, January 24, 2006.

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr is president of the Center for Security Policy and was the lead author of “War Footing: Ten Steps America Must Take to Prevail in the War for the Free World.” He wrote in the Washington Times of today an article; “ENERGIZING AMERICA”. In this article he tries to suggest to President George W. Bush what he should say next week in his State of the Union address.Considering the simple fact that the Washington Times is a journal favorable to the present Republican White House, we believe that the President should be told by his advisers the content of above article.

The leadership demands of the time are to deal with national security by presenting to the American people a plan that charts A COURSE OF SETTING AMERICA FREE of its DEPENDENCE ON OIL - ” the American people deserve no less.”

The United States is now funding both sides in the war for the Free World - by enriching with wealth transfers those who are the principal financiers of Islamofascist terror - notably Saudi Arabia and Iran - and, on the other hand, we are paying vast sums to protect ourselves against such terror. Could we find better use for these funds by charting true energy independence of oil? In Mr. Gaffney’s words: “We have diversified sources to meet many of our energy needs (for example, coal, nuclear power, hydroelectric, and biomass). Yet, our transportation sector remains reliant upon oil, 60 % of it imported, for the gasoline and diesel fuel on which it runs almost exclusively? This at a time when our emerging rival, Communist China, has an increasing appetite for oil?”

I am not worried by the choice of the energy examples mentioned by Mr. Gaffney, because I believe that economics will be the ruling factor in the shake out that will determine the choice of future sources of energy. I believe that renewable solar, wind, and geothermal energy, which were left out of his list, will be the sources of electricity and hydrogen fuels, and substitute for his suggested nuclear power. What brought to my attention his article are in effect his further suggestions for a very practical approach, that is clearly possible already, and the fact that some organizations and individuals are already doing positive things. Let us say thus that Mr. Gaffney goes so far as to suggest that if the President has not led these forces to date, he can still follow them by going now to the head of this moving army.

He observes that in fact, “millions of Americans already drive vehicles such as the Ford Taurus, the Dodge Caravan, the Chevrolet, Silverado truck that can use alcohol fuels (ethanol or methanol). There are also many Japanese vehicles used in this country, he does not mention them, but I would not discriminate - let us also open the door to cheap and efficient Chinese, Korean, Brazilian, Indian, Mexican vehicles if they help our cause. “It costs around $100 extra to make a car that allows us to choose what fuel we want to use. Just as every car sold in America has seat belts and air bags, from now on, they should all be flexible-fuel vehicles.”
That is what Gaffney suggest to the President as part of his address.

Now let us go further. Existing technology allows also for electricity use as transportation fuel. Increasingly Americans, thanks to the State of California, are looking to hybrid vehicles to stabilize their transportation operation costs. Those costs can be reduced far more if such vehicles’ batteries can be charged by the electrical grid. In some areas of the country, electricity can be purchased off-peak for the equivalent of 24 cents per gallon. “If the vehicle’s engine is also flexible-fuel compatible, plug-in hybrids can get 500 miles per gallon of gasoline!” The public utility, Austin Energy, of Austin Texas, the seat of Texas Government that Mr. Bush once called home, has taken the initiative backed by a coalition of cities and counties from across the country, some 100 power utilities, and some security experts and public policy organizations included. This coalition is showing up today at Washington’s National Press Club to raise awareness about, and demonstrate demand, for plug-ins, while encouraging governments at all levels to provide incentives for manufacturers to meet that demand - see please www.PluginPartners.com

A bipartisan Congressional effort for fuel choice initiatives was already started late last year.  www.SetAmericaFree.org was unveiled by Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman of Conncticut, Republican Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, Rep. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Dem. HouseRep. Eliot Engel of New York, Rep. House Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia, and Rep. HouseRep. Jim Saxton of New Jersey.

What is needed now is for the President to move in front of this group and adopt their position as part of his state of the Union address. Mr. Bush should declare that he intends to USE EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES, starting now with a requirement that every car sold in America be flexible-fuel compatible and with incentives for the manufacture and purchase of hybrids and their plug-in variants; greatly increase production of alternative fuels and the necessary, modest infrastructure modifications.

Mr. Gaffney’s call to the President is: “SET AMERICA FREE Mr. PRESIDENT.”

I would like to add even more specificity:
Set America Free From its Dependence on Oil and the Oil Industry As Well.