Congress again is fiddling while we, the regular folks, are burned by high gas prices and a weak economy. As our Representatives take an undeserved vacation, I have noted the media is being used to provide cover for the Democrats intransigence on drilling to provide more of our energy needs with domestically produced oil. The claims go from it will take too long for the oil to flow to our gas tanks to a whole kitchen sink of alternative energy solutions – though it is rarely mentioned that those technologies are even further from fruition than new American oil in our tanks. It is an ideological argument that we are being inundated with to see if our demand as citizens to drill here, drill now can be blunted.

If, when Congress finally returns to do our work, the polls still show strong support for drilling off shore and in ANWR Speaker Pelosi will allow a vote for our companies to retrieve our energy from our resources. The Democrats will load the bill with many onerous amendments including releasing oil from the Strategic Reverse. The Strategic Reserve is specifically there to ensure our country can still function in times of war or a massive disruption in our foreign oil supplies. It is a national security danger to siphon off oil from the Strategic Reserve in exchange for political gain.

Hard choices are needed and our Representatives need to stand up and be counted. Are they going to takes the steps necessary to fast track drilling which will have an immediate effect in lowering the price at the pump or will they continue to play politics with our wallets. A clean bill is needed not only on this issue but many, many more. It seems the only clean bills that come up for a vote are those to rename a post office or ones that require a 2/3 majority. This is a longtime failure of our Congress playing games with our country and livelihoods.

Come January, we need effective leadership giving us a voice in DC.

Politics must change. We are the change.