Well congratulations to the Republicans in the House. Late news, the House voted to allow drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

House Votes for Oil Drilling in Alaska

But see the devil is in the details.

"The House voted late Wednesday to allow oil drilling in an Alaska wildlife refuge as part of a broad energy bill...

...The bill calls for $8.1 billion in tax breaks over 10 years, most of it going to promote coal, nuclear, oil and natural gas energy industries."

But here's the problem, where in this bill is tax breaks for alternative sources of energy that we could use TODAY in new hybrid vehicles, that would REALLY relieve our dependence on foreign oil?

"Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., who offered the ANWR amendment, noted that the bill does nothing to improve the fuel economy of automobiles, which he said use 70 percent of the country's oil, and that it was wrong "to then turn to the wilderness areas and say we need energy."

An attempt to require automakers to increase fuel economy to a fleet average of 33 miles per gallon over the next decade was defeated 254-177.

Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., a co-sponsor of the auto fuel economy proposal, said it would have reduced oil use by 2 million barrels a day — more than could be taken from ANWR — by 2020."

33 MILES per gallon? They couldn't even get an amendment to raise the average fuel economy to 33 miles per gallon?!?! Come ON!

Read THIS, completely.

Imagine: 500 Miles Per Gallon

"Over the last five years, technology has matured in various fields, most importantly in semiconductors, to make possible cars that are as convenient and cheap as current ones, except that they run on a combination of electricity and fuel. Hybrid technology is the answer to the petroleum problem...

...The current crop of hybrid cars get around 50 miles per gallon. Make it a plug-in and you can get 75 miles. Replace the conventional fuel tank with a flexible-fuel tank that can run on a combination of 15 percent petroleum and 85 percent ethanol or methanol, and you get between 400 and 500 miles per gallon of gasoline."

So WHY does this bill, if truly a responsible energy bill to relieve our dependence on foreign energy sources, does it not HEAVILY push refining this technology??

"If things are already moving, why does the government need to do anything? Because this is not a pure free market. Large companies-in the oil and automotive industry-have vested interests in not changing much."

Ah, right, so this would cost money to convert over to new hybrid technology. So that is the reason, ok, well wait a minute, this calls for a little perspective.

"Luft estimates that a government plan that could accelerate the move to a hybrid transport system would cost $12 billion dollars. That is what we spend in Iraq in about three months."

So what about those details? What does this bill actually do? Well here are some of the details.

"House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California accused Bush of trying to exploit people's anxiety over high gas prices to gain support for a bill that she said 'was written by energy lobbyists for the benefit of the energy industry.' She said it would neither lower energy prices nor curtail America's growing reliance on oil imports...

...The House bill also would make it easier to build liquefied natural gas import terminals, even if states or local communities oppose the project...

...protect makers of the gasoline additive MTBE from product liability lawsuits stemming [from] the chemical's contamination of drinking water...

...The bill gives MTBE makers 'safe harbor' and will leave communities and water districts with billions of dollars in cleanup costs, said Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif."

Yeah the devil truly is in the details, but who is paying attention? How can anyone argue that this is a good idea? To exempt MTBE producers from liability for contamination of drinking water? To allow liquefied natural gas terminals EVEN with the opposition of states or local communities? What is this?

Wake up folks, this smells bad. I really don't think these people care about solving our problems. I think they care about giving gold to their lobbying interests.

Our government is in danger.