Great concern is expressed about $100-a-barrel oil and $4-a-gallon gasoline. And so there should be. But let's face it, if gasoline prices get to that level, perhaps the American people will get mad enough to demand action by our federal government.

It is way past time for Congress and the president to establish an energy policy worthy of the name.

Maybe $5 gasoline will cause voices to get loud enough. If that's what it takes to create the required level of public outrage, then I say let the price continue to rise, and the quicker the better.

How long have we been talking about energy independence? Years! It's time to demand that our government pay more than lip service to this problem.

Many individuals, including members of Congress (e.g., Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Roscoe Bartlett) have spoken eloquently about the needs and the way forward.

We need a program that spares no expense in creating a many-pronged approach. This includes developing all of our available resources (including new oil and gas drilling), research into any and all potential technologies, and rapid development of those with the best payoff. We may need a project of "Apollo" or "Manhattan" proportions.

A lot of energy-oriented talk relates to global warming, which is important for the future. But right now our real problems have names like OPEC, Saudi Wahhabism, Ahmadinejad, Chavez and Putin. With these characters in control of our future, a few degrees increase in global temperatures 50 years from now should be the least of our concerns.

Of course, if we do it right, we can solve the energy and global warming problems simultaneously. But where are our leaders when we need them?

Don Delauter

Whispering Pines