Today, Human Events intern (and fellow Bucknellian!) Wendy Schibener posted a great article outlining the many ways in which liberals have failed to support efforts for energy independence that might actually produce positive results for the US economy.

Democrats are obsessed with the idea of laying the blame of record high gasoline prices on someone – George Bush, OPEC or anyone who doesn’t ride a bicycle to work. But maybe Dems should look in a mirror. The Democrats voted four times in the past year against money-saving, domestic oil production plans – plans that lower the price at the pump and return billions of dollars to the pockets of Americans…

…Dems rejected the “Gas Price Act” on June 13, 2007 which planned to improve domestic fuels security. On June 14, 2007, Democrats rejected Sen. John Warner’s (R-Va) proposal to authorize the State of Virginia to petition for authorization to conduct gas exploration and drilling activities in the coastal zone of the State. On June 19, 2007, Democrats denied Sen. Jim Bunning’s (R-Ky) proposal to provide standards for clean coal-derived fuels.

Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) sponsored the most recent domestic energy proposal in Senate. The Senators’ plan, titled “The American Energy Production Act” (S.2958), projects a production of 24 billion barrels of oil domestically as well as opens up the potential of oil shale and coal-to-liquid technology…

…Democrats rejected the Domenici-McConnell plan by a 42-56 vote on May 13th.

The liberal alternatives to domestic drilling (the Windfall Profits Tax, anti-price gouging laws, laws against OPEC price fixing, and a roll back on oil company tax breaks) have been tested and tried throughout US history, each failing miserably.

Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) will lower US dependence on foreign oil companies, lower gas prices, and create more American jobs in the process. What’s not to love about that?