A new BP factory in Whiting, Indiana is drawing the ire of environmentalists and the media alike. A recent Chicago Tribune article attacked the opening of the new plant, citing a number of reasons why it is bad for the environment. There's a lot more to this story than the Tribune was willing to report.

These new energy plants are a tough issue for any community. People do not want these in their backyard, yet Americans use more energy per capita than any other country in the world. That energy needs to come from somewhere, and it can't always be "somebody else's backyard."

It should not be news to any American that this country is striving harder than ever to become energy independent. We've learned the hard way that relying on unfriendly countries to supply us with energy for the long-term is a very poor strategy.

The new BP plant received permission from the EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. I know that fails to impress environmentalists, who tend to distrust any government agency headed by politicians. I don't blame them, but it's important to look at all the facts in this case.

Although this plant will be dumping ammonia and sludge into Lake Michigan, the oil refined there will offset oil that would have been refined somewhere else if this plant did not exist. It also should be noted that the amounts of those chemicals are within the legal limits and experts agree that they are low enough to avoid damaging the environment or harming people. For people who live next to the new BP plant, that's bad news. For others who do not live near the plant -- such as myself -- it's a good thing. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Don't get too angry at me, I've got a landfill at the end of my road.

About 80 new jobs will be created by this BP site. That's good for the local community, which will help offset some of the damage. In addition, this refinery will be the first new one in the United States in almost 30 years. Did you wonder what was causing gas prices to soar this summer, despite a lack of any noticeable turmoil in the countries that supply our oil? It was a lack of refining capacity in the United States. Many refineries have even been shut down so they can be repaired, leading to even less supply. This new plant will feature technology not available in the older refineries, which will mean fewer problems and better reliability in the future.

It's clear that independence from oil altogether is the best long-term plan for this country, but in the meantime we need to do more to become independent of foreign oil. There will be a high price to pay if we do not find a solution for our oil problem, and we don't have time to wait for hydrogen or solar cars.

President Bush signed an order this week that essentially criminalizes the antiwar movement. The order gives the president the authority to seize assets of persons who are involved in activities which undermine the war effort.

The language in this order is so broad that the president could use it to invade homes of people who have held up signs saying "Out of Iraq." The most anti-democracy president in our history now believes he has the power to turn those who oppose him into criminals.

The mainstream media is not confronting this issue, and there are few reasons why. First of all, they need to grease many wheels to get those press passes and exclusive access. The president has made it clear that he will punish members of the press who ask the wrong questions, and reward those who throw him softballs. The corporations that run the big media companies also have a vested interest in staying on the president's good side. They can attack him with their talking head pundits, but they MUST NOT attack him directly. That's why the tough questions have not been asked of this president. That, and they probably think he's not smart enough to answer them.

Remember this slogan for today: When Clinton lied, nobody died.
Bush Executive Order: Criminalizing t... - ! * POLITICS * ! - tribe.net

John McCain will not be the next president of the United States. Although he is still in the race, no front-runner is in such a dire situation as McCain. The campaign is running out of money, and some key architects of that campaign are being jettisoned.

Terry Nelson's campaign manager resigned today, along with chief strategist John Weaver. Both seemed to know what the rest of us already know and McCain should know soon: he can't win.

Sure, Clinton only had 2% in the polls at this point in 1991. Jimmy Carter was hovering around the same territory in 1975. This is different: McCain is losing momentum, not gaining it. The grassroots voters are going for Ron Paul, or Mike Gravel, or Barack Obama. Nobody is left for McCain, because he won't let go of the Iraq War. He made a mistake in letting the president send troops, and he's making a bigger mistake by not acknowledging that.
McCain Suffers Key Staff Shake-Ups

The infamous DC Madam, Deborah Jeane Palfrey, will be releasing the client list from here Washington D.C. escort service on her website. Some big names expected to be on the list include Dick Cheney, who was apparently a client before he became the Vice President.
Alleged DC Madam To To Release Client List On Website - Media on The Huffington Post

Barack Obama's presidential campaign seems to be gaining momentum every day, and he's now raised more money than any other Democratic candidate. Hillary Clinton raised about $27.5 million in the past two months, while Obama raised $32.5 million.

It's clear that the American people are sick of "good ol' boy" politics. Hillary Clinton, despite being the strongest female presidential candidate in history, is part of that same good ol' boy club as her husband and several other prominent candidates.

Obama is a first-term senator who has come out of nowhere to become a major contender in the political scene. He's a young, fresh face that seems to be more in tune with the feelings of Americans on such major issues as the war in Iraq. He voted against it, and continues to argue for withdrawal. Clinton refuses to recognize how big a mistake she made when she voted for the war, and says withdrawal will only hurt us further. We'll see what Americans want very soon.
Barack Obama Raises Record $32.5 Million