G-8

The financial power to create long-term sustainable agriculture and long-term sustainable transportation is at the finger-tips of the G-8 (meeting next week in Hokkaido, Japan http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/07/g-8-faces-setbacks-to-un-development-goals/).

But, will short-term 'cheap profits' of the Big Oil Barons squelch our political voice?

Folks, this is neither a 'liberal,' nor a 'conservative' issue.

This is a common sense issue!

We spend too much money feeding the meat producing farms which require far too much investment of time, effort and grain to produce those scrumptious Outback steaks that fill our first-world bellies!

We spend too much money on oil to fuel our gas-guzzling SUV-fixation.

We spend too much money on gasoline through not car-pooling!

And so, what is the state government's solution?

Off-shore drilling!!! When I can no longer even swim in my beloved Tampa Bay (Florida) due to recent storm water run-off polluting the environment, what does the fickle Gov. Charlie now do?

Well, he advocates off-shore drilling!

Come now, Charlie!

You are from the 'Burg, as I am (St. Petersburg, FL; Shorecrest Prep Class of 1990).

You know full well that an oil spill would pollute our precious waters.

As a resident of the 'Burg (you are a member of First U.M.C. in St. Petersburg, which is right across the street from the homeless refuge called Williams Park!) you know full well how inadequate the State's mass transit system is!

Unlike Chicago where one does not even need a car, Tampa, Orlando, and the rest of the state are largely inaccessible without a mass transit system!

Yet, what do you do?

You advocate the archaic 1960's McCain era oil exploration model.

Well, as a concerned citizen of Florida, I think you should be impeached! (If only our sea creatures such as the dolphins and manatees could vote! :-)

All the very best,
Rob J. King
(St. Petersburg College Instructor of World Religions and Applied Ethics)