John Hansen: “Folks in America, of course, Mr. Speaker, realize that today the Vice President of the United States was able to come up…”

“Folks in America, of course, Mr. Speaker, realize that today the Vice President of the United States was able to come up with an energy policy that makes an awful lot of sense, and tonight myself and some of my colleagues from the Committee on Resources would like the opportunity to discuss that issue. It never ceases to amaze me when some of my colleagues or environmentalists lash out at big oil as if it were some diabolical archenemy lurking in the shadows ready to pounce. It is amusing to watch them stage press conferences to make big oil some sort of bogeyman for environmental problems and for our current energy crisis, and afterwards step into their energy-consuming SUVs or gasoline-powered cars and drive over asphalt-paved roads in their nicely lit, air-conditioned homes which were built and furnished with hundreds of products derived from chemicals, plastics, and other materials because of petroleum. It reminds me of the story of school children raised in the city, being asked where milk comes from, and having them respond and say well, it comes from the store. Somehow, I think we are all missing an important step: the production phase. The oil has to come from somewhere. The energy we all consume, the lights in this building to keep the cameras functioning, has to come from somewhere.”