Is Your Own Method Of Voting, A "Tradition" Worthy Of Our Country's Future?

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said at a Senate hearing:
"Many of those sources of which we are absolutely dependent are in volatile or potentially volatile places on Earth, and some of those oil suppliers probably don't have our best interests at heart. We would never depend on those oil suppliers to build our ships, our aircraft, our ground equipment, but we give them a say in whether the ships sail, the aircraft fly or the ground vehicles operate, because we depend on them for fuel."

Given the fact our Navy is likely the world's single largest consumer of liquid fuels; it is certainly refreshing to see seemingly, common sense approaches, being touted as a future at least some branches of our armed forces might experience; even if right wing nuts were able to restrain such sensible approaches from having a lick of prudent impacts on the lives of the general U.S. population.

Here are some additional quotes and thoughts to grow on:
Mabus later added, "When anyone says we can't afford to invest in developing alternative sources of energy, my reply is, we can't afford not to! We can't afford to wait until price shocks or supply shocks leave us no alternative."

Its' always an entertaining notion when folks against aggressive alternative energy solutions, and subsequently related technological, social and political progress, also claim they are in a camp with "fiscal conservatives"; given the fact that every time the price of a barrel of oil goes up by one dollar (as in a single $1 bill per BARREL), it costs the military $130,000,000 MILLION, according to the Pentagon.

Secretary Mabus, "Alternative fuels can't become competitive with oil unless there's demand for them; however, demand at commercial scale will never be possible unless there's a supply to meet that demand."

This is simply the kind of logic, morality and capitalism you would be hard pressed to explain or teach to a predictable 25% of the conservative leaning, voting population. And that is simply a shame with respect to the future of their beloved GOP.

As is always the case, you are either part of the solution, or part of the problem.

Real fun fact about the folks who would sway you to vote with that far right wing crowd I was previously referring to:
You'll typically see arguments in our part of the country (Texas that is,) directed not only against alternative energy, but very poignantly against our military branches support of the additional cost such technologies now endure, by an outspoken U.S. Representative by the name of Mike Conaway.

Before serving in the House, he was the chief financial officer of Arbusto Energy Inc, an oil and gas exploration firm operated by George W. Bush. (His recently, 2005 created, Texas District #11, stretches from Midland to Frederiskberg.)

Unfortunately and ironically he now serves on not one, but four committee seats in Washington:

• Committee on Agriculture
• Subcommittee Chairman on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
• Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
• Committee on Armed Services
• Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
• Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
• Committee on Ethics
• Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 

I'm sure he considers himself "Part of the Solution", but the interesting part is the fact that within our democracy our votes and our own sensibilities; versus any man's agenda, desire for power, or personal career goals; still remain the driving force behind the directions this country turns and the legacies we will leave to history.

Such men's goals, ambitions, and lacking vision for our country; clearly guided by his and a few other individuals own livelihood; is far too small a matter to be influenced by. We must each focus on the future our country must offer as an example of prosperity founded on ethics, sensibility, sustainability and true progress.

To not show the world how to develop and uphold such core values, versus carelessness, conservative squandering in a time of much needed course correction or individual prosperity over movements which affect the whole of mankind, is by any definition shameful.

I say it again, you are either part of the solution, or part of the problem.

Why even show up to the polls if the only thing you can offer is, "tradition", loyalty to a group, influences outside of your own personal testimonies, influences which deny the things you actually feel are right and true; or worst of all, feelings of anger inspired by a rhetoric you never bother to analyze versus simply react to.

Any or all of these nasty influences and hindrances will only serve to at best stagnate our nation, and at worst dismantle it's chances. Study the problem, don't react and flail. Anger and hate never produced anything history was proud of, and negativity accompanied with resentment hold no better opportunity for our country.

Consider the actual influences from the messages you are receiving on a daily basis: If they are sponsored, then only be loyal to the products they represent; versus the unrelated views they utilize to capture your viewership. If they are politicized, then understand most attempts to vie for your vote will include lying about the facts. If they are traditional, then understand; this country was founded on non-traditional thinking and the types of bravery, originality, individuality and innovation which we certainly can't afford, at a time so far advanced from those glorious founding years; to have squandered by beliefs or denials perpetuated by one's own local or family "traditions"; or their hate, fear, lacking facts, or sponsored viewership.

We all may wish to feel our country can rise above such limited influence and potentially corrosive manners of thinking! But do we deserve it? Regardless of what we personally deserve; our country and our unique foundation and sustained survival up until this point, definitely deserve more!

I for one feel, The United States of America, deserves radical improvement, radical accountability, radical solutions and a voting population with a radical determination to ignore their own past hang-ups or daily titillation in favor of a future and a patriotism far better than recent decades of squandered votes have delivered.

Research sources:
http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/08/militarys-plan-for-a-green-future-has-congress-seeing-red/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Conaway

Is Your Own Method Of Voting, A "Tradition" Worthy Of Our Country's Future?