While the President gives lip service to breaking our addiction to oil, his cronies in Texas along with a few special interest groups, and some politicians who are clearly working for someone other than the American people are, once again, attempting to jam drilling in the Arctic Refuge down the throats of the people whose wishes they are supposed to be enforcing. "Government by the people and for the people," seems to have been replaced with something more politically correct.

The last time this bill came up, it was buried in the Military Appropriations Bill, in a shoddy attempt to slip it through on the backs of the American service men and women who place their lives at risk daily. As a veteran, I find this unconscionable. Whoever made that decision should do a tour in Iraq so they can gain some respect for the people serving there.

Were it not for a handful of people in Congress, including Bucks County's own Representative Michael Fitzpatrick, who seem to care about the people who elected them, this bill would have passed and we would have traded one of our pristine environments for a few barrels of oil which, in addition to taking some ten years to produce and which comes with no guarantee it will stay in the US, would serve to lower gas prices by about two to three cents per gallon. This is an exorbitant price to pay unless, of course, you're on the payroll of an oil company.

With the elections not far off, let us all remember who in office followed our wishes and who ignored them to stay loyal to their cronies, lest we forget they are hired by the people to serve the people. Not the other way around.

It's worth noting that Senators Spector and Santorum have consistently voted against overwhelming public opinion on every environmental issue before them. For anyone interested in a fresh new approach in the Senate, you may want to take a look at a promising progressive candidate, Chuck Pennacchio.