Every possible practical method of creating energy independence: nuclear reactors, domestic oil drilling*, hydroelectric, and now even windmills, runs smack into a solid wall of environmental extremists.

And, of course, the usual gang of Washington idiots are going to stick with the environmentalists, more out of habit than any logical reasoning, until the whole country goes down the crapper.

Last Wednesday, The Illegitimate Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle halted debate on energy legislation when he saw that the Energy Natural Resources Committee was about to approve President Bush's plan to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Two Democrats, Daniel Akaka of Hawaii and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, said they would vote for drilling. That would mean a huge win for the Republicans, and a huge win for Bush, since his energy plan has already cleared the house by a whopping 240 to 189 margin.

So Daschle decided that politics was more important than energy independence, and squashed the process before a vote could take place.

Anyone who thinks that Daschle is actually concerned about caribou, as opposed to the threat of letting Bush win a big policy issue, can line up for this bridge I'm putting on sale.

And, just to show that the Democrats don't have a monopoly on this crap, there's Jeb Bush trying to keep the oil wells away from "his" Florida waters.

None of these Pristine Environment folks seem to have an objection to filling the Mideast with oil wells, but then I guess that must be because they're just a bunch of ragheads who don't mind polluting their countries, aren't they?

*Not just ANWAR--only one resource--but many other places like offshore California, the Gulf, and other areas.