There it was in the Sunday paper, front page, above the fold:  "Rising Oil Price Fuels Sea Change."  Apparently, oil consumers are "pumping more than $2 trillion into the coffers of oil companies and oil-producing nations this year alone."  You had to read down several paragraphs before seeing that this is putting money into the hands of the very countries that want to destroy us. 

That's a dirty little secret Congress doesn't want you to know about.  Let's not talk about it, then no one will know.  Let's blame the oil companies.  The American public will never catch on.  However, despite Congress' belief that we Americans are stupid, there are many of us intelligent enough to put 2 and 2 together and actually come up with 4.  Even though we know that the oil companies are taking us for a ride, we also know that they are not the only demons in the game. 

We also know that this is wholly unnecessary.  America has known reserves and unknown reserves.  Congress, however, has refused to tap those sources, first at the request of the environmentalists and now at the request of global warmists.  As a result, America is very nearly at the complete mercy of those who would happily dance on our grave.

For right now, there are two unescapable facts of life:  (1) oil is the lifeblood of the world, (2)  it's going to stay that way until every drop of oil has been drained from this earth.  Just as there is never going to be a cure for cancer, or any of the other diseases that plague mankind, as long as there are millions for "research," there is not going to be any cure for our oil dependence until there isn't any.

And, there is no concerted effort to wean the world off oil.  Wind power is not being advanced because it simply won't work on a large scale.  Besides, the environmentalists don't want the windmills (a) interfering with their gin-soaked views, and (2) killing birds.  Solar power is not being advanced except on a limited basis.  New coal plants are not being built because of the stupid belief in human-induced global warming.  Environmentalists (there they are again) are objecting to nuclear facilities.  What are we left with?

With the rising price of oil, Iran is better able to deal with the sanctions that have been imposed against it.  Besides, we all know that there are countries making back deals with Iran just like they did with Iraq, so sanctions are darn near worthless.  Venezuela is becoming more and more bellicose and is likely to stay that way until such time as Chavez meets the usual fate of dictators. 

Russia, the world's #2 exporter of oil, has built "the third-largest gold and hard-currency reserves in the world."  Don't be surprised if Russia uses their new muscle to reclaim their lost territories.  Of course, if they did, it would be because of capitalism and not communism, which should cause at least Marx to spin in his grave.

Meanwhile, here in America, "the rising bill for imported petroleum lowers already anemic consumer savings rates, adds to inflation, worsens the trade deficit, undermines the dollar, and makes it more difficult for the Federal Reserve to balance its competing goals of fighting inflation and sustaining growth."

In other words, America is sinking while the most dangerous nations of the world are rising.  So, what is Congress doing about this?

Last I heard, Nancy Pelosi is calling for another vote on funding the war in Iraq, bringing the total to 58.  There is no length the democrats won't go to to make sure that the war in Iraq is not only lost, but lost on President Bush's watch, consequences be hanged.  Henry Waxman is looking into the firing of some US attorneys, even though I don't remember him being so incensed when Bill Clinton, through Janet Reno, fired every single US attorney in the country.  Meanwhile, over in the Senate, they're looking into how televangelists are using the millions that are pouring into their coffers.  Don't these people know that misusing other peoples' money is the sole prerogative of Congress, and they will zealously guard their turf.

Nero is fiddling while Rome burns.  Maybe the reason we haven't had an attack in 6 years is because the terrorists know what a lot of us know:  we're going to destroy ourselves from within, lead by the worthless do-nothings in DC who couldn't see the big picture with a magnifying glass.

But, none dare call it treason.