Where Have All the Conservatives Gone?

Mr. George Will's recent rant in Newsweek is anything but rhetorical. Like me, I think Will is perplexed to the point of exhaustion. And at this point, my exhaustion has given way to anger, which I think will eventually sow the seeds of anguish and ultimately, total and complete apathy. C'mon apathy. Anyway, it looks like Will is taking a break from his recent rash of Republican-bashing and takes aim at the proliferating culture of mush that seems to dominate Washington and the frontal lobes of most Americans. I like the way in which George ever-so articulately vents in his little glass case of emotion:

About those polls critical of the president's "handling" of gas prices, who over the age of 7 really thinks presidents can "handle" world petroleum prices? And: A major reason for high oil prices is the rapid modernization of India and China; which is desirable and promoted by U.S. policy. And: For some reason, it pleased the Intelligent Designer of the universe to put much of the Earth's oil in turbulent places: the Middle East, Venezuela, Nigeria, Russia. And: The Congress that is in histrionic anguish over high gas prices has mandated adding ethanol to gasoline: ethanol which is in short supply, partly because Congress has legislated a tariff of 54 cents per gallon on imported ethanol.

A modest proposal: Among the federal entitlement programs is the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which gives states block grants to help pay energy bills, and for weatherization and other energy-related home repairs. Congress should amend that law to say: No such funds shall be spent in any congressional district or state that elects a representative or senator who votes against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or in currently closed portions of the Outer Continental Shelf.

Americans, endowed by their solicitous government with an ever-expanding array of entitlements, now have the whiny mentality that an entitlement culture breeds. They feel entitled to purchase gasoline at the price they paid for it 25 years ago. Guess what? Last week they could do even better than that. The average price of a gallon of regular was $2.91. In April 1981, the real, inflation-adjusted price was $3.10.

You go.