Drilling for Solar Power and Mining the Winds

I've been thinking about George Lakoff's ideas on framing the debate, as presented in "Don't Think of an Elephant" and I think about solar power and wind power more than I think about food.

I just heard that there was a big fight in Minneapolis over drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, ANWR. The rank and file and the "machers" of the Republican Party, the people I call "Republicanista," want to drill in ANWR. Their presumptive standard bearer, John McCain, wants more offshore drilling. He wants to drill in Alaska, and in California, Florida, New Jersey, and everwhere else. McCain, however, is opposed to drilling in ANWR "at this time." (Be very careful when a politician says "At this time." This phrase, "At this time" when used during a political campaign, means "At this time during a political campaign.")

I think we should be building more solar and wind power systems, we should be using ocean current, cogen, and conservation, and figuring out how to do "Deep Geothermal." And most of the people I talk to, regardless of whether they are "conservative," "progressive," or "liberal," as long as they are "intelligent," agree that solar and wind power are available now, and are pretty good for the environment, the economy, and national security. Even John McCain. But not the movers and shakers of the Republican party.

McCain want 20% of our electricity to come from clean renewable sources by 2030. Barack Obama has a more aggressive goal: 25% by 2025. Al Gore makes Obama look conservative. He thinks we can do 100% in 10 years, sees the US "Clean and Green by 2018."

I agree with Gore.

And I have figured out how to get McCain and the "Republicanista" on my side. We should just call it "Drilling." "Drilling for solar power!" After all, the roofers, mechanics, and electricians use drills when assembling solar energy systems and wind turbines. Who says you have to drill down? Why not drill up? Google "mines" the Internet. We could be Mining the Winds.