Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Cynthia Tucker believes Americans are the enemy of the nation moving in a new energy direction because of what she called our addiction to oil.
As the discussion on this weekend's "The Chris Matthews Show" moved to why President Obama hasn't attacked energy policy much like Eisenhower did the space program, Tucker said, "One of the differences between the '50's when Sputnik was launched and now, that was a battle against Communism."
She continued, "It's always much easier to rally Americans against an external threat, an external enemy."
And sadly continued, "In this case, the enemy is us. Americans are addicted to petroleum. We use way too much oil" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CYNTHIA TUCKER, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION: And one of the differences between the '50's when Sputnik was launched and now, that was a battle against Communism. It's always much easier to rally Americans against an external threat, an external enemy. In this case, the enemy is us. Americans are addicted to petroleum. We use way too much oil. So it's a little harder for the president to turn around and call on Americans to sacrifice. You remember what happened to Jimmy Carter when he did that.
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Exactly.
TUCKER: Now I happened to think Jimmy Carter was right.
HOWARD FINEMAN, NEWSWEEK: Because you're from Georgia.
TUCKER: Well, if he had done the things that, if we had done the things that Carter called for then, we may not be looking at this huge oil spill now.
Yeah, that Carter sure was a genius when it came to energy policy.
I guess Tucker has conveniently forgotten that Carter presided over some of the most expensive oil prices in history with the exception of the last decade when demand from China exploded.
The following inflation-adjusted chart will give readers an idea of just how harmful Carter's energy policies were on Americans' wallets:
But even that's somewhat beside the point, as likely far more important was Tucker's classic liberal view that Americans' desire for oil makes us the enemy.
Why can't these folks understand that energy has become as much a human necessity as food, water, and shelter? Our appetite for oil is no more of an addiction than is our desire for sustenance, hydration, and a roof over our heads.
With this in mind, it would be far more acceptable to be called an enemy by folks like Tucker if they would all completely cease their use of petroleum products.
Until that point, this is just another liberal employing the typical "Do As I Say, Not As I Do" mantra.
When you start calling your countrymen enemies, you'd better behave in a fashion that separates you from that which you consider abhorrent or you should just keep your caustic opinions to yourself.
