WATCH, HE'LL SOON BE WEARING A COWBOY HAT – AT 12:03 P.M. ET:  Let's see, he "got" bin Laden (it was actually Navy SEALS.)   He's kept most of Bush's national security policies.  Now he wants to start the pumps going.  By the time next year's election rolls around, Barack Obama will be wearing ten gallon toppers and riding into the sunset on a horse called George W.  We await the neuroses this must be causing his base.  From The New York Times:

WASHINGTON — President Obama, facing voter anger over high gasoline prices and complaints from Republicans and business leaders that his policies are restricting the development of domestic energy resources, announced Saturday that he was taking several steps to speed oil and gas drilling on public lands and waters.

It was at least a partial concession to his critics, who say he has shackled domestic energy development at a time when consumers are paying near-record prices at the gas pump. The Republican-led House passed three bills in the last 10 days that would significantly expand and accelerate oil development in the United States, saying the administration was driving up gas prices and preventing job creation with antidrilling policies.

Administration officials said the president’s announcement was intended in part to answer these arguments, signal flexibility and demonstrate Mr. Obama’s commitment to reducing oil imports by increasing domestic production. But in fact the policies announced Saturday would not have an immediate effect on supply or prices, nor would they quickly open any new areas to drilling.

No, but at least there's the start of some common sense, rather than the severe environmentalism that governs Mr. Obama's wing of the Democratic Party.  We are an oil-based nation, and will be for decades, until new energy sources are developed and proved, both technically and economically.

We're all for the environment.  We're also for people not starving to death in a wrecked, depressed economy.  There's an intelligent balance.

We welcome the president's baby steps in this area.  May he break into a stride.

May 14, 2011