Roscoe Bartlett - redeeming the Republican Party - or an exceptional radical?

Roscoe is no doubt a staunch Conservative. He believes in less government,is anti-choice, and homophobic. But he also believes that Peak Oil - or peak production of worldwide oil - is a BIG issue. The fact this looming crisis has gone ignored speaks more of the post-Carter political landscape.

In his State of the Union address last month, President Bush said the country is "addicted to oil" and highlighted the need to invest in alternative energy sources.

"I would have hoped that he would have said more," Bartlett said. "Two words were conspicuously absent, conservation and efficiency."

Representative Bartlett of Maryland founded the Peak Oil Caucus in 2005. He has created a bipartisan movement that will grow in momentum as oil prices spiral further to the sky. Members as of November 2005 are:

• Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-Maryland)
• Rep. Vern J. Ehlers (R-Michigan) [1] (http://www.house.gov/ehlers/meet.html)[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vern_Ehlers)
• Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Maryland) [3] (http://gilchrest.house.gov/)[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Gilchrest)
• Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Arizona) [5] (http://www.house.gov/grijalva/)[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raul_Grijalva)
• Rep. James P. McGovern (D-Massachusetts) [7] (http://www.house.gov/mcgovern/)
• Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kansas) [8] (http://www.moore.house.gov/)
• Rep. Jim Moran (D-Virginia) [9] (http://moran.house.gov/)
• Rep. Mark Udall (D-Colorado) [10] (http://markudall.house.gov/HoR/co02)
• Rep. Tom Udall (D-New Mexico) [11]

Time will tell how effective this Peak Oil Caucus will be. Representative Bartlett can get 2 individual visits with President Bush to discuss the subject. He has also collaborated with several of congressmen to get bills passed to help Americas true energy problems. I feel he is doing what he can to prepare our country. Regardless if the Republicans stay in charge or not - this group will become an important part of American politics for years to come.