So back on the Fourth of July, Independence Day, if I had gotten around to posting, I was going to say something about how approximately 230 years ago this nation declared itself independent from British rule (or from taxation without representation, or just for a bunch of rich, white slave-owners wanting to increase their personal wealth, depending upon your political perspective). It wasn't easy and it required much sacrifice and the waging of not one but two difficult wars against a mighty Empire that by all rights should have been able to crush the fledgling nation (later followed by a Civil War that nearly destroyed the imperfect union), and resulted in a massive redistribution of wealth, but the Founding Fathers persevered in their vision and the United States of America was born.

Today, America needs to declare itself independent once again, not from the British Empire but from British Petroleum - BP - as well as from Chevron, Citgo, Shell and all of the other petroleum companies. It won't be easy and it will require much sacrifice, and, yes, some wealth will be redistributed, but hopefully no war will be necessary other than a war against fossil-fuel dependence.

This country has always excelled at innovation and invention, and a retro-fitting to renewable energy sources will give our sagging economy a much-needed boost and create employment and opportunities for engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and an army of construction workers, support services, and other workers. Not that there won't be any losses to those currently enjoying the wealth derived from oil, but I think they've had a long-enough run, don't you?

We can start by cleaning up the Gulf Coast of the filthy British petroleum fouling our shores and by boycotting BP. Anyone with me?