Nugent writes in today’s Washington Times on the BP disaster:

Oil spill is our fault — We want cheap energy and no consequences

An excerpt:

This clueless condition is a direct result of woefully ignorant Americans with hypocritical attitudes. Surely the unprecedented quality of life in the United States has spoiled too many Americans, who insist on driving gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles and also demand to fill them up with cheap gas. Similarly, some other irresponsible Americans eat massive quantities of junk food, refuse to exercise, poison their once-sacred temples at every opportunity and then demand that someone else pay for their health care. Maybe the band Green Day had it right with its song “American Idiot.” Takes one to know one.
[. . .]
I’m convinced the energy business could make mining for energy virtually risk-free, thereby making the risk of an oil spill very low. Few if any coal miners would ever get hurt or killed again. However, if such a risk-free model were adopted, the cost of energy would skyrocket and kill the American economy. Seven dollars or more for a gallon of gas, anyone? BP and other energy companies are not evil enterprises that are out to rape the environment. They are in business to make a profit and provide us affordable energy while taking prudent measures to protect the environment. Consumer demand drives production, pure and simple. No one escapes guilt from this guaranteed cause and effect.