For some it’s an exciting time in the history of America. For others, it is depressing. I was recently at a political event in Washington where a man said to me, "The political climate here is so hard." I chirped back, "No, 2009 was hard. 2010 is almost fun!" I understood his viewpoint. In May of 2009, I opened CARE’s newsletter with these words: "…all I wanted to do was take a nap. I stared at the screen, needing to write these monthly greetings, and I was tempted to just curl up in the office chair." But that was then, and this is now.

 What changed the tone? Why am I excited now, when I was anything but a year ago? It comes down to the "Volunteers of America." I was recently reminded of this song by The Jefferson Airplane. Its words from the sixties accurately describe today’s situation.

 As I began talking about this idea, I kept calling the song "Volunteers from America." Somehow it felt more natural to me. I did a word study on "of" and "from." "Of" is the correct word for our discussion. "From," the word that felt better to me, means "to indicate source or origin." So if a group of Americans goes to Chile to help with disaster relief, they’d be volunteers from America. But "of" is defined as "to indicate cause, motive, occasion, or reason" and "used to indicate reference or respect." Certainly today’s "Volunteers" are such because of a motive and reason, and out of reference and respect—for America.

 What has changed? Why should we be more excited and optimistic today?

 "Ain't it amazing all the people I meet?"

 This line of lyrics explains the difference in the despondency of 2009 and the optimism of 2010. It is the people.

 In 2009, on the energy front there was an overwhelming amount of scary legislation or regulation introduced. One of the big ones was cap-and-trade—expected to pass by the 2009 August recess. Fracking legislation was introduced. In New Mexico, the Pit Rule went into effect. And these are just a sampling. But what changed? The people. They woke up, stood up, showed up, and spoke up. TEA Parties and Town Hall meetings surprised the policy makers. As the lyrics say, now we "got a revolution."

 "Now it's time for you and me."

 The people started the revolution. Now the energy picture is changing.

 Cap-and-trade is stalled. "Climategate" revealed flaws in the data on which global warming legislation was based. Energy Secretary Steven Chu now supports fracturing, saying he will not favor a ban. Obama has announced loan guarantees for nuclear power. In New York, a favored politician was thrown out by a lessor-funded upstart because of the public’s revolt on energy taxes. In New Mexico’s Rio Arriba Country, the multi-year trend to block drilling is expected to be reversed as permits will be issued. All Republican gubernatorial candidates pledge to reverse the pit rule. 

 "Who will take it? We will."

 Yes, there’s been a revolution. But it is not done. We’ve only just begun. We need to maximize the moment.

 For all of us who believe in America’s greatness and understand the significant role that energy plays in so many of the things that make our life what it is; the things that make life easy; that allow us to travel; that make information available at our fingertips (just to name a few)—in short, everything that makes America, we need to send a message to our elected officials.

Sadly, our current administration believes in an energy policy I like to call "Hope and Change"—they hope that the change they are forcing on America will actually work.

Wouldn't it be great if Washington understood the role that energy—and all extractive industries—plays in America to create true wealth and provide real jobs? The combined energy industry in America employs more than 10 million people. The big-3 auto industry employs 2.5-3 million (according to the NY Times). However, taxpayers have bailed out the auto industry in effort to save fewer than 3 million jobs, while the industry that employs more than 10 million people is taxed and punished. This does not make economic—or even common—sense.

"Pick up the cry!"

Get involved: make phone calls, write letters, attend hearings. Stay engaged: stand up, show up and speak up. Save and create jobs, support the energy industry, be a volunteer of America—after all, energy makes America great!