Matters of Opinion

The lead editorial in today's Buffalo News stands with Sen. Chuck Schumer [left] and his statements [thanks to Newsday] that Democrats and Republicans ought to find some common ground on energy policy -- more drilling, even offshore, maybe even in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, AND tighter environmental standards with demands that everything that uses energy use it much more efficiently.

Schumer says, and we agree, that such a deal won't come until we have a new president:
Now that Republicans have chosen as their candidate someone who rejects the old Dick Cheney line of conservation being only a personal virtue, and Democrats are rallying behind a nominee who stresses a post-partisan approach to government, we might be able to have some of the best of both worlds.

Elsewhere:
* The Arizona Republic doesn't mention Schumer at all, but gives the credit to fellow Westerner Harry Reid, Senate majority leader, for what it calls a stunning move toward compromise in the face of higher energy prices: Out of chaos comes opportunity. And considering the economic chaos that skyrocketing fuel prices have created, opportunity abounds for reasonable reform of the nation's energy policies.
* Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Gulf Oil president Joseph Petrowski has firm words for both parties: [R]emedies are to be found in both supply and demand – and both Democrats and Republicans need to demonstrate their command of this fact. Energy is too important a cornerstone of domestic prosperity and international stability to be used as a debating prop.
* House Minority Leader John Boehner op-eds in The New York Post that we need to use all the tools in the kit to face our energy needs. But, oh by the way, it's all Bill Clinton's fault.
* The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports that western New York's Rep. Randy Kuhl has been deputized by the aforementioned Boehner to lead Republican efforts to blame Democrats for not drilling enough.

--George Pyle/Editorial Writer