You nasty-minded readers probably believe George Bush's energy plan is just some pea-brained scheme to pay off the president's oil company buddies, fry the planet, and smother Mother Earth in coal ash, petroleum pollutants and nuclear waste.

If that's what you think, you've overlooked the vicious intent of the whole programme. It's payback time - and Bush intends to make California pay.

Let me list California's sins. First, California voted Gore. Second, California's governor, Gray Davis, is an intelligent, popular Democrat who could whup little George's butt in the next election. Three, California voted Gore.

Keep in mind that the entire excuse for this polluters' wet dream of an 'energy plan' is that there is an energy 'crisis' in California. We are told that there is just not enough electricity and gas.

Even the Democrats and the New York Times agree that there is an energy crisis in California, which is evidence enough to conclude: There is no energy crisis in California.

In case you need more evidence, check this out. In December, the lights went out in southern California, the price of electricity jumped 1000% over the previous year and the price of natural gas jumped 1000% in one week.

Power shortage? Nope. The California power grid operator reported that, just over the California border at the 'Henry Hub' gas pipeline switching centre, you could buy plentiful gas for (

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