Statement By 60 Plus Assoc. Pres. Jim Martin

“Arlington, VA – The 60 Plus Association today endorsed the “Pickens Plan,” an energy campaign launched earlier this week by Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, to offset foreign oil imports with domestic energy sources.

“For too long America’s politicians have pushed off our energy problems, vowing to deal with them in the future, said Jim Martin, president of 60 Plus. “Well , to paraphrase Hall of Fame football coach George Allen, ‘the future is now’ and if our country doesn’t do something now there won’t be much of an America to pass down to the next generation.”

Pickens says that over the next 10 years, America will send $10 trillion overseas to purchase foreign oil– the largest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind. To reverse this trend and avert an economic catastrophe, Pickens proposes the massive expansion of domestic energy resources– namely natural gas and wind– to displace foreign oil. Martin continued with this observation, “Seniors are scared of increased reliance upon unstable foreign imports; We must address the instability of increasing reliance upon foreign imports of oil from unstable countries that might cut off future supplies.”

In addition to its endorsement of the Pickens Plan the 60 Plus Association believes it’s not good for this country to place limits on domestic exploration, whether offshore Virginia, offshore Alaska, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or opening interior lands presently off-limits (but that we know without question are absolutely rich deposits of oil or natural gas). “It’s our belief,” said Martin, “we should open these vast American assets in an environmentally sound manner at a time when international supplies are so uncertain. We must, for the sake of our people, for the security of our country, wean ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil supplies via a combination of the Pickens Plan and domestic oil exploration.”

Martin pointed out that the current energy crisis has affected seniors with higher prices at the pump and skyrocketing food bills. It has also hurt Social Security, he said, by shrinking the pool of American workers putting money into the program and by forcing the government to borrow more from Social Security to fund other programs.

“Our country needs action, not political soundbites and empty promises,” Martin continued. “Boone had the gumption to take his plan to the American people and he’s putting his money where his mouth is. Let’s hope today’s political candidates show the same gumption and start solving the problem before it bankrupts us.”

Pickens is personally bankrolling a multi-million-dollar promotional campaign to direct America’s attention to our addiction to foreign oil and the fact that this is one problem we can’t drill ourselves out of.

“The best part about the Pickens Plan is the economic shot in the arm it would give to America,” Martin continued. “With our economy slumping, with unemployment rising, and with our tax base drying up, we need common-sense solutions. Creating jobs here at home and keeping $10 trillion in America sounds like common sense to me.”

More information about the Pickens Plan is available at www.pickensplan.com and 60 Plus can be found at www.60plus.org

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