This week's episode tells the story of the Energy Citizens rallies, which provided concerned Americans the opportunity to voice their opinions on the Waxman-Markey climate bill. The series of 20 rallies held across America gave people from all walks of life the chance to let their representatives in Washington know they need to protect jobs and support responsible energy legislation.

An editorial from today's Oil & Gas Journal makes an important observation at a time when Congress is poised to enact wide-ranging energy and climate change laws. The editorial notes, "...affiliation with the oil and gas industry discredits whatever a person might say on the subject of energy." The author argues that this tactic muffles the industry's political voice and expertise and exposes the United States to costly mistakes on energy.

We all know what Astroturf is on the gridiron, but what does it mean when it's applied to a series of very successful Energy Citizens rallies?

Based on what I've seen at six of the rallies, it is a misapplied term that demeans the spirit and the passion of the people who participated. Simply put, it disses them. And those who disrespect them apparently don't understand the depth of their feelings about the misguided Waxman-Markey bill.

Three more Energy Citizens rallies were held on Thursday, Sept. 3. About 200 people attended the rally in Richmond, Virginia; 300 participated in the rally in Chester, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia; and 750 showed up in Detroit, Michigan, which was far more than anticipated.

At each rally, the concerns voiced by the audience were the same. They said they want affordable energy and jobs, and they are encouraging the U.S. Senate to carefully consider the economic impact of the Waxman-Markey bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives in late June. As one speaker in Richmond said, the Senate should get it right.

BP has announced a so-called "giant" oil discovery in the ultra-deep waters of the Gulf Mexico that might contain more than 3 billion barrels of oil. The discovery was made at the Tiber Prospect, which is about 250 miles southeast of Houston. As reported by Bloomberg, the well is the world's deepest exploratory well, drilled down to 35,055 feet, a distance that's greater than the height of Mount Everest.

They wore hardhats and fluorescent orange safety vests, and their message was clear. These workers who demonstrated at yesterday's Energy Citizens rally in Anchorage, Alaska, want affordable energy and jobs.

The 49th state in the Union is marked by its uniqueness. Alaska is the largest of all 50 states. It is the only state where the sun doesn't set in summer and doesn't rise far above the horizon in the winter. It contains some of America's largest oil and natural gas deposits, many of which remain untapped. And its residents could be more affected by the Waxman-Markey climate bill than many other U.S. citizens.

As I've mentioned numerous times in this blog, the Waxman-Markey bill could sharply raise energy costs and kill jobs, according to studies. In Alaska, it also could have a severe impact on the purchasing power of each household, lowering it by as much as $3,890 a year by 2030.

If you ever want to see democracy in action, attend an Energy Citizens rally for jobs and affordable energy. Thursday, at the rally in Tampa, Florida, 175 people of all ages came together in hopes of sending a message to their elected officials in Tallahassee and Washington.

When she was asked why she decided to attend the Energy Citizens rally in Nashville, the woman in the white sweater said simply, "passion." And Tonya Jones' passion showed when she got onto the stage and explained that she is a small business owner who can't afford the provisions in the House-passed climate bill.

She wasn't alone. As the audience of 325 people listened respectfully, similar warnings were issued by speakers from the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and the American Farm Bureau. They agreed that the U.S. Senate should scrap the Waxman-Markey bill and start over.

For those of you who couldn't attend yesterday's Energy Citizens rally in Houston, we've posted a video about the event. As you'll see, the crowd donned the yellow T-shirts passed out at the door, waved signs and listened intently to the speakers.