A month ago, it was the anniversary of the disastrous "Deepwater Horizon" oil spill, which is still threatening the Gulf coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, is a tragic irony: a gigantic oil spill disaster for the very states that led the championing of offshore drilling. Florida, which has opposed such drilling, has reaped some of the costly, environmentally ruinous effects as well. This single tragedy is ample reason to put an immediate halt on the offshore drilling President Obama so recently embraced; yet, he must follow through and not be deterred by centrism. This is why we need clean, safe, non-polluting energy from the sun, wind and water. Halt underwater drilling until more effective safety measures are established. We cannot afford more such disastrous accidents. I urge Congress and the White House to take a bold new look at ways to develop safe, clean energy for our national needs; a Manhattan style project for solar energy R + D is our best bet.