Posted on 06/07/2008 11:25:53 AM PDT by GaryWiram
Arguably, the single most important issue in the U.S. economy is the current unprecedented rate of increase in the price-per-barrel of crude oil. Unarguably, our Leaders are still offering no well thought-out cohesive plan to address this matter thats been in crisis-mode since 1973. Instead, they continue to offer Band-Aids and Bludgeons.
Band-Aids are things like the gas-tax holiday endorsed by Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain or Congress calling in oil company executives to yell at them about their morally questionable level of profits. While these actions illicit gut-level reactions, theyre not solutions. They are, at best, Band-Aids.
Bludgeon describes how politicians use this to beat on each other. Democrat Presidential Candidate Barack Obama provides a classic example of this. He uses this as yet another opportunity to use the disingenuous phrase Bush/McCain and to lay the blame for this crisis at the feet of his political opponent. This completely ignores the fact that every President, Senator (including himself) and Member of Congress, since 1973, has screwed this pooch. Instead of a true Change to true leadership that leads to much-needed real solutions, we get the same old political expedience of just blaming the other guy any chance you get. The result? No real solutions, just more Bludgeons.
Well, Ive had enough! In late 1978, when I was 30, I accepted a promotion and moved from Indiana to Southern California. When I got there, I found that you could only get gas on alternating days, depending on the ending number of your cars license plate. And, on those alternating days, youd still have to wait in line for gas, hoping that the filling station youd picked didnt run out. To make matters worse, the price for gas was approaching an outrageous $1.00 per gallon! I remember the Tonight Shows Johnny Carson saying, Just wait. Once gas gets to $1.00 a gallon, there will be all the gas you want. I guess he was right. Once there was enough supply, the price didnt seem to matter that much and not much changed.
So, here we are, 30 years later, Im now 60, Ive moved from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest, gas is over $4.00 per gallon and finally, something about our nations energy dependence is beginning to change our driving habits. Charles Krauthammer addresses this well in his recent column entitled At $4, Everybody Gets Rational. Once the price exceeded $4.00 a gallon, it did matter to us and the change in our behavior is forcing the Captains of Industry to respond.
I guess thats a good thing and that Krauthammer is right Its too bad that it takes this sort of gun to the head circumstance to change our driving habits but that key needs to remain in place if, as a nation, were ever going to achieve energy independence. But, this involves the behavior of Followers. What about the behavior of our Leaders?! Where is their cohesive plan, now 35 years overdue, that: Safely produces more domestic crude oil and refined product, includes rational and expedient development of alternative fuels, leverages pricing for the products that OPEC imports from the U.S., etc.?
Certainly, Im not alone in my views on this and Im confident Im not even in the minority. What Ive pointed out up to now isnt exactly news. The question remaining is what do we, as individuals, do about this? Well, we can still throw the rascals out with the power of our vote. After 35 years of inaction, whether they have a D or an R (or any other party-affiliation) after their names, they deserve to be thrown out. If, in over a third of a century, they cant address such a clearly urgent matter, which can just as clearly be resolved, how can we rely on them for other concerns and why shouldnt we give the other guys a chance to do better?
For me, the time to act is now. I look at what has happened while our Leaders have continued to let this matter drift since I was 30. We cant unscramble that egg but lets have enough concern for where our nation will be 30 years from now, to put true Leaders in place who will do better than just continue to let us go with the flow into oblivion. Theres no telling if Ill see 90 but, if things dont change, I imagine my departure having to be much less elegant than my arrival. I plan to be cremated. Without significant change, I imagine that my Wife and dog will have to drag me to some designated public spot where two sticks can be rubbed together to get me started and I can be used as fuel for something, including the smoke-signals that are used to relay the news of my passing. Part of why I imagine that black-comedy scene is to try to make myself laugh to keep from crying. I do not want to spend my Golden Years in depression, both economically and emotionally, as a result of what we allow to continue to happen to our great nation. So, Im going to do what I can, including doing all I can to throw the rascals out. That means I will not vote for anyone, at any level, who isnt supporting a well thought-out cohesive plan for our nations energy-independence. Can I make a difference alone? No. But, if Im right, that Im not in the minority on this and those who agree act in unison with me, we will make a difference. In addition to being a difference that keeps my sorry ash from going up in smoke signals we can make a significant and true Change that keeps our nation on its course of greatness.
How long is it going to take America to wake up to the fact that the environmental groups have caused this disaster?
I think they will wake up when they see the environmental groups continue to chase eviro-sustainable development no matter what the cost.
It may be sustainable for the environment under their definition, but not sustainable for human beings.
Beginning about 1976 it was clear a problem was on the way. FedGov organized the Dept of Energy to deal with the problem, but very soon DoE was assigned a pile of unrelated tasks and dealing with the problem was forgotten. 30 years lost and gone while we partied; forget about blame, 25 years of pain beginning now. There should be 25-50 huge coal to liquid plants operating already.
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