Posted on 04/01/2006 2:12:22 PM PST by Recovering_Democrat
Oats aren't cheap, but you can grow your own...
Horses are expansive to keep, even for a farmer, if all his income must come from his farm. It was only after the urban population of the US grew that the population of horses and mules began to grow.
The IEA had released a report that said there was going to be a worldwide oil glut, but did not take into account rising Asian demand. While oil was pulling in a 'whopping' $4.50/bbl for sour and $6.50 for sweet crude, a lot of marginal wells were plugged and abandoned. While those wells, individually, did not produce much (10-20 bbl/day or less), cumulatively they were a significant fraction of domestic oil production.
To compound the effect, at those incredibly low crude prices, drilling of exploration and even developmental wells slowed, and in some areas, completely stopped.
When the report turned out to be incorrect, a fact that took a year to sink in, the damage was done. Large numbers of highly skilled employees had left the industry for good, reserves had taken a double hit, from wells being abandoned which would not be economical to put back on line and the depletion of existing reserves without the continuous drilling needed to replace the production capacity which was depleted.
So, here we are.
That is just the 'upstream' end of the business. On the 'downstream' end, there are fewer refineries than there were 30 years ago, (about half as many), and no (that's right, zero, nada) new refineries have been built in that time, due to environmental restrictions which change rapidly over the 10 years or so it takes to build the complex and get it on line, and the NIMBY attitude, often expressed as obstructionist lawsuits.
True, but these are their 'tractors' as well. No Steiger or John Deere will yet help grow its own food.
As I recall, farming was pretty much a subsistence thing with the 'extras' traded for other goods the Amish, Mennonites, and similar folks could not supply for themselves. Now they grow produce for market as well, and the ones in Virginia made some of the best cheese around, back in the '70s when I lived there.
While the John Deere might be able to grow enough to feed itself (biodiesel), there would be a similar reduction in foodstuff output to the Amish growing their own fodder for the horses.
That would take millions of acres out of food production which would instead be used for growing fuel crops.
The agricultural surpluses we have under the current model would not be possible.
Gasoline reminds relatively cheap. At twice the price, people will still find it economical. The only thing that will change is the size of their cars.
Remind me. Which President signed the tax raise around 1990?
The war on terrorists? Any difference you can divine?
Nope, not really. All parties seemed to be for getting those responsible for 9/11. Now if you're defining the 'war on terror' extension to Iraq, Iran, etc., etc. some conservatives are questioning the process as well. Bill Buckley, the father of modern conservatism? Oh, that's right. The faithful are blaming any comments from him on senility rather than realize he may have some valid points.
Kyoto. Notice any difference there?
LOL, this is the situation I referenced above. Republicans disagree with Kyoto but have an environmental 'energy plan' of their own which will continue to rack up debt. Or did I not hear El Presidente in his past two SOTU addresses mention tax payer dollars wasted on hybrid vehicles. Oh yes. Much better to force automobile manufacturers into producing something only a hippie or a statist could love.
I could go on. Not worth the electrons.
No, it's not. In each of the issues you mentioned, the only difference between the parties is the level at which the new plans will be introduced to the citizens of the respective states, not whether or not it should be introduced at all.
10 cents more in production price, 30 cents more in taxes.thanks, Congress.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.