The 2008 General Election has kicked off - Obama vs. McCain - and it's getting a little crazy already. I'm not a fan of either of these fellows and if the past two weeks of campaigning is any indication, I won't be changing my mind anytime soon. There is one major difference that I've seen. Obama wants to increase governments role in our lives and in the process reach into our pockets even deeper. McCain? Well, there's no telling. He's flipped on his opinions and previous statements so much that he has no definitive position. Both options are scary.
Not nearly as scary as the House Democrats calling for nationalizing the oil refineries. Have we just transported to Venezuela, Cuba, or the old Soviet Union? How can this government, that has botched every major long term social initiative from Social Security to Medicare/Medicaid to Education to Welfare, expect to be able to efficiently run a fuel production and distribution operation? Oh yeah, they'll keep prices down by paying for it with our tax dollars and when they fark it up even more, they'll just raise the tax rate some more.
I hate the whole slippery slope axiom - but boy does it ever apply here. Give the government the oil refineries and next on the hit list will be the transportation of fuel - because they'll "make too much money". Then it will be the gas stations - because they'll "make too much money". Then it will be the auto industry because they're obviously not producing the "right kind" of car to be fuel efficient.
Here's a solution. Approve the construction of more refineries operated by people that have an interest in it's success. Approve drilling in ANWR and off the coast. Someone is already out off the coast of florida, in international waters, sucking up the oil. And its not us. If environmentalism is what is keeping us from doing it - well someone else already is and they may not have the standards and restrictions that US oil drilling operations would have. So besides the obvious advantages to reducing our foreign oil needs, we could actually be helping the environment by being the one's out there.
In addition, we need to approve the construction of more Nuclear Power Plants. France has a shload of them. Yes. France. The cheese eating surrender monkeys that liberals have a love affair with - have dozens and dozens of Nuclear Power Plants. Guess what, less reliance on foreign oil to power their homes, businesses and factories.
On a side note - I heard recently that all of the nuclear waste generated since the 1950s is so small that it would only fill a high school gymnasium. I don't know if that is correct or not, but if it is - then what the hell is the problem? Very little waste for a huge gain. So dig the hole in Yucca mountain and shut up.
Another interesting note - 15% of the cost of every gallon of gasoline is in the form of taxes. 4% is profit to the oil companies. Somehow the politicians have diverted the American consumers attention to the "evil oil empires" as the bad guys when its our government that takes the lions share for doing nothing and the oil companies take their 4% for doing everything. Sounds very much like the Ministry of Truth in Orwell's 1984.
The Democrat response to all of these suggestions, and the direct response by their presidential candidate, is that none of these will lower the cost of gas today. Well, I'd have to agree to a point. Except for one thing. None of their suggestions will either. Increasing fuel mileage (CAFE) standards? Thats always phased in over 10 years. Alternative fuels? Still being developed. Phased in over several years. CF lightbulbs? Phased in over several years - and really, how much will that help? Have you seen the cleanup procedures if you break one? This is a big ship - it doesn't turn on a dime. But it doesn't change direction at all if you never start turning the wheel.
Now for the part where I don't agree - according to the Future's Traders, you know the ones that the Dems are blaming for driving up the price, they trade based on long term forecasts and ride trends. They don't make the trends, they ride them. If you change the trend, they will trade accordingly. By some estimates, if the US were to announce that we would allow drilling offshore and/or in ANWR we would change the trend to the point where within a few months the cost of a barrel of oil could drop $30-$40. That sounds like an immediate impact.
Speaking of trends, have you noticed the teflon-ness of the Dem controlled congress. The divert blame to oil companies and Futures Traders without ever mentioning that we haven't allowed anyone to explore for new oil or build refineries or build Nuclear Plants in 30 years. They fail to mention the very successful lobbying efforts by the environmental movement that has helped to put us into this position. That conveniently forget that we've been trying to do the ANWR thing for over 10 years - with some of the same arguments back then that it wouldn't help us immediately. Had we started 10 years ago, then we would be reaping the rewards right now when we need it most.
Which is why our shortsighted politicians (of either party), who seem to only worry about the next election cycle, and the behemoth that is the US Government should NEVER be put in charge of anything more than national defense.
But their answer is to nationalize the refineries just like they want to nationalize healthcare to add to their nationalization of education, retirement, and welfare. All things that the government sucks at doing. What's next? Farms? Grocery Stores? Businesses? Welcome to the collective.
Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Adams and the rest must be spinning in their graves. Karl, however, is smiling the big smile. The Democratic Party is working very hard to fulfill Marx's prediction that Communism will take over without ever firing a shot.
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