Remember when oil: $28 dollars a barrel? Hey, that was way back in 2000, long before 9/11, the Iraq War and $100,000 dollar houses turned into Million dollar houses. Yep, long before Derivatives and Hedge Funds all became the rage. In those days, we had a healthy Enron, WorldCom and General Motors! In those days, we had just experienced the great fall of the Asian Tiger Economies. Japan was in rock n’ roll heaven! They were really hurtin! South Korea was still hanging in there, but their dream of a reunification with North Korea..became a lost dream. They just didn’t have the cash on hand…that the German Republic was able to put together to rebuild the DDR – East Germany! These were moments in time! The giant dam in India that Enron was funding with World Bank money and paying off Indian politicians….became just a short term set-back! The whole shooting match wound up costing the United States Government about $4 Billion dollars ….for nothing!
OK, today….Brett Farve retired! He did what he set out to do: Break all of Dan Marino’s records! He now can go on Inside the NFL, become a great play by play announcer and enjoy “Cow tipping” in greater Green Bay, Wisconsin during those long summer nights! Driving his tractor, may become more expensive. Brett has just caught on….that his retirement fund is not exactly as big as it might need to be. Great Financial Mogul Warren Buffett has declared the US Economy in recession and retreat! We have been saying this for several months…but now Mr. Buffett even thinks so. What next Ben Stein? We would be too honored!
At any rate, the prices for energy …for everything from gas at the pump, natural gas, to electricity, to corn, to soy, to wheat, to beef, to pork, to chicken, to cooking oil, to butter, to popcorn, are all set to skyrocket! Why? Because getting goods to market is going to cost a lot more! It is at this point you might want to rent the Robert Redford movie “Three Days of the Condor”. Arguably, one of the finest movies ever made! We won’t ruin the punch line for you….but you might, kind of understand, a little more about our US Economy!
What has happened that could have possibly raised the cost of a barrel of oil to over four times that cost just eight years ago? How about the huge build out and development of American Real Estate since 2000? How about the huge build out and development of China, India and the European Union? More people wanting the same amount of goods causes the price to go up…until someone says “Uncle”. Those huge build-outs have raised demand for automobiles, tractors, trucks and the high cost of electricity throughout the world. We are no longer “alone with our opulence”! We are in a very competitive world that is going to continue to be so…because: Oil companies want to make more money every year…not less. Governments wants us to pay more taxes on that energy….every year…not less. Auto manufacturers want to create more vehicles that will become obsolete …. faster and faster….so they can build more! Politicians will want us to consume more and more so they can blame someone else for sending our jobs to low wage countries that build and manufacturer our goods and services. Right now, Diagnosis, Medical Charts, X-Rays and MRI’s are being read and analyzed by Physicians and Radiologists in Bangalore, India. Do we really believe that if we get National Healthcare….any of that will change?
What will happen when a barrel of oil goes to $200 dollars? Imagine, a gallon of gas at $8 dollars. Imagine doubling your energy bills on a monthly basis. Imagine, the doubling cost of all food and perishable goods from what they are now. When do you think this might happen? Never? In six months? In a year? In four years? Does any of that matter? Obviously, the people with lots of cash….are not going to care much…one way or the other. Maybe, those on fixed income, seniors, low end wage earners and the poor….will feel it most. Does any of it matter? Is it just the way life goes?
At any rate, we have a few months before we elect a new President. Wouldn’t it be interesting to hear their views on these issues? Wouldn’t it be important for the major media to actually say to the big three:
Obama, Hillary & McCain: “What are you going to do about it?”
Look no further than your beloved Bush, due to his foolish fiscal policies and his reckless war mongering, the dollar is in the tank! OPEC is getting the same for a barrel of crude as it was a few years ago, because the DOLLAR is worth a whole lot less. Unlike most Americans, they understand economics.
That’s it im buying a bicycle.
anon 12:46 pm
Bush basher. Get over it already. Every president since Jimmy Carter in the 70’s has been aware of our dependence on imported oil and most have promised to make us energy independent.
As such blame must be layed at the feet of both party presidents.
Perhaps you might have something of value to add to the debate such as a suggested solution that does not impact other areas such as Ethanol which is driving basic food prices out of sight.
Get used to it Bush lovers. There’s plenty of oil but a war using a printing press to pay for it doesn’t fool Saudi Arabia. Go to Europe and you’ll find the American Peso has dropped about 50% in value so no wonder the price of oil has doubled. The solution is to use all of the foreign oil we can and then jack the price up of the oil we have left. Or learn to take the bus – cars will soon be only for the rich – as in the past.
If only we had continued on the path of energy conservation and innovation that Carter set in motion. Unfortunately, we elected Ronald Reagan, who proceeded to gut, roll back and eliminate just about everything that Carter began. This country would be in a far stronger position both economically and militarily if we weren’t always swayed from reality by the “no taxes” and “let’s bomb the s**t out of them” crowd. Yes, Americans are a short sighted bunch of MORONS! As to ethanol, I have heard that Brazil uses sugar cane with much better results. I’m sure agribusiness will dictate policy on this, just like Cheney had the oil companies write our energy policy [how’s that working for you Bush lovers?].
How about blaming the right people..you know those guys with
performance chips and exotic exhaust performance systems for their SUV and 3/4 Ton Trucks with
wheels bigger than a Catapillar
Tractor!
Pretty neat that in 2008 you can
still get a car or truck that gets
8 MPH City….and 10 MPH highway!
Those 9000 lb Lincoln Navigators
and Lexus and Range Rovers and
GMC’s….yep, blame Reagan…he
put a gun to your head and made
people buy those Gas Guzzlers…
didn’t he?
MPG…Miles per gallon….we meant:
and we forgot those Tundra, MOPARs and all those Lambo’s, Ferrari’s and even those Ford Mustang performance cars too!
Yes, I blame Reagan, HE rolled back the fuel efficiency standards and stopped the progress towards energy independence that started under Nixon, Ford and Carter. Sometimes the government MUST regulate an industry for the good of the nation [as I mentioned before, Americans are a myopic bunch of morons ,who would be driving tanks if they were available]. This goes beyond economics, it has national security implications. Do you honestly believe that the U.S. would be OCCUPYING IRAQ right now if it weren’t for OIL? Under Reagan, in the name of “free markets” and “deregulation” we sold our future and our children’s future, down the river. *
Yeah, who can forget that magnificent time in American History known as the Carter years. It didnt get much better then that.
You want alternatives to fuel? How about Nuclear. Seems to work for France and a few other European Countries the left continually applauds. How about we drill in Alaska? The people who live in Alaska are for it-dont you think they just might have a better read on the situation then some guy living in Aliso Viejo?
It never ceases to amaze me how easily right-wingers dodge the facts and substance of the debate. Your “argument” against Carter has all the gravitas of nyea,nyea,nyea. Do you really think Reagan did this country any favor by abandoning an energy policy that would have made us energy independent in exchange for massive profits for big business? Republicans count on rubes like you.
RE #10
I’m not a republican but nice to see that the patented knee jerk conditioned attack response works for rubes on both sides of the aisle. You are as equal of rube as the most stanuch republican just coming from other side of the spectrum. Doesnt make you wrong, doesnt make you right, it just means your part of the problem and not part of the solution.
Hey, #11 it’s just the facts, Jack. Again, you don’t address them. Answer the question about Reagan. Do you think his policies on energy were better for the country’s future than Carter’s? If you’re not a Republican, you still reason like one.