March 08, 2005
Gasoline Prices
Here's yet another warning of the higher gasoline prices yet to come.
Funny, I thought we went to war with Iraq to get cheap oil? Or are the Moonbats of the Anti-American Left wrong YET AGAIN?
The price of gasoline is a complicated issue, but I do have some ideas on the matter of how we can help ease those costs.
1. BUILD MORE REFINERIES. We have all our eggs in one very small basket. At one time we had more than 150 large scale refineries, in the last twenty years we have gone down to 20 major facilities. and there hasn't been a new one built in that time. A major terrorist attack on just a few of those facilities could paralyze this country for a far longer time than the attack on the WTC did.
2. DRILL MORE DOMESTIC WELLS We have major reserves here in the US that haven't been anywhere near completly explored. Open up Anwar; there is an estimated 30 year supply at our current levels of consumption just in that one field. It's insane that we don't utilize it.
3. STOP MULTIPLE FORMULATIONS OF GASOLINE We are currently using upwards of 15 different formulations of gasoline to comply with regulations in different parts of the country. This is costly to do, as a refinery has to be readjusted for each formulation, resulting in a week or more loss of production in switching between formulations, not to mention the costs incurred in making the physical switchover. Decide on the best compremise formulation that suits the country best as a whole and stick with it. At most, have only two or three formulations. There have been many cases where there has been a spot scarcety in one area of the country and a glut in another, and we can't equilize the needs due to differences in the formulations.
4. ENCOURAGE RESEARCH IN ALTERNATIVE FUELS President Bush has been the first one to actually earmark federal monies for this type of research, but even his additions are modest, to say the least. There is no physical reason that we couldn't switch to an almost 80% Hydrogen economy within ten years, at the state of the technology today. What we need is the political will to foster such a move. New technology will only increase the attractiveness of alternative fuels.
5. BECOME MORE POLITICALLY AWARE Many of the Moonbats laud their political representatives as the champions of the environment, but take a
closer look at the policies that those representatives have championed, and you will see that, for the most part, those policies have increased the costs of production without any significant gain in helping the environment, and as is the case with Senator "Splash" Kennedy, an alternate (wind turbine) energy production plant was blocked in the Cheasepeak Bay because it just might ruin the view from his compound. (as an aside, just HOW does a trust fund baby that has never worked a real job in his life and has a lackluster academic/legislative achievment record become a hero of "the little guy"? Try to join him in his compound and see how much he REALLY cares about you!)
6. SHOW THE TAXES PAID ON EACH GALLON OF GASOLINE Most people would be truly astounded at just how much they are paying. Those taxes may be necessary to fund roads, transportation programs, etc. etc., but it is only fair that the public KNOWS just how much they are actually paying for those goals.
Without accountability, there is no oversight, and without oversight, the possibility of fraud and graft is all too high. You can't hold someone accountable if you don't even know just how much he is taking from you.
I'm sure there are other actions to be taken as well, but thats my rant....for now.
Right on all counts, especially the taxes, many are compound taxes, striking parallels to the current taxation on tobacco. You're spot on about the "trust fund baby" nuff said.
Posted by: Jack at March 9, 2005 05:03 PMI agree. With most of what you say.
I saw some guy on the news recently who said the price of a gallon of gas here in the states is NOT controlled by the price of oil, but by the commodties market. I wasn't aware of that.
I am however aware of the outragous taxes on a gallon of gas. When they talk about taxes on tabacco they claim it is to discourage people from smoking. Could it be the continuous rise in gasoline prices is to discourage us from driving? If so, it's certainly working on me!
Incidently, hang onto your head here, but I have actually visited the Kennedy family home (or compound as you call it). The Kennedy's have always been the champion of the little guy it is their legacy. They are taught from birth that because they are born to wealth and advantage they have an obligation to serve and support their fellow man. Unlike the Bush family who are taught they are the equalivent of American royalty. Oddly enough the American public by far considers the Kennedy family our American royalty.
Posted by: wanda at March 9, 2005 06:18 PMWanda, I believe that you do think that they are the "champions of the little guy". I think that there were some things that President Kennedy did that WAS a help. Were he to try to do the same things today, he would be excoriated by the Democratic Party.
But name me ONE thing that Sen. Splash has ever done that helped. The policies may SOUND good, but have you ever considered the "unintended consequences" of those policies and how THEY affected the "little guy"?
The man has never had to make a payroll in his life and yet pontificates on minimum wage,and adds/increases taxes to that payroll at the drop of a hat, and then blames those Eeeevil greedy capitalists when the "little guy" is hurt by the unintended consequences of losing his job, because the payroll had to compensate for the costs of those policies.
He says "profit" as if it were a dirty word, without realizing that it is that profit that benefits the little guy the most in the end; it pays his salary and with higher profits, come higher opportunity for him to advance, IF he puts himself in a position to benefit from that profit. ie, makes himself an integral part of MAKING that profit through education and experience.
Posted by: delftsman3 at March 10, 2005 12:11 AM