Congress took oil companies to task on Wednesday. But it really won’t do much; it’s all for show. It’s all a “show trial” for the public — and the public may buy it. But I don’t believe it’s the domestic oil companies primarily at fault. It’s the Washington politicians on both sides of the aisle.
Consider this: what is “big oil”? Where is it? What does it actually produce? The domestic oil companies taken to task proffer, what, 2 to 3% of the oil in the world? And the oil companies have excellent answers to the questions asked, and the answers are: because America has refused to let us do much of anything the past 30 years. Because environmentalists have had their way, because Congress and various states have disallowed. Because the oil business can be a challenging business. And because Americans are so arrogant, so naive, so ignorant, so adolescent, they don’t wish to sully their hands.
And suing OPEC is absolutely beyond ridiculous. Speculators, worried about shortages, drove oil prices Wednesday above $132 ($134 now!) for a 40-gallon barrel. American Airlines is going to start charging $15 for the first checked bag, in order to attempt to offset fuel prices. Some are even predicting $12 to $15 per gallon prices — when we can even get it.
Here’s what we’ve gotten from the Left, the Enviros and the Demorats: elitism, plain and simple.
It’s the “America doesn’t mind the brown or black-skinned people digging for oil; America doesn’t mind other nations doing the dirty work; America doesn’t care if other nations allegedly despoil their country or environment seeking black gold — because, after all, we’re the American Left, we’re better than that, we won’t get our hands dirty” mindset.
Build new refineries in the US? No. Build more storage in the US? No. Build more power generation stations in the US? No. Drill on continental US soil? No. Drill in ANWR? No. Drill in Colorado, off our coasts? No and no. Because we might spill a drip of oil in search of Utopia. In an oil-based world.
Let’s let the other “lesser” countries do that say the Left, as they jet to their elite little northeast parties, their Washington and Hollywood cocktail parties replete with stretch limos, Benzes, Maybachs, Rollers, Bimmers, Lincolns, Lambos.
So should it surprise that we are paying the heavy price now?
Moreover: nuclear power? No. Don’t even consider it. Just plain no. Works for Europe — you know, that beloved consortium of countries across the Atlantic, those folks the Left so admire? But still, no, can’t have it here. No.
Arrogance and adolescence. Naivety. Stupidity.
We are going to have to “crash” as a nation before we wake up, this I firmly believe — on any number of levels, and not just with oil. Before this summer is out I predicted and still believe: $5.00 per gallon. And clearly, that won’t be the end.
BZ
Yeah, Oil companies produce, ship halfway around the world, refine, and ship to your local gas station for 8 cents a gallon, yet they are the problem! it certainly isn’t the politicians taking all that money for their elections from the sierra club or nuthin! or the 18 1/2 cents federal tax and the 30 cents state tax on that gallon that was supposed to go to highway maintenance, but really goes to social programs politicians use for their pay for votes schemes.
There is NO oil shortage..
Never has been, and you’re right, many are going to buy into this sham on Crapitol Hill, some won’t…
And it’s up to people like us to keep on pulling the trigger on this bullshit for as long as we possibly can…
The problem is US, we just keep electing idiots into office, and keep listening to fools like Al Gore, and the rest of the tree hugging crowd, what, really, can we expect of this? are we just now realizing actions have consequences? that if ya want to dance, you gotta pay the fiddler?
TF: but if the Left DO in fact have their way, they’ll do their best to ensure the truth in any form will NOT get out via their re-institution of the Fairness Doctrine or something like it. They CANNOT stand up to the light of truth.
Mark: I don’t doubt that we could conserve on energy or, more importantly, find some other way of making our energy and increasing our efficiency. But I fervently disagree with some insisting we bankrupt this nation and other developed nations in a lame, misguided, no-plan attempt to do so.
BZ
The only thing expensive about energy is liberal nutjobs and their actions in the courts and their entrenchment into every facet of our government. we CAN produce oil in this country without damaging the environment or even hurting the tender feelings of the deer and the antelope. we CAN be generating 80% of our electricity with nuclear power just like the french do, ya know, the people we make fun of all the time? protecting the environment does not have to cost us this much, we do not have to go back to stone age living to protect the environment!! that is a power grab play by evil people!! look at it!! Al Gore wants POWER OVER YOU!! that is what it’s all about!! that dog and pony show in congress yesterday with the oil company execs was just a game to get you people to fall for their power grab!! politicians are the enemy in this fight, not the people actually trying to produce energy for you, within the ridiculous confines congress puts on them already.
Looked at this as part of the other Bozosity going on in Congress and came across a very disturbing bit of testimony given to the Senate in 1999.
It describes a form of economic warfare being waged via oil to cripple the US economy.
And who was doing it… and why.
Although that actor had help from both parties in Congress, that plan actually has worked.
And if you want to see how to ruin an economy with cheap oil, it is well worth finding out how Saddam Hussein was able to change the market balance during the late 1990’s and what its predicted effects would be. Needless to say, we now live with those effects.
BZ, fully agreed, but ‘the left’ comes in many forms, one of em is an angry old RINO…