Please welcome to the GonzoGeek stage, everybody’s favorite neocon thinktank, the Heritage Foundation. You might remember them as the folks who so long pursued a land military base in Iraq and finally found a stooge (W.) willing to implement the plan for them if only they’d give him some goodies. No? Well look it up.
One of their current stumps is to propound a conspiracy theory by which the US President and US Congress are actually attempting to make gasoline prices as high as possible.
Before going on further, let us all remember that high gasoline prices actually benefit them and their constituents. Oil wealth = conservative wealth = their wealth. But they can’t get at the wealth unless one of their boys is in power. The quickest way to get back in power? Make the current government the fall guy.
A classic shell game.
Listen first then read. Or read then listen. Do whatever you want. It won’t change reality.
First of all, the US government is not trying to raise gasoline prices. If anybody is, the culprits are big oil and speculators. The government is trying to develop alternatives.
At one point the speaker refers to the burdens placed on domestic exploration by expanding regulation of hydraulic fracturing of reservoirs. He has half a point here. He is right in that it is unnecessary, but wrong in his assertion it is being done to raise prices.
Regulation of the oil and gas industry is necessary. Without it the companies would simply do whatever they want. They have never given any of us any reason to believe otherwise.
Taxes need to be raised and oil and gas has lots of money. They are the low-hanging fruit in this equation. Go get the money. Or at least please take away their subsidies. It’s like subsidizing Bill Gates for pete’s sake.
Domestic production (of crude oil in particular) will never meet more than a tiny fraction of domestic demand. We could develop everything and it would still not have an impact on prices. The contrary is simply an argument made by and on behalf of the oil industry itself. They will lose revenue and don’t want to.
If we don’t start working on alternatives now, the timeframe to when they can make a meaningful impact will only be extended. Folks like the Heritage Foundation would have us wait until we were (metaphorically) stalled on the side of of the road, lining their pockets exponentially every step of the way.
If big oil can’t adapt to changing reality they must go out of business. Unless of course you’re among those who somehow feel patriotic latching yourself as nothing more than a feed sack to those who will bleed us dry.
Go ahead. Even whistle a happy song while you do it. You are the enemy.
No, strike that. It implies too much proactive motion. You, in your ignorance, are a parasitic threat to those of us who can think. I wish you quick extermination — it’s more merciful than the slow painful death you’d have the rest of us suffer through your indolence — then the rest of us can get on with the future.
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Your kind words only fuel my fires sir! No sleep ’til….DOOM!!
“Regulation of the oil and gas industry is necessary. Without it the companies would simply do whatever they want. They have never given any of us any reason to believe otherwise.”
YES! Precisely! This is something that I never understand about libertarians. Do you really think big business, or humanity in general, always has an incentive to behave in a progressive and enlightened way? No! Competition doesn’t even always prompt it to innovate. And you bet if it could, big business (and yes, humanity in general) would put four-year-olds to work in the fields, paying them a handsome 25 cents a day.
No, I don’t trust the government entirely, but I sure don’t trust captains of industry either.
“I wish you quick extermination — it’s more merciful than the slow painful death you’d have the rest of us suffer through your indolence — then the rest of us can get on with the future.”
Well said, sir! I think the Nietzsche of the 21st century has awoken… and he’s pissed!