Alright you all have heard the different spins all these crazy politicians are putting on oil. First, there is there was the McCain - Clinton solution and now there's the democratic congress backlashing Bush for being a "spokes person" for the oil companies. Well, i would like to put a foot in all the asses of those playing politics with this crap because like hell i'm hurting at the pumps!!! But before i do that, let me straighten things up for you.
At the base of everything are the stations, they can refuse to reduce the prices when it falls after an hike, but then they're part is perhaps the most minimal. Let's go to the good part, congress and Big oil. Before we address those people, let's addresss the President.
THE PRESIDENT
The U.S president has called on congress to lift their ban on off shore drilling for oil. He has repeatedly begged Saudi Arabia to increase their production to fight increasing demand, suggested that he would be willing to take a look at McCain-Clinton idea to suspend gas prices. Apart from that he has Obama'd(spoken actionlessly) about how he understands what the American people are going through.
THE U.S CONGRESS
They have basically remained in denial about this whole issue. They just finished work on a bipartisan Iraq war funding bill and have claimed it is more important than the price of oil. Oh, they get to drive in whatever car they want, on tax payer money, and never, ever pay for gas. The other day Nancy Pelosi was almost a dollar off on what the average price of gas is. So don't be surprised if they don't give a beep about how much you pay. They have played the blame game, blamed everyone except themselves for the problem. They have blamed the President for playing politics and speaking for Big Oil. They have also blamed the Oil companies for refusing to drill in places already allocated to them.
THE OIL COMPANIES
The Oil companies have been silent for the most part. They've made unprecedented profit and have dug everywhere worth drilling. They claim it costs money to sink holes into the ground and they would only drill where the end is worth the means.
Now the good part, the politics.
Obama
The presidential candidate Barack Obama, has taken the far, radical left position of no drilling or even any form of energy harnessing that would disturb he's left wing, global warming nut base. They're a fairly steady block he can rely on. He also doesn't want to look like a "flip flopper", and he doesn't want to look like he was wrong. So even in the face of deafening evidence that something has to be done, he's wants to maintain his comfort zone for political expedience. And oh, he wants to raise taxes on those oil companies which will of course drive up the price of gas even more.
McCain
He has claimed he's all for the environment, but doesn't buy into the no drilling nonsense. Claims he's for energy independence, like Barack, as if that's ever gonna happen. He wants us to use what we have now to get what we want. Drill anywhere as much as you can, except in some places where he think are sacred for some reason. He's on the popular side of that and is trying to push his positives up with that. At the beginning of the summer he made a proposal that would remove the tax on gas, making you pay some tens of cents less. He's a millionaire though, so in the end, it really doesn't matter how much you're paying.
My conclusion.
I think Obama has to wake up and face reality. The longer he tries to keep his Obamania blinded people in their state of Obama stupor, the more the sting at the pump wakes them up. He wants to solve a practical problem with hope. He hopes to have found technology that would replace oil in 10 years. I have no problem with hope, i have no problem with new technology, but let's hedge our bets. Let's beat Iran and Venezuela to their game. While developing new technology simulteanously. Who knows if they would start lowering their prices when they realize they would soon be unable to sell if we remain uncomfortable with prices.
It doesn't always have to be an either or. We can move towards energy independence, and greener technology while practically dealing with the problems on ground. I hope we can get away from this my solution, or your solution, or even a compromised solution mentality. Let's leave our solutions alone and objectively choose the best solution.
Call your congressman.
