Monday, June 30, 2008

Price of Gas


In today's email arrived this picture and one word, "SAD". (Click on the image to enlarge it; then hit your Back button/arrow to escape.)

We can thank you-know-who for this. There is no doubt in my mind that Bush's rush to war has resulted in this price.

May I commend to your reading the new book by Bush's former press secretary, Scott McClellan? It's available at the Woodstock Public Library. The title? What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception.

8 comments:

Richard W Gorski, M.D. said...

There certainly have been enough mistakes to go around in regards to both the wars (Afganistan & Iraq) and oil. If the Clinton administration had pushed for off shore drilling and north slope drilling during their administration the price of gasoline would not be where it is at now.If former President Clinton had taken out bin Laden maybe there would not have been the twin towers tragedy.There is enough blame to go around on both sides of the isle. Lets stop being Democrates and Republicans and start being Americans. To many men and women have given their lives for us to play politics with this issue...we need leaders and statemen and statewomen who will decide issues on what is best for the United States of America and its future and not their re-election chances.

Gus said...

Be sure to read Scott McClellan's book. He writes about how government is managed with politics and the next election exactly in mind. I wish I had noted the phrase for that which is used in the book.
You are 100% right that we need statesmen (and -women). How is it in a country of 300 Million that we cannot field true statesmen for elections???

Richard W Gorski, M.D. said...

Probably because the true statesmen and stateswomen and leaders are everyday people and not millionaires or people with party backing that can raise millions in order to win office. They are people who tell it like it IS and not like a lot of Americans just WANT TO HEAR. I always believed that the truth would set you free but I am not sure that the majority of Americans really want to hear the real truth. They want to hear what will make them feel comfortable and safe...even if they are not. They are the TV generation were all problems get solved in 20 minutes...10 minutes for commercials. Sad, if that is what we are becoming or already have become.

Unknown said...

did i see you on your motorcycle today?

Gus said...

With gas at $4.23/gal. I'll be riding it every day through October. I was at the Honda dealership in Crystal Lake, and they don't have a GoldWing in stock. Lots of scooters are being purchased, too. Saw a young, attractive, well-dressed young woman riding a scooter in Woodstock last week - she was wearing a nice business suit and high heels!

Richard W Gorski, M.D. said...

I HAD A DREAM

Put the "hitching posts" back up and buy 24 new brooms and shovels for the town maintenance dept. to put into action. OH!!!! The smell of it all inspires me... forward into the future of Woodstock.

Dave Labuz said...

Gus!

Way simplistic and too easy a shot.

Bush's "rush" to war took almost a year, even longer if you believe there was substantial scheming behind the scenes. Longer still if it had been meant to clean up Sadaam once and for all - even as Bill Clinton had noted might need to be done - then over 10 years or more in coming. Rush?

Anyway, it's all a complicated issue - and unfortunately, complicated issues are not well covered by the media, nor are most Americans either able or willing to devote a few minutes every day to keeping themselves informed.

Granted, the war in Iraq has increased middle east tensions, but then when had that area ever been tension-free?

Anyway, any time the folks in the futures and commodities markets review the oil position, it's grim. Worldwide oil production has remained flat for 2 or 3 years, yet demand continues to grow.

Demand for gas (except for the last few months) continues to grow, yet we have not built a new refinery in this country for what, 25 years?

Ethanol is a laugh - We pay more at the pump for the increased cost for these blends, plus subsidize it's production as well. Having traveled extensively, I can say that my mileage is reduced almost precise by the 10% of volume it occupies.

All the "boutique" blends for different metro areas stretches refinery capacity to the extreme.

More energy goes into its production than is actually contained within it. Meanwhile, it's continued buring has been pumping tons of Volatile Organic Compounds into the air - how nice!

Oil prices have been rising steadily all over the western world, but for us it's worse as the dollar continues to drop. The inundation of cheap credit here at home has ruined us.

And then the domestic auto manufacturers forget to build higher mileage compacts - duh!

I swear, the average person, corporations, and politions are so into immediate gratification and have no concept of the long view -

That's how we've gotten to where we are today, that's why so many people are so surpised and disappointed, and people are so ignorant that they think there is something that government can do about it.

DBTR

Unknown said...

well said!