UPDATE 6/26/08: Not sure if I buy it, but I can guarantee Congress will DO NOTHING: The price of retail gasoline could fall by half, to around $2 a gallon, within 30 days of passage of a law to limit speculation in energy-futures markets, four energy analysts told Congress on Monday.
Ever wonder what happens to that $4 a gallon you spend at the pump, or better yet, what about the $600 billion or so we as a nation spend each year?
Yes, we need to curb our consumption. My ranting about energy is not that oil is the ultimate answer. It is a current one, however. Wind, electric, solar, bugs (seriously), and/or whatever else are all a part of the final solution. We need to start to turn away from Middle Eastern oil.
This in turn might reduce problems for us in so many other ways!
As impossible as it might have seemed a month ago, Americans are able to reduce fuel consumption. Good. It’s a start.
So was the Iraq War really about Oil? Now that Iraq is finally awarding contracts for its Worlds Third Largest reservoir of black gold, it makes you wonder. American companies are of course involved, though not the only ones.
In case you missed it, the Gulf War (the first one) is paying off: Kuwait is pumping billions into our economy.
So when you pay $4 per gallon you might assume that, what, at least a dollar of that goes right into the pocket’s of the evil oil executives, right!?
First the government, which does nothing, takes about 60 cents right off the top in taxes. Then there are other taxes that the oil companies pay just to be able to be, well, oil companies. Yes, if our government really wanted to give us instant relief, they would lower or remove SOME aspects of taxation on energy.
But don’t worry, at least a part of the $600 billion or so per year goes to the Middle East where it is helping out in big ways. For one, look at what they are building in Dubai, an 80-Story Tower With Revolving Floors Powered By Wind Turbines. At least our money is being put to good use. So take pride in pumping that SUV full of gas, just look at what it is accomplishing (—>).
Anyway, as I said, curb consumption and develop our own sources of energy so that in my lifetime we can be nearly, if not totally, free of foreign sources.
These include but are not limited to: coal liquidification, natural gas, and nuclear, along with conservation and alternative sources already mentioned. I hope energy is an issue you will consider this November.
But more importantly, by eventually getting away from sending $600 billion to the Middle East, South American Dictators, and the like, this might also reduce our global involvement in the Middle East and elsewhere. Yeah, wishful thinking.
C
