I Am Not A Socialist – BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

For any people reading this editorial who want to write to me, to explain why I’m wrong and why the cost of oil is not the fault of the oil industry, DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME, because I don’t want to hear it.

I don’t want to hear the crap about the HIGH costs of oil and energy exploration, or the HIGH costs of drilling, or the HIGH costs of refining, or the HIGH costs of delivery, or the HIGH cost of retailing.

IT’S ALL CRAPOLA . . . COURTESY OF A DESPICABLE INDUSTRY AND BANKRUPT GOVERNMENTS.

In spite of the con-job, the high-tech processes that we have today opposed to what we had a decade ago, finding oil and sucking it out of the ground is MORE cost efficient today than it was then. And so are the costs of refining, and transportation through many thousands of miles of pipelines running in all directions throughout North America.

ASK YOURSELF THIS:

The cost of a barrel of oil on the international market is far too high, but, not all that much more expensive today, than it was 6 months ago. So, why has the retail cost of gas gone through the roof totally out of proportion to the rise in the per barrel cost?

We’re told that it is because of Iran and the turmoil in the Middle East, but that’s not true, since there is far more than enough oil being pumped, and available to be pumped without Iran.

They say that it’s because of the falling US dollar. But that too is not really true, since the reduced value of the American dollar is totally out of proportion to the increase in the retail price of oil.

They say that it’s because of the huge demand from China, India and other emerging economies. But, since there is NEVER a shortage of gas at our pumps, that isn’t true either.

The REAL reason for the energy screw-job is because between the oil industry and the government, there’s no one to stop them from gouging as best they can.

IN TIMES OF THREATS TO NATIONAL SECURITY . . . ALL REMEDIES MUST BE ON THE TABLE:

Make no mistake about this . . . The cost of energy is a matter of NATIONAL SECURITY.

When people cannot afford to put gas in their cars to go to work, to go out to eat, to take a vacation – It is a National Security Issue.

When truckers cannot afford to pick-up and deliver their loads without adding substantial delivery charges forcing the costs of all goods to go up – That too is a National Security Issue.

When farmers can’t afford to put diesel into the their tractors without raising the cost of their crops – That is by no small measure a National Security Issue.

When our farmers are paid to grow corn and other crops for fuel, instead of food – The insanity of it is no less a National Security Issue.

When the costs of fuel to power our military competes head-on in military budgets with the costs of equipment, ammunition, and salaries – I can’t think of a greater challenge to our National Security.

AND THAT’S WHERE WE’RE AT . . .

The Politicians, Bureaucrats, and far too many Public Sector Workers who don’t live in the real world, might not feel the REAL pain and fear brought-on by the extreme cost of energy, more than just as an inconvenience, BUT, IN THE REAL WORLD, EVERYONE DOES FEEL THE PAIN AND FEAR.

Because of the cost of energy . . . restaurants will either close their doors or cut their staffs to bare bones, same for hotels, tourist destinations, and travel services . . . causing what could very well be massive overnight unemployment – THEN WHAT?

A few weeks ago, I sold my 2 and a half-year old fully loaded Toyota Tundra because the cost of gas to power this truck was unconscionable. I replaced the Tundra with a six cylinder Toyota RAV 4, which is a fine vehicle, but NOT my truck.

In six months, when the lease on our 2 and a half-year old Honda Cross Tour comes to term, we will sell that car to replace it with a 6 cylinder 200 horsepower Camry Hybrid; also a good car, but not the car I would otherwise choose.

AND AFTER DOING ALL OF THIS – At the current price of gas, I’ll still drive less, I’ll still shop less, and I’ll still eat out less, because the cost of gas is pricing everything out of reach.

When people on fixed incomes . . . who are most people, go to the supermarket and see the huge increases in food costs, they have to make hard choices:

Do they buy inferior food? Do they buy less food? Or do they cancel “luxuries” like cable TV, in order to maintain the same quality and quantity of foodstuffs?

This is not fear mongering. It is the horrible truth. And unless something is done about the HUGELY artificial cost of energy, our societies will crash. And make no bones about it, we are already well on our way.

Without nationalizing the oil industry . . . there is much we can do.

1 – DRILL BABY DRILL.

2 – Do not use liquid fuel to generate electricity.

3 – Fire-up Electric Generators fueled by clean burning coal and use more Nuclear.

4 – Make it ILLEGAL to price oil according to OPEC.

5 – Make it ILLEGAL to speculate on oil once out of the ground.

6 – Make it ILLEGAL to sell oil and gas off the continent and from our territorial waters.

7 – Stop the insanity of growing crops like corn as fuel.

THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON FREE ENTERPRISE – IT IS A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL.

I’m not talking or writing about Free Enterprise. I’m speaking and writing about our National Survival during a CRISIS brought about exclusively through collusion, greed, and the most objectionable politicians imaginable.

For all of you who think that I’m full of crap, think about the MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of our countrymen who don’t sleep at night because they cannot figure out how to make 3 quarters into a dollar.

Think about the elderly who have to choose between eating, heating, and paying for accommodations.

Think about the MILLIONS of young people who will never get a chance to start their lives because companies will either not be there to hire them . . . or be there, but have no intention of hiring more “liabilities”.

In Canada, the cost of gas at the pumps, especially in markets like Montreal is SIX DOLLARS per US Gallon.

And if you don’t think this isn’t a crisis – YOU TELL ME WHAT IS.

Best Regards . . . Howard Galganov