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2008/08/11
“DRILLING INTO OFFSHORE DRILLING”
Or, the Obvious Flaws in McCain’s Supposed Plan to Lower Gas Prices
McCain says extract all the oil from all our reserves immediately so we can have a temporary few cents lower price today. Has he given any thought to the fact that will leave us no oil tomorrow and we’ll have to beg for some later from countries who weren’t such spendthrifts? What is it about Conservatives that they don’t seem to believe in conservation?
And, if reducing the price of gas at the pump is the sole objective worth pursuing and is justified at absolutely any cost, then why not nationalize the oil companies as a first step? Do that and we wouldn’t even have to wait the months or years of development time for new wells to increase the supply (temporarily). Nationalize the industry and we could instantaneously lower the price at the pump by eliminating the billions paid out in profits, extravagant oil executive salaries, not to mention advertising costs which would all become unneeded components of present prices.
Sure it would violate the Constitution, but as McCain's mentor Bush has demonstrated with his torture approvals, warrantless searches and supposed limitless executive power, that is a "quaint" document with no real restriction on whatever a President might desire.
Actually, I am not really proposing nationalization (except maybe a cap on those truly nasty CEO salaries). I am merely pointing out that there are a lot of ways, including reducing demand, that would produce both a surer and quicker downward effect on prices at the pump than anything McCain has bandied about so far. Why is anyone listening to him on this subject especially when he does such silly things like ridiculing keeping tires properly inflated which all government sources have proven is a cheap and useful technique to increase mileage? To stage his ridicule at a rally of Harley Davidson motorcyclists encouraging them to rev their engines (a surefire gas waster) is ridiculous in and of itself.
Taken together, McCain’s actions may demonstrate his real intent which seems to be to do whatever maximizes oil company income, his biggest campaign contributors.
McCain says extract all the oil from all our reserves immediately so we can have a temporary few cents lower price today. Has he given any thought to the fact that will leave us no oil tomorrow and we’ll have to beg for some later from countries who weren’t such spendthrifts? What is it about Conservatives that they don’t seem to believe in conservation?
And, if reducing the price of gas at the pump is the sole objective worth pursuing and is justified at absolutely any cost, then why not nationalize the oil companies as a first step? Do that and we wouldn’t even have to wait the months or years of development time for new wells to increase the supply (temporarily). Nationalize the industry and we could instantaneously lower the price at the pump by eliminating the billions paid out in profits, extravagant oil executive salaries, not to mention advertising costs which would all become unneeded components of present prices.
Sure it would violate the Constitution, but as McCain's mentor Bush has demonstrated with his torture approvals, warrantless searches and supposed limitless executive power, that is a "quaint" document with no real restriction on whatever a President might desire.
Actually, I am not really proposing nationalization (except maybe a cap on those truly nasty CEO salaries). I am merely pointing out that there are a lot of ways, including reducing demand, that would produce both a surer and quicker downward effect on prices at the pump than anything McCain has bandied about so far. Why is anyone listening to him on this subject especially when he does such silly things like ridiculing keeping tires properly inflated which all government sources have proven is a cheap and useful technique to increase mileage? To stage his ridicule at a rally of Harley Davidson motorcyclists encouraging them to rev their engines (a surefire gas waster) is ridiculous in and of itself.
Taken together, McCain’s actions may demonstrate his real intent which seems to be to do whatever maximizes oil company income, his biggest campaign contributors.
2008/08/02
“OBAMA DAMMA”
Or, The Real Reason Obama's Polls Are Running So Far Behind the Percentages Favoring Democratic Candidates Generally
I have spoken to dozens of friends, family, clients and acquaintances, both Democrat and Republican, who freely admit Bush and all around him have been a complete and utter disaster. They no longer even try to defend any portion of what has happened thanks to the Neocons even if they have been life long conservatives. They seem downright embarrassed in fact for their complicity in having put such self centered, irresponsible, greedy juveniles in office. Yet, as angry as they are at the destruction and degradation wrought by years of incompetence and arrogance, they unshakably insist they will vote for anyone rather than Obama.
It gets really interesting when I question why in light of the fact that their only other serious choice, McCain, promises to perpetuate most if not exactly 100% of the same policies, pursuits and partisanship as Bush and Cheney and their minions.
When closely quizzed, some cite outright falsehoods like Obama supposedly is a really Muslim and they cling to that belief tenaciously despite abundant evidence to the contrary. Nothing shakes that excuse not to vote for Obama, even though the principles of this country are that all religions deserve equality.
Others insist Obama is rich, not a common man even though he comes from very humble beginnings. Well, that excuse is slightly true for once, but they pointedly ignore McCain's far greater riches (thanks to a rich replacement wife), allowing McCain to accumulate more houses than most men have shoes. Somehow, that's "totally different" and okay apparently because there are photos of McCain manning a barbecue grill.
There is lots of criticism of Obama's perceived personality offered as reasons. They range from his choice of leafy green vegetables to whether or not he wears a flag pin 24/7, as if his choice of food or supporting the flag production industry we shipped to China has anything to do with either ability to be President or patriotism. Such criticism often comes from those who have been observed consuming the same food and who never volunteered for military service to demonstrate their own supposed Nathan Hale/John Adams/Patrick Henry patriotism. (Of course, there are apparently only about two tests left in our current abbreviated definition of "patriotism," whether you have a "Support the Troops" bumper sticker and whether you slavishly, uncritically accept everything you are told by the those in power, which would be quite a surprise to Hale, Adams and Henry.)
Still others insists that Obama must be an elitist, pointy-headed intellectual. It is hard to argue with the fact that Obama graduated among the top of his class in arguably the top law school in the country and headed its Law Review. A remarkable feat in comparison to McCain's lazy trolling near the bottom of his class at the Academy. What is not clear is why those opposed to Obama no longer think it would be a good idea to have the proven brilliant get a chance at leadership as opposed to the mental midgets we have been afflicted with for so long.
Let's be clear. There are plenty of substantive things for which Obama deserves criticism. He was definitely not my personal first or even fifth choice. But, the "explanations" of those who admit Republicans, including McCain, have continually screwed up are so lame and implausible when examined, that I cannot help but assume there is an unadmitted reason, one that goes against the grain of everything this country and its governing documents stand for - - Obama's black and McCain isn't.
Besides the desperately needed change from years of debacle, you would think we would recognize that electing someone of a different hue or a truly different religion (if Obama actually was), would show the world for once that we really do practice what we preach, especially when most of the world we have to live in is of a different color and religious belief. Why then can't we do that at least one time in our entire history, especially when the white guys running things have done so badly? Why can't we give someone else a chance? Is it because the Obama opponents secretly don't really want a black man in the White House?
When asked that question point blank, they hem and haw and bristle and proclaim that they are not racist, that they don't personally fear the Blacks, that the amount of melanin in skin would never influence their decision on voting day. On the other hand, they can't seem to ever quite bring themselves to say they would actually want a black President if it was someone other than Obama running. When asked about Colin Powell or Condalisa Rice, many kind of choke on the words, loudly and repeatedly just declaring the mantra they have no prejudice themselves.
The vehemence of their rejection of the very question about race as a reason for their opposition to Obama combined with the weakness of any other explanations unfortunately speaks for itself. I hope they are not a majority come election day. Our nation deserves better reasons if we are going to accumulate for another four years the mucking mess we are shoveling on our grandchildren.
I have spoken to dozens of friends, family, clients and acquaintances, both Democrat and Republican, who freely admit Bush and all around him have been a complete and utter disaster. They no longer even try to defend any portion of what has happened thanks to the Neocons even if they have been life long conservatives. They seem downright embarrassed in fact for their complicity in having put such self centered, irresponsible, greedy juveniles in office. Yet, as angry as they are at the destruction and degradation wrought by years of incompetence and arrogance, they unshakably insist they will vote for anyone rather than Obama.
It gets really interesting when I question why in light of the fact that their only other serious choice, McCain, promises to perpetuate most if not exactly 100% of the same policies, pursuits and partisanship as Bush and Cheney and their minions.
When closely quizzed, some cite outright falsehoods like Obama supposedly is a really Muslim and they cling to that belief tenaciously despite abundant evidence to the contrary. Nothing shakes that excuse not to vote for Obama, even though the principles of this country are that all religions deserve equality.
Others insist Obama is rich, not a common man even though he comes from very humble beginnings. Well, that excuse is slightly true for once, but they pointedly ignore McCain's far greater riches (thanks to a rich replacement wife), allowing McCain to accumulate more houses than most men have shoes. Somehow, that's "totally different" and okay apparently because there are photos of McCain manning a barbecue grill.
There is lots of criticism of Obama's perceived personality offered as reasons. They range from his choice of leafy green vegetables to whether or not he wears a flag pin 24/7, as if his choice of food or supporting the flag production industry we shipped to China has anything to do with either ability to be President or patriotism. Such criticism often comes from those who have been observed consuming the same food and who never volunteered for military service to demonstrate their own supposed Nathan Hale/John Adams/Patrick Henry patriotism. (Of course, there are apparently only about two tests left in our current abbreviated definition of "patriotism," whether you have a "Support the Troops" bumper sticker and whether you slavishly, uncritically accept everything you are told by the those in power, which would be quite a surprise to Hale, Adams and Henry.)
Still others insists that Obama must be an elitist, pointy-headed intellectual. It is hard to argue with the fact that Obama graduated among the top of his class in arguably the top law school in the country and headed its Law Review. A remarkable feat in comparison to McCain's lazy trolling near the bottom of his class at the Academy. What is not clear is why those opposed to Obama no longer think it would be a good idea to have the proven brilliant get a chance at leadership as opposed to the mental midgets we have been afflicted with for so long.
Let's be clear. There are plenty of substantive things for which Obama deserves criticism. He was definitely not my personal first or even fifth choice. But, the "explanations" of those who admit Republicans, including McCain, have continually screwed up are so lame and implausible when examined, that I cannot help but assume there is an unadmitted reason, one that goes against the grain of everything this country and its governing documents stand for - - Obama's black and McCain isn't.
Besides the desperately needed change from years of debacle, you would think we would recognize that electing someone of a different hue or a truly different religion (if Obama actually was), would show the world for once that we really do practice what we preach, especially when most of the world we have to live in is of a different color and religious belief. Why then can't we do that at least one time in our entire history, especially when the white guys running things have done so badly? Why can't we give someone else a chance? Is it because the Obama opponents secretly don't really want a black man in the White House?
When asked that question point blank, they hem and haw and bristle and proclaim that they are not racist, that they don't personally fear the Blacks, that the amount of melanin in skin would never influence their decision on voting day. On the other hand, they can't seem to ever quite bring themselves to say they would actually want a black President if it was someone other than Obama running. When asked about Colin Powell or Condalisa Rice, many kind of choke on the words, loudly and repeatedly just declaring the mantra they have no prejudice themselves.
The vehemence of their rejection of the very question about race as a reason for their opposition to Obama combined with the weakness of any other explanations unfortunately speaks for itself. I hope they are not a majority come election day. Our nation deserves better reasons if we are going to accumulate for another four years the mucking mess we are shoveling on our grandchildren.
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