The main topic, and my first post was all about lives. Forget the looting, and save lives! Pray for the victims, the law enforcement, the national guard, and the aid workers there to assist. By all means, send money or items to help as you are able to motivated to do so!
I have not, and will not point fingers at any party or individual for the current oil situation. As Dunna wrote early on - it is the result of years of choices and direction the country has taken. No one person, group, or party bears this responsibility. I WILL take a stand this year though - the energy bill passed by the House, Senate, and signed by the president is a JOKE! It is no doubt the result of another sucessful year of lobbying by the oil "industry".
Mach - I too am a free market guy, through and through. One probably cannot tell by my recent posts, but I have been a registered Republican since age 18.
Political affiliations aside
oil is not a free market item. A truely free market implies that if prices are raised too high, consumers can simply stop buying the item all together (with or without an alternative) to force prices down. Oil does not fall into this definition. America in its current form cannot function without it --> like electricity and water. Too many life essential items absolutely rely on it - transportation of food, lumber, trash, military, air travel, rail, police, fire, etc. etc. etc. Oil and gas must be purchased, regardless of the cost.
This reliance will take decades to undo, or displace with another system or fuel. Until then, oil MUST be treated as a public utility. Tax the crap out of it like the Europeans do - FINE! Just stop letting the fat oil executives take advantage of the situation to further increase their profits.
Hmmm, maybe I should get an investment group together and buy up all the water supply in North America, then resell it to the public. I promise that I won't mark it up too much...
or better yet, how about the air we breathe? You all better start researching water and air alternatives now.
edit - edited for spelling / extra words only - no content added or removed.
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--> Born in 1972 and unable to PM or post without an editorial review, ! <--
No moose hunting without a license
! Licensing fees available by request
.
Why hunt moose anyway? We're just big, slow, dumb, and make for easy kills...oops.