With oil in the $140 a barrel range and no real signs of relief, it's no secret that a $14 trillion economy and another $12 billion wasted monthly on an Iraqi occupation and an infrastructure whose errantly dependent upon a volatile Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), sadly, the United States, a Goliath since World War II through 2000, is hemorrhaging for its economic existence.
How did a country that virtually welcomes citizenry to any and everyone, excluding Haitians of course, ever get to this point? For starters, record tax cutting with a spend thrift Administration of the 1980's and more recently, Bush junior, on the advice of unintelligent supply side theorists who proved to have small brains, after all, and a poor mixture of sound fiscal policy. While war mongers Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz puppeted a tunnel visioned president to slay Uday and Qusay and overthrow a pious Sadaam Hussein as the world watched a public hanging, did not win us any friends either. Worse, junior's attempt to bring his style of western values to ancient Mesopotamia has covertly rallied the Muslim world to dethrone the Great Satan, as the U.S. is so affectionately referred to, they'll defeat us economically, guerrilla style. Of course, we have shown our effectiveness in fighting guerrilla style in Vietnam, 58,000 times. But, today, our biggest concerns are those guerrillas that hurt us economically. It is widely believed that those that attack American multi-national corporations' oil fields in Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia or even our fair-weather friends of Saudi Arabia have one common denominator, all Muslims. Coincidence. Perhaps, but, highly improbable.
With few U.S. refineries and China's increased demand for oil as they continue to buy more vehicles, $5 gasoline prices are simply supply and demand. Right?
Wrong!
Ongoing massive trade deficits leads to a weak dollar and an Administration that spends like a drunken sailor actually accounts for about half of the increase at the pump we've seen since about 2002. China most recently was paying less than $1.60 per gallon. Russia, $1.45, Venezuela, $0.14 cents per gallon.
We could buy more oil from Venezuela and the likes and it would still be enviromentaly less costly than drilling in the politically sensitive Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Even with the United State's fat bellied consumption of around 22 million barrels per day, Venezuela's surplus of 2 million daily barrels would do little to curb our demand. But, until this pickup truck loving country does something to curb its thirsty appetite for oil, anything helps. But, seems that Pat Robertson and this Administration has so demonized Hugo Chavez's countrymen even after he offered below market heating oil to American families a few years ago, it's highly unlikely that the Administration will be sending a Fathers Day card to South America.
Some things we have to keep in mind. Like, the United States is no longer in the position to give ultimatums. Remember Bush's "...you're either with us or against us..." comment. The whole world was listening and the American people have been paying for it every since.
Lastly, we must admit that we understand things we pretend not to understand. The world no longer requests nor requires our permission and the current Iraqi situation isn't really about oil, ITS ABOUT RELIGION.
If the United States engages in constructive dialoge with Iran, North Korea, Russia, Cuba and maybe Zimbabwe, that will be change that Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike can all believe in.
How did a country that virtually welcomes citizenry to any and everyone, excluding Haitians of course, ever get to this point? For starters, record tax cutting with a spend thrift Administration of the 1980's and more recently, Bush junior, on the advice of unintelligent supply side theorists who proved to have small brains, after all, and a poor mixture of sound fiscal policy. While war mongers Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz puppeted a tunnel visioned president to slay Uday and Qusay and overthrow a pious Sadaam Hussein as the world watched a public hanging, did not win us any friends either. Worse, junior's attempt to bring his style of western values to ancient Mesopotamia has covertly rallied the Muslim world to dethrone the Great Satan, as the U.S. is so affectionately referred to, they'll defeat us economically, guerrilla style. Of course, we have shown our effectiveness in fighting guerrilla style in Vietnam, 58,000 times. But, today, our biggest concerns are those guerrillas that hurt us economically. It is widely believed that those that attack American multi-national corporations' oil fields in Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia or even our fair-weather friends of Saudi Arabia have one common denominator, all Muslims. Coincidence. Perhaps, but, highly improbable.
With few U.S. refineries and China's increased demand for oil as they continue to buy more vehicles, $5 gasoline prices are simply supply and demand. Right?
Wrong!
Ongoing massive trade deficits leads to a weak dollar and an Administration that spends like a drunken sailor actually accounts for about half of the increase at the pump we've seen since about 2002. China most recently was paying less than $1.60 per gallon. Russia, $1.45, Venezuela, $0.14 cents per gallon.
Even with the United State's fat bellied consumption of around 22 million barrels per day, Venezuela's surplus of 2 million daily barrels would do little to curb our demand. But, until this pickup truck loving country does something to curb its thirsty appetite for oil, anything helps. But, seems that Pat Robertson and this Administration has so demonized Hugo Chavez's countrymen even after he offered below market heating oil to American families a few years ago, it's highly unlikely that the Administration will be sending a Fathers Day card to South America.
Some things we have to keep in mind. Like, the United States is no longer in the position to give ultimatums. Remember Bush's "...you're either with us or against us..." comment. The whole world was listening and the American people have been paying for it every since.
Lastly, we must admit that we understand things we pretend not to understand. The world no longer requests nor requires our permission and the current Iraqi situation isn't really about oil, ITS ABOUT RELIGION.
If the United States engages in constructive dialoge with Iran, North Korea, Russia, Cuba and maybe Zimbabwe, that will be change that Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike can all believe in.
