Gasoline Prices - "Feeling Your Pain" Burps
Bonnie Alba
April 25, 2006
Pleasure-Comfort-Convenience should be the motto of 21st Century American consumers. As the gas pump prices keep rising, we hear dumbed-down, whiny Americans as reported by press and TV. Some of them loudly burp the usual victim appeal as this woman did: “Pres. Bush needs to do something.” As if Pres. Bush is in control of OPEC and the oil companies. She must believe the socialist-democrats were right, following the environmentalist road, cutting all refinery building and never drilling for oil on American land. Some Americans want to have their cake and eat it too.
The Associated Press reported the “discomfort” of those paying at the gas pump accompanied by a photo of a teenager in his Mercedes driving through MacDonald’s order-pickup lane --on his way to school. What’s wrong with this image?
Americans have short memories. Those under 35 years of age did not experience the gas shortages and long lines at the pumps --- try 1973 and 1979. Remember the car pools formed, encouraged by state governments and the feds? Remember the highway lanes developed to allow those with two or more people in a vehicle to use the “new fast lane?” Remember the call for and development of smaller vehicles with more miles per gallon of gas? Alternate fuels?
In the intervening decades, consumers became complacent. Dissatisfied with the econo-box cars, they returned to larger cars, SUVs, and truck gas guzzlers. Even though gas prices have incrementally increased, as all costs have, Americans just accepted them. Maybe we didn’t like it, but we accepted. After all, it’s only a few cents more on the dollar.
Over the last two years, we have experienced inflationary prices at the groceries, retail stores and other service industries, some due to increased energy costs. Example: the price of a gallon of milk has increased by 50 percent, or more in some cases, in high cost of living areas. No complaints from consumers who have had to divert ever more of their cash flow to pay the higher costs of production and distribution.
Now American pocketbooks are being hit hard for returning to energy guzzlers and paying more at the gas pump. The socialist-liberal media repeats the old refrains of “I’m a victim” mentality.
Then comes the political wisdom from the congressional utopia, mostly ‘burps’ issued to allay citizens’ real concerns. Responding to a question on CNN’s ‘Late Edition.’ Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter responded with a ‘Huge Burp’ to the question of what Congress could do about the gas prices. What’s his wisdom?
He stated that a “windfall tax” on oil company profits would be one option among others. Guess who that tax would be passed on to at the gas pump? Yes, we consumers! Why is it Congress thinks a “tax” will fix everything? And once enacted, they never delete it!
Pres. Bush is giving some kind of response to the woman above. Under pressure from both Democrats and Republicans, he has ordered a “gas cheating probe.” He’s not pointing fingers at OPEC but at the independent-franchised gas stations and, indirectly, the oil companies. Guess what? After our withheld taxes pay for the investigation burp, what will happen? Nothing.
Inflation of prices will not reach a peak any time soon. We no longer have Greenspan and his restrained utterances to keep inflation from raising its ugly head. With the release of the Federal Reserve Board March meeting minutes, the stock market reacted happily. Some financial whizzes concluded the Feds were a little too complacent about the gas prices and have ignored the jump in the costs of products.
Wages are still not rising to the inflation tune and have lagged behind for decades. Two-income families, who can’t get a grip on the fact they should be saving versus spending on here-today-gone-tomorrow pleasures and comforts, are experiencing higher costs in sustaining their living standards. Many struggle under a load of debt and some will declare bankruptcy this year as the cost of living catches up with higher costs and their shrinking dollars.
Pres. Bush should call on Congress to loosen the strict, regulatory laws strangling any attempts to develop new energy sources. Also the goal should be to strengthen our nation’s self-sufficiency by lifting the environmentally self-imposed embargo against drilling in Alaska. With China and India increasing their shares of buying oil through OPEC, we must decrease our dependency on Middle-East oil.
Americans are very adaptable, but with the softness developed through the “do what feels good” materialism over the last 30 years, they are not prepared for a inflationary recession or a full depression.
Maybe we need a depression to awaken Americans to what’s really important.
2006 Bonnie Alba
Comments welcome: tttalba@hotmail.com
The Associated Press reported the “discomfort” of those paying at the gas pump accompanied by a photo of a teenager in his Mercedes driving through MacDonald’s order-pickup lane --on his way to school. What’s wrong with this image?
Americans have short memories. Those under 35 years of age did not experience the gas shortages and long lines at the pumps --- try 1973 and 1979. Remember the car pools formed, encouraged by state governments and the feds? Remember the highway lanes developed to allow those with two or more people in a vehicle to use the “new fast lane?” Remember the call for and development of smaller vehicles with more miles per gallon of gas? Alternate fuels?
In the intervening decades, consumers became complacent. Dissatisfied with the econo-box cars, they returned to larger cars, SUVs, and truck gas guzzlers. Even though gas prices have incrementally increased, as all costs have, Americans just accepted them. Maybe we didn’t like it, but we accepted. After all, it’s only a few cents more on the dollar.
Over the last two years, we have experienced inflationary prices at the groceries, retail stores and other service industries, some due to increased energy costs. Example: the price of a gallon of milk has increased by 50 percent, or more in some cases, in high cost of living areas. No complaints from consumers who have had to divert ever more of their cash flow to pay the higher costs of production and distribution.
Now American pocketbooks are being hit hard for returning to energy guzzlers and paying more at the gas pump. The socialist-liberal media repeats the old refrains of “I’m a victim” mentality.
Then comes the political wisdom from the congressional utopia, mostly ‘burps’ issued to allay citizens’ real concerns. Responding to a question on CNN’s ‘Late Edition.’ Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter responded with a ‘Huge Burp’ to the question of what Congress could do about the gas prices. What’s his wisdom?
He stated that a “windfall tax” on oil company profits would be one option among others. Guess who that tax would be passed on to at the gas pump? Yes, we consumers! Why is it Congress thinks a “tax” will fix everything? And once enacted, they never delete it!
Pres. Bush is giving some kind of response to the woman above. Under pressure from both Democrats and Republicans, he has ordered a “gas cheating probe.” He’s not pointing fingers at OPEC but at the independent-franchised gas stations and, indirectly, the oil companies. Guess what? After our withheld taxes pay for the investigation burp, what will happen? Nothing.
Inflation of prices will not reach a peak any time soon. We no longer have Greenspan and his restrained utterances to keep inflation from raising its ugly head. With the release of the Federal Reserve Board March meeting minutes, the stock market reacted happily. Some financial whizzes concluded the Feds were a little too complacent about the gas prices and have ignored the jump in the costs of products.
Wages are still not rising to the inflation tune and have lagged behind for decades. Two-income families, who can’t get a grip on the fact they should be saving versus spending on here-today-gone-tomorrow pleasures and comforts, are experiencing higher costs in sustaining their living standards. Many struggle under a load of debt and some will declare bankruptcy this year as the cost of living catches up with higher costs and their shrinking dollars.
Pres. Bush should call on Congress to loosen the strict, regulatory laws strangling any attempts to develop new energy sources. Also the goal should be to strengthen our nation’s self-sufficiency by lifting the environmentally self-imposed embargo against drilling in Alaska. With China and India increasing their shares of buying oil through OPEC, we must decrease our dependency on Middle-East oil.
Americans are very adaptable, but with the softness developed through the “do what feels good” materialism over the last 30 years, they are not prepared for a inflationary recession or a full depression.
Maybe we need a depression to awaken Americans to what’s really important.
2006 Bonnie Alba
Comments welcome: tttalba@hotmail.com
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