Friday, April 28, 2006

Liberal Oil Solutions Aren't

I find it encouraging that we can get the expected response from socialist journo's repeatedly on any number of issues, today it's oil again. What would you guess the response to be? Not raise taxes? You win a prize! In my inbox is another forwarded Old Grey Hag oped about oil and politics. The current prescription is the same as the old one, raise taxes and force people to buy government mandated cars. I'm for encouraging more efficiency, which would be a natural progression for auto makers if this really was a 'crisis' as in the seventies and eighties when inexpensive, more efficient cars from Asia took the legs off the Detroit dinosaur. But as it isn't a 'crisis', SUV's seem to be selling fine and more government mandated 'alternative' cars will just muck things up and slow the market, not solve the 'crisis'. Henceforth, I will assail the taxation solution, and leave the 'green' cars for another day.

When did a increase in taxes ever result in anything but more government and economic sluggishness? Think hard... Ok, never. The argument for oil goes something like this: alternative sources of energy are expensive, therefor we must increase the cost of gasoline to promote new sources of energy. Sounds great if it wasn't fraught with the same problem any socialist policy is shackled with economically. This ball and chain is insurmountable, yet never addressed by the populist emotionally driven environmentalist. What is this flaw? No free market responds positively to increased taxation or regulation.

Now, I am not a advocate of unlimited growth or wanton pollution, but the current 'climate' of fear and dread concerning the petroleum industry has created a weird state of affairs. This nations largest companies have recorded record profits, yet they are assailed by the socialist left. Shareholders are seeing the fruits of energy stocks that have been pummeled in the past, and this should be applauded. What is extremely grievous in this equation is the government, both national and local. Why you ask? No other mainstream commodity is taxed like oil.

Lets do something really smart. Educate the population concerning simple economics and show the effect of undue taxation. Pass a law that requires gas stations to post the price of gas pre-tax. Yeah, that's right, you would see gas at say $2.40 a gallon, fill up the Prius for twenty-four bucks, but the bill comes to thirty! It gets better when you look at those huge profits recorded recently by oil companies. The profit margin hovers around ten cents per gallon for gas, that's five to one in favor of the government. Then the government wallops a big chunk of change in corporate taxes on the profit, and presumably will get some more in capital gains as the underlying stock increases in value. Recent statements on Exxon's (libs only hate Walmart more) fourth quarter put their profit at eight billion dollars, and the federal government's take on the underlying oil at eighteen billion dollars. They should be jumping for joy instead of jumping for the pseudo-enviro-carrot vote.

Curious in this is the large stake in Exxon by certain government union pension plans. But that is a digression, the real travesty inherent within the debate is how separated the socialist philosophy of the emotionally driven pseudo-environmentalists is from the proverbial core beliefs of traditional American identity. Inevitably, America is demonized in this group, and their identity as American citizens is distorted. It's the 'Global Citizen' syndrome again, which has its roots in pure socialist thought. Again, sounds great, makes one feel good, and is in its application pure folly.

We can pursue alternative sources of energy, and in time we must. Concurrent with that, we can encourage clean use of energy and positively reinforce efficiency. To do such successfully there is a practical aspect we must respect, a fundamental driving dynamic that is part of America's amazing progress that must be built in to and highlighted in any future planning regarding petroleum. But that is not in the playbook for the left and their Grey Sheet propagandists. It is not in the mold of 'alternative' anything, and sells no paper. I wonder if ink prices have risen?

As for the reality of oil, I am not a geologist, or an economist, but have communicated extensively with both professions in an academic context and come away with with the following conclusions. First of all, the price of oil per barrel would need to stay near sixty dollars a barrel for a extended period of time (years) to institute secondary recovery well production. The amount of oil available at that price point is extensive, though not unlimited. When that happens, some of the bio-fuels and shale oil processes become economically viable. At some point in time past that, much more expensive recovery becomes viable, and other alternative energy products will be entering the marketplace. Each of these scenarios will have environmental impacts, and be spurned by nutters. But the time scales are generational, and not out of sink with historical sources of energy and their life cycles.

The global environmental impact of petroleum use is unknowable regardless of what is reported in the news, and will not be 'discovered' in the near future. But the climate has been much warmer than now, and much colder in recent history. It has warmed and cooled rapidly before as well. In fact, it was very warm periods that produced the oil we use today. Arguably, a warmer climate will with the current position of the continents would support more terrestrial regions for farming. But many coastal areas could see dramatic changes. The climate could rapidly cool as well. It is foolish speculation at this point. And to expect all of the world to conform to ideologues expectations regarding petroleum use is asinine, especially based on climatic speculations.

Conversely, encouraging efficiency in the use of petroleum is a very viable pursuit. We should use government resources to research efficiency. Just as we should research alternate sources of energy. However, large scale implementation of these discoveries will occur when they become economically viable, not when they are forced on the market. To forcibly implement is folly as a nation, and impossible globally. Hopefully more sane debate can occur in the media as well, since hype in part is what drives short term market fluctuations. However, those same peaks are fodder for pundits...

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Those Freedom Loving Islamic Hackers?

I just realized that one of the blogs in my roll (aarons.cc) has garnered some attention of particularly odious nutters. It seems that he has irked some technically savvy hate mongers who have hacked his site multiple times. Others noticed before I (of course), notably sugiero and moxie, so go there and duly notice. Now, as for the free speech, Muhammad the dead guy apparently didn't appreciate it. So now some of his nutter followers practice anti free speech. Imagine that. My note to all Islamic Fundamentalists: get out of the dead guy cult as soon as possible, or be prepared to spend a cold dark eternity. Free people will prevail. Although I personally don't engage in book burning, when its very cold, the Quran lights easily. And if you run out of tp in the woods, I hear some versions are like Charmin. Go Aaron!

Greasy Speculation Spurring Slick Politicos?

Has anyone considered how easy it would be, even if unorganized, for speculators to prompt the ridiculous debate among our elected finest concerning the price of gasoline? To me, it appears obvious, especially considering the governments addiction to gasoline taxes. If we really saw how much we had to pay in tax every time we tanked up, the population would be infuriated. But, those costs are safely insulated in the price, leaving our finest idiots to attack Big Oil with impunity. This in turn, keeps the market jittery, which is especially beneficial to speculators. Maybe its just my crackpot conspiracy theory, however, I read something supporting this claim from the Qatar Oil Minister about oil dropping fifteen dollars a barrel, if politicians would just shut up. Now that is interesting...

Hu's Leader of an Evil Cult?

Who could resist Hu, current revolving puppet of the worlds most evil cult, when he is trying to persuade? Apparently, our fine President has enough spine to refuse Hu's persuasion when it comes to labeling the Falun Gong an 'evil cult'. Of course, no one suspected Hu would not like the Gong! But, title of worlds most evil cult has already been taken by the Party. Yes, Hu's party. How many people have the Falun Gong murdered? How many forced abortions have they done? How many people have they enslaved? Zero on all counts. Gee, they don't even register on the 'evil cult' meter. Not so for the cult of communism, especially as practiced by Mao. Yes, the über cult of Mao tops the charts for most evil cult in all history. Not to say that some upstart, like Islamo Fascism, could unseat the major player, but it would take real effort to get past the likes of Tojo, Hitler, and Stalin! And these boys were just playing in the sandbox compared to Mao, think about that for a moment. So, Hu knows what hypocrisy Hu speaks of, maybe.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Think About Anonymity

I enjoyed this train of comedy in its entirety. If you have not followed the threads and read in detail the comments, stop now and enjoy, then come back. Done rolling on the floor in hysteria? Good. Now what does it mean to have a pseudonym online in the context of talking to or about yourself? I mean, I will have to log in as Karl Feuerstein and praise my witty creativity when I finish, just to see how it feels. I have multiple personalities online, but they have not met, yet... Oh, what a tangled web. Carlos, its time for your therapy session with Dr. Krugmeyr. And stop talking to yourself!

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

A Slump for Politics

I have been heavily occupied with work, and in this sorrowful condition, politics is like poison. Yet is it the case of internalization? Or is something more sinister at work? I can get behind efforts to slam the socialist left. I can be jubilantly positive about superior Supreme Court appointments. Even on topics where divergence with our republican leaders occurs, such as spending, I remain fervent. But in the current season of love, the political weather is beyond my endurance.

The primary topic of distortion at the moment is Illegal Immigration. It can be summarized with a few catchy slogans like "No Illegal Left Behind" and "Alien Voter Enrollment Act". Sickening. The pandering politicos in the Senate are the worst abusers, on both sides. The situation is so distasteful, I have not the heart to engage a dialog.

The secondary smoke filled obscurity hinges on the "National Security" debate. Which, again, has become unhinged and is simply viewed by opponents as opportunity to make political advancement. God bless our troops, who are fighting for a brighter and more secure world. May coals be heaped on the empty heads who authorized that noble action and now use it for whatever political ambition suits the day.

I have already gone to far, my psyche needs renewal in the arena of rhetorical inferno. I think the American people are tired of politics, especially the politics of Doom and Gloom, and need re-invigoration. Who will step up to the plate and bring us the vision of a bright and noble future? Who will but on the mantle of Reagan? Rise up! Bring us hope and sanity in Washington!