THE COMMON SENSE OF FIGHTING BACK

How to begin to control the price of energy, a truly “free” market, and our future

We are dependent on non-American sources for much of our energy requirements. The price of that fuel is controlled by monopoly – OPEC and energy companies. Monopolies are against our laws here. In large part, OPEC is controlled by a very rich family in Saudi Arabia – the royal family of the House of Saud. They loudly proclaim they are our “Dearest friends and best allies in the war on terror...” So oil is $45.00 a barrel and rising; gas is $2.10+ a gallon and rising. We are once again being squeezed by them. The House of Saud says $45.00 a barrel is too much. Too much? Have you seen the way these “royal” people live? Have you seen how our purchase of their oil finances Al Qaeda and the hatred of America taught in their Madras’s?

Now, once again, we are being programmed to expect that the price of gasoline will drop a bit but that heating oil will skyrocket in the fall. It’s the same old bologna of “not enough inventory”. Then natural gas will rise accordingly because, well, why not? They can get away with it by saying that drilling is restricted. And our government representatives will agree, blaming one another for gridlock. “Let us drill in Alaska. Let us drill off shore. Let us burn more coal. It will be safe. Nothing will happen...” But all that policy does is prolong and increase our dependence on fossil fuel. It also will put a blight on the land and water. Finally, it will keep us supporting our “Dearest friends and best allies...” as long as they have the oil we crave.

Our current Vice President convened a secret meeting to “write new energy policy”. He refuses to say who was at the meeting, although rumor has it that it was attended by oil, gas, coal, and other “energy” corporations, lobbyists and interested parties. But he won’t tell us who they were. Why? Could one of those advisors be the company at which he held his only recent non-government job, Halliburton? This is a company in which he still has a huge financial stake from salary and stock options deferred? This company was recently cited for improper financial reporting during his watch. And what were these new energy policies? Drill in Alaska? Drill offshore? Relax pollution restrictions on coal burning power facilities? Encourage coal strip mining? Did we hear anything, other than lip-service, about developing alternate fuel sources? Solar? Wind? Hydrogen? Ocean currents? Geo-thermal? Did we see increased mileage demands on auto manufacturers? Did we hear any discussion of conservation? Were there any programs aimed at more efficient fuel use? And remember all that talk about Iraq having greater oil reserves that Saudi Arabia? So where’s the oil? How did we go from $27.00 a barrel to $45.00 a barrel so quickly? And don’t wait for the “media” to seek the answers. In general, they are a joke.

In the past year I have received the same e-mails from several friends about our growing energy problems. One suggested we buy our fuel from a list of companies who do not buy their oil from the Middle East. Another urged that we don’t buy gasoline on a specific day to frighten the oil companies. Another said to complain to your representatives in Congress. (Before you do that I suggest that you check how much they get from the oil companies and the Saudi’s) The gasoline and oil you buy, be it Exxon or Joe’s gas, comes from the same refinery. It’s the same. Believe me, Joe doesn’t have a refinery. The crude oil comes from all over the world, purchased months in advance. To not buy gasoline for one day is foolish. It scares no one. But not to buy for a month would send a message. Today we can’t do that, can we? Not buying isn’t an answer because the drillers, shippers, refiners, and marketers know we have an appetite, an addiction, and we must eventually return to the pump.

As far as getting the President to help by releasing some of that “strategic reserves”... that’s not happening. (I suggest you read “House of Bush / House of Saud” by Unger).

I guess $50.00 a barrel for oil that hurts our economy, and our war on terror, isn’t “strategic” enough.

Let’s look at this war on terror. I hear a lot about Senator Kerry voting for, and then against, and then for some $87 billion to pour into Iraq. I hear he is accused of “not supporting our troops”. What blue smoke and mirrors is that? I was in the US Army. I know that trucks, tanks, jeeps (now called Hum-Vee’s), armored personnel carriers, helicopters, jets, rockets, self-propelled artillery, ships...just about everything that moves in the battlefield uses fuel. So if we are paying these prices for our fuel, imagine what the military, supplied by the likes of Halliburton (with non-competitive contracts) is being charged. Their subsidiary, Brown and Root, were just accused of overcharging on $1.8 billion in Iraq on top of hundreds of millions a few months ago. So much for non-competitive bids being a good idea. I wonder why we don’t use those “strategic reserves” to support our troops. It would be FREE fuel to wage a war. Isn’t war a “strategic” kind of thing? So who is really not supporting our troops. How dare anyone who supports OPEC and the Saudi’s and the refiners and the oil market traders accuse anyone of not supporting the war effort. Talk about being unpatriotic. Shame on them!

I remember, as very young child, that during WWII there was rationing – gas, food, butter, meat. No one complained. Everyone...EVERYONE was asked to sacrifice to win the war, and they did. But in this so-called “war on terror”, only the young soldiers, the brave men and women, and their families, are asked to sacrifice. These are mostly poorer people who joined the service to earn money for college. And don’t forget the Reserves and National Guard whose lives are disrupted because we set out to fight this Iraqi war on the cheap, with but one ally, and without a peace plan or exit strategy. How have we, the American people, been asked to join the war on terror and sacrifice? By being told to “go about our business...travel...buy homes... and don’t be afraid...” (unless the color changes and we are hyped to be afraid). Is that the way our government thinks we should support our troops and win a deadly war?

This current administration has alienated most of the world. Not just the one billion Muslims, but old allies and partners as well. Now we bear the burden of this folly. We have been caught short – not enough soldiers, not enough supplies, no allies to speak of to share the cost, and no apparent actual reason to go to war other than Saddam was a bad man. So who is the next “bad man” we will attack preemptively? How can we do that?

And then, with billions flowing out for two hot “wars” plus the “terror war”, we are told we get a tax cut. But who is the “we”? I’m not rich. The 40% rise in the price of fuel through cold last winter ate up my tax cut pronto. Why didn’t we just have the money sent directly to the energy companies, Halliburton, the Saudis, and OPEC?

And don’t forget we now face record deficits. The Federal Reserve is raising interest rates while employment lags and people are being laid off. Remember “Happy days are here again” came after we were told that, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Enough. You get the picture.

Here’s what I propose. I urge you to think about it and, if you agree, act! Pass it on to your family, friends, and representatives. I strongly believe that if we go back to Tom Paine and his friend’s words “We the People...” we will lose our freedom and our country.

A PLAN

1-Don’t drive unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. Be honest about it. And tell people why you are not doing it.

2-If you can, cancel vacation plans – air, sea, car, whatever. Think of the American kids in Afghanistan and Iraq. Think of it as support for them. Let’s all go on vacation together when they come home.

3-Lower the house temperature in winter. Dress warmer.

4-Cut back on air conditioning as much as possible. Buy only energy efficient appliances.

5-Cut back on purchase and use of any product that contains petrochemicals – I.E. plastics, Vaseline, motor oil, excessive and wasteful packaging...Etc.

6-Don’t buy or rent or lease a car or SUV that doesn’t get at least 30MPG.

7-Write to the car companies and demand they increase fuel efficiency and develop hybrid models. Note that Toyota, Honda and Ford seem to be doing this. Tell the other auto companies you will give these companies your business if they don’t get efficient.

8-Buy your gas at the cheapest gas station near you for three fill-ups. Then tell the other stations what you’ve done and watch the prices drop. We always hear about a “market economy”. Well, who do you think the “market” is? You! Let’s give those ivory tower economists a real-life lesson.

9-Help to support families of Reservists, National Guard troops who have been snatched up and sent to war. And remember the soldiers whose tours have been extended by the “back door draft”. Demand your government, local, state and national help these heroes.

10-Let your senator and congressperson know you are doing all, or part, of the above. Tell them that for this you want a real tax deduction for your sacrifice to win the war on terror because you are doing things that the government refuses to do.

11-Go on-line and let the oil companies and the Saudi’s (via their embassy) and the auto companies, and your local auto dealer, and companies that use wasteful plastic packaging...Etc. that you are cutting back and that they cannot take you for granted anymore. Demand they begin to develop new energy sources, efficient vehicles and sensible packaging.

12-Don’t be sucked in by the TV ads and a big “national” election. Pay attention to local and state matters. Let your representatives know it is time for them to get to work and listen to the voice of the people. Let your senators know they no longer belong to a exclusive club. They are just public servants who must now serve the public.

13-Support candidates who promise, ON CAMERA and/OR IN WRITING, to introduce and support real and effective energy policy that will make us energy self-sufficient by 2014.