Gas at Joe's

I do not think any of the three presumptive presidential candidates will steer us in any correct direction.

One of my very first blogs criticized anyone in the U.S. of A. who used the term Energy Independence. This is a fallacy. A pipe dream (whatever a pipe dream is...). Hogwash. Pure, Unadulterated, Balderdash.

Energy independence, if mandated by law tomorrow, would require the immediate reduction in oil consumption by 60%. And refined petroleum products by 15%. I do not have any idea on coal or natural gas imports, but I do believe the US imports LNG, so an immediate reduction here as well would be required.

Not gonna happen.

What a sight yesterday -- Obama at Joe's Junction gas station, where regular is an incredible, unbelievable, shocking THREE dollars and SIXTY-THREE cents a gallon...Outrageous! A Crime! Horrors! Here he was speaking on a podium declaring "Investing in Energy Independence...barrackobama.com"

Is this for real? Did I wake up this morning into another realm? In Middle Earth? What a meathead. And so are Hillary and John, both contemplating a reprieve of the federal gas tax between Memorial Day and Labor Day. These three can't get it. They may want to do the right thing, but political constraints prevent them from doing it. There is no way any of these three candidates can get up on a podium and dictate that their own and their constituents' hyperconsumptive lifestyles are the cause of such 'hardships' and that a wholesale shift in the non-negotiable American Lifestyle is what's likely going to be required.

This is the dilemma in American politics -- mention the hard, and you don't get elected. Speak of the easy -- that there is no sacrifice needed, and you'll get in. A sitting politician does not cater to their electorate, only to his/her contributors...most of whom are banking on things not changing. But during a primary, you have to cater to the electorate -- and to every flavor of electorate...older white women, young black men, gay urbanites, evangelical ruralites, white environmentalists, blue collar factory workers, retired pensioners, Iowan farmers, Southern Californian defense contractors, Northwestern dirt shrimp farmers. All people that consume gas. Thus...Hillary is more open to the gas tax holiday...so long as the lost revenues are made up by the Highway Trust Fund. So where is this make-up money going to come from, Ms. C? My Federal Taxes?

DO EVERYTING WE CAN TO EXCLUDE OUR OWN BEHAVIOR AS A CAUSE.

Doesn't this sound like an alcoholic? "High gas prices aren't because of my 68-mile round trip commute between Liberty Hill and Austin, it's because of those damn Arabians, oil companies, and the leftist environmentalists here that won't allow offshore or artic drilling." This guy gasses up at stations just like Joe's in Indiana. Bickering, but gassing up nonetheless.