People complain about the gas prices because the pay them often and see them every day. We see our property taxes less often, the cost of cars or computers even less than that.
Assistant Village Idiot | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 8:32 am | #

Thank you - as I keep explaining to my family, the oil companies are not a charitable institution.
Sal | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 9:02 am | #

Every time I read about the protests against drilling in Alaska, I wonder whether those same protesters are driving gas-guzzling SUV's.

Bush was right. We're addicted.
Andrea in NY | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 9:18 am | #

Pat,

in the last few paragraphs you have seized upon a vitally important point about free-market capitalism and the sense of responsibility: the former can't truly work if the former is not sufficiently appreciated and practiced. People who can not distinguish between their needs and their desires, who won't live within their means, and who expect others (often the government) make good on their bad choices are children at heart, no matter what their chronological age. Unfortunately, there are far too many politicians willing to play Mommy and Daddy to these grown children.
Starling | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 9:32 am | #

> histrionic blame game (if only we could harness that energy!)

Ah, doc, what a foolish idea.

If we could harness that energy we'd blow up the planet by thinking too hard, as it is somewhat greater than Total Mass Conversion, and requires no physical objects as fuel sources, so is therefore inexhaustable.

Think of the effects of the first "Histrionic Blame Bomb" on the ecosystem....

Be Afwaid. Be Wery, Wery Afwaid.
Oh Bloedige Hel | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 9:48 am | #

The ironic thing here is everyone wants to complain when they are complcite(sp) in the cost of gasoline. They restrict the number of refineries. They restrict drilling for oil. They do nothing about their states having all kinds of variuos blends of gasoline so that when oil is refined the process has to be retooled for each state. Why do we need 50 state's idea of what gasoline sold in the state should be? If we had just 3 grades of a universal standard the cost of gasoline would fall.
Gasoline by any reasonable standard is one of the cheapest item in your budget compared to historic costs. Then consider the taxes on each gallon of gas.
There is absolutely no reason why we cannot find away to use resources and protect the environment too.
There must be an ironclad rule that the most dangerous people to any issue is an activist and this is especially true in this area. This is not to discount the damage done by activists in all other areas. Reasonable people would have solved a good many of these issues if not for activists.
The person who deserve blame is most like to be the person one greets every morning in the mirror. those
Dennis | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 10:20 am | #

> Thank you - as I keep explaining to my family, the oil companies are not a charitable institution.

WHAT? Who says?

I've got the attitude of a 6yo, dammit!

I wannit I wannit I wannit!!!!
Gimme Gimme Gimme NOW NOW NOW | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 11:11 am | #

> Bush was right. We're addicted.

Don't confuse addiction with stupidity.

One may lead to the other, but they are not directly related in the automatic causal sense, with one always meaning the existence of the other.
Oh Blutige Hölle | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 11:14 am | #

I don't get you morons. Everything is about oil. That's why we went to Iraq; that's why Chavez is right to be afraid that we'll invade. Bush is in deep with the oil companies and they are setting our national agenda. How stupid do you have to be not to realize that we are all being manipulated?
anonymous | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 11:21 am | #

But Pat...if we could only smash the Halliburton-dominated hegemony and bring about true participatory democracy, then cars would run on wind power, and no one would get sick, and there would be unlimited sex for everybody, even ugly and unpleasant people, and lots & lots of good things....
David Foster | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 11:54 am | #

Don't forget Bread, and Circuses, and Free Ice Cream For Everybody!
Headless Unicorn Guy | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 12:43 pm | #

anonymous

Pick one of those points and make a case for it. "Everything" is about oil. What, exactly?

Or perhaps make a logical case that we went into Iraq for oil. Afghanistan is not oil-rich, for example. Did we go there for poppies?

What does "in deep" with oil companies mean? And how do they benefit from this war, exactly?

I know these things seem obvious to you and the smart folks you likely hang with, but humor us. Explain it slowly so we understand.
Assistant Village Idiot | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 1:42 pm | #

I want free cheese. YUM!
Dude | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 2:23 pm | #

thanks for the very welcome and timely rant!
I could not agree more.
Bird Dog | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 4:29 pm | #

Yes...explain it slowly and carefully. For instance, I'm an investor in a couple of oil fields. I was under the impression that additional oil coming on stream from Iraq, once terrorism is substantially suppressed, would tend to *lower* the world price of oil, according to the normal theorems of economics. Please explain how the additional supply will raise the price.
david f foster | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 5:30 pm | #

David,

Additional oil has yet to come "on stream", as you put it. Every account I have seen indicates that production levels in Iraq are still at pre-OIF levels.

follow link to my blog and look for a post entitled "A Price on His head" for a few more details.
Starling | Email | Homepage | 06.09.06 - 11:08 pm | #

Starling...I'm well aware of the terrorist-created problems with Iraqi oil production. My point is that, contrary to the arguments made by many on the left, a clear victory in the war in Iraq would *not* necessarily be in the economic best interests of oil companies.

(As I'm sure you're aware but many are not, the oil industry is very complex and diverse, and the interests of companies within it differ depending on their specific asset mix and the strategies they are pursuing.)
david f foster | Email | Homepage | 06.10.06 - 10:34 am | #

> true participatory democracy, then cars would run on wind power,

A politician in every tank?

Hmmmmm.... Might work, I guess.
obloodyhell | Email | Homepage | 06.11.06 - 12:47 am | #

> a clear victory in the war in Iraq would *not* necessarily be in the economic best interests of oil companies.

AHA!!

Zo, yu admit ze truzs et LAST!!!

BWAAAAhahahahahaahhhhhhaaaaaaaaa!!!!

Ze REAL reason ze Iraq War hes gon on zo long iz becuss ze Bush Edmin hess bin drifink up ze price ov ze oil!!!

Inew yu vood zooner or leter trip yorself up vith this kritical piez ov infomazhun! I new it, I new it, I new i...!!!!

OOPS. Sorry, channeling Howard Dean there, for a moment.

Never mind.

Eww. That was ugly.
obloodyhell | Email | Homepage | 06.11.06 - 12:52 am | #

As usual, the list didn't include the troubles in Nigeria or Venezuela, did it?..
boinkie | Email | Homepage | 06.11.06 - 7:21 am | #

Great article! Mortgage. Find best mortgage rate and mortgage calculator.
mortgage broker | Email | Homepage | 06.15.06 - 9:58 am | #