Gas Prices: Get Used to Them

Americans should realize by now that gas prices aren't going down anytime soon. Instability in the Middle East as a whole is increasing and is not headed towards a resolution short of a violent collision of ideas, ideals, religion, and cultures.

America's untapped oil resources in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge, nor the offshore oil reserves, nor even the Green River Valley have anywhere near enough oil to assist the American dependence on oil -- what's more is that it would take at least 5-10 years for ANY of the domestic oil to even hit the market. As such, if the intention is to lower the current prices at the pump, any new domestic exploration and drilling would be ineffective.

President Bush and John McCain have good intentions in attempting to relieve America's dependable on foreign oil, but what what must be done to solve the problem is to relieve America's dependence on oil in general -- its usage is simply unsustainable.

As worldwide oil consumption increases year after year, with the United States being no exception, one must be conscious of the fact that oil takes millions of years to form -- and that it is not a renewable resource. One day it will run out. One day, humans will be forced to find an alternative; why not start now?

Nancy Pelosi, to her credit, has fought against offshore oil drilling since she joined congress in 1987. Disappointingly, however, she has an ill-rationed plan to lower the current gas prices: to release some or all of the 700 million barrels in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Bush counters that doing so would harm America's national security -- to good reason. The oil reserve is in place to protect against a national emergency, such as another terrorist attack or a natural disaster. It is not in place to ease gas prices for the average consumer, especially when the prices are simply a reflection of a sinking American and world economies and current events.

As of spring 2007, the United States uses near 21 million barrels of oil PER DAY. If America had to suddenly depend solely on the Strategic Oil Reserve, it would last for only one month. Gas prices reaching $4 a gallon is no justification for opening the emergency kit. The current situation is a grave problem, but it is not a national emergency.

So what is the answer? It is not a simple one, and is not one that is likely to appease the many Americans complaining of the high gas prices and the subsequent rise in the cost if living: to reduce America's dependency on oil and to increase our abilities to utilize American ingenuity and creativity to find and implement alternative forms of energy.

Gas prices aren't going anywhere, and Americans should get used to them now -- if not now, then when? Besides, Americans should still consider themselves lucky: consider these per-gallon prices from around the world.

Even the supermajors (commonly known as Big Oil -- Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Total) know that the future for oil is bleak and will require ever-advancing technologies to simply locate and produce it. Perhaps they might place some of their record-breaking profits towards the development of new, alternative, and sustainable energy, leading the world not simply in oil production and profits, but in energy production for the betterment of civilization and mankind as a whole.

Alternative sources of energy won't instantly solve the problem -- it has taken America decades to dig itself into this dependancy, and we won't easily nor quickly dig ourselves out.

We should look at using a multitude of different sources for our energy; each region of the United States has different natural resources and a different climate, and there is no miracle energy cure. As such, American's should consider utilizing many different sources at once, or have transportation devices uniquely suited to certain regions (i.e. solar power out west, wind power on the coast, etc.).

Times are a-changin' people. Get used to it.

TIME's 10 Things to Like about $4 Gasoline

Humans are an extremely adaptable species. Although we're lazy and like comfort and convenience, we adapt to changes in our environment as best we can.

So when gas prices rise (as they are currently), it won't take long for us to change our ways to accommodate -- and those changes may be for the better.

Read TIME Magazine's 10 Things to Like About $4 Gas.

I have long held the view that, although the higher prices may cause a pinch in lifestyle, America needs more expensive gasoline. Honestly, we have nothing to complain about -- Great Britain has long had gasoline at over $8 a gallon, and Australia has been enduring $12 a gallon for quite a while.

Understandably, most American's disagree with me on this (some vehemently) -- but there is validity to the idea, as evidenced by the topics covered in the TIME article (over 3000 America lives have been saved THIS YEAR through decreased pollution and traffic deaths!).

The higher the prices, the less we drive. The less we drive, the fewer pollutants in the air. The less we drive, the fewer natural resources consumed for our convenience -- meaning that they will last longer. The less we drive, the more we take public transportation, bike, or walk -- resulting in better transportation (improvements stem from the additional demand and the additional revenue) and better health for the community (through more exercise and less pollution).

One could even make the argument that higher-priced gas is actually GOOD for the economy. It definitely has and is dropping stock prices (I look at my portfolio and wince) and home values, but that drop provides time for a much-needed rebalancing of the economy.

Everything requires checks and balances, and the American economy has been growing too fast for it to be rooted in stability -- we have shipped our jobs overseas (that are starting to return as shipping prices increase), the economy is based on speculation (stocks) rather than industry (again, solved by returning jobs), which results in a weaker dollar. As the dollar weakens, the remaining United States industries are bought (through stocks + real estate) by foreign companies and even foreign governments (China owns a surprising stake in some U.S. corporations). Does this sound anything like Ron Paul? If it does, just remember that the dire warnings he gave -- at which most of America scoffed -- are all becoming reality.

I could go on, but I will leave my complex ramblings for another day. In conclusion, I view rising prices as bad: short term, but good: long term.

I just hope that America hasn't grown too quickly since its last resettling that we can quickly bounce back into self-reliance and productivity -- and not more towards the 10% unemployment rate towards which we're currently headed.

The American Economy: Ron Paul Had a Point

We all watched as Ron Paul became the Dark Horse Republican presidential candidate, yet never seemed to make it into the mainstream political arena.

His campaign seemed a joke to many, his opinions were laughed off, and yet he set campign fundraising records and his supporters vehemntly stood behind him.

But just what was it that caused him to be so popular? The letter that he wrote to his supporters, entitled "A Word From Ron Paul" (appearing on Forbes.com of all places), addressed just that.

I have personally come across many people who did and still view Paul as a kook, way out in Libertarian field. Unfortunately, because he has a few radical theories (such as abolishing the income tax and the IRS altogether), all of his theories are imediately rejected by the impatient and assuming media and Amiercan society.

Everyone who does not like Ron Paul, everyone who thinks him a kook, everyone who views him as undermining the Republican base, (as well as his supporters) should read his letter.

Honestly, if you read it through, most if not all of his opinions make sense and are well-founded ideas. Paul was educated at Duke University's School of Medicine and has spent over 15 years in the U.S. House of Representatives -- things that one does not accomplish by being dumb.

This posting is not meant to be a "YAY RON PAUL!" article, but I mean to call attention to some of his policy theories.

In these days of gas at $4.25/gallon, National Deby increasing by over $1,000,000 a minute, a falling Dollar, a stockmarket in freefall (June '08 was the worst-performing June since the Great Depression), and ongoing military conflicts in the unstable Middle East, we would all be wise to listen and consider all opinions -- no matter how strange they may seem.

I close with a quote from his letter:

" Unless we embrace fundamental reforms, we will be caught in a financial storm that will humble this great country as no foreign enemy ever could. However, we can find safe harbor in our ideals. Reclaiming our historic legacy of principled commitment to liberty will, once again, unleash the innovative spirit that propelled our nation to heights of prosperity never before achieved in human history."    -- Ron Paul

Read the Forbes.com article here.