Dead Dinosaurs and Political Fools

There's nothing like some expensive Texas Tea to get the population and politicians in a tizzy. Nothing pisses me off more to listen to people whine about gas prizes and then jump into their Expedition to drive 1 block and get some milk. Can Bush lower gas prices? Sure, if he lowers taxes on gasoline. (I would fully support this based on the simple fact that we are already taxed to death. Literally.) Would a windfall profits tax reduce prices? Get real, the companies would pass it on to consumers because it doesn't address the fundamental problems. The profits are not out of line based on historical or industry benchmarks. Besides they will need that money if anyone ever wises up and allows them to build some new refinery's. The simple fact is that the US government and the US population have, over time, done this to ourselves.

NIMBY. Not In My Backyard. If you haven't heard this than you are living in a hole. This acronym refers to people who consistently challenge things because of the proximity to their house. Think new refinery's, nuclear power plants etc. The US hasn't allowed companies to build a new refinery in decades. This leads to an inflexible supply that cannot keep up with increasing demand. I cant believe I'm about to say this, but we ought to look to France here who uses nuclear power for most of it's energy requirements. It can be safe. Give it a chance people.

China. These same corporations that must keep their refinery's at 100%+ (when hurricanes don't destroy them) capacity to meet demand must also compete with China for crude oil, and China's not going anywhere.

California gas vs. NY gas. The EPA has made it so complex to produce gasoline that California has different gas than NY (for example). In addition, different seasons require different gases. Is this easy to accomplish? Easy is irrelevant, it can be accomplished at a cost which is passed on to consumers.

If you want to scare an environmentalist, suggest that oil isn't really a fossil fuel at all. Consider for a moment the logic behind this “science”. Rotting dinosaurs somehow transform into crude oil over time. Hmm...people are made of similar compounds, can we start pumping from cemeteries? Come on. Besides, how did all those dinosaurs get so far down in the earth? The fact is that the scientific community does not know where oil comes from but there are, of course, lots of theories. Whats more likely, dead and rotting organic matter transforms into oil or simple compounds deep within the earth are transformed into oil just as they are into other similar compounds (natural gas, coal, sulfur etc.).

If you really want to scare an environmentalist, point out that some old oil wells that were previously pumped dry are actually filling back up.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/crispin8.html

Oh my god, oil may actually be a renewable resource. You mean we don't need to all drive cars powered on corn? (which by the way, is an incredibly inefficient use of resources from a total life cycle standpoint. )

Gas prices are still not at all time highs and oil will not dry up anytime soon. I think news organizations are dusting off news pieces used in the 70's because the same rhetoric is seen today. The oil economy is here to stay for the foreseeable future. My kids and maybe even their kids will still be living in a world that is largely powered by oil or similar compounds (natural gas). Hydrogen is a sexy alternative that gets allot of press. But is anyone really in a hurry to drive around in a car with a pressurized hydrogen tank in it? Can anyone say, Hindenberg?

The logical next section here would be on “Global Warming” because that is, afterall, what much of the kerfuffle over the oil economy is about. But I'll save that for another day. It sure was a cold winter here.