Gas, Oil, Politics

Wow! It's been almost a year since my last post. Seems I think about it occasionally but it's usually at times when I don't have the time or proper venue for blogging. Usually it's in the car while listening to some news talk show who gets me to start thinking about topics of the day, week or year and then of course once I turn off the engine I completely forget about blogging.
I have a lot to say, just not the memory to keep it long enough to reach a computer. Gas has gone from $1.75 a gallon to $3.80 or more. We're down to the remaining nominations for this years Presidential elections. People in Myanmar and Zimbabwe are still being oppressed by their malevolent leaders, and inflation is rising here in the USA. While every year we elect a new president is important, this one could be different. John McCain and Barak Obama. This could be the year of choosing between the person who is disliked the least.
Barak Obama is a liberal. Plain and clear. He talks a good message but what he wants to do scares the crap outta me. Raise taxes, pull out of Iraq and the middle east, talk to people who have been saying for longer than GW was in office that they want to kill us and increase the size of the government. If he wins it will be a bad ride for the USA. We may be better liked by other countries, but only because they'll see us less potent a player in global events.
John McCain. He's got attitude. Sometimes good sometimes bad. He is more middle of the road. He supported amnesty for illegals, went against a President of his own party (which is not necessarily a bad thing but..) and has been known to go off the handle a little. I like that he supports the troops, I do not believe that Obama feels that way, and I do think John McCain has the background serving our country which you can't help but to admire. The man was imprisoned, tortured and even went so far as to let others take his place for release when the time came. Courage is something he has an abundance of. He doesn't have a great economic background though. Then again, neither does Obama. I was going to vote for McCain back in 2000 but he failed to win the nomination and by the time Texas was voting in the primaries the choice was made. He's a maverick in the Republican party, but perhaps that's what they need? Most are failing to adhere to republican principles of limited spending and reduced government. Especially limited spending. We are going to lose more seats in the House and Senate and that will be why. Scandals, big spending and a general disregard for the people of this country will cause the Dems to be in total control for 2-4 years. If the Republicans don't get their heads straightened out it will be much much longer. The only hope will be to have McCain as president during this time. One of the biggest things the Republicans can do to show they've changed is to allow Jeff Flake or Mike Pence into leadership roles. Stop the pork, stop the funding of pet projects under the pretense that it creates jobs and stimulates the market, stop lying to us. The reason this country is so politically divided isn't because of the population, it's because of the politicians. There's a civil war that's been going on in the nations capitol and it needs to end.
Oil. Drill. Here. Now. It may take 5-8 years before it reaches the markets but if we had started drilling back in Clintons years we'd be coming online right now, when we need it the most. No one in Washington has a comprehensive energy policy. Everyone wants to make something happen now, but no one is setting up the future except for failure. We have an abundance of oil 100 miles from the coast. Several other nations are already in those areas drilling so why aren't we? Why would you allow other countries to drill in areas you won't allow our own corporations to go? Make a deal. Tell the oil companies that in exchange for allowing them to drill off the coast 100 miles (deep sea) and perhaps even in Wyoming, they will: 1-subsidize the cost of the oil bought by the US thus reducing the cost to the population as does several other oil producing nations (Saudi Arabia gas cost about $1.00 a gallon) and 2-reserve a percentage of the profits from selling oil on the open market to pay the Federal Government with the funds earmarked solely for the reduction of the national debt and alternative energy research. No pork spending, no government programs, and no wasteful spending of these funds. We could drill, extract, refine, and sell gas to other countries, just as several middle east countries do and reap the profits for our country. This would reduce our dependence upon unstable regions and allow us to reduce our need of global presence by our military. Once these unstable regions realize their cash machine no longer needs them I think you would see a drastic change in attitude toward the United States. Imagine the United States energy independent and even gaining profits from our production of oil. The possibilities would be limitless. Reduced debt, energy independence, reduced military responsibilities, and perhaps even a trade surplus. That city of lights on the hill could be us, if only we allow it.