When is enough, enough?

Gas prices topped $4.00 a gallon here today in Howell Township, Michigan. This is getting a bit sick and it is and will continue to devastate this wonderful country of ours. It would be one thing if the big oil companies were barely squeaking by and making modest profits. I don't have any problem whatsoever with a "for profit company" making a modest profit. After all, that is what it is all about. I do take issue with these companies making record profits, quarter after quarter, while we, the American People suffer trying to fill our tanks. The government was supposed to stop monopolies and protect us consumers yet here we see the largest of all monopolies helping to crush the American Economy. I said "helping" since they are not the only issue we have here that is devastating our economy. I'm going to address the biggest crusher here too and that is the "Global Economy" that some Einstein thought of years ago. All the global economy has done is lifted Asian Countries and deflated Western ones. I wonder how long it will be until we can't afford to commute to work any longer and we'll just live in small huts on the back parking lot of our employers - wait that sounds like China. Maybe this idea of globalizing economies does work. We will soon be just like China. More about that later.

I've heard people suggest that since we have President Bush in office and since he is from Texas and since Texas is about oil there may be a connection to him being in the White House and us paying these high prices for gas. One big clue to the answer may be found in profits for these oil refineries and their sister companies. Big profits, like the billions they are showing every quarter, could, COULD mean that some shady things are being done by some shady people. Greed can be very tempting as I know people who have been consumed by it.

So we've spent Billions of dollars or is it Trillions now on this "war" with Iraq. We tossed away the lives of thousands of our young people who have had no chance to live the American dream as they were killed trying to defend it. This war has begged the question since it began of "why and is it worth it". I supported Bush and his notion of us having to defend against the terrorists and the "evil-doers". I even supported us going to war as I trusted our government to do the right thing. Now, I believe that label of "evil-doer" may apply to what we need to protect ourselves against right here on our own land. There is a lot we could get into here and you are welcome to chime in but all I will say for now is that I feel that the leaders of this country misled me and the American People when they took us to war in Iraq. The whole driving force on this war was to find and destroy all of these weapons of mass destruction that Hussein had, yet an investigating team didn't find a single one. Perhaps Benedict Arnold would have been proud of this deception.

I come from the heritage of a long line of men who fought to protect this country. My Grandfather fought overseas in WWI. His son, my Uncle fought in WWII and was one of the translators during the German trials. My Father saw action in Korea. I am very proud of this family heritage and I am very proud of and extremely supportive of any American Troops. I do not like feeling as if they are being used to risk their lives under the notion of protecting our Country if they are not truly attacking a enemy that poses a threat. No, I haven't forgotten about the Twin Tower attack. However, I do not believe that Iraq had anything to do with that. I am starting to think that our leaders mislead us into attacking Iraq for oil. Period.

I had heard this notion of a war for oil when our leaders first started to say that we may be going to Iraq. Many people brought this point up and I was one on the other side who defended their decision as a necessary act of war to protect us. I now believe that I was lied to and I further believe that oil was/is the reason we are there now. I think our brave young men and women should be brought home and used for the purpose for which they signed up for in the beginning: To Protect Our Country from Threats. I do not believe that Iraq poses us any threat. Their street bombs and road side attacks only kill our brave soldiers if our soldiers are driving in the streets of Iraq.

Hmmm, so I started out complaining about gas prices and I went off on the war with Iraq. I didn't know I was going to go in that direction but it happened. So perhaps it is time that the government steps in and governs the oil companies. They have done it wil other things such a telephones and then when the companies decided to play nice the government deregulated the market and free enterprise and choice was once again available to us. Lets have the government take over the oil companies, regulate them, get gas prices down to where they need to be and move on.

I know, you want to tell me that a thimble full of gas in the UK costs $3 and we should be happy to "only" pay $4 a gallon. You know what, I really don't care what gas prices are in other countries. They are NOT comparable to us. We drive larger machines, we drive independently and do not use mass transit like other countries do. We are just not set up that way. It is NOT the American way. We do not live in huts build by our employers - we do not walk or ride bikes to work (some of us do I know) - we do not sit at home - we venture out and see what this country of ours has to offer. We DRIVE! We VISIT! We LIVE!

Global Economy: Perhaps the worst thing to ever happen to our business environment. Who's idea was this mess? Now, we check our children for lead poisoning. Lead Poisoning? Are you kidding me! Didn't we learn about the dangers of lead thirty years ago in this country? The buyers for these toy companies should be brought up on charges of negligence for bringing lead painted toys into this country for our kids to play with. Don't think it is a serious issue? Well, my two year old is now ordered by our government to be tested for lead poisoning every six months. Lead poisoning? Lead Poisoning! My 16 year old never had to do this, why now? (Yes, some of you may be frightened to know that I reproduce every 14 years)

It is because some of our leaders, pronounced "lead-ers" (clever eh?) now know how big of an issue this is. Product packaging on most toys made in China now reads, "MUST wash before using". Well thats nice to know. Boxes being packaged full of children's toys from third world countries probably carry some very interesting germs. Some guy unpacks these boxes at Large-Mart and puts them on the shelf for Mr. Consumer to touch and for little Sue to play with. Mr. Consumer touches a drinking fountain, elevator button, door knob and those items are now infected with whatever Mr. Third World Packer generously and probably unknowingly placed in the box for us. Don't argue it isn't happening because it is. Been sick lately? How about your neighbor? There is no immune system for this in us because we have not been exposed to it before. No, I am not a doctor but I play one on my blog.

So where does this leave us? All of our jobs are gone - our gas prices are too high - and we now have things such as lead paint back on our childrens toys. Oh yea, it's 1974! It makes me wonder what else is lurking out there now that we have invited into our country? Maybe in 20 years we will just pee in a ditch, live in a hut on our employers lot and die at the ripe old age of 39. Global economy - bringing third world countries up to us or us down to them?

There are a lot of opinions on these topics and it is about time they were discussed. The forum is open. (But not as open as our borders so keep it clean please)