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While congress fiddles and hums and comes up with ever more ways of wasting money and time, and taking away more of our constitutional protections, not one of those jackasses has made any relevant effort to clamp down either on Wall Street or (god forbid!) the oil companies. While American taxpayers get raped at the pump, the oil companies.....the corporate whores that they are....are raking in billions in profits while also availing themselves of unneeded and unnecessary tax credits and subsidies. Congress, acting like a collection of submissive pimps, just can't find the spine to slap them down. While MSM sings the tale of woe about how those damned enviromentalists are the cause of high gas prices, and clueless right wing hacks sing the praises of globalism and free trade, American consumers whether left or right are paying the price. Maybe at some future date when gas prices approach $5.00 per gallon, and food is unaffordable it will dawn on those remaining individuals out here that free trade amounts to a free ride for corporations and the wealthy. For you and me, free trade is a one way ticket to economic hell. I have to ask this: With another 450,000 jobs lost just in June due to outsourcing, offshoring, business downsizing or closings......and rising gas and food prices along with almost every other item that affects our daily lives......do you still think that unregulated free trade is a good deal? How many of us have to lose our homes, our jobs, our health coverage and everything WE have worked for before it occurs to us that this method of operation is killing us off? Free trade has one objective; the economic destruction of virtually every economy in the world. The current inflated price of oil, even as supplies have remained steady should have been the proverbial slap to the head for those who still cling to the idea that somehow, regulating trade to protect our economy and our future as a nation is a bad idea. How badly do you have to be squeezed before you can admit supply side economics is a national disaster? Just today on MSM there were reports of test programs that allow people to "lock in" gas prices at the current level by paying in advance. IF the prices go up which I can assure you they will, this could be a good deal. If they go down...not so much. Here's the clinker in this which seemed to pass by the reporters altogether: If gas prices can be locked in at a specific price......why can't gas be capped at a certain price? After all, if the oil companies can afford to allow advanced purchasing of gas at what might be a price lower than that at the pump...wouldn't that indicate that all the price hikes are actually cases of price rigging? And not necessarily due to whether or not they can drill in someplace other than the 68 million acres they already have access to, known to have deposits? It's bad enough that there are still people out here who, even when faced with the impending economic collapse of our country, still beat the free trader drum. The incessant ramblings of paid political hacks who masquerade as "broadcasters" while pumping the public full of misinformation and propaganda seems to never end, most likely because they still find people gullible enough to buy into the false notion that free trade is benefiting anyone other than the elite. Congress, while voting to fund the bailout of corrupt mortgage companies, voting to give immunity to telecoms and the Bush administration, voting time after time to pass amnesty against the wishes of the majority of Americans, voting to continue funding the war in Iraq, voting for anything and everything except protecting what is left of the middle class and taxpayers, doesn't seem to realize that if we go down, we will have no use for them. There won't be a congress. Frankly, I believe we have reached the point where congress has become such an enemy of the people that it should be done away with altogether. It no longer functions as it was intended, and no longer represents the American people. We have to realize that if we are to survive as a nation, as a viable economic force in the world, we cannot continue to allow corporate free trade to pillage our country. Many corporate spinners disparage "protectionism" but it seems to me that if we do not engage in protectionism we will cease to exist as a nation. At some point we have to circle the wagons and decide to protect ourselves. We can't allow trade deficits, or the artificial creation of windfall profits for multinational corporations just because so many of us have been suckered into thinking that regulation is not conducive to capitalism. With all the free trading that has gone on in the last seven years and the devastation it has brought nationwide, including the growing recession, how can anyone still support this malignant line of thinking? Think about that when you pull up to another gas pump and pay through the nose for enough gas to get you to work while subsidizing the oil cartels and while congress fiddles and hums. Marti Oakley (c) 2008 www.ppjg.wordpress.com As we enter the last half of 2008, it is becoming increasingly clear that whatever this rogue administration and congress has planned for our final demise, is about to take place. I fully expect to see sites like OpEd either seriously compromised or gone altogether.
We have little time left, if any at all. Stand up now or there will be no peace.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT. WE WOULD HAVE NO SUPPLY. We all want to see the gas pump read $1.29. Next to it will be a sign saying there is none available. But we win the battle , yet lose the war. by
Wolfie (9 articles, 0 quicklinks, 33 diaries, 1208 comments)
on Friday, July 4, 2008 at 11:45:47 PM
As we enter the last half of 2008, it is becoming increasingly clear that whatever this rogue administration and congress has planned for our final demise, is about to take place. I fully expect to see sites like OpEd either seriously compromised or gone altogether.
Actually not... As long as there are buyers, the suppliers will never withhold product. That would harm them as much as us. They might create artificial shortages and try to scare you into thinking the supply is depleted, but not for long. Every day you can't buy gas affects their bottom line......and we know this is all they are concerned with. We might be out of gas for a short time, but as profits drop so will the price. Marti by
Marti Oakley (19 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 57 comments)
on Saturday, July 5, 2008 at 7:57:12 AM
NO SUPPLY = NO COSTS Who dear lady will flinch first? Take one guess. Are you there in your non-air conditioned home with no petrol to get you to the mall? Maybe in December you have no heat? Does your condo allow you to burn logs on your patio? by
Wolfie (9 articles, 0 quicklinks, 33 diaries, 1208 comments)
on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 1:00:25 AM
This quote summarizes the nature of my concerns and the content of personal experiences which stir my activism:
I would be concerned about this: Dear Marti and everybody here, I would be concerned about this for several reasons. Even while I agree full-heartedly that it's corrupt and even destructive for the gas co's to hike their prices to this extent, that it cuts at the heart of our economy and will wreak serious havoc and even worse for many people as it goes up....so does government control over commerce. EXAMPLE: Imagine if you were in business and the gov't chose to cap your profits---just because they don't like you, being a vocal citizen who they want to silence and retaliate against. When the government controlled the economy behind the former Iron Curtain, the end result was that people lost free speech, free choice over their own careers which the government chose for them, etc. Because after all, the government figured they needed x number of doctors, x number of dancers, x number of street sweepers, etc....so people had no choice. The government chose their career for them, from childhood on. Special permission was required for people to forge their own path. To study outside of hte country, people had to get special permission and to study something not taught within the country's borders. ANd let me stress vociferously that a Hungarian friend said to me: The Iron Curtain fell....when the government relaxed its control over the economy. When any government has an inch, it will take a mile. Once they cap the gas prices, what's next? SEe my point? Give them an inch, and they will take much more than a mile. Much as I agree that the problem is very serious, I vote no on this proposal. All respect is due you, Marti, for your wonderful journalism and concerned insight into matters at stake. My genuine respect to you! by
Kathryn Smith (97 articles, 2 quicklinks, 42 diaries, 406 comments)
on Friday, July 4, 2008 at 9:23:39 PM
As we enter the last half of 2008, it is becoming increasingly clear that whatever this rogue administration and congress has planned for our final demise, is about to take place. I fully expect to see sites like OpEd either seriously compromised or gone altogether.
Hi Kathryn! I have to disagree with you here. Every business employs certain standards and applys certain rules in order to make their operation efficient for the long term. Deregulation, and lack of market controls have led us to the edge of the cliff. I firmly believe that when any sector of the business community is profiting to the extent that it is controlling and bankrupting the economy of an enitire nation......caps should be implemented. No corporation should have this much power over an entire nation. Regulation would never be necessary if these businesses could ever be trusted to regulate themselves. They can't. Greed becomes too powerful a motivator. We can't forfeit the whole economic viability of the country just to protect artificially inflated windfall profits. Marti by
Marti Oakley (19 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 57 comments)
on Saturday, July 5, 2008 at 8:08:52 AM
Have submitted work to OpEdNews and others. Administer the website NotSee America and am writing a book on the take-over of America.
Congress Has Been Rendered Useless Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000168 EndHTML:0000002597 StartFragment:0000000489 EndFragment:0000002580 What we are finally beginning to realize is that our nation has been stolen, our democracy cast aside, and replaced with a fascist dictatorship. Congress is but a guise to give the people a “whipping post” but it has had no authority since the mass murders of 9/11. Remember back to those days following that tragic day when Senators Daschle and Leahy received their anthrax packages, or 'reminders' to stop attempting to get an independent investigation into the 9/11 mass murders? There were other, more harsh, examples of what this Bush/Cheney cabal did to bully Congress into becoming the lapdogs they now are, for example prior to the vote on giving Bush the authority to exert force against Iraq Dick Cheney informed Paul Wellstone that there could be “serious consequences” for him or the State of Minnesota should he vote “no”. He voted “No”. So, with the corporations now is control of our nation (and they are working toward world domination through the “free trade” agreements) prices will continue to spiral upward for everything, not just oil and food. Congress is now worthless. They would serve this nation better if they would, for one last stand of authority, disband, thus saving multi-millions of dollars annually to the taxpayer. Presently all they are doing is adding to our already bankrupt financial situation. They have done little toward making our nation stronger, only weakened it through passage of such laws as FISA, Patriot Act, and many other which are definitely not laws that favor the people, but are against the people. When they are confronted with the crimes of the Bush Administration they close their eyes, in defiance of the wishes of the people. As has been said, “With friends like that, who needs enemies”? by
Dennis Kaiser (14 articles, 0 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 280 comments)
on Saturday, July 5, 2008 at 7:01:05 AM
Gas prices are high because our dollar is crashing Yes, profiteering by gas companies, speculation and our fool heartedly using bio-fuel is all contributing, but the main reason we're seeing what we are is because the dollar is tanking. One Dollar is worth less than a penny and still falling. It's why we're seeing hyper-inflation. Soon, very soon, 6,000 banks will close. The coming depression will sweep the world and make the Great Depression look tame. Anyone with any sense is buying gold and silver. I would go further and say buy non-modified seeds, hand tools, non-perishable foods, ammo and guns. If you're lucky enough to have the money and find and buy remote land and build a self-sustaining "off the grid" environment - do it now. As for the rest of us - make peace with your maker. by
Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 1686 comments)
on Saturday, July 5, 2008 at 10:51:42 AM
Legal Researcher, Kansas City
Agreed... More regulations = more money to a government that has enslaved us. They are NOT doing their jobs with the billions we've given them. Case in point - USDA. Gosh, couldn't have a 4th of July without children and the elderly laying in hospitals hanging on for dear life because of tainted beef - http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9F0DE1DC133FF935A2575BC0A961958260. These government programs are killing us. They can't even do it right for Americans, much less for trade with other countries. I don't mind the free market at all as long as they don't kill my family and friends. With the crashing dollar, we can't possibly afford to pump more money into these ridiculous "programs". I'd rather use it to grow my own food & support small farms that don't dump chemicals on their crops to make us sick, don't pump their animals full of growth hormones that make their way into our childrens' systems, and don't leave old beef laying around to collect bacteria. I've had it. by
Deborah Wells (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 44 comments)
on Saturday, July 5, 2008 at 2:17:39 PM
Legal Researcher, Kansas City
Previous Link was old Here's the correct link to see what a wonderful job the USDA is doing...http://www.marlerblog.com/ by
Deborah Wells (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 44 comments)
on Saturday, July 5, 2008 at 2:25:58 PM
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