I'm worried about our economy - particularly about the cost of getting around these days. With gas prices approaching $4 per gallon and talk of it going to $6 a gallon - and everything going up with it - a lot of people are hurting. The higher cost of fuel is translating to higher costs for everything else. Oil is the engine of the U.S. economy.
While we may not be a recession, it's obvious that most of us are worrying about how far our dollar isn't going.
It didn't take long for someone to come out and say it. I knew it was coming. Some fuzzy-headed columnist talked last week about how $6 per gallon gas might be great for us all. Why would he make such a stupid statement? Because he subscribes to the notion that all of western civilization is destroying the earth and causing global climate change. And when the cost of gas goes up, people will do less driving and therefore less damage to the "fragile" environment.
The good science simply isn't there. Millions have bought into Al Gore's hysteria that the earth's climate is changing because of what us humans do here on the crust of the earth, as if we have that kind of power. It's ironic that the term "global warming" doesn't seem quite accurate given some of the record cold winters of late thus they have engaged the term "climate change" (as if the climate never changed in the past). The earth has gone through cooling and warming cycles before the advent of the industrial revolution.
The problem with the columnist in question is that Americans can't cut back enough vehicle driving to satisfy the Al Gore types. We are Americans and we aren't about to allow our intrepid spirit to be daunted by gas prices.
But we all only have x-amount of dollars to spend. So spending more on gas means less for personal care, entertainment, eating out, and vacations to name a few.
If anything the high gas prices have brought about a discussion of gas taxes, which is a great thing. I am of the opinion that in these difficult times - and in not so difficult times for that matter - that government needs to quit extorting people of their hard-earned money. The less the government quits stealing from you and me, the more we can spend for food and stimulating the economy.
But some in government just don't get it, or maybe they pretend they don't get it. Take for example the Democrats who have always supported higher taxes. It's ironic now, that they supported President Bush's economic stimulus plan. Bush has always believed that allowing people to keep more of their own money is good for the economy and puts people to work. Now that the economy is in trouble, Democrats have agreed to jump start the economy by infusing cash into American households. A wringing admission indeed that the economy flourishes when people get to spend their own money.
What troubles me, however, is that if government doesn't reduce spending, this economic stimulus plan will only drive up the national debt. I say government needs to trim its budget in bad times so Americans can keep more of their money. Then watch the economy improve.
Get the liberals out of this climate change gobbledygook, too. Their quest for alternative fuels is screwing with the prices of corn and wheat and rice which feeds the world. Instead, let's ween America off of expensive oil from OPEC by increasing nuclear power plants and drilling more of our own oil fields. Only then will be able to control our destiny as a nation.
How do you feel? Let him know at jeffb@cerescourier.com.
While we may not be a recession, it's obvious that most of us are worrying about how far our dollar isn't going.
It didn't take long for someone to come out and say it. I knew it was coming. Some fuzzy-headed columnist talked last week about how $6 per gallon gas might be great for us all. Why would he make such a stupid statement? Because he subscribes to the notion that all of western civilization is destroying the earth and causing global climate change. And when the cost of gas goes up, people will do less driving and therefore less damage to the "fragile" environment.
The good science simply isn't there. Millions have bought into Al Gore's hysteria that the earth's climate is changing because of what us humans do here on the crust of the earth, as if we have that kind of power. It's ironic that the term "global warming" doesn't seem quite accurate given some of the record cold winters of late thus they have engaged the term "climate change" (as if the climate never changed in the past). The earth has gone through cooling and warming cycles before the advent of the industrial revolution.
The problem with the columnist in question is that Americans can't cut back enough vehicle driving to satisfy the Al Gore types. We are Americans and we aren't about to allow our intrepid spirit to be daunted by gas prices.
But we all only have x-amount of dollars to spend. So spending more on gas means less for personal care, entertainment, eating out, and vacations to name a few.
If anything the high gas prices have brought about a discussion of gas taxes, which is a great thing. I am of the opinion that in these difficult times - and in not so difficult times for that matter - that government needs to quit extorting people of their hard-earned money. The less the government quits stealing from you and me, the more we can spend for food and stimulating the economy.
But some in government just don't get it, or maybe they pretend they don't get it. Take for example the Democrats who have always supported higher taxes. It's ironic now, that they supported President Bush's economic stimulus plan. Bush has always believed that allowing people to keep more of their own money is good for the economy and puts people to work. Now that the economy is in trouble, Democrats have agreed to jump start the economy by infusing cash into American households. A wringing admission indeed that the economy flourishes when people get to spend their own money.
What troubles me, however, is that if government doesn't reduce spending, this economic stimulus plan will only drive up the national debt. I say government needs to trim its budget in bad times so Americans can keep more of their money. Then watch the economy improve.
Get the liberals out of this climate change gobbledygook, too. Their quest for alternative fuels is screwing with the prices of corn and wheat and rice which feeds the world. Instead, let's ween America off of expensive oil from OPEC by increasing nuclear power plants and drilling more of our own oil fields. Only then will be able to control our destiny as a nation.
How do you feel? Let him know at jeffb@cerescourier.com.
