Somehow, the news today is reminding me of the summer of 2004 -- all of two years ago. We had a presidential election coming up that fall, and I remember passing signs on gas stations, on my way to work, that offered self-serve unleaded regular for $1.89 per gallon. I thought at the time that those signs said, in effect, "Kerry for President." I was quite mistaken -- or maybe that was in fact the message, but the electorate was unconvinced. Properly so, too ... Kerry would've done substantially the same things Bush has done.
I won't repeat the error now. If, as seems possible by fall, the signs say $3.95, that likely won't elect many Democrats to Congress. Not only has the art of gerrymandering effectively election-proofed most Congressional districts, but the Democrats have proven themselves an incredibly pathetic opposition party. The most likely medium-term future that I see from here involves a soggy-cardboard-style economic collapse, resulting from the building debt tsunami. Fasten those seat belts, and hold on tight!
3 comments:
This is why I'm skeptical about any threats towards Iran. If they turn off the crude spigot we're going to have bigger problems than an aggressive Israeli military.
Craig, I earnestly hope your skepticism is well-founded. You write that we will incur big problems if we attack Iran and thus cause Persian Gulf oil supplies to be shut off, and I agree ... with the usual reservations about who "we" is/are. I think Our Glorious Supervisors are personally rather well-insulated from such problems, and can thus make their cost-benefit analyses in a highly detached sort of way. God help us all.
I recal when gas first went over $2.00 a gallon thinking, "they'll lower it for a bit now that people are in shock, but when it goes back over $2.00, people won't feel as bad since they were used to it being at $2.00." Now that it's hit $3.00 and over, it'll go back down for a bit, then gradually inch its way toward $4.00, and the process will begin again. Kind of sad, but when you have a VP who allowed the oil execs to write their own rules and regulation,s what else can we expect?
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