As Common Sense Authors, we continue to find ourselves totally baffled by the inability of elected officials, people in power (like the President, Governors and Congressional Leaders) whether in politics or industry, and of course the vast media membership to confront the environmental movement in this country. This is especially true in times of economical uncertainty.
By definition per Webster’s dictionary, “environmentalists are persons who are experts on environmental problems and who advocate or work to protect the air, water, animals, plants and other natural resources from pollution and its effects. Their environmental resistance is focused on limiting effects of environmental conditions on the numerical growth of a population.” On the surface a very noble goal but in reality a restrictive force that has no concerns over the well being of the human race. They will go to extremes to attain their objectives by whatever means necessary. Their answer to all issues is “conservation”!
The specific topic of this article is the ever-rising price of oil. It has been hanging around for several weeks now at over $100 per barrel. This is reflected at the gas pumps nationwide in the cost of well over $3.00 per gallon of regular gasoline. Without exception, everybody in politics and especially in the media complains about it and are looking for someone to fix the problem and bring the prices down. But hardly anybody goes beyond that and tries to thoroughly analyze the reason for the high prices of oil, especially when it is so easy for so many to blame President George W. Bush for the high price of oil.
In search of a comprehensive analysis, we came across an article posted on March 22, 2008, in the San Diego North County Times newspaper. Sullivan S. Marsden, professor emeritus of petroleum engineering at Stanford University, wrote this piece entitled “Gasoline prices Q & A” and we would encourage everybody to read the article in full. Professor Marsden has listed ten questions and he has stated well-founded and detailed answers to them. His questions are:
1. Who controls the price of gasoline?
2. What other factors affect the price of gasoline?
3. Why do refining costs fluctuate?
4. Why have no new oil refineries been built in the United States in recent years?
5. Aren’t we overly dependent on Middle East oil?
6. Has power permanently shifted to oil-producing countries?
7. Is the world running out of oil?
8. Has oil’s golden age of discovery ended in the United States?
9. What about Alaska’s North Slope?
10. Couldn’t a breakthrough come in the production of Western oil shale?
His answers to these questions are factual, honest and eye opening and we cannot disagree with any of these if we consider common sense. They definitely shed light on the reality of why oil prices are rising and in a way also answer the questions as to why nobody is willing to do anything about it. At the same time, we can lay this inaction by politicians and industry squarely at the feet of the environmental movement in America. It appears that when anybody seriously tries to do something about energy issues, the environmentalists threaten with lawsuits and other reactive measures (such as aggressive ad campaigns and negative rhetoric) which discourage anybody and the result is very elementary: Nobody does anything to address our energy crisis! Complaining about environmental protection seems to be the solution for many environmentalists. Every effort t made to help our environment simply fans the flames of further complaints and demands. If the solution doesn’t fit the agenda, is it a solution? It is too bad that this is the mindset of this movement.
This applies to everybody from the President on down to local politicians as well as anybody else in the oil industry. One should think that well reputed economists should have the strength and conviction to expose the environmentalists for what they are, but no, it may be easier to keep quiet. As we follow the increase in oil prices in regards to its ripple effect through the economy as a whole, it is easy to see why food prices go up, energy prices for utilities go up, housing prices go up, you can look at any industry sector, there is not one that does not depend on energy costs and when they – these costs – go up, everything else eventually follows.
It is truly astounding to recognize the fear that exists in this country when it comes to the environment and its aggressive enforcers; their attitudes and methods border on extremism and we as Common Sense Authors firmly believe that it is high time that something is done about them. Without sounding radical, a strong advertising/information campaign in the media would be a good start. Exposing these people for what they are would probably sway a vast majority of the citizenry in America to reassess their value and dictatorial roles on our lives.
Do not misunderstand us; we are also supporters of environmental controls but only to the point that it does not severely limit our strengths as a country from an industrial point of view. The environmental extremists want people to conserve and cut back and offer the vague hope of alternative energy sources. Everybody in the know understands that wind and solar power do not bring enough relief to better control the energy crisis we are in today. And what do the environmentalists suggest we do about population growth and increases? Nothing, absolutely nothing! Common sense and reality need to enter the environmentalist movement!
It is time to address these – in our opinion – extremists directly and end the acceptance of their nearly fanatical doctrines. We strongly believe that – should we decide to seriously become energy independent by drilling offshore, producing oil from oil shale and opening up this sliver of land in Alaska called Anwar, the worldwide price of oil would drop overnight to half its current level. Just the threat of America taking serious steps towards oil independence would have this reaction. So the only question remaining is: When will we do it? If $4/gallon for gasoline is not a good enough reason to get serious, what will be?
I would agree. I think the $4 gas per gallon will change a lot of this..