Apparently, it is no longer sheik (pardon the pun) to point a critical finger around to the other side of the world and blame and disparage our Arab friends when it comes to outrageously high, volatile gas prices. Not so much anymore. We can now turn that damning finger back at characters in our own country.
Why?… You are going to love this; are you sitting down?
This year, for the first time in my lifetime (and yes that’s a very long time), crude oil (the material that makes up gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel – for those of you who have jets; no one I know) is America’s number one export. Just let that soak in a second. Feels slimy, like oil itself, doesn’t it?
On the flip-side, crude oil is America’s number one import as well. Now there’s a yucky film forming – no one light a match (or so hope the U.S. refineries)!
For decades we have been hostage to those nations who seemingly have more product then we do, and more than they can use themselves, so we – the “demanders” of the highest fuel consumption in the world – participate as subservient customers to the oil-rich “suppliers”.
But now, with gas pump prices stubbornly remaining well over $3 everywhere across the U.S. and no substantial price-reduction news in sight, we come to find out that not only are we paying exorbitant prices to foreign countries, but we are shipping out our own product (let’s call it our “surplus”) to other foreign countries at our own inflated prices, instead of keeping it in-house, which would of course lower our reliance on foreign oil and reduce prices at the pumps. As a result however, our patriotic (again, pardon the pun!) oil companies would make a bit less profit by selling to its citizenry, so what we have here is lovely free-enterprise in its rawest, most disturbing form. And it sinks.
There is a definitive distinction, I have always believed, between “excuses” and “reasons”. And I think that you, the reader, can surmise and understand what I am referring to. With that in mind, we can easily see that the U.S. oil companies’ public assertions on the export subject are more excuses than reasons, and their true reasons are much less public.
Due to the weak economy, in the past few years, Americans are driving less and some progress has been made in that time to produce better fuel-efficient autos too, therefore, we are using less fuel these days. So, naturally, with the consumer demand down, the oil companies are taking advantage of the easing of concerns regarding maintaining an appropriate so-called surplus supply by selling their product elsewhere to the highest-bidder. Problem with that flawed logic and irresponsible action is that it works in reverse, because by exporting all that fuel it helps to perpetuate our domestic fuel shortage and keeps prices sky-high. So why are they doing it? One reason… mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money. Period.
Call it socialist thinking (I’d prefer to be referred to as a populist, thank you very much), but I wish our government would step in and take control of the big oil boys’ greed & flip of the bird tactics and eliminate the exporting of homeland fuel products, thereby relieving some of the excessive-reliance on foreign oil import, and in doing so, lower consumer gas prices here at home.
Is it just me, or is your backside really, really sore about now?