Alright, people. Many of you are whining about high gas prices, and I’ve heard all your complaints.
“Obama needs to do something about gas prices.”
For the record, those of you who truly think the president is to blame for high gas prices, or that expensive gas is not inevitable, need a lesson in geology, resource depletion, and a real reality check. Ever heard of OPEC? Have your ever thought to research, let alone grasp the concept of “true costs” of oil? Oh, I forgot. There were some really good reality tv shows on last night. You don’t read anyway.
Oil. It’s the black stuff that bubbles up from the earth’s crust. Humans exploit the hell out of it. Indeed, we are getting close to the slurping, bottom of the soda cup sound you get when you’ve drunk the whole thing.
Somehow, ignorant Americans liken cheap gas to cheap saltine crackers.
“gas is mine, I need it cheap, I need it everywhere.”
Wrong. Gas prices need to, must go up. $4.50 a gallon is simply the beginning. I hope it gets to $7. I hope it slaps those commuters in the face. You know why? Because it’s a FINITE resource! And because we’ve proven we spill the crap out of the stuff. And it pollutes our air. And it stifles our innovation in clean tech. And oh yeah, it starts wars. WARS.
So, go ahead and blame Obama for your expensive trip to fill up your dumb minivan. Go have four kids and then wonder why it costs a lot to transport their obese asses. And prove you’re an idiot, or not paying attention.
Gas should cost a lot. We as a nation need to start getting serious about our transportation systems, beginning by investing in high speed rail. We all know Amtrak is woefully behind the rest of the world. Let’s make it the best rail network in the world. There are so many job-creating, community-building, greenhouse-gas saving measures we could take.
But here’s my bottom line, and the point so many Americans seem to be unable to grasp:
We need to stop acting selfishly for the moment, and begin to start thinking about building the world we actually want to live in.
-end of rant-