President Bush went all the way to Saudi Arabia last week to try to convince them to increase oil production. But they told him the same thing I've been saying all along - we can increase production but it won't help lower prices because there is no shortage. Bush and Cheney are oil men - surely they must know this too? Of course they do - and don't call me Shirley.
So why did the President make the trip? I suspect to give the Saudi oil producers a "high five".
Monday, May 19, 2008
The Rich Still Are
I went for a bike ride last night - as I typically do. Riding down my street near downtown Fort Lauderdale I find nearly every other house with a sign that either says "For Sale", "For Rent" or Foreclosed". Meanwhile 3 miles later I'm enjoying a moonlit ride on the beach. Here I find many more homes with signs - only these are construction company signs. In this neighborhood, massive structures are all either being remodeled, or completely torn down to make room for a bigger ones. I guess a "housing slump" or "economic slowdown" only applies to those who were already challenged.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Corporate Control Made Easy
The free enterprise system we have today is flawed. It tends to create massive corporations that eventually get so large that they are able to control the market. No person or corporation should be able to exercise undue influence on the market simply because they own so much of it.
I have a suggestion that would fix this. It should be illegal for any company (or person) to buy or takeover another company. Every business should be its own entity with its own life cycle. A well run company could go on for a very long time, but a poorly run business would be forced to close – its customers moving to another merchandiser and its employees left to find a new job of their choice. Of course tt would still be legal to lure customers from another organization by providing a better service. Isn’t that the way it should be?
If we do not allow organizations to take over other businesses, we keep them from getting too big too fast. It also makes it impossible to eliminate your competition simply by buying them up. This can only keep prices and quality in check – they way it is supposed to work.
There is another upside to this plan in reduced stress level of the employees. Many workers in small business often find themselves suddenly, and involuntarily, working in a huge corporation. They never imagined themselves in this atmosphere and it is shocking to their system. I find myself in this exact situation right now and I can report it is extremely stressful. Worse yet, many will find themselves suddenly out of a job once the company reorganizes and removes duplicate positions. We all must work to support ourselves – aren’t jobs a good thing? The corporate control I speak of would not allow this to happen. We would work for a company that hopefully grows at a steady, natural pace. And if the business is failing - most employees would know in advance and can be prepared to find a new job.
There is already some oversight on this issue to keep companies from becoming monopolies. But a corporation can control the market long before it becomes a monopoly. The simple act of not allowing companies (or individuals) to buy other companies would make the market fairer for all.
I have a suggestion that would fix this. It should be illegal for any company (or person) to buy or takeover another company. Every business should be its own entity with its own life cycle. A well run company could go on for a very long time, but a poorly run business would be forced to close – its customers moving to another merchandiser and its employees left to find a new job of their choice. Of course tt would still be legal to lure customers from another organization by providing a better service. Isn’t that the way it should be?
If we do not allow organizations to take over other businesses, we keep them from getting too big too fast. It also makes it impossible to eliminate your competition simply by buying them up. This can only keep prices and quality in check – they way it is supposed to work.
There is another upside to this plan in reduced stress level of the employees. Many workers in small business often find themselves suddenly, and involuntarily, working in a huge corporation. They never imagined themselves in this atmosphere and it is shocking to their system. I find myself in this exact situation right now and I can report it is extremely stressful. Worse yet, many will find themselves suddenly out of a job once the company reorganizes and removes duplicate positions. We all must work to support ourselves – aren’t jobs a good thing? The corporate control I speak of would not allow this to happen. We would work for a company that hopefully grows at a steady, natural pace. And if the business is failing - most employees would know in advance and can be prepared to find a new job.
There is already some oversight on this issue to keep companies from becoming monopolies. But a corporation can control the market long before it becomes a monopoly. The simple act of not allowing companies (or individuals) to buy other companies would make the market fairer for all.
Monday, May 05, 2008
American Gas is Cheap!
President Bush states that the only way we can get our gas prices down is to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. Yet when I look at the gas stations, they all show nearly the same high price. If foreign oil was the problem, you would think that American gas companies would be selling their gas at a noticeably reduced price. But such is not the case.
What President Bush really means by his statement is that we need to open our precious natural nature reserves to American oil production so HE and HIS big oil companies can get that money rather than the foreign oil companies.
Let me re-state an earlier observation - there is no shortage of gas (yet). If there were, we would have long lines at the pump. No, there seems to be plenty of gas, it just costs 4 times as much as it should because the oil companies are CONTROLLING the price. This has all been carefully planned and executed in the 8 years of the Bush admin in conjunction with their buddies in the foreign oil companies.
The real answer is solar, wind and other natural forms of renewable energy. That is how we get less dependant on oil (foreign and domestic) and save our planet in the process. Don't let the continued LIES of the Bush admin fool you into thinking anything different.
What President Bush really means by his statement is that we need to open our precious natural nature reserves to American oil production so HE and HIS big oil companies can get that money rather than the foreign oil companies.
Let me re-state an earlier observation - there is no shortage of gas (yet). If there were, we would have long lines at the pump. No, there seems to be plenty of gas, it just costs 4 times as much as it should because the oil companies are CONTROLLING the price. This has all been carefully planned and executed in the 8 years of the Bush admin in conjunction with their buddies in the foreign oil companies.
The real answer is solar, wind and other natural forms of renewable energy. That is how we get less dependant on oil (foreign and domestic) and save our planet in the process. Don't let the continued LIES of the Bush admin fool you into thinking anything different.
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