Where Did All the Memes Go?

I don't spend much time on Fakebook any more. When I do log on I will scroll deep through my feed to try and catch up. I have noticed a trend. 

During the previous administration there was a plethora of memes on a daily basis. Those who believed we are a sovereign nation, loved freedom, cheap gas, a booming economy, rising wages, low unemployment, and a robust military would post memes about how great the former president was doing in the job. Those who didn't like all of the above would post anti-Trump memes. All well and good. An exchange of ideas is always a good thing. 

Auto Industry Holding the (Short) Straw

When you are holding a soda straw and trying to negotiate with someone holding a gun, you are not bargaining from a position of strength. When it comes to the new mileage standards currently under negotiations with the Obama Administration, the auto-makers are holding a straw.

Read my initial post on this subject here.

During negotiations, one of the key areas that the auto-makers are looking at is the different rules imposed by the state of California on auto-makers. This “tradition” extends back several decades, initiated with the requirement for the catalytic converter. It has continued over the years as California has required auto-makers to improve fleet gas mileage and requiring oil companies to have a so-called summer gasoline blend (costly at the pump and the refineries). The auto-makes want a concession from President Obama that rules will not be different between California and the other 49 states.

Here is where it gets a little complicated. California is a huge state with 55 electoral votes up for grabs. It has been a democrat stronghold in recent years. But that could change. A recent bill passed by both chambers, but not signed by Governor “moonbeam” Brown, would give the electoral votes to the candidate who wins the nationwide popular vote. So Obama has to tread carefully here. He needs the voters of California to pad his popular vote totals. But he also has to not piss off the rest of the nation. If he wants those 55 California electoral votes, he has to find a balance (which I hope eludes him).

But California setting its own emission standards also falls under a states right under the Constitution. If I am not mistaken, California environmental laws have already been challenged in court and California has won. And oddly enough, I support California’s right to mandate laws that regulate items in their state, as long as those mandates meet or exceed federal levels. But the cost of this additional rules and regulations are passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices for autos, which are some of the highest in the US.

There are some that say the California requirements have driven innovation. That argument does have some merit. But the marketplace also drives innovation. The auto itself and improvements therein were driven by demands from the public. Family size caused auto-makers to come up with cars that would carry the gang. Those wishing for a statement car drove the sports car market. The need for utility brought about the pickup. None of these hugely successful innovations were driven by government mandate. The marketplace demanded, the auto-makers delivered.

It is technically possible to reach the 62 mps wanted by the Obama Administration? I don’t know. But I am fairly certain that under current technology, it will be difficult AND it will be expensive. This will be a cost that you and I will have to bear.

Anyways, with the auto-makers holing the straw, I don’t see how a president who fancies himself and his branch of the government above the rest will be willing to give on this condition.

Gas Station Owner Makes Mistake, Out $21,000

Please note the headline indicates a gas station owner, not the oil company, is out $21,000.

Here is something you might find interesting, and maybe a little sad (a video a Glenn Beck.com). It seems that an independent gas station owner made a mistake on his computer when entering the price of a gallon of gas. Somehow, rather than entering $4.29, he entered $1.10. For four hours folks came by purchasing gas from this station and no one said a word to the owner and now he is out $21,000.00.  It is little things like this that really have me worried about the state of affairs in this nation of ours. I wonder if any of the folks who purchased gas from this station feel any guilt at all. If they were trying to get back at the big oil companies, this was a complete failure.  The only person hurt was the owner of the station.  He had already purchased the gas from the distributor.

A Leftist View of Oil Subsidies

Warning: Long Post

Over at the Huffington Post Erich Pica has posted a column titled “People or Polluters: Ending Oil Subsidies” which is a must read if you are interested in the how the left views the oil industry in general and the oil subsidies in particular. Throughout his article he uses the same well-worn progressive strategies of false comparisons, omitting salient and relevant points, and attempting to tug at your emotions.

NOTE: For a more partical look at what exactly is an oil subsidy take a look here.

False Comparisons:

He hits this one right from the start. He compares the four bucks a gallon we are now paying at the pump to the profits made last quarter by the oil companies.

The numbers on every driver’s mind right now is $4.

Gas prices are hovering around $4, and well above that in some areas. However, there are other, much bigger numbers that also merit attention.

$10.7 billion. $7.2 billion. $6.3 billion. $6.2 billion. $3 billion.

Four Bucks

While everyone was celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden, gas slipped above $4.00 in my local area. Only two stations in my local area are still under that "magical" four buck barrier, the local Rez station (one tax or another is not charged on the Rez) and the ARCO, which is under four, cash only.

High Gas Prices Has Obama Attention (Update)

Energy costs “would necessarily skyrocket” said a one-time candidate and now President. In the two very long years that Obama has been President, one thing is certainly true, energy prices have skyrocketed. Since he became President, the cost of gasoline has doubled at the pumps. This increase in gas prices is costing him some political capital as his overall approval rate continues a downward direction. Anyone remember this little bit? I wonder if Ms Joseph still thinks Obama is going to take care of her, especially since the doubling of gas prices since he was elected.

Well, it seems that Obama is finally a little worried the cost of gas is going to have an impact on his continued residency at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  He has formed an “Oil and Gas Price Fraud Working Group” who will look into the any possible price gouging.  This group will be under the banner of the Justice Department and Eric Holder.

Did He Mean $4.00 A Gallon Gasoline?

During his campaign, then Senator Obama said that energy prices would necessarily have to skyrocket in response to his energy policies.  Well, it looks like he is true to his word. When Obama took office, gas was below $2.00 a gallon. Two years later, it is now approaching $4.00 a gallon.  What makes this scariest is that his skyrocketing energy prices would be in response to his cap and trade program he had hoped to pass through Congress.  Cap and trade is dead, yet gas prices have nearly doubled in his first two years. Imagine what would have happened if he had been able to pass cap and trade.

I realize that when Bush was President, gas topped out above $4.00 a gallon.  That had nothing to do with policies, but rather speculators messing with the system, there was no shortage of oil at anytime during the price climb of 2007. Once the speculators were encouraged to cease and desist, gas prices plummeted.  If you look at the trend during Bush’s Presidency, prices fluctuated, often in a predictable manner (normally over the summer), but the trend remained fairly steady. Not so much with Obama. It has been a steady climb for two years with very little seasonal fluctuation.

2012 cannot come soon enough.