Gas Prices...Here We Go Again

The definition of stupidity is to keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  Welcome to the "gas price crisis", 2012 version.

In 1973, our nation experienced its first energy crisis.  It was really not an energy crisis, but a gasoline crisis.  Supply disruptions in the Middle East led to a spike in gas prices, and helped drive the US economy into recession.  And for awhile we as a nation responded.  The 55 mile per hour speed limit was enacted.  We enacted tougher mileage standards for cars.  People insulated their homes, many for the first time.

President Jimmy Carter wore a sweater during his energy
speech in 1977.  Rick Santorum, eat your heart out.

In 1976 we elected a president, Jimmy Carter, because he was an outsider and that's what we thought we wanted after Watergate.  But we also elected a person who realized that the oil shocks of the mid-1970's were just a warning of bigger problems to come unless our nation began to wean itself from dependence on oil in general, and foreign oil in particular.  Carter called America's energy dependence "the moral equivalent of war" and tried to push a national energy policy that would have begun to reverse our wasteful trends.  In a televised speech (CLICK HERE to read...regardless of political persuasion, I think you'll agree it was amazing).  But aside from a few elements, Carter's energy policy was rejected by the American people and Congress.  Gas prices had gone back down to more reasonable levels.  The economy was weak, and we weren't in the mood to sacrifice for the benefit of future generations.  Round One.

That was 35 years ago, and since then we have repeated the same cycle over and over again.  Gas prices go down and we resume our wasteful habits.  Our elected leaders move on to more pressing issues and don't enact a comprehensive, long-term energy policy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil.  BOOM!  There's a war, or a crisis, or some other world event (inevitably centered around the Middle East), and gas prices rise. We all bitch and moan and blame EVERYONE but ourselves.  We start chanting "drill, baby, drill" while we fill up our SUV's and drive 2 hours to save $2 on a pair of designer jeans.

In this latest iteration of repeat stupidity, we are crying foul that gas has gone back up close to $4.00 a gallon, and this time we're going to blame President Obama because....well, because he's there!  The actual causes of the newest "crisis" don't really matter...he's the one who has to accept responsibility!  And here go the politicians saying that if we just drilled in more areas, or build a pipeline from Alberta, etc, we'll be able to get back to the cheap gas we need to afford our unsustainable lifestyles.  And guess what?  We all nod our hands in agreement because we LIKE it when politicians tell us what we want to hear.

Even the dumbest animal in the wild learns from their mistakes.  A cow may touch an electric fence once or twice, but they will eventually learn not to go there...even if their is yummy grass just out of reach on the other side.  But as a society, we are not that smart.  We've nudged the electric fence over and over in the past 35 years, yet we still keep dreaming of that green grass on the other side.  We think maybe this time we won't get shocked.

If you search the interwebs to try to find out how much oil is left in the world, you'll get a variety of opinions. Even if you accept the most optimistic projections of how much is left in the ground, it's still less than 50 years.  And most of that is STILL in the Middle East.  We've fought at least two wars and counting to keep these precious hydrocarbons flowing, and I have no doubt that we will fight more.

And remember, our modern world uses oil for a lot more than just gasoline.  The keys of the laptop I'm writing this on right now are made of oil (plastic).  So is the carpet my rubber-soled shoes are resting on.  Oil is part of every ounce of food we eat since it is the primary component for fertilizer.  So, do we keep using it all for gasoline now or do we save some for our future food supplies and manufacturing?

So many politicians talk about the future.  They rant about how much they care about making the world a better place for our children.  They usually use this as an excuse to promote policies that actually benefit us today.  If they REALLY wanted to help future generations, each of us would be asked to sacrifice a little comfort, a little convenience, and some of our treasure to make it happen.  Instead, they insist that we can achieve this brighter future without pain.  Let's take our current fiscal crisis as an example.  Most politicians say we should solve this problem through spending cuts and not by raising taxes.  They say this because it's what WE want to hear.  After all, few of us would raise our hand and say "let me chip in".  And since most of us don't benefit from much of the government spending responsible for the fiscal crisis, we want to naturally take the path of least resistance.

"Dear Americans of 2012...give
me a break."--Adult of 2032

If a newborn of today could come back in time to 2012 from his home in 2042, what do you think HE or SHE would say?  I bet they'd say something like this.  "If you guys would just sacrifice a little bit of your immense wealth today, we'll be in a lot better shape in 30 years."  Because remember, if we don't do anything, that baby won't have access to Social Security, or Medicare.  That baby will have less than 20 years of oil left for EVERYTHING, not just gasoline.  That baby will probably be living a lifestyle that has more in common with his or her great-great grandfather than it does with how we live today.

The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.  We're stupid.  And unfortunately in 2012, ignorance appears to be bliss.