- Posted by Christopher Estep on September 29, 2008
At 7:00 on a Friday evening, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency, specifically aimed at the then-imminent gas shortage created by Hurricane Ike. It states:
Hurricane Ike has caused a natural disaster throughout much of the Gulf Coast region, thereby adversely affecting the motor fuel supplies to the State of Georgia
This much is true. Not much to argue about there.
Price gouging related to motor fuels is detrimental to the social and economic welfare of the citizens of Georgia;
Wow, that’s a pretty broad, blanket statement. It’s also the beginning of a straw-man argument. It has made a statement with an air of authority such that it is assumed to be a foregone conclusion. It does so by using a negative term such as “gouging”. I contend that this statement is not only false, but rather is the exact opposite of the truth.
Wholesale and retail gas prices have substantially increased in some markets in recent hours
This much is true. As stated in the first part of the declaration, motor fuel supplies have been adversely affected. But again, the context implies that the increase in prices is, by definition, a bad thing. It’s actually not. It’s simple and basic economics. Supply goes down so the price goes up until the demand reduces to match supply. That’s what a free market does!
In the light of these circumstances, and to protect public health, safety and welfare, it is necessary to prevent price gouging using the authority vested in the Governor
The simple fact is that the legal prevention of so-called “price gouging” is not only unhelpful, but it exacerbates the problem and is injurious to public health, safety, and welfare.
A common phenomena that is happening here in the metro Atlanta area is that people are “topping off” their tanks, getting 4 to 8 gallons at a time whenever they see a station that has gas. All authorities, governmental and non-governmental, recognize that this is making the situation worse.
It’s common to pass 5 stations with no gas and then find a station with gas and a line of 20 cars or more. News organizations have done endless interviews with patrons who admit that they don’t need the gas at the moment, but are buying it just because it’s available and they understandably don’t want to get stuck without gasoline. The problem is that there’s no reason (other than time) not to do it.
The free market needs to be allowed to take care of the problem itself. Currently, gas is selling for around $4.19 a gallon and station owners are prohibited from making a higher profit than what they made before September 12, lest they be charged with “gouging”. The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t take into account that the gas stations are also suffering from short supply and while they may have a specific profit-per-gallon allowed, on a weekly basis they are way short and have no way to make it up.
People buy gas when they don’t need it because it doesn’t hurt enough. If the price of gas rose significantly during the shortage (as you would expect to happen in the first place), people wouldn’t be as likely to get gasoline every time it presented itself and would conserve as much as possible. The 4 gallon fillups would cease. I know personally that if I were paying $8 a gallon, I would do so gladly to fill up but I would wait as long as possible in hopes that the shortage would end. But as it stands, I will be topping off after I use up 5 gallons or so because I don’t want to risk going days without being able to get gas when I need it, which is what happened a week ago.
I was unable to locate gas without a long line when I was on empty. Why? Because people were panicking and buying gas whether it was needed or not.
The unseen danger is that of what could best be termed as “gas rage” a first cousin to “road rage”. People get very testy when they’ve been sitting in line for 25 minutes and someone cuts them off and gets ahead of them. I’ve seen it. Tempers flare and sooner or later someone’s going to get stabbed or shot or beaten down. How is that good for the public welfare?
The market needs to be allowed to discourage people from hoarding. The root problem is that price controls were put into effect when there isn’t even a shortage. Nobody has ever said that there’s a gas shortage. We have enough gas. The problem is that it’s not plentiful and abundant. A state of emergency was declared when one did not exist.
Price gouging, as they try to call it, is actually price meeting demand. It isn’t the hurricane that caused these lines, it’s the government.
- Posted by Christopher Estep on September 2, 2008
Many conservatives have cheered the selection of Sarah Palin of Alaska for VP by John McCain, myself among them. Because Gov. Palin is a genuine reformer as well as a genuine conservative (unlike McCain) the hope is that she will bring Sen. McCain a little more to the right.
There is one way to tell if Palin genuinely has any influence with McCain and we should know the answer soon.
ANWR is going to be the real test. Palin has direct and personal knowledge and can speak to McCain authoritatively on why drilling should be allowed in ANWR. The only people who oppose this are environmentalists who don't want drilling anywhere to begin with.
So the real question of Sarah Palin's influence will be answered shortly. If McCain continues to oppose ANWR drilling then it will become clear that Palin is little more than an ornament and in no way an advisor.
ANWR is the biggest difference between Palin and McCain and Palin knows far more about it than McCain. So we soon shall find out whether McCain listens to advisors or environmentalists.
- Posted by Christopher on August 5, 2008
According to Time Magazine, inflating tires as an energy solution is real.
I've tried and tried and I've gone through about $900 in tires and no matter how much air I put in my tires, I still don't have a full tank.
I thought for a while that I was getting there but then I opened the door on the garage and shut off the engine and for some reason the gauge went back to empty and the purple flying elephant left.
H/T: NewsBusters
- Posted by Christopher Estep on July 16, 2008
The President is finally going to lift the ban!
Of course, Congress has to lift its own ban but it’s still leadership, something democrats never seem to understand. Leadership is being in front. Granted, Bush waited 7 and a half years, but better late than never.
The White House says President Bush is planning to lift an executive ban on offshore oil drilling.
In a Rose Garden statement on Monday, the president plans to lift the ban. But by itself, the move will not lead to more drilling off America’s coastline.
Congress must still lift its own legislative ban before offshore drilling can happen.
Michelle Malkin » Finally: Bush to lift offshore drilling ban
- Posted by Christopher Estep on June 25, 2008
Republicans usually demonize Barack Obama in their political advertising, but GOP Sen. Gordon Smith aligns himself with the Democratic presidential candidate in a new ad, citing legislation they worked on to improve fuel efficiency standards.
The ad, responding to an independent Democratic ad linking Smith to high gas prices, credits Obama with saying that "Gordon Smith led the fight for better gas mileage and a cleaner environment."
We shouldn’t be the least surprised by Smith (RINO-OR). But it gets funny:
Democrats say Obama said nothing of the kind.
When are Republicans going to learn that no matter how much you suck up to Democrats, they will still kick you in the teeth. This is real! This is not a fraternity! No matter how many times you let democrats spank you and you say, “thank you sir, may I have another?” they are still going to screw you in the end!
Remember: To a democrat, “bipartisan” means “letting the democrat win and still being criticized.”
Oregon GOP senator cites work with Obama in ad
- Posted by Christopher Estep on June 25, 2008
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is 19,049,236 acres. Of that, Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK) has proposed that we be allowed to drill in up to 2,000 acres. Let’s put that amount in perspective, shall we?
The following picture represents ANWR and what would be drilled. The little black spot in the middle represents the drilled portion.
If you were to lay a bath towel in the middle of a football field, you would have a larger percentage than what we need in ANWR.
One of the major problems we have is educating people of this fact. When people think of drilling in ANWR, they think in terms of drilling in their local city park.
- Posted by Christopher Estep on June 23, 2008
There’s a forgotten land in this country and that’s our noble high desert. Hidden out of the way along major interstates with little more than billboards, signs, handbills, internet web sites, and frequent news stories to let people know of their very existence is another forgotten population.
Hello. I’m Christopher Estep and I want to talk to you about those forgotten souls who are also being hit by high gas prices. I’m talking about whores.
These lovely and yes, some not so lovely ladies are suffering from a lack of business. Helping me to sound the alarm on this whore-endous problem is the original friend-of-the-whore ABC News, owned by the Walt Disney company. Walt? What can you tell us about this whore-ible problem?
As the Silver State's fuel prices hit all-time highs, Nevada's brothel employees find it harder to make a living these days, leaving some people wondering whether they should stay in the business.
At the Stardust Ranch in eastern Nevada, bartender Cindy Howe says they're "down to only two girls. They don't want to come here because business is down."
The brothel is about to change hands after soaring gas prices affected the number of customers willing to drive out to Ely. Now its owners are forced to sell.
Thanks, Walt. If not at the Stardust, then where? Are men going to be forced to have sex with their wives if they can’t afford it on the road?
The whores have launched a campaign supporting Newt Gingrich’s Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less campaign. They’re calling theirs, “Drill Anywhere so they can Drill Here”
Ok, I’ll admit it. I don’t care one bit about whores and their whorish ways. I just wanted to have a way to legitimately use the word “whore” in a way that my wife can’t get mad at me for using ugly words.
Now if I can only find a story about a donkey with a hole in it…
ABC News: Nevada Brothels Hit Hard by Gas Prices
- Posted by Christopher Estep on June 20, 2008
In what can only be a direct response to John McCain’s proposal for 45 new nuclear plans in the next 22 years, Barack Obama has decided that maybe nuclear power isn’t such a bad idea since it’s genuinely clean.
Barry tried to leave himself “an out” with the environmentalists by citing nuclear waste concerns, but I guarantee it’s not enough.
So, how long is it going to be before the environuts come screaming at him? More importantly, how long will it be before Obama issues a clarification followed by a retraction?
During a meeting with U.S. governors, Obama noted that nuclear power does not emit greenhouse gases and therefore the United States should consider investing research dollars into whether nuclear waste can be stored safely for its reuse.
But he said, "I don't think that nuclear power is a panacea."
But even when Obama is trying to move to the center, his foot is solidly anchored on the left. Read the story snippet above carefully. Notice that he still thinks that it’s the government’s job to do research, not private industry. Translation: even when he’s right, he still wants to be wrong by spending your money.
Ok, Greenpeace! The clock is ticking! Let’s hear the condemnation!
Obama: Nuclear power worth considering, not panacea | Politics | Reuters
- Posted by Christopher Estep on June 16, 2008
First the liberal debunking the “Bush Lied” myth and now this.
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - Sen. John McCain said Monday the federal moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling should be lifted, and individual states given the right to pursue energy exploration in waters near their own coasts.
With gasoline prices rising and the United States chronically dependent on foreign oil, the Republican presidential contender said his proposal would "be very helpful in the short term resolving our energy crisis."
Don’t forget to check out my two bumper stickers promoting oil drilling.
I’m telling you. It’s looking more and more like the end of the world :)
McCain urges end to ban on offshore drilling