Post #264 Want Cheap Gas?

Three options:

1. Invade Iran. Claim they have WMD/terrorists. Steal their oil -- make 'em pay war reparations. George W. Bush's second biggest mistake in Iraq was not making 'em pay.

We've already got the WMD/terrorists argument covered -- indeed, John McCain wants to bomb, bomb, bomb Iran. Of course, it is irresponsible to not follow a bombing campaign with troops on the ground to make sure we got what we were bombing and the Iranians are not rebuilding -- but surely McCain knows that.

Surely, McCain knows, too, that Iran will not be a push a pushover, will not welcome us as liberators, and our over-stretched military may be thrown out without using 'the bomb.' Of course, use of 'the bomb' will not win us any friends -- our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan will be the first targets for terrorism. How many trillions are we willing to spend to pacify three terrorist-filled countries?

2. Invade Saudi Arabia. Steal their oil -- no apologies, no excuses. Naked colonialism at its best. This will send a message that the United States will do anything to maintain our standard of living. We hold this truth to be self-evident: That Billy Bubba Jim Bob who wants to drive to the lake to fish every weekend is more important than some camel jockey who wants to feed his family.

3. Park your car. Ride a bike or a moped or a golf cart or your city's electric buses -- reduce your demand. Your city not have electric buses yet? Make that a campaign issue. Not "you" individually -- "you" collectively. Unfortunately, Billy Bubba Jim Bob will not help.

To me, the decline of America began with the '73 Arab Oil Embargo -- America no longer had control of the energy that powered our standard of living. Then, we imported 37% of the oil we used; now, we import 50%. Our negative trade balance in energy runs well over $1 billion a day, a sum much greater than the trade deficit with China or the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Consider the title of this blog: "The Decline and Fall of the American Empire is due to a failure of leadership." And what have we gotten in the way of leadership since '73? Gerald Ford gave us the 55 mph speed limit. Jimmy Carter wore a sweater as he turned down the thermostat in the White House. That has been pretty much it. [rolleyes]

It will all be over in 2012 anyway.