No wonder the Republicans are dropping like flies!
Posted on 22. Apr, 2009 by scott in economic daydreaming, political munglings
As I have said before, I was a proud conservative for many years.? A real believer.? I voted Republican with gusto.? Not always a straight ticket vote but close.? Not any more.? Of course I am not a democrat by any means (heck, I worked hard to make a living as an entreprenuer and business owner, so how could I vote for THOSE guys?).
Ah, that leads us to the present.? The elephant may not be dead, but it is on life support and the powergrid is getting ready to shut down.? Take the article by Newt Gingrich in the April 13 copy of Newsweek.? Sure shows how for out of touch those guys (republicans) are.? Ever hear this cheer?? Probably not, since I just made it up.? But it works.? One, two, three, they’re old, they’re stuck, they’re dreamin’, they’re NUTZ!
The former Speaker of the House is trying to position himself for a run in 2012 (boy wouldn’t that be a great ticket Palin & Gingrich — one for the ages!).? Anyway, the article was titled “Our Tanks Are On Full” and subtitled “The energy crisis is an articficial one, created by bad politics.”
On what planet is this political/economic guru living?? I won’t debate that fact that the energy crisis was, in large part created by bad politics (any intelligent person knows it was–and is), but how can he even imagine that it is artificial.
Dang, dude, this energy crisis is real.? Check the figures, read the papers, watch the news, get out and talk to some real Americans who have to buy gas for their cars, oil to heat their homes, electricity to run their TV’s.? Energy demand is growing and energy supplies ARE NOT keeping up.? My utility bills prove that (our local Electric utility just raised rates another few % points today . . . and it is going to hurt a lot of people).? More importantly, in a few years America won’t even be the largest consumer of energy, China and India will fill those not-so-enviable shoes (and that will cause a whole bunch more problems).
Still, Gingrich does have some valid proposals.? He wants America to utilize all possible energy resources (as we should).? But he also misses the boat when he fails to suggest that we must also manage the environment.? Energy, yes!? Energy at any cost, no!? We can utilize all available energy resources but we can’t abuse the environment or risk the future to do so.? What we have to do is find a ‘golden-mean’ of energy and enviromental policy (and neither party has that figured out yet).
The most egregious proposal is one that fits Newt’s right-wing conservative history and capitalist leaning, but it also fails to recognize that ‘free-market’ capitalism beats ‘incentive-market’ capitalism anytime, anywhere.? By the way, I love his name Newt, it fits him when you remember the ‘Newt’ character on the great TV mini-series Lonesome Dove or the slippery little critters we used to catch in the pond out back.
Newt suggests, blithely, that a prize of $1 billion (yeah, that’s a ‘B’) be offered (tax-free no less) for the first hydrogen car that can be mass-produced at a reasonable price.? Boy, this chap is not for me!? He needs desperately to spend a summer herding cattle, throwing bales of hay, or working at Burger King.
He’s a Republican for crying out loud, a captialist, a conservative, and a discredited teacher and congressman.? Don’t listen to him.? I don’t think we really have to worry about that though.
Capitalism works when organizations are free to choose, economically and politically, what ‘process’ works best (and thereby generates the best return . . . or profit if you will).? If hydrogen cars are such a great idea, then free-market economics will provide them over time.? You can’t force it through a prize that makes the Noble Prize (about $1 million) seem like chump change.? For example, you might get economical hydrogen cars, but no way (safe especially) to fuel them.
You can read it all yourself.? His article is neo-classic republican mish-mash.? All for show but little for go.? Go on read it, you might even agree.? But, take it from me.? The author is as out of touch with American reality as the rest of his ‘Grand Old Party.’? Newt Gingrich needs to go back to writing books that are sold exclusively on O’reilly’s TV show (or given away by Glenn Beck on one of his comedy tours).
Newt, stay out of politics and economics.? Leave the real business to people that care, think, and work at real jobs.
Gimme the paddles, kick up the power, we got to try and revive the Republicans or this will be a one-party country for a long time to come.
thanks for the photo to flickr’s bobster1985
Honors and Recognitions
This website uses IntenseDebate comments, but they are not currently loaded because either your browser doesn't support JavaScript, or they didn't load fast enough.