Now that gasoline has passed $4 on its way to $5 a gallon or higher, it becomes clearer why the creation of the Bush-Cheney energy policy was such a big secret.
Bush and Cheney have continually refused to tell the American people who they met with to create this disastrous policy. Presumably, if it had been Mother Theresa, they might have let it leak out.
But to the contrary, let’s assume it was a group of oil executives who wanted exactly the mess we find ourselves in now.
We know for a fact that there was one Halliburton employee in the room. Cheney has never left the payroll of the oil company he once led. This would seem like a conflict of interest. But the Bush Administration has their rationalizations, which have some validity. Obviously, Cheney is so corrupt and so pro-oil that merely giving him a salary does not influence his judgment.
The others in the room were probably crooks from Enron, and maybe lobbyists or executives from other oil companies.
So, as they sat down to make a policy, what do you think they would have suggested to produce the oil prices we are now facing.
We don’t know whether Cheney wrote the ideas on a white board himself, or had an assistant to do it.
--Invade Iraq and screw up their oil production.
--Bar drilling along the west coast of Florida until Jeb Bush leaves office and prices get to $4 a gallon.
--Deny global warming and keep the demand for carbon fuels high.
--Keep Americans buying big cars.
--Fight with Hugo Chavez to harm relations with Latin American suppliers.
--Support an autocratic regime in Russia.
--Create additional tensions in the Middle East.
--Neglect Africa in hopes that Nigerian production can be under-mined.
--Blame the caribou in Alaska for all of the world’s energy problems.
--Pay only lip service to alternative fuels.
--Invade Iran to mess up their oil production.
So they didn’t get to invade Iran, but they were able to produce a six-fold increase in oil prices. Is it any wonder they want to keep the names of the people who created this policy from the public? Is it any wonder they want to support John McCain to keep the Bush policies alive for another four years?
Oh, and John McCain favors leaving you an 18-cent tip. What a prince.