What's government's role anyway?

There is a musical called "1776" about the events in the Second Continental Congress leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Some of my favorite characters from the film, to name a few, are Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. I wonder what those guys would have to say about the current state of our government. I can assure you of one thing - the idea that government should play any part in the bailing out of businesses, healthcare or "creating jobs" would've been blasphemy to them. Back then, there was one fundamental idea that strongly bonded virtually everyone - SMALL GOVERNMENT & INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY. They had just separated themselves from the tyrannical British Empire, and wanted to establish a government by the people & for the people. The first income tax code wasn't enacted until 1861 to help fund the civil war - 85 years later! And even then it was intended to be temporary. Being mostly libertarian in my views, even I will say that a taxing system is absolutely necessary, but I contend that our government's role should be very limited, and consist of defense, infrastructure, and little else - NOT bailouts, health care & the creation of jobs.

I Love Loving History

I went to a gun & knife show this morning. If you've never been to one, it's a gathering where independent dealers of guns & knifes & other goods come together, usually for a weekend. What got my attention the most this morning, however, was the table stacked with 1940s LIFE magazine issues, and an original Gone With the Wind program from 1939. I spent more time at that table than any other, talking about the Vietnam War (the main subject of his LIFE issues) & Gone With the Wind. I bought two of the magazines - one for my father-in-law who's a Vietnam Veteran, and one for my mother that was printed in June of 1949, the month after she was born. As a child I had no interest in history, and it felt like we were being grilled with it over & over again. We learned about Louisiana history, U.S. History, European history, World history, to name a few subjects. Over the last few years my psyche has undergone a complete change with regard to history. I've come to thoroughly appreciate the endeavors of our ancestors, and now I understand the importance of "how we got here." Encyclopedias, historical newspaper & magazine articles, and the old-timers themselves are wonderful opportunities to discover & learn about the past. I'm grateful for my newfound appreciation for history!

Is it an "Energy Crisis" or an "Intellectual Crisis"?

How asinine is our energy situation? Just how foolish are we perceived to be by other countries such as China and Russia? Can you imagine a household conversation in one of those countries after receiving news that the White House blocked the Keystone Pipeline project? Energy is always a hot topic for me because I’ve been in the oilfield for 13 years, but turmoil in the Middle East puts a new spin on things. Of course we’re no strangers to the toll that unrest in OPEC countries puts on the price of oil, nor are we strangers to unrest in the Middle East….period. (If you’re scratching your head, just run a Google Search on “1979 oil embargo” or “Israeli 7 day war” – that’ll get you started.) With so many precedents set, how can we put ourselves in such a vulnerable position? According to "World Crude Oil Consumption By Year" (2012), the U.S. consumes 18.81 million barrels of crude oil each day, which is about 25% of the world’s daily consumption. Of the crude we use per day, more than half of it is imported. Of the oil imported, the majority of it comes from unstable Middle Eastern countries. The economic impact of $300 per barrel of crude, as predicted by experts, would surpass any previous incident and put a hamper on national security. Despite ominous warnings, our trusted leaders continue to bicker behind red tape, as if we have time to do so. I pray each day that our leaders will move our nation toward independence from foreign oil. Meanwhile, I’m trying to earn a spot on National Geographic’s Doomsday Preppers.

“The difference is, even with oil now about half the price it was last July, we are spending more than $350 billion — not just as a one-time expenditure, but every year — to pay for imported oil that will not create a single new job in America, won’t repair a single bridge and won’t repave a single highway. We are still importing nearly 70 percent of the oil we use. Much of it comes from countries that are in unstable regions or that are unfriendly to the United States — or both.”

 ~T. Boone Pickens, July 8, 2009

Bibliography

World crude oil consumption by year. (2012). Retrieved from

 http://www.indexmundi.com/energy.aspx

One year later, we still import too much oil. (2010). Retrieved from

            http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24652.html