by Douglas DeBono, 2006

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED AT StandingOrders.BlogSpot.Com, April 27, 2006

Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

Gas prices are going through the roof again, just like they have the past several summers. This is not a new story, and I never look to Washington for answers or solutions.

But it would be nice if they got of the way.

Have you asked yourself why no new refineries have been built?

Do you know why there are 35 gasoline blends?

Suddenly we are faced with an ethanol shortage and price rise.

The fiddling Congress bans off shore oil drilling and prohibits the exploitation of the Alaska reserves. This country has not built a new nuclear power plant in almost thrity years. We probably have the equivalent of 500 years of coal reserves. Oil wells remain capped through out the country, and vast land tracts are kept off limits.

Experts believe that 50 miles off shore (in the Cuban basin) there might be 9 billion barrels. Alaska probably has an additional 10 billion. Instead, we are held hostage to rising prices in places run by madmen like Iran and Venezuela.

American refineries have been running at 98% capacity for several years now. This is not a new fact. Yet nothing has been done to ease regulations.

What do these numbskulls offer as solutions?

$100 rebate to ease the pain. If this is like the child credit of a couple of years ago, they'll count it as income and tax you.

Pummel the evil oil companies for obscene profits. Well if the oil companies are making obscene profits on 8 to 10 cents per gallon, what about the 46 cent average gas tax imposed at the state and federal levels?

Blame George Bush. This is quite popular. The President deserves some blame for not pushing his energy plan. But Congress and the special interests strangling this government own the lion's share.