The World According to Carp

The lead article in the NYTimes claims that a lot of net Exporters of Oil are going to become net Importers in the next decade, and present some data which is very scary. Is this Oil shortage predictable?–Yes, but it is also unlikely. One must first decipher that the economies of these Countries are not Stand-Alone economies, which can subsist in any form of autarchy. They must possess a Credit of Exchange that their current Oil production currently provides them; in most cases, Oil is the only viable Export which they possess. They will be unable to compete with other Trade Goods in a World where all other nations are trying to produce the same mix of Goods for Export. Most of these nations depend upon Oil to finance their own Governments. None of these Countries can really afford to adopt the American model economy. The Result will not be a shortage of Oil, but a Price for Gasoline and Diesel equalized in the World by taxation.

Robert Frank delivers an important Argument about the need to raise Taxes. I will put the entire Issue in a slightly different light. Americans are living way above their means, and the only method to maintain the charade is to pass the mythical beast of Debt onto the Government through demanding Services without Taxation. The only problem with the mythical beast is that it must be paid Interest, and finally must be paid off in full. Some mythical Political leadership has designs on the value of the Dollar, insisting its value be cut in half, before the mythical beast of Debt must be paid; dependent on their own personal Earning Power being maintained. Why it is all mythical resides in the fact that the World will not let Us get away with it; and two, the greatest majority of Americans will only be ground down by the practice. An honest Taxation could still have Us running a Surplus, like We did during much of the Clinton administration, until Politicians starting playing with the Tax laws again. Fool Me once, shame on you; Fool Me twice, shame on Me. I guess the American people want to be called Fools.

I like this article because it is basically honest, unusual in modern Journalism. Consumers are a bit down, and Economists ask why? Could it be that overall Prices rose better than 3% last Year, Energy Costs rose better than 8%, Property taxes and Licensing requirements have increased by more than 4% year over year, and actual Take-Home Pay has been stagnant for a couple of years. Add that the wide run of Christmas Run-up Sales has reduced Christmas Shopping Costs to approximately a Price some 3% more than last Year. I think Consumers are in a grouchy Mood, especially as Interest rates on Consumer Credit may have doubled year over year. Don’t worry about it–Santa loves you All; though he may be filing for Bankruptcy next year. lgl