The False Energy Shortage

            Everybody is talking about the energy shortage now that it has hit them at the pump. The only energy shortage that I believe is real has to do with the zeal of those who profess Christ when it comes to winning souls. There the dollar holds sway and the flesh rules the day. In any case have you heard of any of our service stations shutting down because they had no fuel to sell? I did not think so. Neither have I.

            Last year they were talking about an energy shortage in California. It was used to raise the cost of electricity and led to a financial crisis in California that put Arnold Schwarzenegger in as governor. While I did not mind the liberal leadership coming down in California, I wondered if it might not be a trial run for some other maneuvers on the field of politics and power. I remember well that Georgia Power said they might have a shortage in the future, and we experienced a number of power breaks and brown outs that made me think they were experimenting with the idea.

            I have written a number of people about the gas prices going up and have received back lectures on how the oil supply system works and statements to the fact we have built no new refineries in twenty years. I suppose these people think the public is stupid. As if you need to build new refineries when you have been busy upgrading the technology in existing ones when it was necessary.

            Does anybody remember the windfall profits legislation that reined in the oil industry the last time they started hiking prices? Guess what? That law has expired. Bill Clinton did not renew it on his watch, and so the suppliers are making a killing on what is essentially a byproduct of the refining process, gasoline.

            What is the purpose in all this? It will make some rich people richer of course, but the real purpose is to take away from people more of what they have. We are headed toward a day where mere survival will cost all a person can make. I think I read about that in the Bible somewhere. The other day scientists discovered lemmings that run into the sea and commit suicide in droves are smarter than they thought. People are smart but still trade freedom away for the pleasures of the moment and neglect eternal values.