Comments on: Gas prices stink! Who’s to blame?

By: AL

AL — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:33:35 +0000

instead of just talking lets all do somthing lets take a stance go to the web site thegaspricesstink.com and stand and make a differance

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:06:07 +0000

And while we’re at it, the 16th too.

By: thatselbert

thatselbert — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:43:50 +0000

Repeal the 17th!

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:41:35 +0000

It goes with the old saying that a democracy meets its doom when people figure out that they can vote themselves goodies from the Treasury. I think this was why the Founders a) intended this to be a representative republic, and b) made the Senate as an appointed, not elected, body. Unfortunately the 17th Amendment took care of the second part and governance by polls has pretty much dismantled the first section.

By: Perspective and theory « That’s Elbert With An E

Perspective and theory « That’s Elbert With An E — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:37:44 +0000

[...] today, I wrote about the historically high gas prices and how each party inside the Beltway is blaming the other. This [...]

By: Marc

Marc — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:00:35 +0000

Mike, I think the support for ethanol is a good example of how most politicians of both parties are more concerned about pleasing special interest groups rather than sticking to the Constitution. Having worked for a Senator I have seen it first-hand and it’s not necessarily a sinister thing, it’s just unfortunate.

Voters send Representatives and Senators to DC in order to represent their interests. Since voters have different interests depending on whether they are doctors, farmers, fishermen, loggers, miners, gun owners, lawyers, etc., it only makes sense that politicians would craft laws in response to these desires.

When the voters start to view government as something that exists to grant their wishes instead of protect their liberty, they will use their interest groups to demand goodies like the ethanol mandate. Most politicians aren’t brave enough (or possibly foolish enough) to resist the will of these voters. Unfortunately, those who have the views of you and me are in the minority and so are the politicians who actively support liberty.

By: monoblogue » Blog Archive » Perspective and theory

monoblogue » Blog Archive » Perspective and theory — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:03:50 +0000

[...] today, I wrote about the historically high gas prices and how each party inside the Beltway is blaming the other. This [...]

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:06:15 +0000

Marc, coming from a state with a sizeable corn crop I’m aware that a number of Senators from agricultural states thought this would be a good way to help out the corn farmers. Unfortunately, this is a case of not thinking through the possible ramifications long-term but assuring themselves endorsements from agricultural groups, campaign contributions from Big Agriculture, and perpetual re-election as long as the farmers are happy.

Obviously there were a few Republicans in favor of the bill, which made for an interesting coalition of farm-state Senators and those Senators in the pocket of environmental interests – primarily the former though.

By: Marc

Marc — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:12:53 +0000

The GOP shares plenty of blame for the ethanol mandate, too. Many Republican Senators and Representatives from farm states strongly support ethanol. I doubt you’ll find a more staunch ally of the misguided biofuel mandate than Senator Chuck Grassley.

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:54:09 +0000

Let’s not forget that it’s the Democrats who are also blocking oil companies from accessing oil shale deposits as another source of domestic oil.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/06/news/economy/birger_shale.fortune/?postversion=2008060617