03.05.07
Posted in Politics, Economics, "Big Oil", WalMart Rocks at 2:58 am by JB
I’m a capitalist, and even in my roughest times I believe in the system. Because it works.
But I’m a little curious about something, and don’t know exactly where to look. In my mind, the industries that have had the roughest times in recent years are the very industries that are heavily unionized. Auto makers. Airlines. Etc.
Now, here’s my question. Are these companies really having such problems because of the unions, or do we just hear about it more because the media, which regardless of what Eric Alterman dreams in his bizarre little world, is so much in the pocket of the liberals and the Democrats that we get constant news stories about the big bad corporations attacking the poor little unions ?
Union membership has declined something like 800% in the last 50 years. (I know, the math is weird…. how can something decline 800% ???) In 1950 or so union membership was at about 40% of the private workforce. Now it’s around 7.5%. That’s PRIVATE. The AFSCME and other government unions are still pretty high, which is bizarre enough. It takes a frigging act of Congress to fire a government civil service worker, it seems.
As an aside, some government employees are hired and can be fired, because they serve at the pleasure of the President. Reference the US Attorneys who were recently let go. Diane Feinstein is all up in arms about it. The President can fire any political appointee he wants to, at any time. Does she not remember when her “boy” Bill Clinton took office and fired EVERY SINGLE US Attorney in the country ? He hired some back, sure, but… where was the outrage ?
Aside over- do the unions really serve any purpose now except to drive up costs for power, communications, cars, and plane rides ? I know the people holding glow-sticks on the tarmac really like their 30 buck an hour snooze-arama, but is it really worth it when the airline goes belly-up, or they start laying people off like a coked-up whore at a Cleveland bang-fest ?
That’s why, I think, the Dems want the unions to have carte-blanche to sign people up in full view. Most people don’t want to join a union, because they know that doing so may just be a commitment that leads to their demise. Real nice to have that union card when you’ve spent 2% of your wages over the years to support unions (and in turn Democrats), but now the company is bankrupt because of the benefits and outrageous wages.
That guy who has the union card and no job is now really happy for two things. One, he can go to Wal Mart and buy cheap, reliable, and quality goods to support himself and his family. And two, he can toss that card on the fire to heat his home for a millisecond or two.
Or he can follow the advice of Robert Kennedy Jr., that absolute waste of a human being, and buy heating oil from Hugo Chavez. HAVE YOU SEEN THE COMMERCIALS THEY ARE DOING ??? Absolutely, without a doubt, treasonous. Without. A. Doubt. More on that another time.
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09.16.06
Posted in Politics, Economics, "Big Oil", Democrats at 4:39 am by JB
(same link as below) Mary Landrieu is a bonehead more than just about anyone else on the Hill.
At about the time Pelosi was unveiling the “New Direction” brochures, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) was out on the Senate floor, accusing Democrats of aiding the terrorists. “Al-Qaeda,” he said, sees “the lack of resolve in some of our leaders, and they seek to exploit it.”
The charge enraged Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), who had come to the floor to talk about education.
“America is not tired of fighting terrorism,” she retorted. “America is tired of the wrongheaded and boneheaded leadership of the Republican Party that has sent $6.5 billion a month to Iraq when the front line was Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, that led this country to attack Saddam Hussein when we were attacked by Osama bin Laden.”
The Dem’s have hit bottom, and started to dig. GOP will be picking up seats in November….
Not sure when OBL became the leader of Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia- SAUDI ARABIA ??- but OBL’s organization has operative in all those regions. These stupid Democrats don’t understand 9th grade civics, and it’s embarassing. But they have been so successful in dumbing down the schools and keeping poor people in poverty, they don’t rely on an educated and involved electorate.
We should be tough with the Saudi’s, but we can’t, because we need their oil, and since the Witch Senator from Louisianna won’t let us drill more in the gulf, or tap ANWR…. we’re kinda screwed in that regard, Mary.
This stuff wouldn’t make me so mad if it made any sense. Democrats usually don’t make sense. One point sounds great, and so does the next, but that’s soundbites, not policy.
And every policy they kinda come up with is more government control of people’s lives. “Energy independence, but don’t drill for more oil, but mandate 150 MPG in cars, but stop importing oil”.
You just killed probably 1/3 of the economy. The car manufacturers will shut down (starting to do that anyway), the oil prices will skyrocket, which increases prices on everything. The poverty numbers will go through the roof, because gas is more expensive, goods aren’t moved, services aren’t rendered, and that is the ultimate “trickle down economics”. The entire economy trickles down to nothing….
Do Democrats have any knowledge of economics at all ? NO ! They elected Smiling Jimmy “Malaise” Carter.
But again, I suppose if we get OBL all terrorism will go away. Damn these people are stupid.
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09.14.06
Posted in Politics, Economics, "Big Oil", 2006 Races at 1:50 pm by JB
Gas prices at 1/2 the mark now ? Talk about an economic boost.
The recent sharp drop in the global price of crude oil could mark the start of a massive sell-off that returns gasoline prices to lows not seen since the late 1990s — perhaps as low as $1.15 a gallon.
“All the hurricane flags are flying” in oil markets, said Philip Verleger, a noted energy consultant who was a lone voice several years ago in warning that oil prices would soar. Now, he says, they appear to be poised for a dramatic plunge.
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07.27.06
Posted in Economics, "Big Oil" at 2:22 pm by JB
But something about this doesn’t make sense….
I am all for capitalism, and people making money when they take risks….
But- how exactly does Exxon/Mobile make more money by the escalation in petroleum prices ? Let’s explore this a little, shall we, and if I’m wrong, PLEASE tell me how I am wrong.
Oil prices grow on trading of speculators. Speculators drive the price up, that’s what the refineries have to pay for it.
Right ?
So how does a gasoline company explain expanded profits based on the rising cost of gasoline ? That just doesn’t make sense to me.
The product costs what it costs, based on the market. E/M sells a refined product, but they don’t control the market.
As a refiner/distributor, you’d think that E/M would have a somewhat straight-path profit line, they wouldn’t be setting records every other quarter.
If I am business, and my supplier’s costs go up, my costs go up as well. But my profit doesn’t skyrocket unless my markup follows the same trend, which is good practice for profit, but it’s not good customer service.
Again, I am all for profit, and for the capitalist system, but there is something about this gas price thing that stinks a little. And I need some education on it so I don’t feel like such an idiot. 
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