MyFoxPhilly

In my attempts to explain government, particularly when it comes to writing rules to which all are subject, I am reminded that some people really need a sports angle in which to point out how the rulers make laws which have obvious consequences, and not even close to the intended ones. In this case, Barbados and Grenada for the 1994 Shell Caribbean Cup proves this better than any example I can think of without resorting to Homeland Security airport screenings.

Who on earth would have anticipated this result? Well, I would have - since I tend to pay attention to rule minutiae of which I am subjected. Any manager or coach would do the same were he or she well qualified for the position. Like the MLB postseason, every manager knows what combination of wins/losses will result in their team either being there or going home.

Surprise! This same matrix is used by those affected by legislation enacted by Congress and enforced by the Executive (that would be G.W.Bush, so let's cue the "Imperial Death March" of Star Wars fame). Every player on stage knows what the result of legislation will be before it is enacted. Thus, lobbyists play a huge part in Congress. We know that we will be paying 4 dollars a gallon for gas over the next decade because Democrats remain in the deep pockets of the environmental lobby. If you donate money to the Sierra Club or any other environmental group, it is because of you that the single mother cannot commute to work because gas is too high, and why any blame for current gas prices cannot be laid at the feet of Republicans who - as a rule - never get contributions or support from environmental lobbyists (well, McCain did buck this trend until last year).

Republicans generally get support from the oil industry. Thus, if we were to base the last 12 years in which Republicans controlled Congress (1994-2006), we would see that the oil industry got very little in terms of developing domestic oil, though certain tax schemes which were favorable to them were indeed enacted (and contributions went to those Democrats and Republicans who supported those measures). What is irrefutable is the fact that domestic oil production has nose-dived.

The oil industry has tried repeatedly to get access to real reserves, only to be granted parcels of land that have snakes in abundance and that might produce a couple million barrels of oil over the course of a decade and with multiple wells sunk (not to mention infrastructure paid by the company: roads and supply depots). This is not cost effective even in this current environment of $130 per barrel.

When we are talking billions of barrels in a given oilfield, that is real production and why the Alaska National Wildlife Preserve (ANWR) is such a prize. Within ten years production would provide 25 - 30% domestic production of crude oil. Granted access to drilling on the outer continental shelf simultaneously, domestic production might begin to eclipse our reliance on Saudi Arabia and Venezeula.

Oh, those pristine caribou stand in our way, so I am not holding my breath. Still, if you view this hamstringing as that of Barbados and Grenada, remember: Don't give a dime to the Sierra Club for ~~green~~ greed. They just want your money, and they want it to increase your price of gasoline.

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