Crucifying the Market Economy

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Newsflash to the EPA: The American economy still runs on oil, American workers still need jobs, and energy independence is a national security issue.

Come to think of it, the economy itself is a national security issue.

That’s why it’s so—what’s the right word, here?—depressing to hear how the EPA views oil and gas companies trying to provided energy jobs in the US…

“Crucify them” was the advice of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official, Region VI Administrator Al Armendariz.

I’m not sure where region VI is--an oil-producing region of the US most likely--but does it really matter?  The attitude’s the thing, isn’t it?

When I heard this crucify comment, the one question that ran through my mind was simply,“Is that what the EPA is really all about?"

Sounds a bit naïve when I put it down in print because I’m as big a fan of clean water and air as the next guy. And the truth is, corporations have proven way too many times that they can’t be trusted to self-police themselves when it comes to pollution.

The reports of the Cuyahoga River catching fire during the late ‘60s comes to mind...Toxic waste dumps, the Love Canal, cancer causing agents in ground water, and too many other examples tell me that there must be oversight or companies will pollute because it cheaper than not polluting.

But hells bells, is beating up American companies the job of the EPA?

Is punishing an industry that will not only provide the country cheap energy with no foreign strings attached, just tens of thousands of jobs as the nation fights for economic recovery the prime function of the EPA? Does such an us-versus-them mentality at the EPA tell us the real story about how this administration views the oil and gas industry?

Makes me wonder what other industries are “targeted” by the EPA?  I am reminded of the pledge by this administration to put the coal industry out of business a few years back…

Given their dislike of the oil, gas, and coal industries, what about the rest of the private sector? If you have read The Gorrie Details before then you know that I’m not too shocked by the attitude of this administration toward business, but Mr. Armendariz’ statement certainly clarifies and affirms my worst fears. The fact is, when it comes to the economy, this administration doesn’t want anyone to make it without federal oversight and control.

Independence, whether it’s in the financial sector, energy, or whatever else, is just not what this administration is about.

It’s all about control, domination, and dependence

Take Wall Street. Why shouldn’t you? The President has. The big firms have benefitted the most from the stimulus and bailout bucks of taxpayer money given to them by this administration. They have also given this administration the most money of any candidate or president in our history. Of course, every candidate and president has to raise money, but the levels have hit new marks, and the hundreds of billions in bailouts have put the White House-Wall Street relationship on an oligarchic footing.

The fact is, since the Financial Crisis, Wall Street has become dependent upon stimulus dollars to keep stock prices up. At the same time, the administration’s political agenda for a green economy drives its efforts to fund the Solyndras of the world, even though they have yet to prove that they can replace fossil fuels.

Ah, but wait a minute. If energy prices get high enough, then two things will happen. First, expensive green energy will be more competitive with fossil fuels. And second, Americans will be more dependent upon public transportation and public—that is, government--subsidies. This is true across the board.

In a free society, both the macro and micro economies run on market forces of supply and demand. Price levels tell producers what is needed…and what is not. But by "controlling" price levels in the form of subsidies--or, in the case of the EPA, punitive fines and regulation--market forces are warped and the economic signals are distorted. Producers become dependent upon governmental favor, not on market signals. In the end, the power of the free economy is blunted and the power of the federal government is increased with horrible results.

Think about this for a moment; government intervention in the market place has rarely solved economic problems, much less technological ones. Pick an industry—mortgages, hi-tech, energy, transportation—in each and every sector, because government does not rely on price or profit, there is great waste and abuse from federal intrusion into these industries. The proper role for the federal government is to ensure that markets don’t become monopolies, that corporate power is not abused, either by pollution or collusion, and that the business climate encourages people to start businesses and hire people.

Creating distortions, favoring one sector over another, and owning stakes in corporations is not the role of American government; that is, however, the role of a fascist government.

Yikes! Just got a visual of Barack in jodhpurs and jackboots beneath a banner that warns America, "No, You Can't."

And those are…The Gorrie Details.

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