Go On Vacation This Summer or Send Your Kids to College?
By Chuck Hyde, Editor of StandBesideHer.com
Let’s go back to the summer of 2006. Gas prices were high, profits of gas companies were higher, and there was a congressional campaign in progress. According to the Democratic party and the main stream media, this was entirely the fault of George Bush and the Republican congress. There were accusations that Bush was helping his friends in the oil industry take it to the American public and rip us off for every dollar they could squeeze out of us. There was even theories that Bush and his friends were going to bleed us dry for as long as they could then Bush would tell the oil companies to lower the prices to help the Republicans in the election. The theory goes that the prices on the pumps are actually controlled by a switch in the oval office and Bush just has to change the prices at his convenience. There were dire predictions on the major network news programs and in the papers about how the high prices were going to destroy our economy. Which is fascinating because while they were running stories about how the high gas prices would destroy the economy, the next story would be about how the economy couldn’t get any worse. Figure that one out. Irregardless, the clear message last summer was that a Democratic controlled congress would solve the high gas problem. How’s that working out for you?
Now, back to the present. We are again on the verge of summer and gas prices are at a record high, once again threatening vacation plans of hard working Americans. The silence from the media and especially from the Democrats is deafening. To be fair, the media is reporting on the gas prices because it is news. What we are not seeing is the daily news features on how the prices will effect the economy, the continuous stories on Bush controlling the prices from the oval office, and certainly no stories about how congress can effect the prices. I literally do not think I have seen a single Democrat remark on the prices at all. The reality is that it is no longer a political baseball bat for the media and the Democratic party to beat George Bush with so it simply is not newsworthy anymore. No more wringing their hands over the American worker. The media and the Democratic party doesn’t need you anymore so your on your own with the gas prices.
There has been no more talk of congressional hearings on the prices or profits though it seems like this was mentioned last year by the Democratic party. There is a rumor though that there will be hearings on the price of gas in Iraq. The problem is that with the endless hearings on trying to find something, anything, to pin on Alberto Gonzalez, congress doesn’t have time for something that has relevance for the public.
The lack of remarks from the Democrats and the lack of congressional hearings on the gas prices do make one thing clear though. The fault of the gas prices are clearly not under George Bush’s control. This would be the one way to guarantee congressional hearings, finding a way to pin it on Bush. The bottom line is this congress will do nothing for the next year and half that does not involve investigating Bush and the Republicans. Forget all of the campaign lies, I mean, “promises”. Forget the old tired line about the Democratic party being for the “little people” whatever in the hell that means. This Democratic congress doesn’t care about the American people, doesn’t care about our security, doesn’t care about the troops. The party is completely consumed with their total hatred of Bush and an endless pursuit to destroy him.
Oops, sorry, this was about gas prices wasn’t it. The reality is that the prices and resulting profits are not scheduled to be an issue again for another year, just in time for the 2008 elections. So, enjoy your vacation in your backyard, BBQ (on second thought, don’t BBQ, this contributes to global warming). Never mind, just keep working, save for your kids college. This way they can get a better job and maybe then they will be able to afford to go on vacation. That’s what’s on my mind.
About The Author: Chuck Hyde is editor of StandBesideHer.com. He is also a husband and father of two teenage boys and a younger daughter. His family lives in the northern Midwestern rural United States, where they enjoy camping, fishing, and other outdoor activities together. Chuck is a Registered Nurse in an inner city emergency room and has had a lifelong addiction to politics.
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