George W, Why Shouldn't I Drive?
This morning, as I was readying myself for a trip to the market, I studied my face in the bathroom mirror for a moment. Normally I rather like the familiar old roadmap. But this morning I saw a storm a'brewing. I looked mad. Mad---and really frustrated. But why not? I'd been listening to the morning news and discovered the price of gas had risen yet again!
Even at my tender age I'm still a pretty good driver. I enjoy the rather longish drive to Walmart to save a bit of money on my purchases---and up to now it's been worth it to make the trip. However, with gas topping three bucks a gallon the economics have become problematic.
For example, I love sweet potatoes and Walmart sells them for $.71 a pound. Should I go instead to the nearby King Soopers and pay $1.49 a pound? Hummmm...the cost of driving through traffic against saving $.78 cents a pound. By the time I figure it all out gas will probably have gone up again.
I realize there are many reasons that the rising price of gas may wash out to be a good thing for our society. However, I deeply resent the fact I'm trying to be a more mindful consumer at a time when gas company corporate profits and compensations are going through the roof. I resent it even more when our Kissy-Face Decider-in-Chief stands chanting his mantra, "We're doing everything we possibly can to remedy the situation." Yeah, right. Just like with everything else.
Well, I'm off to fill my tank. When I fork over the money at the station I won't be simply stewing about the price of gas. I'll be lamenting what I see as just another imposition on me and the freedom of the ever-shrinking middle class. I hope something good comes out of the sky-rocketing cost of gas but you'll pardon me if I slam the door on my way out!
Even at my tender age I'm still a pretty good driver. I enjoy the rather longish drive to Walmart to save a bit of money on my purchases---and up to now it's been worth it to make the trip. However, with gas topping three bucks a gallon the economics have become problematic.
For example, I love sweet potatoes and Walmart sells them for $.71 a pound. Should I go instead to the nearby King Soopers and pay $1.49 a pound? Hummmm...the cost of driving through traffic against saving $.78 cents a pound. By the time I figure it all out gas will probably have gone up again.
I realize there are many reasons that the rising price of gas may wash out to be a good thing for our society. However, I deeply resent the fact I'm trying to be a more mindful consumer at a time when gas company corporate profits and compensations are going through the roof. I resent it even more when our Kissy-Face Decider-in-Chief stands chanting his mantra, "We're doing everything we possibly can to remedy the situation." Yeah, right. Just like with everything else.
Well, I'm off to fill my tank. When I fork over the money at the station I won't be simply stewing about the price of gas. I'll be lamenting what I see as just another imposition on me and the freedom of the ever-shrinking middle class. I hope something good comes out of the sky-rocketing cost of gas but you'll pardon me if I slam the door on my way out!
posted by goldenlucyd @ 8:27 AM
17 Comments:
At 10:20 AM,
Jamie Dawn said…
Lucy's having a hissy fit!!!
I place blame on every administration since Jimmy Carter as well as every congress person since that time.
Congress is not good at preemptive action. They should have built more refineries, drilled for oil in the US, pursued nuclear power and seriously passed legislation regarding alternative fuels. They never seem to take things seriously enough to act until it becomes a "crisis." The illegal immigration mess is another example. Didn't we face this under Reagan? Why did congress and every pres administration since Reagan let illegals keep coming by the millions????
I'm having a hissy fit too!!
At 10:21 AM,
Anonymous said…
Here in Canada we pay for gas by the liter. Currently, in my town, we are paying $1.09 a liter. I think there are about 3.75 liters in a gallon. So to equate matters, we are paying about (getting calculator out) $4.08 a gallon. Unbelievable!! Part of the problem in our country is that they tax the tax on gas. The government wants to have its share. Don't even get me started!!!
At 10:31 AM,
Joy Des Jardins said…
Give the door a good slam for me too Lucy. It's disgusting. Just how far are they going to push us? The "powers that be" better come up with something fast to curtail this problem or we're going to be expressing ourselves with a lot more hostility than just the slamming of doors. Thanks for a wonderful post sweet Lucy.
At 10:49 AM,
Chancy said…
Hooray for Lucy!!!!
I feel a protest coming on with all us Elders gathering together to demand resignations of all the bozos in Washington DC.
Throw the bums out.
At 11:13 AM,
GUYK said…
I was thinking about raising hell with the county and making them cahnge the zoning laws so I can keep a mule. I could hook old Bessie up to a flatbedded wagon and me and sweetthing could just make a day of it about twice a month going to town. Hell, when it rains maybe I could hook old Bessie up to the pickup and she could pull it! I have enough grass to feed a mule and when I run out the neighbors could feed her and I would let them borrow her and the wagon once in a while to go do the shoppin'. We can beat the price of gasline by just bring down the demand. When old Bessie dies I could make mince meat pies out of her but the ragheads can't drink or eat that crude oil.
At 11:58 AM,
Unknown said…
Well Lucy, you've hit the nail on the head for this one.
GuyK - I will if no one else will, was the "raghead" comment really necessary?
At 1:38 PM,
EV said…
I'm not one to blame a person or things for difficulties. I remember the gas lines in the 70s. Ann Coulter made some good points in her commentary on the subject of gas. There's plenty of fault on both sides of the aisle and even more misinformation and simplistic logic. Pick an issue and the bottom-line is it is OUR fault. The same politicians that acts like they walk on there knuckle keep getting re-elected. Mexico has
just legalized drugs from heroine to PCP, their second greatest income ( next to oil ) is from illegal aliens and we can't figure out how to enforce our current immigration laws. Hmmmmmm , do you think that will impact the USA? Sadly, the list is long and growing, Lucy.
At 2:14 PM,
GUYK said…
Chantel, I am not one of the politically correct crowd. Keep in mnd that the rsgheads would just as soon cut off the head of a PC liberal as they had mine. The difference is when they come for me I will be shooting at them while the PC crowd is still trying to put the blame on someone else.
At 4:34 PM,
Roberta S said…
I never gave much thought to gas prices because I seldom go anywhere. But last week a Mom called me and asked me to visit her son who is currently in hospital because I know him and happen to live a lot closer to the hospital than she does. With gas prices, she simply can't afford to regularly make the trip. That made me think how often people are admitted to care facilities far from home and it is a crying shame when families in these kinds of situations cannot be there because the trips cost more than they can afford. There ought to be a law against it.
At 6:22 AM,
Anonymous said…
Bravoo LucyD... The profits and ridiculous salary of execs like the Exxon CEO irks me. I want to know ..when will one of these execs be brave and bold..and give some their enormous salaries back to their employees, donate it to worthy causes. Who was it on the news recently (some exec-maybe it was the Exxon guy?) he had never had anyone question his salary...or to reveal it before - so self-absorbed. I pray i live to see the day..that guys like this face some true hardship in life - and resort to slamming doors like the rest of us.
At 8:45 AM,
Jamie Dawn said…
My daughter has been learning a valuable life lesson lately when she has filled up the gas tank.
That lesson is: Marry rich!
Tee-hee.
My son just got his permit, so he will be learning the same lesson too.
At 9:11 AM,
Bev Sykes said…
I used to volunteer, driving people without transportation to doctors' visits, but I can't afford to do that any more. I can't get TOO upset about gas prices because I know what the rest of the world pays, but when I hear about the obscene profits oil companies are making and the obscene salaries oil company execs are trying to rationalize, then I want to slam that door right along with you, Lucy!
At 3:04 PM,
Anonymous said…
Oh something good will come out of it. The rich will get richer and the CEO's of the major oil companies will have even larger retirements.
I'm slamming the door too. Just wish there were some oil tycoon's fingers in the way of my slam.
At 8:29 PM,
kenju said…
Another good one, Lucy! And I, like Maria, wish I could slam some fingers (and toes) in the doors!
At 12:38 PM,
Anonymous said…
The price of gas is even higher over here. Every time I have to fill 'er up, I am shocked!!!
At 1:02 PM,
Rain Trueax said…
It is indeed frustrating and 'they' say we need to do things differently-- like move. Do 'they' have any idea how expensive that is and doesn't work for the average person. 'They' are out of touch with the problems of Americans not in government cushy positions and many with limos too and from work.
Glad you all slammed the door for me as it's still nice enough outside that I want to leave mine open.
At 6:35 AM,
Anonymous said…
Hope you slammed that door for me too, Lucy!
It's a very sad situation right now all the way around in our country and these rising gas prices are just one example. But yet oil companies and CEO's continue to reap the profits....while us peons pay the price.
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