I was at work the other night and I was just chit-chatting with a customer and I just joked about high ridiculous the gas prices were getting. I know that I live in a liberal neighborhood in a liberal town and state, but the thing he said next was simply hypocritical of everything that liberal ideology preaches. To paraphrase he said that he was happy that gas prices were getting so high because it would cause people to stop using so much gasoline.
Fine, I get it. The higher the price the more people will cut back on their expenditures, specifically gasoline and driving, and reassess the value we place on certain things or simply look at the waste we produce. However, a huge part of the liberal ideology is helping the poor and those in need. So what this guy is saying is that he is HAPPY that every single necessity that people purchase from food, to clothing, to shelter is going up in price. Higher gasoline prices do not hurt people like him who can afford to pay higher gas prices and continue to live a comfortable lifestyle. They hurt people who are already struggling to pay already high prices in electric and heating bills and now rising food prices. The oil prices directly affect these things, not just how much people drive.
I think it is good to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels if it is done in a way that does not destroy lives. However, I do not want to make the insinuation that the recent rise in prices is because of a liberal agenda. I know that the recent rise is because of the continued unrest in places in the Middle East, specifically Libya. But I cannot stand this mentality that higher gas prices is a good thing.
3 years ago
2 comments:
And the fact of the matter is, most people probably won't cut back on gas that much. I still have to drive to work every day, as do most people. Walking is hazardous with all the ice (our neighbor's broken arm is a testament to that).
You're right, people don't think about the people who can hardly afford gas even at low prices. Like those advertisements on the buses, "Food or Gas? 1 in 3 Minnesotans has to choose."
Great to see you're posting on your blog again Matt :)
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