Their Thieves vs. Our Thieves

Considering the fact that we are faced with at least three more months of oil effluence in the Gulf of Mexico, I consider this event one of the three greatest national tragedies in my lifetime. The other two are the JFK assassination and the 2000 presidential election, in the latter case not as to who won it, but how it was won. I agree with those who criticize Obama’s failure to make a timely response. What he has said, or more to the point when he didn’t say it, is important.  But as importance goes it pales in comparison to what is happening in the Gulf now and why it’s happening. As to the “what” part, we can get a reasonably good idea from media coverage. It’s the “why” that deserves our attention.

Our addiction to fossilized sources of energy is notorious. Given the money spent to make sure we stay addicted, it is little wonder that virtually none of our ample resources have been directed toward green energy since l973 when the need first became evident. Even if we were to see the light immediately we will still have to rely to a great extent on traditional sources for some time. It’s on this aspect that I’d like to dwell for a moment, specifically on the myth of “energy independence.”  

The fact that among the handful of oil companies considered “ours” is British Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell should give us a hint that things are not exactly as advertised. Seventy percent of BP is owned by the British government. The others are corporations with international ownership. Trans Ocean, the builder of the Gulf oil rig is from Switzerland, a country with a rich maritime heritage. We’ve all heard about Halliburton, a corporation run out of Dubai. If Dick Cheney’s personal wealth is involved, as I suspect, it would give him a big boost for the title of The Man Who Has Done America for the Most.

The world price of oil is the same regardless of the seller. Oil is the product of one big market and, like other products, the motive behind its production and sale is profit. This is true of Saudi Arabia, where oil is nationalized for the benefit of the Royal Family and its friends, as it is of corporations whose CEOs pocket the swag while sanctimoniously invoking the interest of shareholders. If OPEC cuts back production to increase the price, its beneficiaries include the likes of Exxon Mobil. To most people who share my estimation of these people, the idea that our bad guys work more in our national interest than their bad guys is laughable.

The phrase “painting with the same brush” is usually used to suggest painting a distorted picture. In this case one brush will do nicely.

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