Home > IT’S THE RICH BASTARDS’ FAULT

IT’S THE RICH BASTARDS’ FAULT

by Open-Publishing - Wednesday 3 May 2006
13 comments

Economy-budget Energy USA

IT’S THE RICH BASTARDS’ FAULT

Are you feeling angry about the price of gas? Do you see your standard of living going down the drain before your very eyes? Are you wondering how you are going to survive if things don’t change soon? And, are you confused about who is at fault for your predicament? Well, my fellow Americans, the end of your confusion is at hand. The fault lies with the rich bastards. Yes, it’s the rich bastards who are the cause of your economic distress, and, if not stopped, they will reduce the once vibrant American middle class to a level of poverty normally associated with third world countries.

You might ask, "Why are these rich bastards doing this to us?” The answer is simple - GREED! The rich bastards realize that there’s just so much of the pie, and the more people there are wanting a piece of it, the smaller the portions are going to get. So, in order for the rich bastards to keep the pie all to themselves, they have decided to take the pie off the menu for the vast majority of Americans who have gotten too used to eating it.

And, what better way is there to wean us off pie than to attack the core of our very existence than to raise the price of energy. I don’t have to tell you what the ever-rising cost of energy is doing to our standard of living. It has become all too obvious over the past five years. We’re all going to hell in a hand basket while the rich bastards sit back and watch the show with smiles of contentment on their smug faces. After all, what is paying three bucks a gallon to them? It’s just a drop in the bucket, or should I say trough, to them. They can pay ten times that much without so much as flinching.

I know, you’ve been told that the high cost of energy is the result of “supply and demand” - too much demand and not enough supply. You’ve been told that the demand for fuel coming from China and India cutting into the available supplies is largely responsible for its rising cost. To that myth, I say bullshit. It’s the GREED of the rich bastards that is the cause. And, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

The rich bastards will trot out their hired hands - the economists, the petrochemical analysts, the talking head pundits in the mainstream media, and the politicians - who will all sing in unison the old “supply and demand” tune. But, don’t believe them for one moment. The worst thing you can do is to hum along with these paid flunkies. The rich bastards just love it when we poor slobs willingly hum their tune. Blame the Chinese. Blame the Indians. Blame the New World Order. Blame the Saudis. Blame the Jews - whatever. Just don’t blame the rich bastards.

If “supply and demand” is the reason for rising energy prices, why are the major oil companies - “BIG OIL” - enjoying record profits? If this phony formula were true, wouldn’t their profits remain flat? Wouldn’t they just be passing along the rising cost to the consumer where there are no winners or losers? But, we know that’s a bunch of crap. BIG OIL is having a party at our expense. And, Lee Raymond, the recently retired Chairman of ExxonMobil, is having the most fun. When Raymond retired, he received a severance package of $400,000,000! With that little nest egg, Raymond can buy 133,333,333 gallons of his company’s regular gas. And, if he drives a gas guzzling Hummer, which comes with a 25-gallon gas tank, he can fill it up 5,333,333 times. Not bad, even for a rich bastard who resembles Quasimodo.

Let’s reflect a little more on Raymond’s windfall. In 2005, the average salary in the United States was $39,800, not that much after taxes with which to raise a family. Raymond could, if he wanted to, pay the salaries of 10,050 average American workers for one year with his severance package. But, don’t worry; he will do no such thing. And, why won’t he do such a thing? Because he is a rich bastard and rich bastards are GREEDY. He would be betraying his status as a rich bastard to share his wealth with others less fortunate than himself.

So, my fellow destitute Americans, when you hear all of those phony reasons regurgitated by the “experts” to explain why your pockets are emptying faster than crap goes through a goose, just remember they’re lying for the rich bastards who pay them handsomely for their efforts. Most importantly, though, when you hear people complaining about their economic plight and don’t know where the blame lies, just tell them it’s the rich bastards’ fault.

Mark Kato

Forum posts

  • The true culprit is not the rich bastards. It is us. Every time I see someone on the news bitching about gas prices while they are gassing up their vehicle, I see the pump at 25 gallons and $75.00. Those people are NOT putting gas in a Honda Civic or a Chevrolet Aveo. They want to drive a big honkin’ gas guzzler and let the world get out of their way. But don’t expect them to have to pay for it. They’re Merkins. Of course Congress has done nothing with CAFE standards for many years. But the same people driving the gas guzzlers and bitching about the price of gas are the ones putting these clowns back in Congress year after year. Don’t get me wrong—I don’t like rich bastards. But they are not the problem with this.

    • The rising cost of gasoline is just one element in the rising cost of energy. How about home heating, and the extra cost for food that is shipped by truck? And, not all Americans drive gas guzzlers, but are still paying more and more for gas to put in their modest cars. Try to look past the pump before you pass quick judgment.

    • According to the Energy Information Administration (part of the US DOE) 2/3 of oil use in the US is for transportation. I realize not all Americans drive gas guzzlers. But a large proportion does. So how far past the pumps do you suggest looking before we see reality?

    • You seem to want to hang blame on the consumer. Is that a Republican talking point? You say a "large proportion" of private vehicles are gas guzzlers. Maybe so - I don’t have the stats. Why don’t you post them. And, what is the private versus commercial ratio of US petroleum consumption? Tell us. Do you want your produce delivered by ox cart?

      And, home heating also includes natural gas - a lot of it. Can you explain why a thousand cubic feet of natural gas that cost $3.68 in 2000 now costs $6.62? Does this dramatic price increase - right in line with the price of oil have anything to do with gas guzzlers? Should families turn down their thermostats because they’re just too damn comfortable in their homes?

      I think your frustration is making you lash out at the easiest target - the consumer.

    • Actually I’m not frustrated with the price of gas. I drive very little and the car I have gets relatively good gas mileage. The US has the lowest gas prices of any major country in the world. My frustration is with the Merkan crybabies. We’re different. We shouldn’t have to pay high prices. We’re better than those other people.

    • in what way are you better than "those" other people.

    • Damn, your logic is overwhelming! I surrender to your superior thought processes.

    • Lets drill ANWAR ALASKA. Build more refineries, But you ECO WACKOS would cry in your cat food. So pay up and shut up!

  • Its a problem of feasability and the lack of smart solutions. U.S. has fallen back in using new technologies! Why would anybody comute alone with a vehicle, which weights 3 tons? Why is public transport a no word in the U.S.. The big automakers have far more advanced cars, which the sell and produce abroad! U.S. customers get iron cast V6/V8, drum brakes and other crap.

    If you don’t demand technology, you don’t get it. Just read the car specifications which are available for European customers and compare it with the information you get at an U.S. dealership.

    You pay a lot and get nothing!

    • It is soooo funny to listen to Americans say that compared to other countries their gasoline is cheap.....what the uneducated Americans never say is that the reason that other countries have higher gasoline prices is that other countries put FAR MORE TAXES on gasoline than the USA and therefore their otherwise CHEAPER gasoline is only more expensive because other countries tax the hell out of gasoline. Its all about the tax add on that makes the difference......

    • That’s a good point about the tax structure of European gas prices, which runs on average at about 60% in Europe versus about 30% in the U.S. Another thing some Americans don’t get is their finger pointing at the "gas guzzling" SUV’s. In fact, there are plenty of SUV’s that get better mileage than some sedans.

      The bottom line is that American culture is built around private transportation, especially for suburban living. The problem of changing this culture is institutional more than a matter of individuals simply changing their own driving habits. Unfortunately, the institutions are controlled by what the author calls the "rich bastards" and it is not in their interests to redirect these institutional mores into more fuel efficient directions.

    • Deep thoughts!

  • You hit the nail on the head Mark Kato. The sad thing is.....the rich bastards.....have all the
    power....and will kill anyone who trys to take it away. While we sat by in our complacent
    stupor the last 30 years....organized crime took over the government. Some would say
    that organized crime has always run the government. The Bush dynasty is a perfect example
    and has done more harm to this country than any political family in our history. We should learn from our mistakes and never allow 2 members from the same family to be elected president.

    Never allow former directors of the CIA to become president.
    Never allow former associates of Haliburton to hold office.
    Do away with electronic voting.

    The greatest good the American people could do for it’s future is to pass
    a constitutional ammendment.....putting term limits on congress.

    They won’t do it themselves....we have to do it for them....and the time is now!