What a Gas!

You might have heard that Congress hauled a bunch of oil company executives before them
the other day to answer for the high cost of gasoline and the profits which the companies have been enjoying.

Of course, this is not the first time we have seen this. It seems every time the price of gas reaches a new high, these cats are called on the carpet and bashed in front of the cameras for all to see. One can almost hear the members of Congress saying, "Look, America! We have your back! Look at us raking these guys over the coals! Don't they look uncomfortable? Even un-American in their greed?"

I am thinking Congress should probably take a break from such proceedings. Why? Because they do no good. What do they want? Do they want one of these guys to have some sort of Capitol Hill epiphany? To renounce money, don a hair shirt and wander the earth doing no harm, speaking of the evils of fossil fuels? "Yes, Congressman, I see now," one might say. "I have been wrong profiting from the sale of petroleum. I am sorry. I have changed. YOU have changed me. Thank you."

Well, that probably won't happen. Still, Congress tries. The thing is, what is boils down to is (drum roll please!): This is the United States of America! Shocking, isn't it? If Congress wants to get into the gas biz...great!! Go for it!! If they want to complain about the high price, let them take the responsibility for producing and marketing the stuff. In short, let us nationalize the industry.
It seems to me by looking at Congress that the production of gas is of vital national importance, that private industry has a strangle hold on a vital natural resource. If the government ran it, when something goes wrong then they would not have anyone to call before them but, well, themselves. At least then they would save us these pointless charades.