Chalcedon Blog

As I suggested back in November of 2007, the likely motive behind the rising oil prices was to convince the majority of Americans and their lawmakers to allow domestic drilling. This should have been a simple prediction for anyone. Crises of this magnitude don't just happen overnight. One day you're paying $1.50 per gallon, and two years later you're over $4.00 per gallon. C'mon folks, smarten up! The game is rigged.

The push is on. Out of nowhere President Bush is calling on Congress to lift the ban on off-shore drilling; John McCain wants 45 new nuclear reactors; and now Newt Gingrich is compounding Bush's demand--although with a twist. He's placing the blame on Congress, not oil companies, or the Saudis:

"The problem is not the big oil companies, the problem is not the foreigners, the problem is not begging the Saudis," said Gingrich. "The problem is getting Congress to do its job."

That's right, folks. The problem is Congress. Well, not really. The problem, if Newt was honest, is the public opinion that affects congressional action. I can guarantee that after a couple years now of high gas prices congressional leaders are getting an earful from their constituencies. The Democrat resistance doesn't stand a chance. Even soccer moms are ready for cheaper gas.

Here's what I wrote in November of 2007:

So, why the price hikes at the pump? Well, my third-grade explanation was always that rising fuel prices would frustrate the American population to pressure Congress to expand U.S. drilling in the Western Hemisphere, i.e., more drilling in the Gulf, Alaska, and domestic regions. I believed that because I recall that being a primary debate before 2001. Granted, oil companies are raking in huge profits from the rising price of oil, but again, their motives--in my opinion--could not be isolated to short-term thinking. I think they still long for the days of "J.R. Ewing" extracting millions of barrels out of his own backyard. They must want more than record quarterly profits in the short term. There must be a more extensive agenda that reaps billions without inspiring anger in the American people. By that I mean the anger of Joe Citizen at the pump. I doubt the U.S. oil cartels care a rip about Greenpeace. They want the legislation changed, and the Green Movement can whine as much as they want. The majority of Americans will welcome homeland drilling for reduced pump prices.

Crisis-Reaction-Solution: it works every time.