If We Work Hard Enough, We Can Get Oil Up to $100 a Barrel in no Time

The government’s program to increase oil prices has stalled at the $70 a barrel level for some time now, and it is time for decisive action to try to kick prices up to $100 a barrel during the summer season of high demand for gasoline. We all know that there are very important reasons, besides the important goal of enriching domestic oil producers, for working to raise prices: higher prices provide incentives to develop alternative fuels, higher prices keep Americans pissed off at foreigners with oil and bolster flagging support for military adventurism. It’s time to use saber rattling and military action to shut off supplies from Iran and Venezuela. All to the better if we alienate Russia in the process.

But, you might argue, won’t the government be risking a political backlash? The regime can’t get any more unpopular, and the GOP base of wingnuts will stick by the regime no matter what it does. Their “leaders” will make noises about staying home come November, but they won’t. They’ll be motivated by some GOP trickery and come out to vote just like they always do. The religious right is in the bag for the GOP. In addition, the Democrats are so timid and afraid of rocking the boat that they can’t seem to get any advantage from GOP unpopularity. They’re hoping the GOP implodes from the sheer weight of its corruption and incompetence. Also, the regime can blame the oil price increase on hostile foreigners and whip the proletariat up into a frenzy of flag waving and enemy hating and magnetic ribbon displaying. All will be forgiven, since the people will be scared out of their wits and hoping the regime will save them.