Selling America By The Pound
Budweiser beer - whether you drink it or not, is about as American as apple pie. Well, that is until this past week - when the company was bought out by In Bev - a Belgium company that wants to make Budweiser the world equivalent of Coca-Cola in terms of brand name recognition. Whoopty-F’n-Do. Exactly what DOES America make (and own) anymore? The list seems to get smaller by the day. Meanwhile, most of us shuffle off to our cubicles (which a group email I got yesterday reminded me was smaller than a prison cell), make our really rather routine contribution to the machine, pay for our own lunches (those are free in prison - same email), and now devote over $4 a gallon for gasoline, most of which comes from outside the USA.
Which brings me to Dubya’s latest grandstand - and parting gift to his oil buddies - putting a bill before congress to sign that will grant offshore drilling - he says, to help ease the cost of gas for Americans. Please note - these drilling sites - if built - will not produce a single drop of oil for at least 10 years. That’s not how I spell relief - that’s how I spell constipation. Also worth noting - leases for these coastal areas have already been sold - extending 50 miles out off the coasts of the U.S. in all directions. And since somebody’s already paid big money to buy this land (er, water) - you can bet your view of the coast that congress is going to fall all over itself to cave in and do business as usual, voting to allow this to happen in spite of the fact that existing U.S. offshore wells are only producing about 20% of what they are capable of producing.
Of course, none of this should matter if you’re fortunate enough to live in Georgia, where we are now allowed to carry guns into public bars and restaurants. Heck, our Governor said yesterday he thought we should be allowed to carry them into airport terminals, too - and the instant Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport said oh hell no and introduced regulations against that idea - an arm of the NRA sued the airport, saying they have to follow the new Georgia law like everybody else.
So when you get sick of your ruined view of the ocean, consider moving inland to Atlanta - where you will soon be too busy dodging gun fights between enraged commuters to worry about that beautiful sunset you can’t see. This bud, is for you.
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America will stilll own a good part of Anheiser-Bush…well at least, one American will. Cindy McCain, apparently, owned about $1 million worth of A-B…who knows WHAT that $1 million will be worth after the sale?
And as for off-shore drilling, I heart his morning on CNN that it all adds up: 2 oil men in the White House x 2 consecutive terms in office = $4 per gallon. I really don’t even want to get started on that subject, but I thought the math was interesting.
I heard the GWB press conference today. I heard him tip-toe around the question, “Are the current oil producers in the USA producing as much as possible?” Then when asked, “Why haven’t you, personally, asked the American Citizens to use less gasoline?’ He replied, “I know that the American Citizens are smart enough to figure that out for themselves.” LET’S HOPE WE’RE ALL SMART ENOUGH … SOON
The man didn’t listen to his own father’s advise on Iraq, he’s appointed incompetent after incompetent to key posts during his entire presidency, and has to be the most ill equipped individual for the presidency of any man in the history of this country.
Doesn’t think there’s a problem with the economy, doesn’t think there is any truth to global warming….I mean seriously…even his supporters from eight years ago by now have to be wondering just how oblivious can this man possibly be? Each time I think he can’t possibly make me think less of him, he manages to lower the bar.
I have little doubt that our children will still be trying to dig the country out of the hole he’s put us in long after he (and some of us) are gone. Simply and utterly astonishing.
And Dubya’s solution to the economic crisis? “Take a deep breath.” Go ahead…do it…
there, doesn’t THAT make you feel better?
Just a quick FYI - the phone number on the “For Sale By Owner” sign above is for the White House switchboard. If deep breathing doesn’t make you feel better, dial that number and try some deep WTF’s.