Richard Steele
I’m old enough to remember the fuel shock of the 1970s, when for numerous reasons, the price of petrol and diesel went through the roof.
And here’s an observation I made then, that is just as relevant today.
Say the price rocks up by 20 per cent, to pluck a figure out of the air.
That is actually no excuse to put up your charges by 20 per cent, because fuel is usually only one part of the business costs, and while like in trucking it’s a big part, it’s still probably only a third of the cost of running a truck, and the other parts of the business may not have increased much, or at all.
And I’m not picking on trucking, it’s just an example, of what can happen, when we consumers are vulnerable.
So, a business sees an opportunity to make a buck, and does so, using the attack by Donald Trump as an excuse, and I agree, some of the cost increases are justified. But not necessarily, and not altogether.
I’m not well aware enough of the political situation in the Middle East region to accurately comment on the situation there. But I don’t think the Americans are either, in fact they could have easily bitten off more than they can chew, by attacking Iran.
The claims about Iran being close to making nuclear weapons seems as about as accurate as the previous claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
The failure of that campaign, should have them hanging their heads in shame, but no .
The current administration has learned nothing from history, and have in fact regressed to today’s stage.
We have the so called president of the free world using course profanities to try to force the Iranians, to give up on a war they didn’t start.
Language that’s been banned in our household for decades. Actually, I swear like a trooper, but prefer to do so when my wife is out of earshot.
So, then I think of our own ability, to be self-sufficient in fuel, and I wonder about the decades of handwringing that has led us to be so dependent on the rest of the world for supplies essential to keep the country running.
Surely, even if we were able to produce a third of what our country needs we would at least be able to keep our essential services, and our export industries ticking over, to lessen the chances of us going broke in times of world crisis.
And surely, enough level heads leading our world, can sort their act out, without reverting to war as the only option available to them.
Surely we didn’t become the leading animal in the world to resort to attack and violence every time something happens that doesn’t suit us.
Donald Trump and the drongos around him have to go.
