Musing

As a Noun this word means reflection or contemplation. Today the Flower Child will reflect on some recent events and share them here for your own contemplation:

• Just suppose that our United States was able to drill for oil in our own Gulf or even in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Now reflect back for a moment and suppose that we had actually started drilling in 1995 and the oil was being refined in one or two of our own new refineries. Would the Clinton Campaign have been more viable? Would the money crunch have hit her as soon as it did if the cost of fuel for the Campaign bus been more reasonable? Or even the cost of the Air Travel that her campaign often uses? To be fair, her opposition also has the same cost but I think that we all know that he is able to raise more funds! Enough said about that. It is a shame that we did not start the evolution to be more energy independent in a more timely manner.
• Recently we have heard how the high cost of food items is having a major impact on the School Meal Program (Breakfast and Lunch) for our Nations Children. What do you suppose is the cause of this problem. I will let you think this one out for yourself.
• As our Elected Senators and Representatives decry the ever increasing cost of the War on Terrorism I often recall that Airplanes, Tanks and Transports consume fuel. We all know that Uncle Sam does buy a lot of this stuff, but just as our own Fuel Cost increase I am confident that Uncle Sam has to face the fact that his Fuel also takes more dollars.
• On a more local level, our City and our County Governments here in Middle Georgia are faced with the increased cost of Fuel as they commence their annual Budget Hearings. What will the cost of fuel be next January 2009? No one knows for sure, but I certainly feel that it will probably cost more than what we are paying today, May 22, 2008.
• Even our School Districts must face the unknown cost of fuel to transport our scholars to and from our elementary and high schools. What is the project cost for the 2008-2009 School Year? If I had a crystal ball I would certainly tell them.
• Then there is the Flower Child's own personal situation. My plethora of retirement incomes is driven by the "Consumer Price Index." Everytime that the prices for fuel, food and fun increase I automatically receive a pay raise.

As I terminate my contemplations and reflections today, I am amazed that our elected leaders have allowed this situation to develop for such a long period of time. We have become the victims of our on reactive mantra. Just think where we would be if our elected leaders had adopted a proactive mantra a mere thirteen years ago.

Of course we cannot go back to 1995 and redo our actions, but it would be nice!!!