Next Year, Shame Time!

I should have placed a wager on this, that Alaska's “Senate Working Group” may come up with a solution to high energy costs that can be implemented “next legislative session”. Wow, we have heard this same false hope promise for the last 30-years – always at the end of the session! Summer's here, time to hide! It's like an important issue, but not to the conglomerate of oil companies that have their hands in the Alaskan cookie jar. And we all know that the politicians hang around for “crumbs”. Hey, enough scraps adds up to a re-election “War Chest”. Alaskan style politics works like this. Somehow, like through cheating or having a daddy with contacts and big bucks, one gets elected to office. Soon after getting sworn in, follow the “yellow-belly brick road”, to the cookie jar! Did you ever hear Miss Lizard McWired talk about doing something for the common man, besides the dismantling of the separation between church and state? That's another subject, with Lesil, so emphasis today is on the horrendous cost of energy here in the 49er. Too bad we don't have oil. We do? But “We're In” has nothing any longer to do with “Statehood”, but a whole different reading, wherein “We're In” means Alaskan legislators in bed with “Big Oil” bosom buddies. And even so, the sad fact of the matter that this state has a “black gold” depository, by the time the entire convoluted resource's taxation gets into 4^th gear, we get a pitiful amount of compensation to what is rightfully ours to begin with. Get a grip “Citizen Cane & Jane”, as it has been that way since the mid 70's when the 1^st bucket of oil headed south, and I don't see it ever changing, as this state blew its chance to be in charge of its own destiny, something we will never again find such opportunity upon. The dereliction upon establishing and maintaining a vibrant society with a sustainable jobs infrastructure not relying on Ted Stevens' “pork” came about by the Bill Sheffields' and Ben Stevens', catering not to their fellow man, but bending over to allow lobbyist to pad their personal wealth. What's in your wallet? The Alaska state senate has always been 1^st for “Big Oil”. So simply placed, this “Working Group” works for who? But to placate the growing concerns with the citizens because the price of gas has increased because the “profit margins” by the retailers is on a exponential nightmare frolic, accomplishing a 25% increase per year over the last 4-years, sure, just hold some public meetings - bring donuts and everything will be fine. Even day old “fat-pills” will suffice, as “you can fool most of the people most of the time”. And here is where you throw the citizens to the wolves or under that out-of-control Alaska Railroad locomotive: "The difference is stark and it has been fairly sustained, the Alaska refiners wouldn't explain why that was happening.” It is estimated that “Big Oil” has raked in over $1200-Billion in “North Slope” operating revenues when the state has seen only a small fraction that amount, somewhere in the neighborhood of $170-Billion. OK, they see trillions, we see billions, it still doesn't account for what is rightfully ours! So now the “leadership” is asking the public for help, as they have failed miserably at finding out anything near the definition of “constructive” as to why energy costs so much in a state that is no longer 1^st, but 3^rd in the running with respect to “crude oil” production. Yes, even when Numero Uno, it didn't help at the gas pump. Oil makes gasoline, and heating fuel, it is that simple. We have oil, still lots of it. So what's the problem? We have refineries running on empty with plenty of spare capacity, yet we pay how much for a gallon of petro? What the hell does the “public” know about the malfeasance practiced by “Big Oil”? Look, the “legislative” body here in Alaska has been since statehood opposed to working for the “People”. They remain as a “smiling” presence come re-election time, but for the rest of the time just a “shell” for Alaskan sized profiters. When crude oil was hovering around $8 a barrel in the late 90's, things looked pretty dismal in the “patch”. Not to worry, as the entire infrastructure from the “gathering stations” to the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline, well that asset was free and clear by then. And even though not publicly acknowledged, back then it was costing close to $3 to bring a barrel topside and send it down the “pipeline”, lifting costs less then what “Big Oil” was realizing in places like Saudi Arabia! Do the math, even when the price of crude sent drilling rigs into mothball status up in Prudhoe, “Big Oil” in Alaska was still raking in a hefty profit, unlike what was realized in other producing states or from other regions around the globe. And at that time with a $5 profit per barrel, with 2-million barrels or so that was making its way south, do the math! It is a moot point now with oil at how much? Do this math and it will quickly indicate how incompetent this state's legislative body remains – what appears to be by now a time tested trademark of failure! It is simple math, no guess work involved. Yet they use this magic wand to fool us, to complicate the issue, and thus we forget about it and go on our very ways, half broke. And after 30-years, some still hold out, thinking something constructive can be done upon this robbery. Listen up, “It ain't going to happen”! Hey, only if a rebate were possible from years of price fixing abuse would this malfeasance find closure with the consumers! We have been robbed of our own goods and the mouthpiece of the crooks' are asking us for help? I don't get it. This state, in its pathetic “royalty & production” taxation, we have been screwed over like an apple on a coring machine. Like Congressmen John Dingell once said, during the “Committee on Insular Affairs - Alyeska Pipeline Service Company Covert Operations” holding a Congressional hearing for the Wacken-Hut “spying” operation targeting anybody that held a negative belief upon the greedy “oil man” here in Alaska, Dingell made it clear and convincing that “Alyeska was the cashest of cows.” Even with Congressional hearings, for spying, “Big Oil” continued to get its own way, which has a drastic effect on what we pay out for a commodity that starts off in “our” oil fields. The citizens own the resources, yes we do, yet we only receive a pittance in “royalty, like 12%. Do the math again! And even if a “snitch” came forward to help the “Senate Working Group”, any crucial evidence would go on deaf ears. See, the legislation passed over the years by those in power for those with power, it has placed a damper on “worker” protection – to utilize the so-called “Open Door” policy. Remember, there is a back door that walks the “plank” - happy trails! Do you really think if a worker of the Koch brothers dynasty in North Pole has confiscated information – like Emails on actual refining costs – that would point a “price rigging” investigation in the right direction, do you think it is safe for him or her to bring that information to the “Authorities”? NO, as the “Whistle-Blower” protection acts have been gutted, thanks to Don Young. Not only that, this stuff is banned from a court of law! And most of the “Authority” here in the state, like the ADEC, DNR and RCA, well Governor Palin made sure that such entities changed moods and modes of operation, those state paid workers – either with her and her business partners of out of a job. And look, Young doesn't give a rat's ass how hard it is for a military family here in Alaska to make ends meet. The reason he shows up at the AER hanger in Fairbanks, on a private jet, just to go play golf. I hope the next plane he enjoys a free-for-all ride on has an FAA tracking “N” of “CON AIR”. And Ted was no different, just ask his room-mate Rubini. When “AMERICA” had the opportunity of a lifetime, to grill the “Top Executives” of “Big Oil” about escalating gas pump prices, there existed the possibility that this hearing before Congress would finally shed some valuable light on a so far hidden agenda. All was going fine until such time the “Ring Leader” squashed an attempt to have the hearing proceed “under oath”. That “Ring Dinger of a Leader” you ask that screwed it up for “All America”, it was none other then Ted, and after that the “Big Oil” executives laughed their way through the hearings under the 5^th. And once precedence is set.....what it means is the fact that we will never see that opportunity so easy again! Let me make it easy and painless! There is no solution, as when we let the bastards get away with it for 30-years, then the courts will never find reason to ban pricing abuses, like we have let it slide, so it will continue to slide. No matter what the “legislators” comes up with, most likely it will end up in the courts – that is par for the course. “Big Oil” doesn't have a limited budget for legal fights, the state does. One of the main reasons the state has lost $billions$ in filings before the FERC courts, with litigation against the pipeline owners. In the last 30-years, with thousands of cases before the FERC federal courts, the state has prevailed twice? We have not a fighting chance here, so we loose, pay the opposing party's legal fees, and in the end we pay even more. I have followed this dilemma since the beginning, it gets uglier and uglier while “Big Oil” and the “Refiners” get richer and we citizens get poorer. Not to mention those legislators in bed get re-elected. And like mentioned early on, we see legislators come and go, speak up a good pow-wow, but produce nothing. Why? Well the way I see it, most of them come to the realization that “Big Oil” is here to stay. It has been 35-long years of oil, and we have as many years of natural gas, once something breaks open. And after retirement from the state, what better “golden parachute” then to land a job as a lobbyist, in support of you know who! And here is another thing. “We the People” let is slide because we make the mistake thinking those down in Juneau care. Time without interference buys acceptance, that is the law. Nobody is getting harmed, because we continue to throw good hard earned money away, just to get back and forth from work. Acceptance is the other 1/10 of the law. So here we go again, as senators heading up the “day old” donut brigade include Joe Thomas, Bill Wielechowski and Lyman Hoffman. What do you mean it already took place? I missed the free donuts? Well according to sources, “ “Many Alaskans feel gouged at the pump and are asking for relief,” Wielechowski said. “The purpose of this hearing is to look for concrete ways we can lower costs and decrease the burden on Alaskans. There is no silver bullet and these hearings will bring to light some of the steps that we can take today to lower the cost of energy until a gasline and Susitna can bring long term solutions to our community.” Gasline? It is just another ”Big Pipe Dream”. If a gasline was a reality, if we had a representative body that cared about us and the real problem, then pipe would already be in the ground. But wait, there's more! “In April, the Senate Finance Committee approved Senator Wielechowski’s request for $150,000 to hire an expert to figure out ways to reduce fuel costs for Alaskans.” We have wasted “$millions” on consultants, with the same results, increased gasoline prices at the pump. Hiring a consultant or filing a complaint with the AG, it doesn't even phase the bastards. But all and all, I am sorry I missed the town hall meeting, as day old donuts from a state senator is better then nothing! And this time next year, it will be more of the same shame.