Pat Robertson's Hugo Chavez Assassination Call

Pat Robertson's Hugo Chavez Assassination Call

To 'Pat Robertson' Your Hugo Chavez 'Assassination' call is not only a gross reactionary gaffe .. it is a call for crime .. and the endorsement of a grave sin of murder. As an independent centrist political mind and an ecumenist, I am always amazed at the 'spectre' appearance of Hugo Chavez as 'bete noire' to your religious and political constituency. Whether the revival of a Roman Catholic and Baptist feud or otherwise; your opinions and reflections forget the great (in voting numbers) Venezuelan popular progressive political movement of center-left Christian Democrats in their party with the COPEI coalition. That President Chavez relieves the poor with taxes substituted petroleum and other natural resource profits/royalties is a sane rational progressive relief. Lastly to call this man with whom CBN has had a falling out a 'dictator' is to bare that one bears a scar from TR or FDR's coalitions for human betterment. Mr. Chavez will prove his constitutionalism .. this is the twilight of his term - but not of his popular poitical movement. COPEI and partners sustained democracy through a constitutional convention; a new constitution; an attempted coup d'etat and a a recall (by democratic vote counting). Maybe 'Pat' should reconsider Venezuelan and South American 'CBN' affected telecommunications laws; and the old Catholic-Baptist feuds; -- take a self-flagellation -- and adjust to an old fashioned business friendly (as an enabler of payroll) Liberal. Am reminded of President Ronald Reagan and Nancy .. as to your horrible 'gaffe' -- "You'll get hell!" ...and am sure he would have commended retraction as to your influence and recommend an apology. Use law and politics ... Pres Chavez like him or not is committed to it. Reagan the conservative, adjusted well to Mrs. Mitterand giving Castro a new suit --- Pres. Chavez with a full host of Cuban-Venezuelan exiles and democracy advocates -- perennially engages Castro -- but doesn't join or submit to him. I will sent this rejoinder to Pat Robertson's 700 Club e-mail at CBN I usually watch the 700 Club following the CBS 'Early Show' and watched most of it this moning - but must have missed it with the news start while having beakfast. Leraned of the bizarre uncharacteristic advocacy on CNN News.

Gasoline WATCH

Gasoine WATCH

Just filled up in at CITGO on Westfield Street, West Springfield Ma @ $2.57 per gallon ... noted for the first time that their gasoline product is 10% ethanol ... I appreciate the alcohol derivative inclusion ... CITGO marks it that way at the pump. Will note here when I learn how long CITGO has been adding this to its NorthEast market. CITGO famous for the name from 'City Gas Oil' --is a subsidiary of Venezuelan Petroleum - long reliable -- and for that famous Fenway Park-Boston sign. At their website (link above) the corporate News releases share a little telling US history - such as - 1976 Garysville Louisiana as the last opening date for a new petroleum refinery in the mainland United States ... and the price composition: taxes about 25% ... marketing & dleivery about 18%. Diesel fuel is at $2.59 per gallon .. a near par with ordinary gasoline -- but an importamt price and supply capacity which would most influence the transportation industries price/cost multiplier. In June it ranged to 20 cents higher as refineries eased other gasoline demand .. it is about n the same range v-a-v gasolne as last year at this time .. it should/may become cheaper than gasoline before winter. CITGO

American Gasoline Prices

American Gasoline Prices

Nothing but supply or a fall in demand will reduce American gasoline prices. West Coast concumers who will pay 10-20% more per gallon minimally, face the factors of greater consumption and compounded metropolitan delivery. Addressing greater pipeline access from environmentally friendly refineries and porting facilites of expand supply, and common sense use will slowly mute the complaints. Meanwhile -- for the ten dollar amount purchaser --the cost will be twelve dollars; for the $62 dollar luxury car fill-up the cost will be $5-7 more. For the merchant and consumer .. true business product cost calculation will be its own rewarding disclipine. Consumers aware of 'millage' or 'pennies' in full cost increases can shop arond against the pretextual energy cost 'feint' price rise. Does the $5 per delivery car tank cost really mean a $1 or $2 surcharge on the pizza? etc. Commuters will do what 'metrosexual's 'cosmopolitans' etc have doen for decades -cheapen their cmmuter costs and save other energy for a greater luxury --whether mass transit or a down sized car. Unstable middle east politics; weather and all are pricing factors in oil imports and supplies - whtehr dropping or stabiizin at an even price -the factors are constant --Americans including energy cheap west coasters will adjust. Prices will induce technology to reward the consumption of individualized transport in the USA and portable fuels. Given the price and historical odds -- no wonder Saudis look welcomely to a future in investment banking lke the Swiss .. their oil will not deplete in their nor our lifetimes - but demand for it will fall. My old 'angst-kicker' may also help -- correlate the price per gallon of gasoline to the hourly minimum wage. Apart from a brittle $10 dollar budgeted alottment- its not that bad. Americans work five hours for an average car fill-up .. Europeans and many Asians at their prices and our wage would pay four or five times that.