A call for leadership
Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.
- Gen. George S. Patton Jr., U.S. Army (1885-1945)
While in recent months everything from speculators to refinery maintenance to the developing world has been blamed for the rapid run-up in fuel prices, it now seems the real issue we should all be losing sleep over– especially ALL branches of our federal government– is whether the world just might run out of oil much sooner than later.
That’s the message I get from some seriously sobering reports in major newspapers this morning. For example, a report by Neil King Jr. and Peter Fristch in The Wall Street Journal reveals that “The world’s premier energy monitor is preparing a sharp downward revision of its oil-supply forecast, a shift that reflects deepening pessimism over whether oil companies can keep abreast of booming demand.”
The reporters explain that the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) is attempting for the first time to gauge the condition of the world’s top 400 oil fields. The findings won’t come out until November…”but the bottom line is already clear: Future crude supplies could be far tighter than previously thought. “
Oil field sunset– not a pretty picture
The upshot, write King and Fritsch, is that “A pessimistic supply outlook from the IEA could further rattle an oil market that already has seen crude prices rocket over $130 a barrel, double what they were a year ago.”
I know, I know, just what we in America, land of cockeyed optimists, don’t need– more pessimism.
On the other hand, in my book anyway, unhappy news based on actual facts is not cause for pessimism.
It’s cause for action. Just what action is the real question.
That must be answered for all of us by all of those we’ve elected to wield the levers of power in Washington.
And, yes, I know they’re politicians and not miracle workers.
But I am convinced they can do much more than they have and might actually do something more than they have if enough voters applied enough pressure.
And I argue, as always, that the leadership needed to make something happen should start at the top of the Executive Branch– in the Oval Office where the sign used to say “The buck stops here.” 
Where’s “Give-’em-hell” Harry Truman now that we need him again?
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Related Topics: Heavy Trucks, Regulation, Information Technology, Management, Midrange Trucks, Light Trucks, David Cullen, Freight, Drivers, Trucking
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:32 am
Even more reason to drill in our own backyard despite environmentalists. Since we’re not drilling off our own coasts, other countries have started to. They’re not going to be as concerned or held accountable for the environment as an American company would be.
Conservation only goes so far and until we are completely off of oil, we need to be aggressive in drilling and coal to oil technology to be able to survive until a better technology is widespread enough to wean us off of oil.
Wayne
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:24 am
Wayne,
Thank you for your comment, which I find very insightful.
I’ve long been torn between wanting to see our environment as fully protected as possible for us and future generations and being able to keep living the life we’ve all become accustomed to, an existence which is of course heavily based on oil.
I think there is great merit in your view that “until we are completely off of oil” we need to keep examining our options yet also keep striving to wean ourselves away from oil.
That’s just the sort of out-of-the-sound-bite thinking that I think should be coming from our leaders.
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:35 am
Conservation is one thing. I am much in favor of doing what makes sense. But to ignore the deposits under our feet is
punishing our economy by exporting our dollars to other
countries
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About
Between the Lines: David Cullen offers his take on how actions taken by government agencies, industry suppliers and other trucking stakeholders impact truck fleet owners. Executive Editor of FleetOwner, Cullen has been covering trucking since 1981 and has been on the staff of FleetOwner since 1989. He does not claim to be an expert on trucking, but will admit to being a writer-- and hoping to be regarded a journalist.Advertisement
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