Excuse me as I use my personal blog to discuss something that’s not technology oriented like a majority of my posts.

It seems to me that there are 2 big problems in the US right now. We have a weak economy that’s not helping to create new jobs, after several years of a major increase in unemployment. We also have a huge national debt that’s adding fuel to the fire of a weak economy.

We’ve tried to throw money at problem number 1, and it of course took money away that could have gone to helping with problem number 2. Now the idea is to tax the rich more, which seems to have a strong focus on the oil companies. The oil companies say that this would lead less job creation, possibly even more job loss. So we start working on problem number 2 at the expense of problem number 1? Sounds like a vicious circle to me.

I do think that the price of gasoline, therefore the oil companies, is a point of contention though. Like it or not, we’re heavily dependent on oil in this nation at this time. I understand there are ideas and policies underway to decrease that dependence, but that’s going to take time. Probably more time than we have.

It seems like to me there is a simple answer, how we get there though can be pretty complicated. The answer is lower the price of gas. This would create opportunity for job creation across almost all industries. As fuel prices double and triple this affects the bottom line of all industries that have a reliance on fuel. Cutting it by halves and thirds, in my opinion, would have an equal beneficial impact.

How do we do it? Let the oil companies keep their tax cuts. However, insist that they lower the price of gas. Removing tax loop holes creates a fine for them, forces their hand and doesn’t let them determine how to manage that loss of revenue as it just basically rips the ground out from underneath them. Yes, record breaking profits by the oil industries while they argue they need the tax cuts doesn’t seem right. Fact is, lots isn’t right with this country because we’re a capitalist society.

So, I say, give them choice. Lower gas prices or we’ll remove the tax cuts. If they take the first choice they can have more control how much to lower and better manage it. An option of a plan that says we want it lowered X amount now with the expectation it will be lowered by Y amount by 2015.

Want to future proof it? Don’t say we want the price of gas to be $2.00. Set it so that the price of gas can only be X amount compared to the price of oil for national average. Perhaps protect it by setting a cap for where gas can be the highest, that would help states like CA.

How does this help problem number 2? Simple, more jobs = more people paying taxes rather than taxes being spent to support people.

That’s what I would work on anyway. Of course, I also like Warren Buffets idea:

“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP all sitting members of congress are ineligible for reelection.”

Something’s got to give somewhere. This morning on the radio I heard a report that the price of oil dropped and the price of gas went up. Seriously?