Higher Gas Prices Are Expected For the Rest of 2012

ByJon Safer

Since the start of 2012, many Americans were met with the highest gas prices seen ever. The worst thing is that analysts are now predicting the worst is not over, with prices tipped to go well over $5 during the year.

Making matters even worse is the current tensions in Iran, and the threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, which has driven crude prices sky high. Many industries, and refineries are feeling the pinch too, which has worked it way to the price at the pump and hit consumers in the wallet also.

Many people do not understand that the Straight of Hormuz is a critical shipping lane that let through 17 million barrels of oil each day. That makes up about one sixth of all world wide oil production.

The situation in Iran at the moment is much worse than the tensions we saw in Libya at the end of last year. Gas prices are increasing again, after many thought there would be a significant sell off.

Now these threats have turned geopolitical will further push prices higher and will hurt many industries and the economy in general. There is not room to move right now, due to tensions, and it is most likely prices will flatline or even increase some more over the coming months.

With all eyes on the middle east, that will be the make or break to the prices at the gas pump. No matter where you live in the US, the prices will not vary that much, and will more than likely stay over $5.

The only thing that is good news for consumers right now, is that Iran is normally a big talker, and they never go through with any of their threats normally. If things to settle down, that means that there is a strong likely hood for things to settle down at the pump also.

There is so much news coming out of the middle east right now and that is making both investors and gasoline suppliers nervous in the first quarter of 2012. The worst thing about higher prices at the start of the year normally mean it will continue for at least a month or so.

Tensions in many oil producing countries have many analysts agreeing that the price of gas is in for another roller coaster, volatile year. When prices are at the low end of the spectrum that would be a good time to buy or store gas if you have the finances to do so.

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Jon Safer

Email Address:SubscribeEconomics Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchSimilar ArticlesPositive People Power - Taking Control By Being Proactive NOT Reactive!Iran's Nuclear BlackmailDo You Really Want Change?Car Diesel Saving Tips - Using Water As FuelWhere Did All The Farmers Go?The Coming Credit Card Debt MeltdownThe Boeing 757FAQ on Modifying the Toyota SupraUS Should Apply Space Race Mentality to Clean EnergyGraveyard DetroitRecent ArticlesHow To Solve The Homeless SituationProgressivism Isn't Progress, VIIIHow Secure Is Your "Secure" Job?A True Comparison Of Increasing Debt Between Bush And Obama AdministrationsHow To Compete With ChinaWould Einstein Think Us Insane?What Will Happen If Greece Defaults?A Cluster of (Minor) ErrorsThe US Recovery Is Producing SurprisesA Sigh Of Relief For The Economic Status Of The USSubmitted On January 17, 2012. Viewed 5 times. Word count: 420.

MLA Style Citation:
Safer, Jon".".17 Jan. 2012EzineArticles.com.26 Jan. 2012 .APA Style Citation:
Safer, J. (2012, January 17). . Retrieved January 26, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Higher-­Gas-­Prices-­Are-­Expected-­For-­the-­Rest-­of-­2012&id=6821725Chicago Style Citation:
Safer, Jon "." EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?Higher-­Gas-­Prices-­Are-­Expected-­For-­the-­Rest-­of-­2012&id=6821725EzineArticles.com© 2012 EzineArticles.com
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Progressivism Isn't Progress, VII

ByMichael Hume

It's In Both Parties, But "Progresses" In Only One Direction

A few years ago, I was still struggling with the notion of political "balance" in America. I sat with a couple of intelligent colleagues, and I tossed out this question: "What does too-far-right look like?" I understood that too-far-left, politically speaking, looks like authoritarian communism - see the old Soviet Union and People's Republic of China. But my colleagues answered thus about the much-feared opposite: "It's fascism, Naziism. Too-far-right is Hitler."

After much education in business and public administration, after much reflection, after much time spent listening to the views of many smart people on this subject, I've concluded that answer is dead wrong. It's a popular myth, encouraged by "progressives" in America and elsewhere, that if we let the "right-wing" have their way, we'd be Nazi-like fascists of the ilk of Adolph Hitler. It just isn't true. "Nazi" was a nickname for "National Socialist," and the Nazis offered what really amounted to just a different flavor of the dread ideology of collectivism, or statism.

I still hear otherwise-brilliant people (including the erudite Newt Gingrich and talented talker Glenn Beck) refer to this "progressivism of the right," claiming that it leads to fascism as inexorably as "progressivism of the left" leads to communism. That's wrong. It's true that progressivism is a disease that's infected all major American institutions of influence, including both political parties, but in fact progressivism only "progresses" in one direction: toward the left, toward big government, and toward totalitarian statism.

What is progressivism? It's not socialism, or communism, or statism itself. It's simply the METHOD used by proponents of those ideologies to slowly collect full control of the nation under themselves. A bloody coup would seize control by "revolution" - progressivism seeks to seize it over many years, by "evolution." By patiently changing the frame of reference of the mass of people... by slowly getting you to accept things you'd have earlier thought preposterous... by gradually moving the "window" through which the citizenry views itself, its world, and its government. In the end, the progressives will get you to willingly hand over your temporal sovereignty to an all-powerful government; no bloody coup required.

And, after more than a century of progressivism in America, they're oh-so-close to achieving their goal. And the progressives know it.

There are differences between communism and fascism, sure. Under communism, the totalitarian state openly owns all means of production (there is no "private sector"), and everyone in the "community" shares equally in the proceeds ("from each according to his ability, to each according to his need"). The dictionary, by the way, defines "collectivism" and "socialism" in terms almost identical to those used for communism. Fascism's tweak is that private ownership is nominally retained, though the authoritarian state still CONTROLS all means of production through draconian regulation and central planning. Fascism also includes hints of racism, belligerent nationalism, and glorification of war.

But the similarities are greater than the differences, with the main one being this: under both forms of collectivism, the state is the de facto owner of everything. The state is supremely powerful. The state metes out subsistence from a centrally-planned economy. And that's what the revolutionaries established in failed states such as communist Russia and Nazi Germany, and what the "evolutionary" progressives seek in America. Progressivism is all around you, and has great power already in America. And it's big in both major political parties, so it'll be hard (if not impossible) to eliminate. It's both Republican and Democrat (though slightly less the former), but it "progresses" us leftward in all cases and continuously.

The real answer to what "too-far-right" looks like is anarchy - the complete absence of any government. The opposite poles of political discourse, despite a century of great progressive propaganda to the contrary, are not the two slightly-different flavors of collective statism labeled "communism" and "fascism." The opposite extremes are actually NO government and TOTAL government.

In America, we have a real danger of sliding too far to the left ("compliance" is already a major activity of any enterprise in the country) - but, thanks to the foresight of our Founders, we never have to worry about sliding too far to the right. Our Constitution serves as a brake on that possibility. If, in America, we actually could reverse the progressivism and move our country as far right as Constitutionally possible, the nation (and the world she leads) would again be the greatest beacon of security and prosperity in the history of the world - truly, the place Ronald Reagan envisioned as a "shining city on a hill." We'd have JUST enough government, strictly limited, to meet our society's needs. But the shackles of total government would be removed, and the magical power of free initiative, personal responsibility, prosperity motivation, and entrepreneurialsm would drive a better life for everyone, from the "top one percent" so reviled today to the bottom one percent who (thanks to the progressives) have no idea how much better their lives could be.

Because of the icy grip of progressivism in which we find ourselves, experts say things may get much worse before they get better... so the time to prepare is now. Start with your values - arm yourself against progressive attacks (when they call you racist or hateful, you'll know better). Get into business - start building your entrepreneurial muscles for the economic reset eventually to come. And get smart about the global conspiracy against prosperity - find advisors who aren't just salesmen looking to put you into the investments from which they'll profit more than you will.

America is adrift in a sea of progressivism... but, sadly, progressivism isn't progress. We may have to let this mad experiment run its course before we can finally re-found the nation and make any real progress as a society, and as a true global community.

by Michael D. Hume, M.S.

Michael Hume is a speaker, writer, and consultant specializing in helping people maximize their potential and enjoy inspiring lives. As part of his inspirational leadership mission, he coaches executives and leaders in growing their personal sense of well-being through wealth creation and management, along with personal vitality.

Michael and his wife, Kathryn, divide their time between homes in California and Colorado. They are very proud of their offspring, who grew up to include a homemaker, a rock star, a service talent, and a television expert. Two grandchildren also warm their hearts! Visit Michael's web site at http://michaelhume.net

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Michael Hume

Email Address:SubscribeEconomics Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchSimilar ArticlesIProgressivism Isn't Progress, VIProgressivism Isn't Progress, VProgressivism Isn't Progress - IIProgressivism Isn't ProgressThe Academic Roots Of ProgressivismProgressivism Isn't Progress, IVRenewing Limited Government: Term LimitsRenewing Limited GovernmentRenewing Limited Government IIRecent ArticlesHow To Solve The Homeless SituationIHow Secure Is Your "Secure" Job?A True Comparison Of Increasing Debt Between Bush And Obama AdministrationsHow To Compete With ChinaWould Einstein Think Us Insane?What Will Happen If Greece Defaults?A Cluster of (Minor) ErrorsThe US Recovery Is Producing SurprisesA Sigh Of Relief For The Economic Status Of The USSubmitted On January 17, 2012. Viewed 8 times. Word count: 988.

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Hume, M. (2012, January 17). . Retrieved January 26, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Progressivism-­Isnt-­Progress,-­VII&id=6823877Chicago Style Citation:
Hume, Michael "." EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?Progressivism-­Isnt-­Progress,-­VII&id=6823877EzineArticles.com© 2012 EzineArticles.com
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Human Nature, Capitalism, and Greed and Power Discussed

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A Sigh Of Relief For The Economic Status Of The US

ByCedric Welsch

In what may be termed as a sigh of relief for the US economy and the Forex world, a marginal change in joblessness claim numbers suggested that all is not lost for the US economy. The positive news comes out of a fall in jobless claims filed from 432000 a month ago to 404000 recently. This suggests that some more Americans have become employed and that employment generation has not come to a grinding halt. For the US economy to come back on tracks it is essential that the number of unemployed falls, which is the most important remedy for increasing the disposable income at the hands of the US consumer and increase demand. A separate report also indicated that the US economy grew at an annualized rate of 2% in the third quarter of this year. While this is higher than the 1.3% rate of growth for the second quarter, it is still too less to generate employment in substantial numbers. However, in the least it suggests that the US has managed to avoid a second recession, which seemed to be a possibility just sometime back.

Other reports suggested that the US trade deficit to $45.61 billion in August from $45.63 billion in July. A falling trade deficit can result either from a fall in imports or a rise in exports. Falling imports would not necessarily be a good sign as it represents weak demand. Rising exports on the other hand, could provide a boost to the US economy and Forex trading industry and could even be a good development. The latter seems to true and it is the demand from growing economies that is helping US economic growth and acting as a counterbalancing measure to the reduced domestic demand. However, rising economic uncertainty in the Euro area and in the US has made investors move out of riskier investments to take shelter in the safe have of the US dollar. This has led the US dollar to appreciate, which is not favorable for exports.

The real threat to US recovery now does not seem to be internal as various economic indicators have shown some positivity over the last few months, even though they may be not at their best behavior. The real threat appears to be from the Euro debt crisis and the weak demand from the region as also any financial exposure that the US might have in the region.

Notwithstanding the improved situation on the joblessness front and the trade deficit, the American consumers continued to be bearish in sentiment as could be gauged from the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index. Colluding with the sentiment was a fall in consumer goods imports in August, suggesting that the level of consumer confidence is low and consumer spending is constrained.

From the above it appears that the US economy needs just a little bit of appropriate stimulus so as to kick start its economy, create demand and employment and lead it to a self feeding cycle, out of the current sticky situation it is stuck in.

Quit wasting your time with Forex if you aren't making profits at all. The business of currency trading is a game played only by those willing to learn.

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News and Society: Economics
Cedric Welsch

Email Address:SubscribeEconomics Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchSimilar ArticlesImprove Fuel Economy - Over 30 Ways to Increase Your MPG and Save Money on GasThe Blessings of the Black EconomyInvesting In A Developing Economy - A Possible Solution To Global Financial CrisisSustainable Economy For USAHow to Create a Thriving Economy by Using the Law of AttractionFiscal and Monetary Policy, and How They Affect the Economy and YouTurmoil of World Economy - A Blessing In Disguise?The Economy's Greatest Depression Downturn Ever Is Now Just A Few Years AwayEconomic Stimulus Package For Your Personal Economy and Mental Mind Set!Has the Economy Drained Your Relationship Account?Recent ArticlesHow To Solve The Homeless SituationProgressivism Isn't Progress, VIIIHow Secure Is Your "Secure" Job?A True Comparison Of Increasing Debt Between Bush And Obama AdministrationsHow To Compete With ChinaWould Einstein Think Us Insane?What Will Happen If Greece Defaults?A Cluster of (Minor) ErrorsThe US Recovery Is Producing SurprisesHuman Nature, Capitalism, and Greed and Power DiscussedSubmitted On January 19, 2012. Viewed 6 times. Word count: 510.

MLA Style Citation:
Welsch, Cedric".".19 Jan. 2012EzineArticles.com.26 Jan. 2012 .APA Style Citation:
Welsch, C. (2012, January 19). . Retrieved January 26, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?A-­Sigh-­Of-­Relief-­For-­The-­Economic-­Status-­Of-­The-­US&id=6829143Chicago Style Citation:
Welsch, Cedric "." EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?A-­Sigh-­Of-­Relief-­For-­The-­Economic-­Status-­Of-­The-­US&id=6829143EzineArticles.com© 2012 EzineArticles.com
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