Apologies, Gas, and Meds...

I'm beginning to wonder about what kind of a world this is turning into.  I read with much dismay that Rick Santorum criticized President Obama for apologizing for the burning of the Korans (or Qu'ran or however you spell it these days).  The way I was raised, when an error is made, particularly one which is hurtful to others, you apologize.  It's the right thing to do.  Yes, it was a mistake, and yes, we probably should have had some sort of safe guard to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen....but it doesn't mean we shouldn't apologize and accept responsibility for our errors.

It doesn't make the U.S. weaker if we acknowledge error, in fact, it makes us stronger.  I'm not saying that the response to the burnings is appropriate.  It's not.  Even the clerics are pointing out that the Koran doesn't say that you should spill blood...this is way over the top...but Santorum is out of line.  Certainly, if he claims to be a Christian, he is definitely barking up the wrong tree because I thought we were supposed to acknowledge our transgressions and ask forgiveness.

I'm also puzzled as to why people blame the present administration  for the higher  price of gas....I thought we were in a free market economy.  And I thought that all the fuel companies are in the business of making money....not providing fuel at the cheapest possible rate.  As I understand it, contributing factors are that several refineries were taken off line because they were too old to efficiently process the crude oil.  In addition, countries overseas are willing to pay more for the fuel...and we, like the sheep we are, will pay whatever just to keep our cars on the road....So, oil companies pretty much can do what they please...and I wonder, how much in taxes do they pay on their exorbitant profit?  What incentives are still in place? Are we still paying incentives for oil exploration?  Why is it that few people look at the fact that all the times the price of gas rose, the companies declared high profits...yet, it's President Obama's fault for not allowing the Keystone XL to go through? Sounds a little fishy to me.

In some countries, the government owns the oil facilities....in the U.S., we don't.

People have been asking me lately if I am able to get the cancer drugs I need as they have heard of shortages.  Yes there are shortages....but the ones I'm on haven't been a problem yet.  People tch tch at me and say "this is just wrong...people should be able to get the drugs they need."  Well, my dears, again, it boils down to the free market economy and the fact that we don't have nationalized medicine.  Companies are in the business to make money...lots of money...not necessarily to do lots of humanitarian things.  If they were, they would be non-profits.  But they make money and give back dividends to their investors.

If they have the choice of manufacturing drugs which make a lot of money, or ones which make less money, which do you think they'll do?  If a drug is in short supply...then I also imagine that they can command higher prices.

Maybe these are some things we should think on just a little bit longer...