Sugar, Subsidies, and Speculation
Ever notice how prices are not attached to physical things? Take for instance the price of gas: It’s built on a market that guesses how much gasoline will be at a later date. They say that up to 50% of the cost of gas may be simply people making money and artificially forcing up the price!
Sugar is another interesting commodity. Did you know that the reason that sugar is expensive is not because there is not supply, but because America is propping up two different industries here in the states?
The first is the homegrown sugar—made with sugar beets in Florida, but the other may surprise you: the corn industry. Think “High-Fructose Corn Syrup.” Ah, now the lightbulb has gone on.
Meanwhile, there are places like Brazil that have plenty of sugar, and they’re making it into ethanol as well. Brazilian Sugar Prices are dictated in much the same way corn and oil prices are—by a market that guesses on the supply.
It’s funny, just how much of our prices are determined by factors other than actual supply and demand, but when the prices go up our politicians claim they can do nothing about it. It’s about time we ask them if this is really the case, or whether it’s just that it might hurt some of their lobbyists if they did.
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Comments from MInTheGap
Arthur Eiss said,
Wrote on June 14, 2008 @ 10:00 pm
That’s right, I’m back again, stopping in randomly to see if the MIn has anything interesting to say.
Mr. Gap, this article begs you as I do, please consider the conservative, constitutional movement being lead by Ron Paul. To investigate his political views, please goto http://www.google.com click on the ‘more’ category at the top in blue, and select videos. You can search for Ron Paul and hear many interviews and speeches of Ron Paul.
He actually has a real answer to the very issue you raise here, and in fact… he has a real practical solution to many many many of the issues you’ve raised on your site over the years.
I don’t think he’s Jesus, but he atleast is taking a stand against the indoctrination of the American populace and the globalization trend prophecied about in the Bible.
Love.
Arthur Eisss last blog post..Philippines
MInTheGap said,
Wrote on June 16, 2008 @ 9:21 am
@Arthur Eiss: Greetings, Arthur. Nice to see you back.
I’m not sure that Ron Paul can get anything accomplished– irregardless of his views. I’m beginning to come to the mindset that America has past its apex and has become a nation of too many worldviews to continue as any of us have known it, nor does it show any sign of wanting to go back.
Morality can not be legislated. Mr. Paul, regardless of what you think of him, can do nothing if the people of the country do not believe what he espouses. I believe that if he were to get the Presidency (which is impossible now that he’s out of the race, even if it were possible before), that he would do nothing but veto everything and have government come crashing down while being a less popular President than Bush (if that were possible).
Americans do not seem to want someone principled, they want someone to hand them money. Not that I’m a defeatist or that I don’t believe it cannot be rectified. I just do not believe that government or “getting our people elected” is the way to fix the problem.
The problem is a worldview– a heart problem. People do not see the benefit of sticking to the Constitution, to get government out of our lives, etc. It’s a sad indictment, but I believe it to be true. And the biggest thing that you and I can do to change that is through spreading the Word of God to see the power of God change men and women’s hearts to reflect the Savior.
Which is really what we’re supposed to be out doing anyway.