Surly's Soap Box

Like I said, I understand the free market. I also understand that business is in the business of making money. Huge companies are responsible to their stock holders, and if they don't make money, then the stock holders get mad and drive the board out. I am a capitalist. I love making money. But if I don't treat my customers right, they go some where else. There are hundreds of caterers out there, and decent pricing and good service brings more business.

With the big corporations, particularly oil, there isn't a choice. That, with the fact that our society/economy doesn't offer an affordable solution to oil, leaves us kind of stuck.

But the real issue isn't the profit factor. The real issue is heart. This is where my Christianity comes in. I do a lot of charity work, but that is where my heart is. I probably do more cooking for free than I do for profit. While I don't expect oil companies to function that way, what about the 300 (or 400) million dollar retirement package they just handed out. This shows that there is something fundamentally wrong with our culture. The man's work is not worth that much.

Do I want government to make laws to change behavior? No. I don't want the government involved in social engineering. You can't make people moral. You can try to make them act moral, but, as the old saying goes, "A man forced against his will is of the same opinion still."

But at the same time, the oil companies are involved in their own brand of social engineering: Let's see how far we can push it before we get in trouble. Is this right? In the game of business, yes. In a just society? Well, no. There needs to be a change of heart, and that can't be legislated.

But I want to be clear: If it came down to a choice between the Government regulating things and paying more for gas, I'll pay more for gas.