Over A Barrel

OPEC blasts U.S., stands pat Vienna, Australia (AP): OPEC said it will not put more oil on the global market despite record-high prices for crude, blaming the U.S. for economic "mismanagement" it said was having a global effect. Oil prices surged past $104 a barrel for the first time after the announcement and the release of a surprise drop in crude stockpiles. The dollar sunk to record lows, with the euro fetching $1.53, in a first. Ouch. Can you say "lame duck"? Bush really got punk'd by his Saudi buddies, huh? Still, thank God for the lousy economy. It might be the only thing that saves us from a McCain presidency. Usually, when people have already made up their minds, they will stubbornly ignore common sense and vote for the wrong candidate for the wrong reasons. To be blunt, if it's not effecting them personally, controversial issues such as abortion, global warming, Katrina, and the war in Iraq are vague abstracts that are happening to somebody else. Except when it's the economy. It's a hard reality that can't be ignored. Unless you're rich, you're the new guy in Oz being sodomized in the showers every goddamned day. So, voting for the Grumpy Old White Guy who's telling you that everything is fine just the way it is doesn't make a lot of sense. Not when there's a dollar in your wallet dying of loneliness. Hell, even voting for a black guy or a woman for President might be a better idea.