Are we the land owner the leesor just as guilty of greed as the politicians and corporate America

Life hasn't been bad here in western Pa. We fared better  than the rest of America through the tough times. After all who's fault was it people over borrowed. Not mine! But as I said life's  not been that bad to us. If you think so just look at the good old days.

Now they new found gas. Yeah! I want my money I want to bee rich now! How many or what percentage of people in Pa have a gas lease or how many do you think will have gas leases? Right now with the price low affects the price of  everything that uses gas or will use gas, Electric, home heat, etc. Which makes life cheaper and easier on everyone. NO!! I want my money I want to be rich the hell with every one else SELL, SELL,SELL to the Chinese, anyone export, export it all Drive the price up for everyone as I want to be rich.

Ya know it's bad enough that the foreign investments in our gas is taking the profit money out of our country but, the greedy want to raise the price of gas and everything it makes that we have to buy just to be rich. What about our children and grand children? What are we leaving them? empty gas fields, coal fields that we're exporting millions and millions of tons. What's the matter you didn't expect me to hit below the belt?

Why? Why can't we be satisfied with the good life we have? Lower gas prices for heat, our car (eventually). The car? Come on now you didn't really think, no. Yes when the right percentage of vehicles on the road are using nat gas what's going to happen? Yes,taxes on it.  However, I think you'll still pay the same price to go per mile as regular gasoline, but cleaner and feeling good about what you're doing for the environment.

By the way I am a land owner. I did sign a lease. No I don't have or expect to get the money. Yes I day dream just like everyone else and spent it 5 times in my head already just like a tax refund. Come on now how hasn't spent their tax refund 5 times before they got it back?

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Permalink Reply by Jack Straw on May 12, 2012 at 9:20am

For many, life hasn't been good here in Western PA.

We have fared worse than the rest of America for a very long time.

Over the past many decades, we have seen the mines close, the coke ovens close, the steel mills close, the glass factories close, the machine shops close, etc.

We have watched our youth move away, in search of meaningful employment.

We have watched good paying skilled jobs replaced by minimum wage jobs.

Then, we have watched those minimum wage jobs move to countries where life and labor is even cheaper.

We have watched much of our farm land go fallow and grow up in quaking aspen as 80 acre hilly PA farms cannot compete with 8,000 acre Southern Illinois flat bottom land.

Our small towns have become municipal “old age homes”; with cracked and buckled sidewalks providing daily obstacle courses for the elderly (who are dependent upon that monthly SS check).

Areas of PA has been through tough times for so long that many do not remember what good times look like.

 

Now they found gas, is it greedy to revel in the new opportunities that arise?

We have cheap clean natural gas that will warm our Winters, illuminate our nights, provide taxes that will repair and replace aging infrastructure, fewer of our children will need to depart in order to make their way in life.

 

Is it greedy to wish for the above?

Is it greedy to want to buy a replacement car before the old one fails inspection?

Is it greedy to wish for a prosperity than results in a fresh coat of paint on the cracked siding?

Is it greedy to want to be able to afford that elective surgery?

Is it greedy to wish to be one of those who are lucky enough to directly benefit from royalties?

Is it greedy to wish to be one of those who indirectly benefit from the new money that now stays close to home?

Is it greedy to wish to be one of those who indirectly benefit from the new jobs that result?

 

The benefits that result from the unexpected windfall are strictly a matter of luck.

But, should I be one of those who are lucky enough to benefit (not there yet),  I am not going to put on a “hair shirt” and look that “gift horse in the eye” – I am going to jump in the saddle and head for the bank, smiling all the way.

 

All IMHO,

                   JS

Permalink Reply by Moe on May 12, 2012 at 9:24am

Very good thoughtful points, Jack, as usual.

2s72s0k9mm8gdPermalink Reply by 2s72s0k9mm8gd on May 12, 2012 at 10:21am

Just like Jack says , life in Western PA hasn't been rosey since 1980 or so.

I know from personal experience , as I was denied the opportunities afforded several generations preceding me.

I graduated from Lawrence County Vo-Tech in 1978 and worked in a couple small machine shops until 1979 when I was hired by B&W ( a 6000 employee steel mill here at the time ) as a lathe operator. Thought I was set for life. 16 mos. later was among the first wave of layoffs as the end was just beginning. Was lucky enough to get a high paying job threading oil well casing a year later. That lasted a whole 8 mos. when the bottom fell out of that. From May 1982 until july 1985 I was unemployed , taking on odd jobs to tie the ends together.

Thankfully , I was offered training in CNC Programming and took advantage of the opportunity. (Thanks to then Senator Dan Quayle's Job Training Partnership Act.) Since then I have carved out a living working my a__ off and earning every dime! Have worked more ten and twelve hour days than I care to remember.

I chose to stay here in my home area and eak out a living. This is where I have roots. There are 5 generations of family buried here and so  , someday , shall I be. Gas or no gas , this is where I belong.

This whole Gas Thing is a Windfall , a blessing to us here.

We are far from Greedy.

I think you have Greed confused with Gratitude.

I see Envy as more of a problem here on GMS than Greed.

Serendipity is a wonderful thing!

 

Permalink Reply by JK on May 12, 2012 at 11:05am

Glen,

You are RIGHT ON with your comment.

Well said.

Permalink Reply by Graham on May 12, 2012 at 12:51pm

As my wife said, it's money we never had.

Permalink Reply by time will tell on May 12, 2012 at 4:41pm

Thanks Glenn :)

Permalink Reply by Nut leesduh on May 12, 2012 at 5:16pm

Wow! Your just an angry disturbed little person aren't you. Is there a discussion on this site you haven't given your expert opinion on.

Permalink Reply by time will tell on May 13, 2012 at 6:15am

not sure who you were referring to nut ?

Permalink Reply by Nut leesduh on May 12, 2012 at 6:14pm

Well Jack. It looks like we disagree about a few things. Wonderful place America we can do that here. 
As far as the jobs that left home you’re a racist according to fang. Not letting other people take our jobs. It's ok if they hood wink every one out of their gas for a pittance then sell it back to them at an inflated price, but that’s free markets isn't it. Our jobs!!! Let's go back 30 or 40 years and follow it through to the present. If the people that could afford it would have bought products made in the USA the jobs would still be here. Everyone had to have it as cheap as possible. I don't blame the family hanging on trying to make ends meet. Trying to keep a roof over their head food on the table and clothes on their children's backs. But how about the guy in the $150,000 or higher house that every thing is from Ikea, drives a foreign car and gives a rats ass about anyone else's jobs.
 
As far as (is it greedy), I think I already answered that in my last paragraph. Yes I like all of those things too. 
 
Glenn: It seems like your parents didn't prepare you for life. You came out of school thinking life was a bed of roses and found out the hard way it isn't and have brooded over it ever since. I know lots of people knocked down and come up smiling at life. WW11 vets who didn't have a car growing up. Walked or rode a bicycle everywhere. Worked before school and after, If they even went to school. Were shot, shot at ships sunk out from under them, their friends eaten by sharks right next to them. THEY They don't say anything about how hard they had it or have it.
Permalink Reply by time will tell on May 12, 2012 at 6:19pm

Hey NUT , Keep peoples Parents out it !

Man to Man .

Permalink Reply by Dan on May 13, 2012 at 5:10am

Nut,

Their will always be good neighbors and bad and/or greedy neighbors as the same with individuals in any profession,  geography, religion, race and so on.  The desire to have more for family, community, state and country or make things better drives good human attributes like work ethic, invention and community efforts.  When one becomes twisted and chooses to step on others to get more it becomes greed.  I agree that if you wish or actively pursue energy prices to skyrocket for personal gain that is greed. Selling your resources is not greed unless you inflate the price to take advantage like selling a bottle of water for $10 after a hurricane.  You should read a little about today’s Brazil.  Brazil, if not yet is about to overtake the UK as the fifth  largest nation with wealth and GNP.  After investing in their country, relocating and building an entirely new central capitol city and electric grid, they produce 70% of all their electricity with hydro electric plants. They aren't just lighting up CFL lites in their cities.  As we in the US have let our manufacturing slip away the last 30 years, they have become a leader in manufacturing and farming consuming large amounts of power.  They in Brazil like us in the US are starting to harvest vast amounts of O&G.  Unlike us they will be able to export the majority of all their O&G and turn it into wealth to continue to invest in their country and move farther up the ladder of wealthy nations.  I am embarrassed as an American when I see our nations rank on lists such as personal wealth, personal debt, education, health care, poverty, infant mortality, obesity, homelessness, employment etc. etc. etc.  I haven't followed Brazil's politics but I guess they are farther up the ladder than the US in work ethic, nationalism, community and cooperation.  We  like many distressed nations are racing up the ladder to become a leader in placing blame with highly polarized politics and lack of cooperative effort.  The best thing you and all of us can do with the O&G windfall is take the wealth and invest it wisely and keep our socialist far right conservatives and socialist far left liberals out of our pockets.  

Permalink Reply by Dan on May 13, 2012 at 11:44am

Mark,

I believe the United States is by far the greatest country if only based on freedom and opportunity, and of coarse many people the world over want to come here and fulfill dreams that are or are near impossible in their home countries.  This does not overshadow the facts and data that we are failing in many areas, not a few notches down but in the 20's and 30's in a few important areas.  There are no good reasons for our countries shortfalls but ignoring them can only make them worse.  Neither should our countries shortcomings overshadow our accomplishments.  We need to uphold all things that have made our country great.  Our own citizens that would like to continue chipping away at our freedoms and opportunity wear more than one hat and can be found on either side of the tree. 

 

As far as anyone wanting to leave, I would gladly donate to the bus ticket fund and welcome anyone new that would actively pursue wealth and happiness and not sit on their a$$ and whine how tough it is here.   

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