The Conservative Edge

After writing my previous post, I found a very interesting article on Yahoo. This, to me, validates what I wrote about gas and oil prices and their effects on cities’ efforts to keep up street and road repairs.

Here is the link to the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081109/ap_on_bi_ge/asphalt_shortage

I’d also like to include a short excerpt from the Yahoo article:

“Dozens of road repairs were delayed last summer and municipalities around the country may face another shortfall next summer. Road-maintenance projects that have gone forward cost significantly more as the price of asphalt nearly tripled over the past year.

The dearth of asphalt compounds the challenges states, counties and cities already face in fixing bridges, highways, local streets and other critical infrastructure at a time when budgets are squeezed by falling income, sales and real-estate tax revenues — not to mention higher costs for fuel, steel and other raw materials.”

This is why we can’t stop using oil. Doesn’t it make sense that we need to secure our own supplies, and not subject our economic stability to the whims of foreign countries? If, for example, Nigeria experiences a coup, and the oil production stops, why should that affect us, if we have established our oil drilling and production? A lot of jobs could be created, from the extra workers needed to repair roads in small towns, to the people hired to drill/pump/refine/transport oil and oil products. The Democrats have talked about infrastructure projects being key to reviving the economy, but cities and towns need to be able to afford the materials. Think about it!