I got a call from a guy still in the oil biz asking my opinion on something. I told him my opinion was I am retired and I don't really care what he does. After all, when my opinion really counted for something I was able to get tons of data and had a staff that sifted through it. All I am getting from him is what he wants me to hear. How can I make an informed decision when I don't have all the information?

The question was: Why are Americans so upset that some US energy companies want to export Natural Gas? (Here I am relying on his word. I don't know that anyone is really angry about this.)

I did venture a guess. After screaming about how oil companies need every break they can get from anyone they can get it from because of the need for US energy independence the US people seem to think that all those tax breaks/ EPA regulation roll-backs and what have you are starting to enable us to reach that goal.

And now that cheap energy can be made available to everyone we need to forget the whole 'independence' thing and go after the overseas money?

I must admit there is a big plus to selling overseas, like balance of payments and such, but it is going to be a tough sell to the average person that their taxes must go up to help pay for a goal that (apparently) never was the goal in the first place.

So anyway.... I wanted to see what the oil consumer of above average intelligence thought about this. I am going to keep drawing my Pension no matter what they do, and I don't have a consulting contract, so they can give it away if they want to.

By the way.... Back in the 1930's, when NG was considered a waste product, the oil companies did give the NG away to the small towns they were near. This practice was common until the mid 80's.

It was cheaper to give it away than to flare it off.