Elections are fast approaching, and election ads are all over TV. Of course, one of the most annoying things is that the videos on both sides of a single proposition all seem to indicate completely different things, and the truth lies somewhere in the middle...

The most noticable proposition is prop 87. You see, one side is pushing it saying it makes it illegal for big oil to raise the price of gas and funds alternative energy programs. The other side says it's a 4 billion dollar tax increase that will raise the price of gas and create a bureaucracy of 50 appointees who have no requirements to produce results.

While there are statements with both that aren't 100% on the level (how can a price cap cause the price of gas to go up?), there is one key issue that they both state: You see, the alternative energy programs are in fact run by the bureaucracy. But truth be told, ironically it's big oil properly stating the single biggest item that should be the one to determine weather or not to vote.

The 4 billion dollar tax increase is in fact on the oil companies, not the consumer. However, even with price cap regulations in place, it is likely that at least some of that tax in the end will be passed on to consumers. But that money is then given to the bureaucracy of political appointies (ie: people placed in the position as apposed to people who are voted into the position).

In the end, if the measure passes, the bureaucracy will then be made up of friends of people who were able to put them into that bureaucracy. The bureaucracy will then supposedly research & fund alternative energy programs. However, thoes friends of people also know going into this, that when all is said and done with the $4 billion, they don't actually have to achieve anything. You see, they could go: Hey guys, how about this??? We take $1 billion and invest it into solar energy research and companies, then the remaining $3 billion will go to fund parties, 'research' travel, and other miscellaneous expenses. Does that sound good to you guys? And if they choose to do this, when the bureaucracy is said and done, and the full $4 billion has been spent, they all go and remanis about all the fun they had spending $4 billion...

Regardless of how much you may hate big oil, or be angry over the gas prices, any time you give $4 billion to a group of people then tell them "do some research and stuff", then allow them to do what they want and how they want without any real deffinition of what they should do, you may as well just be taking that $4 billion, breaking into 50 chunks of $80 million, and saying "have fun" to each of them...

Essentially it boils down to a simple idea: Voting yes on 87 to get even with big oil would be about as effective as cutting off your foot so you could no longer drive, thereby eliminating your need to pay any more money for gas... You're doing more harm to yourself than you are to big oil...