A life based upon short vacations, unending taxes and escalating lived costs will become the new normal

BY STEVEN KASZAB

Luma Energy of Puerto Rico is attempting to increase their prices by 17-24%, citing overall increased energy costs. The cost of energy in the EU has escalated to a point where the average family will not be able to bear the cost of fuel for the family vehicle or heating their homes.

We have seen how large corporations have mismanaged their often-proprietary sectors of energy services. Texas is a perfect example, where corporations charge an arm and a leg for the energy that would cool Texans in the summer, and heat them in the winter, but should an incident occur, a breakdown of the system perhaps, and Texans find themselves trying to live without air conditioning or heat. People died in these situations, but the power infrastructure ownership takes no blame for their inaction, mismanagement and ultimate profiteering. Seems the corporations that control all forms of the energy portfolio will willingly take your money, but not give you the custom service you have paid for each time.

Living in New York City, I have witnessed how landlords, and power corporations will cut the power to individual apartments and homes because the bill was not paid. Illegal yes, but hey that’s why corporations have many lawyers right? The energy portfolio will be the issue that brings many of us to our knees in the near future.

The cost for petroleum is rising daily, acting much like the value of stocks and bonds on Wall Street. The average person, their family and neighbour’s will suffer the sting of these rising costs. Going to work, heating your home, buying inflationary priced foods will bring many of us into the stress filled void known as “Debtsville”. A place where we can survive only by using our credit cards to purchase those products and services that keeps us safe and warm.

Problem arises however, as the interest rates applied to these credit cards have and will escalate, driving up our debt further. Now we will have to consider where to prioritize our limited spending, going far beyond ordinary budgeting. Need to work, so we have to drive to our place of employment. Since North American transport systems were built upon the use of vehicles, we will have to drive. Can we afford to use air conditioning in these super hot summers? Will our grandparents, seniors one and all decide to not use air conditioning or heating their apartments, possibly putting their health and lives in jeopardy.

Corporations who control all North American energy infrastructure can and will continue to drive up the cost of all things related to energy. Why? They can.

Governments can complain about it, showing us they care about outlived conditions, but they cannot really force the issue. What are they going to do after all, privatize our energy sector? They lack the courage and know how to do just such a thing. The Federal Government has shown they cannot even deal with the building of a gas pipeline without losing billions of taxpayer’s revenue. Perhaps Ontario Hydro Corporations will inflate their prices soon. The move to electric vehicles has paved the way to future hydro price increases. After all, someone needs to build and maintain an electrical power grid that can actually work and sustain the population’s power needs.

We need to open our eyes and minds to what is happening all around us. Who is making excessive profits in this economy, and who is losing their economic grasp of reality. Yes, we are taking two steps forward and then being forced three steps backwards. Our lives are based upon low credit, and easily assumed costs are going, going and soon to be gone. A life based upon short vacations, unending taxes and escalating lived costs will become the new normal.

An inflationary, debt ridden economy stands before us encouraging us to spend, borrow and work, looking forward to many days of non-personal advancement. Who are we really living for folks? Canadians work for almost half a year paying off their tax burden including: federal, provincial income and sales taxes. Then corporations seem to be ready to take the rest of your money. Who are you living and working for? Really.