Chances are strong that you are feeling the pinch at the pumps these days.  Maybe death grip around your throat is a better way to put it.  But that’s because it’s a beautiful summer day, and you want to jump in the car and take a ride out to the beach and enjoy the sun and surf.

Six months from now, it will be cold outside.  Putting a tiger in your tank will not be your only concern.  You and your family will sit inside your home, and expect there to be enough heat to keep your warm.  I hope you will have that heat.  I know some will not.  Some people will die this winter for lack of heat.

Bob Herbert’s column today talks about the problem in light of former Senator Phil Gramm’s economic solution.

“We’re the only nation in the world,” Mr. Gramm once said, “where all our poor people are fat.”

“They are 80-year-olds,” howled Mr. Gramm. “Most people don’t have the luxury of living to be 80 years old, so it’s hard for me to feel sorry for them.”

“You’ve heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession.”

In other words, if they freeze to death, they deserve it.  Very helpful, in a Herbert Hooverish sort of way.

And what does the junior Senator from Illinois have to say?

“You know, America already has one Dr. Phil,” said Mr. Obama. “When it comes to the economy, we don’t need another.”

Now that’s very humorous.  Very humorous indeed.  But seriously, Mr. Obama, how do you propose to keep people alive this winter?

[silence]

This is what we are looking at.  I’ve been called unduly pessimistic by some because I find it difficult to take comfort in the expectation that America will pull another rabbit out of a hat.  But to date, no one has suggested any possible way to deal with the problems we are facing. 

This is a combination of two great American strengths.  The ability to ignore reality in a flourish of American positivism, because we are the greatest civilization on the face of the earth and therefore will overcome this challenge.  The ability to take one day at a time, and thereby refuse to confront more complex situations that require us to look down the road and see what will come in the future.  Add to this the “rugged individualism” that appeals to so many Americans, at least as long as they aren’t personally suffering, and there is no problem we can’t overcome.

I don’t subscribe to this theory.  I believe that while we hope for the best, we prepare for the worst.  But then, I’m not running for President of the United States of America.  What do I know?

The cost of home heating oil will be beyond the means of many people this winter, especially when combined with unemployment, declining wages, health care costs, food prices and that old tank of gas issue.  But falling back, as I tend to do, on Abraham Maslow, the fulfillment of basic survival needs must come first.  If you’re a CEO with a decent golden parachute, and your company isn’t bankrupt yet, you’ll probably make it through the winter.  Others will struggle.  Some will fail.  Some will die.

We have no answers.  Plenty of talk, some of it very cute and humorous, but nothing that will actually help.  Worse yet, there is no sense of urgency and no demand by the public to have something more meaningful to say than cutesy responses. 

Neither politics nor business wants to touch serious problems.  They are so darn negative, and people want to hear good, happy, positive things.  It makes them feel better about themselves, no matter how badly things are going or how dire the situation.  That the rhetoric from Obama and McCain is meaningless happy drivel is no surprise.  Their polls tell them that no one will vote for them if they don’t say happy things.  And even pundits are told to tone it down by their editors, since harsh negative prognostications will make people depressed and not want to read their newspapers, which means they won’t get advertising revenue.

Cold weather is only 6 months away.  Maybe less.  Once it comes, people will die.  You heard it here first.  I’m not selling anything, so I can tell you the truth.  The bill for America has come due, and we will pay for it in blood.  Sorry to be such a downer, but it’s time somebody told the truth.