It really happened. Countless truck drivers across the county shut down their rigs on Tuesday, April 1st, to protest against high diesel fuel prices. Many more slowed to 20 miles per hour on Interstate highways. This event, unorganized as it was, has managed to make headlines around the country and get at least a few people talking about the difficulties faced by truck owners and drivers who lose money every time they start up their rigs.
I've been Googling to find some comments on the shut-down from politicians, and so far I can't find a thing. Not one word from the Presidential candidates, not one word from the Congress, not a thing anywhere. Oh, a few days ago Congress did call the oil company CEOs to explain why they are making such obscene profits while the rest of the economy is on the skids, but that was just a dog & pony show--Congress can't do a thing to big oil, and big oil knows it.
So, what impact did Tuesday's slow-down have? The impact may have been small, and it may have been scattered, but its true impact may be on the symbolic level. Truckers are finally saying "enough is enough," and, judging from one blog entry I found online, they are not simply seeing this as a "trucking problem." This blogger wrote:THIS IS NOT A STRIKE OR WORK STOPPAGE! THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO ORGANIZE TRUCK DRIVERS. THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL FOR THE U.S. CITIZEN TO EXAMINE A SYSTEM SO OUT OF BALANCE THAT OUR POLITICIANS & NATIONAL MEDIA REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE & EXAMINE THE ISSUES. AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HOLD YOUR GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE & URGE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME! THIS WILL BE EACH AND EVERY COMPANY OWNER/MANAGER & DRIVER LOOKING IN THE MIRROR, SAYING WITH SINCERITY, “THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME OR MY BUSINESS. THIS IS ABOUT MY COUNTRY! THIS IS MY OWN PROTEST!"
I couldn't agree more. This isn't about trucking. It's about our country, and who's really in charge. I don't care if you believe in big government or small government, you ought to believe in government that looks out for every American, not just the fat cats.
