On May 15th, 1942, gasoline rationing began in 17 Eastern states as an attempt to help the American war effort during World War II. By the end of the year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had ensured that mandatory gasoline rationing was in effect in all 48 states. Given the current economic state, are you ready for it?
Preparedness Notes for Tuesday – May 15, 2018
I think you meant in all 48 states?
Random thoughts looking at the rationing card.
Family lore on my wife’s side says that her grandfather saw WW2 and it’s associated rationing coming well in advance and bought land and built a small dairy to counter that. He was a doctor and had other side businesses as well. If I follow the story correctly he thought WW1 did not settle anything much like Pat Buchanan’s views on the subject.
On the other side of my wife’s family you would think the Depression and WW2 was a great period of time because of all the teamwork and social cohesion. Almost like one big family reunion. This is an interesting thought because there are those who say much of the civil activity like scrap and rubber drives were PR stunts not actually materially helpful to the war effort.
I knew an old gentleman who was a staunch “old school” Democrat who was in the Navy from 1934 to 1963. He saw a lot in a lot of different things and places. He felt Pearl Harbor was allowed to happen by FDR.
Because of WW1 maybe WW2 was inevitable but I don’t know. Pat Buchanan has some interesting arguments in his writing on the subject. FDR did such a great job of PR or propaganda that it is hard to sort out if the war was necessary or more specifically if US involvement and sacrifice was necessary. It is interesting that we were attacked by Japan and then put a large percentage of our resources in Europe for much of the war. It almost seems as if both Japan and the US were played to get us into Europe. That is very simplistic and maybe incorrect but sometimes you wonder.
I guess these random thoughts all have a related theme. The Depression and WW2 have been romanticized to the point where we call the people of that time “The Greatest Generation”. While not disputing that some of the individuals of that era did some heroic things, the era set the stage for the overly intrusive federal government we have today. Think of health care. Wage controls linked health care to jobs which in turn has rolled into the mess we have today. Social Security was invented. Fiat currency. And perhaps most important the attitude of looking to the federal government for too many solutions.
Just thoughts.
JBH, I think your thoughts are accurate.
Forgive me for my ignorance, but what in the current economic state do you believe is leading to gasoline rationing?
I am speaking out of turn here and not directly answering your question. But an interesting aside. Thomas Sowell (if memory serves me) states in his book Basic Economics that the 1970s rationing started before the embargo. I have never tried to verify if that was true but it is interesting in light of your question. I recommend his book.
When Venezuela collapses(not if) Russia holds claim to several oil refineries and pipelines and a distribution chain over a large geographical area. The US government might try to block them from taking control of these assets or the Russians may use them in economic warfare