Truckers Feeling the Pinch

One story that caught my attention today when I was getting ready for work was the possibility of a trucker strike in response to the high price of diesel fuel. The bulk of the complaints are rooted in the cost-ineffectiveness of having trucks on the road. In an effort to draw attention to the matter, some truckers are planning organized responses, ranging from taking the day off to driving at reduced speed on highways.

At the port of Tampa, truckers lined up in protest early this morning. Police worked to break up the gridlock, and no incidents or delays were reported.

The implications of a massive, prolonged trucker strike are severe. Instead of singing the praises of truckers, however, I'm more concerned about the motivation behind union leaders when implementing a strike. Government intervention and labor disputes have a long, storied history, and there's no reason to believe that this labor dispute will be any different.

As discussed before, the steep incline in fuel prices are a consequence of the Federal Reserve's inflationary measures. As long as we continue to follow the irresponsible monetary policies of Henry Paulsen and Ben Bernanke we can expect more labor stoppages and prolonged economic crunches. Instead of grilling oil executives on Capitol Hill for the non-crimes of "excessive profits" and immunity from taxes, Congress would be better off demanding answers from Bernanke & Co. But I'm guessing a hearing with the Fed Chairman isn't likely to bring in many votes...or line the pockets of big government backers.