We've heard this argument before.

"We need to move away from fossil fuels to save the planet and end all wars over oil and energy!"

Okay, Sunflower, whatever you say.

Outside of the enclaves of smug self importance that dot the coastal sections of our (once) great nation, it's difficult to find a groundswell of people who will be convinced that the time to move to electric vehicles is now. Even with the world seemingly on the brink of geo-political meltdown, I love my SUV. And Lubbock is a pickup truck kinda city. Always has been, always will be.

That's not to say that we can't be aggravated at the sudden rise in fuel costs over the past (checks math) 13 months, and especially since Russia is launching a full-scale invasion to secure even more resource rich land in Ukraine. I mean, a year and a half ago, gas cost $1.65 a gallon here in Lubbock. Hmmm, what changed?

Of course, the rise in fuel costs is empowering the granola crowd to implore us to end our reliance on gas and drop between $40,000 and $80,000 for a new electric vehicle.

Ummm, wait. Let's look at the options.

Keep my old car and spend $200/month on gas, or buy a new electric vehicle and get saddled with a $600/month car payment?

But...we're saving the planet!

Do you know how much petroleum goes into making that electric powered plastic piece of crap you want me to buy? Yeah, I thought not. Or how those power plants that generate the juice for your lawnmower with a trunk are powered? Trust me, they ain't nuclear, thanks to your granola-loving parents.

Lubbock is apparently in line to open a new Tesla dealership, and God love Elon Musk for it. If you want a Tesla, buy a Tesla. My sister-in-law in California just sold hers to buy a Porsche. What fuels (most) Porsches? Gas. Just saying. Even the left-coasters haven't totally bought into the hype, regardless of what Leonardo DiCaprio preaches.

So the movement should not be a move away from fossil fuels. When the power goes out, you'll need that gas-powered generator anyway. The key is to keep those prices down, which is what our leaders should be doing rather than telling us to "get used to it." If they can't fix the problem, we'll need to find someone who will, mean tweets or not. When gas costs as much as milk, it all needs to be fixed. And here in Lubbock, we love our Silverados and F-250s.

Besides, don't we have a boat-load of pumpjacks around here in Texas? They aren't pumping Dr Pepper out of those things, you know.