Wednesday’s Oil Daily reports:

“We’re going to have to have higher energy prices,” said Michael Thaman, President of Owens Corning, the world’s largest maker of fiberglass insulation. “You can’t manage demand without talking about price and we’re living in a fantasyland if we think all this is going to happen at $1.89 a gallon for gasoline and 7¢ a kilowatt for electricity. We’re going to have to encourage a reduction in demand.”

As chance would have it, the “this” (the state “managing demand” for that which drives all economic activity – energy) that “has to . . . happen” would, by happy coincidence for Owens Corning, impose policies that force you to buy their products. The Owens Corning website blares: “Energy Efficient: We’re delivering solutions that improve comfort and support more responsible use of our natural resources.” Just not more efficient use of your personal resources because – like decisions about using natural resources — how those are used is apparently Owens Corning’s business.

So they’re pretty intent these days lobbying government to deliver to them new, unwilling customers, rigging policy to get you to buy Owens Corning products that you otherwise might decide didn’t make economic sense for your budget. World’s second-oldest profession, I tell you.

And of every penny you spend on their products, a portion of it goes to lobbying for higher energy taxes to force you into handing over more to the state and, in a convenient public-private partnership, to Owens Corning.