Price of Gas too high - What do you do?

Published on December 27, 2005 By Dr Guy In Politics

That is an interesting question. When the price of gas was too high, what did you do?

Many bitched and moaned and accused the greedy oil companies of price gouging. Indeed, Congress wants (another) committee to look into it. And some of the moaners were actually Republicans. But alas, most were Green Friendly democrats. So question number one is: Why?

When the price went through the ceiling, I cut back. Many did, some could not. But consumption did fall. Which means that less bad gasses were getting into the atmosphere, and hence global warming was delayed by a day or two. So what was the problem there? For all the green friendly people, what is so bad about high energy prices? Don't you even listen to your constituency? Earth friendly, ELF, The Sierra Club, all want that, why don't you? If you goal is to reduce the green house gasses, jack up the price! Hell, those quick trips to the market will disappear as will many long vacation drives.

OK, so you are not a green. But you are all for the poor and do not want them to suffer. So prices have to stay low. Now question number 2: How do you ensure low prices?

Answer: Increase supply! The more available gas, then the producers cannot demand a price, they have to bid for your patronage! And how do you increase the supply? Drill for more! So why are the liberals who pretend they want to help the poor, not for drilling in ANWR? While that may not reduce the price of oil to 50 cents a gallon, it will do a couple of things. First, it will moderate the price rise (that is called a cut in Washington-ease - just ask Gideon on his Food Stamp article). Second, it will increase the supply, which will lead to actual reductions in price. The poor will be helped! A perfect solution to one of the poor's problems. Actually many since oil is the basis for many of life's taken for granted pleasures!

So why are the "For the Poor" liberals not in favor of increasing the supply?

So here we have a nice little quiz. I would love to hear how we can stop global warming, decrease the price of oil, help the poor, save the environment, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil so we don't have to have another war for oil.

But wait! We have one more question. OK, substitutes. How many are for replacing oil as an energy source? OK, how many have voted against new Nuclear power plants. Since the first one built, only one has had a significant accident, and that was in the old USSR. They are environmentally friendly, so there is no green house gasses. But, there is that pesky spent uranium! Yea, that is a mess, right?

OK, so their is solar power and wind power and water power! But wait! Strike water power. That stops fish from fulfilling their manifest destiny. So how about solar and Wind power? Oh, drat! There are those ugly windmills and solar panels! As we heard from Bobby Jr, better to burn oil, than to despoil a view of a beach! And those solar panels? Well, on a large scale they have not been commercially feasible yet. But they are on an individual basis!

So the next question is - How many of the Greens now use solar or wind energy solely? What? only a handful? Why how could they be dangerous? Is that not the be all and end all of their positions? What? They still burn fossil fuels? (a misnomer BTW).

OK, Final Question: Who is bitching about no energy policy? And how does their voting record stand with the above issues and questions?

And you still vote for them on this issue?

Sorry, one more question. If you are a green, why are you not producing alternate sources of energy to oil? Are you so lazy as to let someone else get rich off your ideas, and then blast them for getting rich because they are more ambitious than you?

Comments (Page 4)

COL Gene

on Dec 28, 2005

The Congress considered the first Bush/Cheney plan which was a $30 Plus Billion dollar Christmas tree to mature energy companies and rejected that plan. The most recent bill (the second Bill) has the biggest feature in the $12 Billion of Tax cuts to BIG OIL which Congress did pass. We have yet to see a proposal from Bush/Cheney that addresses the real issues.

sushiK

on Dec 28, 2005

Hate is not always bad. However if you let it rule your life, then it is bad. It is not bad to hate Hitler or Stalin. But dont let it become an obsession.

Yes Yoda

sushiK

on Dec 28, 2005

CAFE has been tried. It failed. The only reason that cars get better mileage today is that people got tired of paying $1/gal and bought the economical cars. Impose CAFE standards when the public does not care, and you get the same situation. Instead of buying a tinker toy, they will buy a new Multi-seat truck or whatever else car companies want to call them. period.

Dr I am actually coming round to see your point.
I agree completely with the above statement. We have half the country driving trucks and suvs because it was easy for them to do so. It was easy since gas was so cheap, now everyone is heading the other way and selling the big cars to meet our current conditions.

I think the price of gas does need to be driven up much MORE in order to bring this to a critical mass. But instead of the OIL Companies having record years, impose a new heavy State and Fed Tax on the gas. Use that tax to pay for new public transportation system for states.

This is where I agree with you; let the ship right itself based on the waters around it. You can not leave people to do the right thing. You can have the market effect people into making different choices.

COL Gene

on Dec 28, 2005

In your plan, how will the higher cost of gasoline impact inflation and how will the low and middle income families pay the higher prices? What will be the impact on consumption as more and more money goes into energy costs? How will you recover the obscene profits of BIG OIL?

DJBandit

on Dec 28, 2005

I acknowledged in earlier Blogs and in my book that the Energy dependence goes back to the 1970's and before. The issue for me is that here we have a President and VP that were in the oil business and they have undone some of the progress like Cafe Standards. The Bush/Cheney team with their experience should have been MORE able to help us move toward energy independence. The exact opposite has occurred. All we have done is give MORE to the big oil companies and pay even more too foreign oil producers!

The first thing you need to do is stop blaming the Govt for actions we could be taking care of ourselves. Exp: Just because a car dealer sells a car for $20,000 doesn't mean you have to pay that much, there are other choices.

We are not dependent of oil because they make up buy it, we are dependent because we, for some odd reason, can't go to the store to get a few items without driving our cars, even when close by or if a bus can get you there. I have always said that things are only as expensive as people are willing to pay for it. The price of a vehicle should be enough of a clue for that, the moment it leaves the lot it is no longer the price your are or have paid for it, same as jewelry.

If we, the American people, don't get our acts straight first, how can we expect the Govt to do it?

I bet you own a gas eating vehicle. I have an 98 Ford Escort, what do you drive? How many vehicles do you own?

DJBandit

on Dec 28, 2005

The policies of Bush were designed to help a certain groups of Americans. Those policies have been successful. The wealthy and those that benefit from certain big business like the oil and energy companies have done very well. The net worth of the top 5% is MUCH higher under the Bush policies then even during the 1990's prosperity.

That would tell me that maybe it's time to join the elite.

The tax revenue has shifted to a greater percent coming from the middle income families and a smaller percent from the top 5%. The poor are about the same but have been impacted by higher costs, especially health, food and energy with very little increase in their take home pay. The problem is that only a small percent of the total population have benefited to any major extent from these policies!

Being poor never has and never will be something to look foward to. Maybe it's time for the poor to start moving up like the Jeffesons. We don't help the poor by making it easier for the to stay poor but by making them move up in life to a better lifestyle.

Gideon MacLeish

on Dec 28, 2005

I'm going to agree and disagree with you both here, DJ. While there's nothing "enobling" about being "poor", there's nothing necessarily wrong with it either, provided one is content with their lot. Statistically, my family is fairly poor, but the remedies I could find for that would involve sacrificing time with my family that I consider essential to commute 70 miles to the big city where there are jobs more suited to my aptitude. While I admire those who make that decision, it's not the decision we would prefer for ourselves, which should be our right to decide, as long as we're not relying on government support. So we shouldn't "make" the poor do anything. That smacks of authoritarianism.

DJBandit

on Dec 28, 2005

You really need to open your eyes, ears and brain Col.

In your plan, how will the higher cost of gasoline impact inflation and how will the low and middle income families pay the higher prices?

They will use public transportation just like everyone else and learn to conserve energy like everyone else. And if they need another job then so be it.

What will be the impact of consumption as more and more money goes into energy costs?

At first people will pay but eventually they will learn to conserve and spend less gas. That is the point. Duh.

How will you recover the obscene profits of BIG OIL?

The point i s they will not make so much money because people will not buy as much as they do now. Get a clue Col, do you think people will continue to buy SUVs, sports cars and big gas-eating vehicles once they realize that cheap ones like Toyota and electric cars would be more efficient? Dam, if you could only get you head out of your Bush-hating rear for once and look at the big picture maybe you just might get it for once and stop obsessing over Bush so much.

You sometimes make me sick with your Blaming-Bush-for-everything posting. Maybe it's time you look in the mirror and realize that you and every other American citizen is just as responsible for things that happen here because we allow it to happen while sitting on our PC's and crying about it online instead of taking real action to fix the problem.

DJBandit

on Dec 28, 2005

I understand your point. But life is all about sacrifises. Your mom sacrifised taking the pain to give birth to you. She sacrifised 9 months of her life (well maybe just the last 4) to carry you till you were born. Both parents sacrifise their own time to take care of their children, sometimes sacrifising fun and entertainment. It's all good sacrifises but sacrifices none the less.

I personally don't like the idea of having 2 jobs for it will cut in on my family time big time. But I too am on the poor side, barely earning enough to pay bills and put food on the table. But I will be moving bake to the states and I will, if I have to, sacrfice myself with more than one job and travel a fair distance (if necesary) to provide the needs for my family and more. But that's just me. I can only hope that my children will appriciate in the future what I do for them now and learn from my mistakes so that they, in turn, won't have to sacrifice so much and join the elite rich (or close to rich) that Col hates so much.

Gideon MacLeish

on Dec 28, 2005

DJ,

I would like to encourage you to write more articles. You have an insightful, intelligent perspective and I think you have a lot to offer. I always appreciate your replies.

Gideon MacLeish

on Dec 28, 2005

But I will be moving bake to the states and I will, if I have to, sacrfice myself with more than one job and travel a fair distance (if necesary) to provide the needs for my family and more.

I agree. I have worked two jobs whenever we needed money (but quickly discarded the second job whenever we had enough). You do have to make SOME sacrifices, but if all you're doing is sacrificing, you should probably revaluate your strategy.

COL Gene

on Dec 28, 2005

The free enterprise system in the oil business is a dream. The oil companies control the supply and drive up prices far in excess of the increased cost of oil. That is proven by the record increases in oil company profits. There are some things that government regulation is needed to prevent like the robbery we have scene from BIG oil. The problem is we have a President and VP that were elected with their help and will not act in the best interest of the MAJORITY. The most recent energy bill that passed Congress and was signed by Bush is PROOF!

Gideon MacLeish

on Dec 28, 2005

The oil companies control the supply and drive up prices far in excess of the increased cost of oil. That is proven by the record increases in oil company profits.

COL,

IF your statement is correct, why didn't oil prices KEEP climbing instead of coming down? The reason they came dfown is people STOPPED BUYING as much. They carpooled, bought more efficient vehicles (in many cases returning SUV's to the car lots), and did everything they could to consume less oil. As I said in another article, they accomplished in a few weeks what the environmental movement couldn't do in THIRTY years, and the price came down to a more modest 10-20% increase over last year's prices.

DJBandit

on Dec 28, 2005

It's obvious that not everyone can always get from point A to point B without a car of their own (or borrowed). But it's worth a try when ever it's possible. I tend to point my finger towards those who can actually walk but chose not too. Kinda like my sister.

sushiK

on Dec 28, 2005

OMG I think i know now why everyone is always so pissed at Col.
You can;t just keep ramming the same message again and again.

Use it and morph it with new ideas to what people are saying.

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