Hello everyone I'm not surprised to see you at home surfing the net, when gas prices have hit an all time record. Now of course the gas prices are only affecting us middle & lower class families in every possible aspect of our lives. Yet while we keep on getting poorer, what has members of congress done to relieve our pain? A big nothing. Now how could these people do nothing about the current situation I mean they're appointed representatives of the American people. Heck I bet their gas bill which is footed by the American people must really be affecting the way they live their lives.
I'm surprised that since they all live in washington d.c. that they don't just carpool to try and mintigae the rising cost of gas. I mean come on these people who make hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, are probably eating ramen noodles everynight to stay afloat at this point. Look at them they have tried everything, in their power to lower gas prices. To the point that they might of canceled one oil lobbiest appointment , because their house keeper didn't catch the bus & can't afford a car to drive, so they have to go pick her up in their hummer!
Don't worry they have a solution in the works, they tell us that the American people will speak & put this crisis to an end, when it gets to bad. Well I think we have spoke, for a very long time now, & I'm tired of politicans dancing around the blaten truth. That we won't switch from oil until the last drop is used, & after the oil companies have capilized completley on the source of energy we'll use! They (oil companies) have the technology now to relieve this crisis if not completely halt the constant lack of energy, right now.
Its just the a simple idealogy that stops them from releasing more energy effect methods to the world. "Whats in it for them?" The answer my friends is nothing. So if all these companies are making tons of money off their current product, why in the world would they alter their business in a way that makes it so less of their product is needed.
Ahh now you see what I'm trying to say. So maybe the solution to this problem isn't to alter the consumption of oil we use in our lives, but instead alter the people who control the oil. If I remeber right we have dealt with unfair markets since the beginning of our country's existence. The boston tea party for example, and we all remebered what that event was a precurusor for. A revolution. I'm not an advocate of anarchy but my point is something drastic is going to have to occur to alter the path we're going down. Which is no where good!!
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That is probably the most diffrent gas price blog I have read.
We could boycot gas entirely but we like those even congress people are to full of our selves to do that long enough to make an effect.
~T
All truths are easy to understand once discovered; The point is to discover them ~Galileo
Why are we behaving as if high gasoline prices are the problem? They are only a symptom of the problem: our dependence on foreign oil. When OPEC nations decide cut production in order to drive up prices, we Americans pay for it. If you ask me, high gas prices will be a good thing in the long run. It will force us to cut our addiction to environmentally harmful oil from our enemies in the Middle East and South America. Plus, if we drive less, we'll walk more, and let's face it, Americans are obese and frankly need some exercise.
I've found a list of oil companies that import from Persian Gulf nations. Since Congress isn't going to do anything about our foreign oil addiction, WE THE PEOPLE need to do something. Boycott these companies! Don't buy their gas unless they do not import foreign oil.
Besides, I don't like it when Americans complain about gas prices. We have some of the cheapest gas in the world. My former neighbor, who moved to Ireland, informed us that gas is $8 a gallon over there (that's after converting Euros to dollars and liters to gallons). It's the same story all across Europe. Don't perpetuate the stereotype that Americans are spoiled by complaining about our "expensive" gas. "Expensive" is a totally relative term.
Ha I'm aware of the eurpoeans paying a lot, but lets face it one they haven't always put us in their intrest & two they don't have as far to drive.
they haven't always put us in their intrest
I'm not really sure what you mean by this. They deserve to pay double for their gas because they don't accept our narcissistic belief that we're the greatest country on Earth? I don't buy it.
they don't have as far to drive
I'm pretty sure they drive just as far as the average American to get to work, the grocery store, etc.
Even if they didn't use their cars as much, I also don't think I should have to pay more than someone else just because I opt to walk or bike places or use public transportation as much as I can. Just because I don't use my car as much as other people doesn't mean I should have to pay more to use it.
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Europeans buy crude oil on the same world markets at the same prices that we do. The only reason their prices for gasoline are higher than ours are that they choose to tax gasoline heavily which drives up the price. I think this is entirely their business. It is not the choice that I would advocate for America.
There are some benefits to having high taxes on gasoline. The Europeans are quite a bit of front of us in terms of having a fuel efficient auto fleet on their highways. On the otherhand, high taxes (not just fuel taxes) have caused the economy in much of Europe to be comparitively stagnant compared to ours.
There are other ways to achieve the same ends. For example we could give tax breaks to people who bought highly efficient cars. We could achieve better fleet efficiency without breaking the backs of our people economically. People who chose to buy efficient cars would be double rewarded with lower taxes and lower fuel bills.
The Europeans have chosen to beat their people with a stick I would prefer to incenticize them with a carrot.
High gas prices hit the poor disproportionately hard. High gas taxes are essentially a regressive tax. I favor a flatter tax system but I think a regressive tax system is just downright immoral.
Yesterday, the Democrats effort to impose a windfall profits tax on oil profits failed. Thank God! We went down that path in the late 1970s and it was a disaster for our economy and imposed serious hardship on our standard of living. I have no desire for a repeat. Anybody with a working brain can figure out that higher taxes on a product are going to result in either a reduced supply or a higher price or both. Democrats are essentially trying to impose a regressive tax on the poor.
Taxes are not the main reason why Europeans' gas prices are so high. The United States, believe it or not, is ranked about 3rd or 4th in terms of world oil production. We have cheaper gas than Europeans because so much of ours comes from America; we don't have to buy all of it from other nations. Refer to the link in my original post for a list of gas companies that use American oil.
I do agree with you that taxes are not the answer to our problems. Everyone is experiencing high gas prices; Americans will have to deal with it just like the rest of the world. Maybe high prices will finally provide an incentive to walk, carpool, take public transit, or buy fuel efficient cars (which most Europeans have).
I don't think so. Oil is totally fungible. Oil produced in America is sold at the same price as oil sold on the world market with the only difference being the cost of transportation.
If you owned an oil well in Texas and the world price of oil was $140 a barrel would you being a rational business person accept $80 per barrel from a local refinery? I very much doubt it. You would demand $140 and if the refinery was not willing to pay that you would put your oil on a tanker (there are plenty of them that come to America full and leave empty) and send it somewhere where they were willing to pay $140,
The price differential between the cost of gasoline in the USA and the cost in Europe is almost entirely tax!
Consider Canada. They are a very large net exporter of oil and the USA is their largest customer. But anybody who has ever traveled in Canada knows that gasoline is MUCH more expensive in Canada than it is in America and comes very close to matching European prices.
If your theory was correct, Canada would have cheaper gasoline then the USA and they most definately do not.
Well, I did my research and it looks like you were right: according to Department of Energy figures, the cost of imported oil in April of 2008 was $103.68 per gallon, as compared to domestic oil for that same month, which cost $107.50 per gallon. This is consistently the case for every month for which statistics are available. I'm left to conclude that taxes are indeed what make European gasoline more expensive, since American oil actually costs more than imported oil.
Ok I'm sorry God bless the Queen!!! Jeesh. Why don't we get back to the point of this blog, that we're paying to much for a service. Its not my fault somebody said hey lets go make the europeans pay a lot for their gas. Personally Im not an isolationist but I think in this particular issue, countries are going to have to find their own solutions, not the UN!
Ok well I have an idea we all walk to work, and there will be no more energy problems. Other than the fact your going to have to make a lot of energy bars, to keep those people going. Ha it would solve many problems though, we'd be healthier & it most likely wouldn't be able to be taxed. Problem solved
I can just see all the shoe crisis and shoe tax revolts. Plus all the sidewalk repair costs. Then oxgyen shortage and heat by people produces... There is just no wining.
eh
All truths are easy to understand once discovered; The point is to discover them ~Galileo
Well if you are tired of your congressperson not helping you then do not re-elect them. Call them e-mail them daily and tell them if "YOU" do not fix this problem I will not vote for you again and I will spread the word that you are not for the people. It is that simple make congress fear the american People again and we will all live happier again "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." Thomas Jefferson
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. ~The Preamble