What's with all the "government save us" cries? Remember Eco 101? Price elasticity? If you reduce consumption, producers will reduce production to keep prices @ equilibrium. An equilibrium the "producers" like and dictate. So no matter what, prices will stay high. Simply because oil has no viable competition. The only short term hope is for Oil producers to flood the market with an extra 20% BPD. All else is artificial; like a repeal of certain gas taxes or mandating higher EPA's. Long term hope comes in the form of viable competition from alternative fuels. And Hybrids won't cut it.
And how about that ridiculous business with the tax break that was tied to vehicles over a certain weight -- the one that expired at the end of 04 I think -- that had everyone and his uncle buying SUVs?
Where was it you took econ 101? Remember the last oil boom when oil went to the 30's in the early eighties? They subsequently collapsed to $10 per barrel. Didn't the producers get the memo that they are supposed to limit production to keep prices high? Gee, if you are going to give an econ lesson, at least do a little homework.
I can't beleive how many 4-door trucks are on the road these days. Dodge must have sold millions of 'em lately. And EVERYTIME they drive by me there are never any passengers, just the happy fool all by his lonesome getting 10 MPG on his way to or from work. The part that pisses me off is that these people are affecting me at the gas pump. I could care less what someone drives if it doesn't affect others. But everyone of these pompous bastards KNOWS they are part of the problem, but becasue they can afford to pay the gas bill, they don't give a damn. Are these guys the ONLY reason gas is high? Hell no, but don't you think it's a tad bit presumtious for them to think they aren't part of the problem? We're gonna end up just like Europe, driving small cars and paying $6 a gallon.
That's why I said short term hope is for a 20% increase in BPD. Like what happened then, you had a massive surplus of oil being produced from producers trying to catch a piece of the inflated price action. The producers themselves outstripped demand. It's not that the consumers materially changed their consumption. OPEC and others have since learned that lesson somewhat and realized their power. Of coruse even now you have some "cheaters" in OPEC and others who are trying to catch a piece of the current high prices which will presumably hold prices where they are. When Oil stocks begin to build up, you will see a reduction in prices. Changes in demand take decades for various reason such that governemnt intervention is useless in the short term and will ultimately end up being an artificial price decrease.
That was disgusting. You could have bought a high-end Mercedes ML and received a $25,000 TAX CREDIT just because its GVW was >6000 lbs.
Nothing we do will effect the price of gasoline because China and India are going to be using so much that their demand will effect world prices the most. All you liberals are probably just jealous that you can't afford a SUV or the gas to put in it, maybe you should work on your trading skills instead of whining. People will eventually get rid of SUVs, but this for the people of America to decide when not the congress or some state bureaucrat.
Precisely. Only hope is viable Oil competition from alternative fuels. Precisely. If everyone drove smaller more fuel effecient cars, it wouldn't matter because OPEC et al would simply cut production which if don to a degree in OPEC's favor will have the effect of inflating prices anyway. The smart consumer is grateful for the proliferation of SUVs. Why? Because it makes having or buying a fuel efficent vehicle beneficial. If all vehicles were fuel efficient, no vehicle would be fuel efficient.
Gord your willing to sacrifice your constitutional freedoms for the sake of defending against terriosm and even your own children to fight a war for oil, then why not your suv's. It doesnt make sense.