Gas Prices Can Drop
Will gas prices ever drop? I think they could and will, but it will take a number of changes that our government and oil companies refuse to implement. The oil companies state that it is a matter of supply and demand. Of course they never admit that they control the supply. Granted world wide use of the black gold has gone up, but this causes only a small increase in price. Below are some ideas which could cause gas prices to drop.
1.) Build More refineries.
The lack of refineries has caused the price of gas to artificially skyrocket. Remember the post Katrina excuse? One destroyed refinery caused the price of gas to go from $2.25 to $3.00. That's crap! Don't these oil companies have more than one refinery? Can't they boost up the capabilities of their other refineries in the event of a natural disaster? Congress should pass a bill requiring oil companies to have backup refineries in the event of a natural disaster. Savings at least 50 cents per gallon.
2.) Build more efficient cars and eliminate tax breaks to SUV owners.
We might rely on gas for cars, but we make cars more efficient. All cars should be able to get at least 35 miles per gallon city/highway. At the very least the government should stop giving tax breaks to SUV owners and instead reward people who buy fuel efficient cars. More fuel efficient cars on the road would create a bigger oil and gas supply. Savings at least 20 cents per gallon.
3.) Use alternative energies for electricity.
Ethanol may not be the answer as a fuel for cars, but it can be the used to create electricity for our homes and offices. Wind, solar, and nuclear energy can also be used. The USA should get rid of their coal and oil electric plants as soon as possible since they create a lot of pollution. Getting rid of the oil electric plants would free up more oil to power cars. Savings at least 20 cents per gallon.
4.) Use alternative fuels for busses and municipal vehicles.
It will take years to create cars which can operate on different kids of fuels. A short term solution would be to use hydrogen to fuel city busses, police cars, and fire engines. Savings at least 10 cents per gallon.
5.) Stop the oil wars.
Oil prices have increased substantially due to the war in Iraq. The day we struck Iraq, prices jumped by 50 cents. Savings at least 50 cents per gallon.
6.) Use trains whenever possible.
There doesn't have to be so many trucks on the roads. A truck does not have to be used to ship a product cross country. A truck should only be used to deliver goods to a train station and to pick up goods from a train station. This would greatly reduce the number of trucks on the roads. Savings at least 30 cents per gallon.
7.) Build More Public Transportation
Central New Jersey has pretty good public transportation. Most towns and cities have commuter trains which go directly into New York City. Commuter trains make sense in some areas in the country. Where trains can't be used, bus routes might be an option. Savings 10 cents a gallon.
8.) More Federal Oversight of Oil and Gas Companies
The fact that these industries are deregulated is part of the problem. Trusting a company to be honest and fair about their business practices is like handing a vile of cocaine to a crack head. Companies will do whatever it takes to make record profits to make their stock holders rich. If that means screwing Joe average, then they will do it. Savings 30-40 cents a gallon.
Tags:
* comedy * humor * funny * silly * politics * president * george bush * republican * democrat
* conservative * liberal * congress * entertainment * pop culture * Oil * gas * Exxon * Mobil
* Shell * public transportation * fuel prices * federal oversight * regulation * Katrina
* refinery * refineries * SUV * hybrid * electric car * hydrogen car * fuel efficient
* nuclear power * wind energy * ethanol * pollution * coal * oil war * Iraq * trains * trucks
1.) Build More refineries.
The lack of refineries has caused the price of gas to artificially skyrocket. Remember the post Katrina excuse? One destroyed refinery caused the price of gas to go from $2.25 to $3.00. That's crap! Don't these oil companies have more than one refinery? Can't they boost up the capabilities of their other refineries in the event of a natural disaster? Congress should pass a bill requiring oil companies to have backup refineries in the event of a natural disaster. Savings at least 50 cents per gallon.
2.) Build more efficient cars and eliminate tax breaks to SUV owners.
We might rely on gas for cars, but we make cars more efficient. All cars should be able to get at least 35 miles per gallon city/highway. At the very least the government should stop giving tax breaks to SUV owners and instead reward people who buy fuel efficient cars. More fuel efficient cars on the road would create a bigger oil and gas supply. Savings at least 20 cents per gallon.
3.) Use alternative energies for electricity.
Ethanol may not be the answer as a fuel for cars, but it can be the used to create electricity for our homes and offices. Wind, solar, and nuclear energy can also be used. The USA should get rid of their coal and oil electric plants as soon as possible since they create a lot of pollution. Getting rid of the oil electric plants would free up more oil to power cars. Savings at least 20 cents per gallon.
4.) Use alternative fuels for busses and municipal vehicles.
It will take years to create cars which can operate on different kids of fuels. A short term solution would be to use hydrogen to fuel city busses, police cars, and fire engines. Savings at least 10 cents per gallon.
5.) Stop the oil wars.
Oil prices have increased substantially due to the war in Iraq. The day we struck Iraq, prices jumped by 50 cents. Savings at least 50 cents per gallon.
6.) Use trains whenever possible.
There doesn't have to be so many trucks on the roads. A truck does not have to be used to ship a product cross country. A truck should only be used to deliver goods to a train station and to pick up goods from a train station. This would greatly reduce the number of trucks on the roads. Savings at least 30 cents per gallon.
7.) Build More Public Transportation
Central New Jersey has pretty good public transportation. Most towns and cities have commuter trains which go directly into New York City. Commuter trains make sense in some areas in the country. Where trains can't be used, bus routes might be an option. Savings 10 cents a gallon.
8.) More Federal Oversight of Oil and Gas Companies
The fact that these industries are deregulated is part of the problem. Trusting a company to be honest and fair about their business practices is like handing a vile of cocaine to a crack head. Companies will do whatever it takes to make record profits to make their stock holders rich. If that means screwing Joe average, then they will do it. Savings 30-40 cents a gallon.
Tags:
* comedy * humor * funny * silly * politics * president * george bush * republican * democrat
* conservative * liberal * congress * entertainment * pop culture * Oil * gas * Exxon * Mobil
* Shell * public transportation * fuel prices * federal oversight * regulation * Katrina
* refinery * refineries * SUV * hybrid * electric car * hydrogen car * fuel efficient
* nuclear power * wind energy * ethanol * pollution * coal * oil war * Iraq * trains * trucks
posted by Mike K at 7/28/2006
5 Comments:
I'm not optimistic that gas prices will ever drop. But there's definitely work that government could have done and should do to make us less dependent on oil. The fuel efficiency standards have not improved in 20 years. 20 years!!! And I say this more for pollution and global warming than for any other reason. Contrary to Bush and other of his ilk in his administration, corporations do not have an incentive to pollute as little as possible; it's actually the opposite, especially with their Wall Street goals they need to reach each quarter. This is a case where the government should step in to make sure the welfare of its citizens are being met. And I'm ok with some type of pollution tax so corporations are allowed to pollute as much as they are willing to pay for. I just know that I can feel the pollution as I run along Chicago's neighborhoods much more than when I was running along country roads while on vacation. It would be nice to breathe air quality closer to the country than what I breathe daily. I mean, breathing is pretty important - I only do it almost every few seconds.
The spectacle of Americans, with their legion of soccer moms driving their incredibly unnecessary gas gobbling SUV collossi, most with a teen or two with their own gas guzzlking sports car, complaining about gas prices, strikes me as fundamentally absurd.
All we need to do to lower gas prices is to drive less - not forever - just for a week, month, months, year - whatever it takes to send the message to the devil that WE WILL NOT BE EXTORTED. if just 1 million people committed to REFUSING to drive if gas costs $1 a gallon, gas would cost $1 a gallon in aweek. Trust me.
Sorry - what I meant to say was if just 1 million people committed to REFUSING to drive if gas costs MORE THAN $1 a gallon, the price of gas would drop to $1 a gallon or less in a week. Trust me.
I haven't been driving because I have a quater tank of gas. I am not a soccer mom, I drive a compact car and am a mother of three.
I was also laid off. So in a way I am following your instructions to the T. Now for everyone else. LOL
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