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Uncle Fire
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| Joined: | Sat Jan 27th, 2007 |
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Posted: Tue Jun 10th, 2008 08:26 pm |
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Homer, you raise some very valid points.
The oil speculator thing would have to be treated carefully. Some companies, like the airlines that you mentioned, hedge their fuel costs by buying oil (and other) futures. I don't think we'd want to hurt them more.
The oil companies really don't control the price of oil. Its traded globally on several markets.
And yep, we REALLY do need to drill and get our own oil. We can do so w/out hurting the environment.
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Homer Landreth
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| Joined: | Fri Jul 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | Peoria, Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 90 |
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Posted: Sun Jun 8th, 2008 12:17 am |
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The root of the problem is still the consumer not using his power in the market place. Gas today at the QT on 83rd is $4.15 a gallon. Last night it was $4.05. Exxon Mobil and Shell are always 4 to 5 cents a gallon above everyone else, yet people continue to buy it. When was the last time you walked by a store in the mall to buy a shirt at another store for a price that was greater than the same shirt at the first store? If we, the consumer would boycot the most expensive gas stations, we would get their attention PDQ. I find it interesting that the public is up in arms over the airlines charging $15.00 extra for additional suitcases on a plane. Well folks that is a perfectly legitimate cost. Heavier planes use more gas to fly, and if you are contributing to that weight then you need to expect to bear the cost. But that same person bitching about a $15.00 cost for a bag on an airline is now unquestioningly putting $100.00 worth of gas in his behemoth Hummer or pickup that he used to fill up for $50.00. The thing that I think is being most missed is that this whole price increase escalation is the oil companies acting like a snot nosed bratty kid who didn't get his way. They want to drill for oil all over the California coast and in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico and the environmentalists have stopped them. So the oil companies start jacking up the prices to squeeze everyone out of every cent they can until the politicians cry "uncle" and they get their way and can drill for oil anywhere they want to. Pretty soon they will buy off enough politicians and get their way and things will change. They won't get better because they will sell that oil to China and India and not in the United States. (Free market system, right, blah, blah, blah). OK, let them drill all over the coast, but tell them that they can't export that oil, it has to be available only in the U.S. markets to stimulate our economy. Boo Hoo. . . . . (that is the sound of them crying about the free market system not being honored.) Here is another idea that will fall on deaf ears. Tax the speculators that do nothing with oil except buy and sell the right to buy and sell oil. The tax would be a value added tax. If you buy oil and don't take delivery on it and just sell the futures you bought for a higher price, then there will be a 90 percent tax on your capital gains. You did not take delivery on the product, you did nothing to add value to the product, you incurred no expense, so you were not out any money, and all you did was bump the cost of a barrel of oil. Boo Hoo . . . (the sound of some other special interest crying about the free market place not being honored.) Blah, Blah, Blah . . . . . (The sound of everyone talking about it and doing nothing about it.
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No_mood
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| Joined: | Fri Jun 9th, 2006 |
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Posted: Thu May 8th, 2008 09:57 pm |
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What is really sad and missed by all is that our government borrowed the money from China in order to give us the "stimulus" package.
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that like paying your Amex bill with your Visa card?
Last edited on Thu May 8th, 2008 09:58 pm by No_mood
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dadof3
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| Joined: | Fri Oct 26th, 2007 |
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Posted: Thu May 8th, 2008 06:25 pm |
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| I saw a huge Nissan Armada (or whoever makes it) the other day and while I admired the strength and look of it, and remember thinking that it seemed to look like it would be a very safe vehicle for my family just because of its sheer size, there was no way I'd want to pay at the pump what it must take the fill the sucker up.
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Adam Maras
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Posted: Thu May 8th, 2008 06:20 pm |
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It's times like this that I'm glad I love walking and riding my bike everywhere 
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bigwavedave
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| Joined: | Tue May 22nd, 2007 |
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Posted: Thu May 8th, 2008 06:01 pm |
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| Sad part is we are our own worst enemy. Sorry to pee in your Wheaties Homer, but the economic stimulus checks were pure gifts anyway and should have not bearing on the price of gas. Be glad the blowhards in Congress decided we needed a break and spend it wisely. I too am affected by the price of gas, but I'm just glad I don't drive an SUV that gets 10 MPG. If you do, you have my sympathy, however it is your own choice.
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dadof3
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Posted: Thu May 8th, 2008 01:47 pm |
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| How is the price of gas affecting other families? It's really hurting mine. It cost me over $60 to fill up yesterday, now I know why the oil companies are making record profits.
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Homer Landreth
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| Joined: | Fri Jul 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | Peoria, Arizona USA |
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Posted: Thu May 8th, 2008 12:59 pm |
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It was announced today by the administration that the high price of gas will consume the "economic stimulus" package money now being sent.
Anyone who did not see that coming, repeat this word: Duh ! 
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