Fight gas price gouging

[Rolex]

I've always found that calling people ignorant and stupid, while trumpeting my own massive intelligence, is a great technique in the grown-up world of business. It really sets the right tone for open discussion and everyone in the room immediately listens and respects my opinions after that, without fail.

[Bodhi]

Originally posted by Rolex
I've always found that calling people ignorant and stupid, while trumpeting my own massive intelligence, is a great technique in the grown-up world of business. It really sets the right tone for open discussion and everyone in the room immediately listens and respects my opinions after that, without fail.

So true....

[CavemanJ]

Yeah... and record profits for the oil companies has absolutely nothing to do with it.

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Profit per unit in the oil business is LOW, not high. The reason oil companies post such high profits is not their margin, but the purchase volume of those who consume their product.

[Ghosth]

We we warned back in the 80's. Did people change? Did car makers change? Did big oil change? Nuhuh  never happened.

Now I hear of 100 to 200 mpg sports car that does 0 - 60 in 3 seconds.
Turbine hybrid car

Will we see this for sale in this country this decade? I'm betting not.

Big oil and the big car makers are in bed with each other. They don't WANT us to change. They don't want to see the good times end. But the fact is we are going to run out of oil. We have tapped almost all of the "easy" oil, from here on it its going to cost us more and more.

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

"Big oil" and the car companies are in bed together?

Let's get real. Without making the cars EXTREMELY small, there is a limit to how much fuel economy you can get. There is only so much energy in a gallon of gasoline. For gasoline power, we've reached the point of diminishing returns. The public is NOT WILLING to accept cars that are smaller than the current economy cars, nor are they willing to accept less powerful cars. So, as a car manufacturer, already barely staying out of bankruptcy at best, would you spend BILLIONS of dollars you don't have developing a car your customers
DON'T WANT? Not if you want to have a prayer of staying in business.

By the way, think about it from the point of view of the oil companies. You have a product with a low per unit profit. You have a limited capacity to produce the product, because of limited facilities. The government declares that new facilities must meet higher standards in all areas. The government also declares the intention to increase the supply of a competing product, and in fact declares the intent to subsidize the production and distribution of the competing product. So, making among the smallest per unit profit margin of all products, do you invest BILLIONS to increase production capacity, when it will take decades to recover that investment, and the government is funding your competition?

[Sabre]

JFK showed us that we can accomplish monumental things if we make it a matter of national pride and security.  He got up in front of the nation and, despite the openly expressed doubts about its feasibility said, we will make the goal of this nation that within 10 years we will send men to the moon and return them safely (paraphrase).  I want to hear something like this from even one presidential candidate.

We will make it the goal of this nation that within 10 years we will reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy to ZERO.  We will do so by taking the following steps:

1. Streamline the regulatory process for the approval of nuclear power reactors, with particular emphasis on new and safer nuclear plants such as Pebble-bed High Temperature Gas Reactors (HTGR), with the goal of 80 percent of all electrical power generation being from nuclear power.

2. Eliminate individual state-by-state fuel formulations in favor of a single national fuel formulation.  This will simplify and streamline distribution and eliminate local fuel shortages.

3. Expand federal incentives and funding of hydrocarbon fuel conversion technologies, such as coal-into-oil and waste-into-oil programs.

4. Streamline the regulatory and approval process for accessing existing indigenous sources of hydrocarbon fuels (coal and gas), such as ANWAR, Pacific and Atlantic coastal waters, and the Gulf of Mexico.

5. Finally, offer increased federal incentives to states and industry to develop infrastruct to support alternate fuel vehicles (such as hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cell technologies).

Elimination of dependence on foreign energy through the above multi-faceted plan would be the single most important thing we could do for national security, the economy, and the environment.  Then we could tell the Middle East and Venezuela to go pound sand.

[ROC]

Wonder Bread made record profits at one point too.  Walmart is making record profits.  Silly Putty set a record also.

Markets Grow, of Course they are going to show Record Profits. Do you expect Your wages to increase?  1 year stand out more than the rest?  Want that Regulated?  How Dare You have a banner year, there were Homeless on the streets!

Come on people, are you kidding me?  Does CNN really have that much influence with their mindless soundbites?  Are you that easily swayed?  My company made record profits last year also.  But then, we tripled our business so I sure as heck Hope we did!  For crying out loud

[Eagler]

it isn't about the price of gas .. it is about class envy .. the attempt of the rich left to brain wash the masses into thinking the rich right is evil and that if the less than rich want to have it all (via gov help/handouts) they need to vote for the rich left.
silly isn't it ... but many do not see through the illusion and actually believe the edwards/clinton/kennedy blow holes

[tedrbr]

Originally posted by Captain Virgil Hilts
By the way, think about it from the point of view of the oil companies. You have a product with a low per unit profit. You have a limited capacity to produce the product, because of limited facilities. The government declares that new facilities must meet higher standards in all areas. The government also declares the intention to increase the supply of a competing product, and in fact declares the intent to subsidize the production and distribution of the competing product. So, making among the smallest per unit profit margin of all products, do you invest BILLIONS to increase production capacity, when it will take decades to recover that investment, and the government is funding your competition?

Dead on.  Huge investment for more refineries (which has even smaller tolerance for disruptions than oil supply does).  Have to meet many federal, state, local, EPA regulations.  Have to attain large tracks of land, and no one wants a refinery built next to them (NIMBY).  Can take years to get everything lined up before you even break ground.  Taking on such a big project and debt will negatively effect your stock prices, which makes the investors and shareholders unhappy.  And you've got all this negative press and Congressional hearings which may go against you and cost you somehow; definite uncertainty.  

As to American auto manufacturers.  They are saddled with huge debts in the form of very generous (and often mismanaged) workers compensation packages through the 60's, 70's, and 80's.  They build the SUV's and full sized trucks the public wants, then every time gas prices spike, they are stuck with huge inventories, and have to give price breaks and incentives to move the gas guzzlers.  They have to compete for a dwindling market share that they are losing to non-U.S. manufacturers (who's vehicles have better fuel economy and reliability numbers every year).

Government and the Administration keeps saying they want the markets to lead in alternative energy and fuel economy and so forth, but what incentive is there for them to take the financial risk?  They are about making money, not doing what's in the country's best interests.  That's what the Government is supposed to do - take the long view and do what is best for the nation.

National over-dependence on foreign oil from unstable regions around the world is a potential serious threat to National Security and economic collapse due to serious disruptions.   The risk of future resource wars is a possibility.  Free markets are not going to invest in changing it, its too big with too much risk.  This is the place of governments, developed on past models like the NACA, Manhattan Project, Apollo Program, the Interstate Highway System, the TVA.
Governments are not real efficient in these matters, and the U.S. Government may no longer be effective enough to pull them off anyways in modern times, but this is a role for government.

[john9001]

gas rationing, it worked in WW2, it will work now.

[tedrbr]

Originally posted by john9001
gas rationing, it worked in WW2, it will work now.

Political suicide.  Ranks right up there with the draft.  

There was a war on that most people took seriously.  Not only was there a draft, but there were long lines at recruiting stations.  Coastal cities had enforced blackout at night.  There was rationing and shortages.  There were collections for scrap metal and rubber.  Many families took to growing their own gardens to supplement their food supply.  And a higher percentage of the population back then bothered to vote.

Do you see anything to indicate the general population of the United States in 2007 would be prepared to do anything along those lines?  Make any sacrifices?  The same people buying Super-Sized SUV's?  Who don't register or vote in elections?

Very different times.

[john9001]

tedrbr, you don't ask the people , you just do it, send them the ration books.

but, you are right, non of our politicians have the courage to do what needs to be done, instead we will hear about "alternate energy programs" for the next (insert number) years.


 term limits

[Bodhi]

Originally posted by john9001
gas rationing, it worked in WW2, it will work now.

Cripes a'mighty....  you people are so overeacting to the price of gasoline.  What are you going to do when it hits $5/gallon and higher?  Not drive is what.  

You want to see people find an alternative source of energy, raise gas to $8/gallon.  Then the new source will come a running really fast.

Lastly, why not ask the fed and state governments to lay off their rediculous tax on gasoline.  That alone would amount to a $.70 cent/gallon savings in most places.

[lasersailor184]

Originally posted by Sabre
JFK showed us that we can accomplish monumental things if we make it a matter of national pride and security.  He got up in front of the nation and, despite the openly expressed doubts about its feasibility said, we will make the goal of this nation that within 10 years we will send men to the moon and return them safely (paraphrase).  I want to hear something like this from even one presidential candidate.



Elimination of dependence on foreign energy through the above multi-faceted plan would be the single most important thing we could do for national security, the economy, and the environment.  Then we could tell the Middle East and Venezuela to go pound sand.

The best thing that JFK ever did was not dodging the bullets.