Gas Prices and the Government
- Thread starter clarsct
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The Central Scrutinizer
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clarsct said:
No.
No.
Grammatron
Philosopher
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clarsct said:
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell no.
HAHAHAHAHA
You serious? Oh..no just like we don't have "right" to cell phones, cable TV or cake.
clarsct said:
Increase the price of the food to compensate for the increased price of gas. "Survive" is a bit of an extreme word to use, don't you think? Do you really think we are in danger of famine due to higher gas prices? I'm not doubting that higher gas prices have a ripple effect throughout the economy. I am questioning whether or not "survive" was the actual word to describe what you were trying to convey.
Well, true enough, I'm not trying to pull a 'chicken little' here.
But it is a concern. Is it a big enough of a concern to warrant such action? The government regulates the price of electricity, water, and telephone, which we consider basic services for everyday living. Why would gasoline be any different?
But it is a concern. Is it a big enough of a concern to warrant such action? The government regulates the price of electricity, water, and telephone, which we consider basic services for everyday living. Why would gasoline be any different?
clarsct said:
That is an interesting question. I'll take a stab at it...
Because we aren't importing the majority of our electricity, water, and telephone infrastructure.
How would our government control the price of gas? What should they do?
Grammatron
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clarsct said:
The reason for water and electricity is because most are provided by government run monopolies.
What part of phone prices are regulated?
I think I was thinking of the phone lines the government installed in the thirties and forties.
"government run monopoly"? I'll be sure to tell my local power company that I pay taxes and, as they are government-run, they should have my payment already.
We can subsidize the upgrading and building of new refineries, which SHOULD, and I realize this isn't a perfect world, take some of the burden off the companies, thus lower gas prices. If they won't, then they see none of the money.
I am ALL FOR alternative fuel sources, but I don't see that as a short-term goal. A worthy long term goal, but not a short term item.
I'm not so sure we can't cap gas prices, at least to an extent. It seems to me that I learned in a debate about Canadian drugs that one of the reasons they are cheaper is because the government tells the companies what they can charge.
Yet the drugs are manufactered elsewhere and imported. Huh.
"government run monopoly"? I'll be sure to tell my local power company that I pay taxes and, as they are government-run, they should have my payment already.
We can subsidize the upgrading and building of new refineries, which SHOULD, and I realize this isn't a perfect world, take some of the burden off the companies, thus lower gas prices. If they won't, then they see none of the money.
I am ALL FOR alternative fuel sources, but I don't see that as a short-term goal. A worthy long term goal, but not a short term item.
I'm not so sure we can't cap gas prices, at least to an extent. It seems to me that I learned in a debate about Canadian drugs that one of the reasons they are cheaper is because the government tells the companies what they can charge.
Yet the drugs are manufactered elsewhere and imported. Huh.
Grammatron
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clarsct said:
My city has Department of Water and Power.
Apples and Oranges.
PygmyPlaidGiraffe
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I heard a sound bite this evening that some municipal governments or State legislatures have a cap of US$10.00 per gallon, but that may have been some excited journalist spouting off unconfirmed grapevine "fact".
I think for logistical reasons a government might develop a short term contract with a retailer so that state run emergency response services can respond for disaster relief and such. I don't think the government would be so concerned as to cap pump prices for the average consumer.
Drinking water prices on the other hand may be another matter, again perhaps for logistical reasons in terms of disaster relief. It appears there are laws in some jurisdictions that address "price gouging".
I think for logistical reasons a government might develop a short term contract with a retailer so that state run emergency response services can respond for disaster relief and such. I don't think the government would be so concerned as to cap pump prices for the average consumer.
Drinking water prices on the other hand may be another matter, again perhaps for logistical reasons in terms of disaster relief. It appears there are laws in some jurisdictions that address "price gouging".
Matteo Martini
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clarsct said:
One theory is about increasing the cost of gas putting taxes ( and then reducing taxes on other products to balance the tax load on the average consumer ) so that alternative sources of energy become more attractive
WildCat
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Noy really "huh". The other countries get away w/ that because they just threaten to manufacture the drugs themselves (violating the patents) if the drug companies refuse to sell at the lower prices. We in the US pay the difference.clarsct said:
Wouldn't really work w/ oil, would it?
punchdrunk
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Grammatron said:
In Missouri, local service is still government regulated (long distance obviously not).
This maybe becoming my montra on this and it's possible that I am quit wrong, (please let me know where)
But in the 40's we were able to build a freaking atomic bomb in less than 4 years with nothing but brain power.
in the 60's we put a man on the moon in less than 9 years with
brain power and less computer power than my cell phone.
If we had leadership instead of corp.whores in the govt.
couldn't we find an viable reusable alternate fuel source in
- oh about a month? (probably for less money than homeland def spend in a week jerking off)
But then oil companies wouldn't be able to have modest profit margins.
But in the 40's we were able to build a freaking atomic bomb in less than 4 years with nothing but brain power.
in the 60's we put a man on the moon in less than 9 years with
brain power and less computer power than my cell phone.
If we had leadership instead of corp.whores in the govt.
couldn't we find an viable reusable alternate fuel source in
- oh about a month? (probably for less money than homeland def spend in a week jerking off)
But then oil companies wouldn't be able to have modest profit margins.
Yes, if you pay the seller what he asks for it. Because then it becomes your property.clarsct said:
The only way you have a right to property is by giving the owner of the property money, goods, or services that he consideres sufficient to justify the transfer of his ownership of that property to you.
Beerina
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There is alternate fuel technology for vehicles -- it's just not economically viable, though that day is obviously approaching fast. GM's cancellation of their hybrid last month was ill-timed, for certain.
And I doubt rocket power or nuclear power, though developed, would be viable for vehicles, either. Well, nuclear would, possibly, but other factors like leakage in accidents or terrorists buying cars to make dirty bombs would certainly put a nix on it.
And I doubt rocket power or nuclear power, though developed, would be viable for vehicles, either. Well, nuclear would, possibly, but other factors like leakage in accidents or terrorists buying cars to make dirty bombs would certainly put a nix on it.
Why doesn't Bush just start "jawboning" OPEC?
"What I think the president ought to do is he ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say we expect you to open your spigots. One reason why the price is so high is because the price of crude oil has been driven up. OPEC has gotten its supply act together, and it's driving the price, like it did in the past. And the president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the prices."
— George W. Bush, December 1999, in the first Republican primary debate
"I would work with our friends in OPEC to convince them to open up the spigot, to increase the supply. Use the capital that my administration will earn, with the Kuwaitis or the Saudis, and convince them to open up the spigot."
— George W. Bush, June 27, 2000
"What I think the president ought to do is he ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say we expect you to open your spigots. One reason why the price is so high is because the price of crude oil has been driven up. OPEC has gotten its supply act together, and it's driving the price, like it did in the past. And the president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the prices."
— George W. Bush, December 1999, in the first Republican primary debate
"I would work with our friends in OPEC to convince them to open up the spigot, to increase the supply. Use the capital that my administration will earn, with the Kuwaitis or the Saudis, and convince them to open up the spigot."
— George W. Bush, June 27, 2000