Fuel Boycott on the 19th !!

YanmarFever · May 18, 2004

Im glad that our forefathers were real men that saw the writing on the wall and boycotted the british taxes tea ect...
Of corse boycotts work!
As far as the oil,I say we take it from them for all the american blood spilled protecting their turf.

Excuse me if I have interupted your TV & six pack time
unless we do SOMETHING the price will hit 3.00 by the fall

Bob_Skurka · May 18, 2004

Ernie . . . I think boycotts do work under some conditions. This one will not. At least not in its present form.

The reality is we are too dependant upon oil and there are some serious supply versus demand issues. Add the enviornmental concerns about drilling in Alaska and that cuts the supply. Add the desire to drive a HUMMER, Explorer, Blazer, etc and that increases the demand.

The REAL way to boycott oil is to stop relying on it as heavily as we all do. Cut back on driving. Drive more efficient vehicles. Recycle plastics (made from oil). Use less electricity (some is still generated by oil). Switch from heating oil to natural gas. Insulate our homes, add solar panels, switch to compact flourescent lights. Use mass transportation. Live close to work to reduce your commute. Car pool.

Every one of those things will do more than not buying gas on any one specific day. And while I agree with you in concept, I cannot see how a 1 day boycott will have any effect on anything. And certainly the economic effects as outlined in your original post are seriously flawed.

Bob_Skurka · May 18, 2004

By the way, I forgot to say one thing in my earlier post.

Currently oil costs LESS than superinsulating a home. Oil costs less than adding solar panels. The payback on compact flourescent lights is about 5 years. ETC. And adjusted for inflation, gas prices at $2.50 per gallon would still be relatively cheap.

All that said, 2 of my cars are relatively efficient. My house is better insulated that required by code. I use compact flourescents. I am thinking of adding solar components. But unless you and my neighbors and your neighbors, and all our relatives, etc etc etc combined do the same things AND A LOT MORE, then we are destined to see gas prices creep up.

MikePA · May 18, 2004

By the way, I forgot to say one thing in my earlier post. 
You have 24 hours to edit and revise a post. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

_RaT_ · May 18, 2004

I'm with you Bob. I did not read the prior posts but have seen 1 day gas boycotts in emails sent to me so many times. What we don't buy today, we will surely buy more of tommorrow. A change in basic philosphy is whats needed. The relentless demand for oil will do nothing but increase as the rest of the world continues to quench it's growing thirst. If you think it's pricey now, wait till China actually uses it in the volumes it's consuming many other things. You may beg for $2.50 gas. If you don't want to see a huge price spike, keep your fingers crossed ***** or someone else doesn't start targeting oil tankers. It's on the radar. Hard to get happy with that thought.

slowrev · May 18, 2004

If the main reason for the oil price increase is China's demand for oil to make things to sell to the US, then the soloution is simple. Don't buy Chineese stuff and the demand for oil will go down and the prices will drop. And if you think that is really the cause I will sell you some ocean front land in KY for cheap.

If the price of crude is the only reason for high gas prices then why did the price go gas go up a LOT faster than the price for a barrell of oil. I think that consolidation/mergers in the oil industry have removed any illusion of competition from the gasoline industry and we pay what they want.

YanmarFever · May 18, 2004

slowrev

YOU hit the nail on the head!

just follow the $$ trail. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

fivestring · May 18, 2004

"competition from the gasoline industry" 

There hasn't been any since the 80's.

Let's make Microsoft split up because of a monopoly, but let's not mess with oil..... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

BillyP · May 18, 2004

There's a little country store about 1/2 mile from me. It used to sell Citgo gas. Shell comes along and offers the owner $60,000 in new pumps, cash registers, satellite monitoring, new paint job etc etc etc.

Now being the good person I am, I buy Shell gas and diesel just to help them recoup their investment /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

TresCrows · May 18, 2004

( Im glad that our forefathers were real men that saw the writing on the wall and boycotted the british taxes tea ect...
Of corse boycotts work!
As far as the oil,I say we take it from them for all the american blood spilled protecting their turf.

Excuse me if I have interupted your TV & six pack time
unless we do SOMETHING the price will hit 3.00 by the fall

)

East Tex, you are preaching to the choir, I was there--I know.

Tractor Earnie--I am giving you another baloney---Baloney. Yeah, I said it a few months ago in another vehicle argument here on TBN--gas is headed to 3 dollars or more sooner or later. Almost all of it is in foreign and marginally hostile countries and in this country what is left cannot be drilled for due to the EPA and a host of expensive regulations the people you voted into office put in place. Also a LARGE chunk of gasoline cost is taxes, tax on the end prodcut, tax on company profits, tax on intermediate products, state and local taxes also instituted by the people you voted for and then another chunk of the cost of gasoline is all the "boutique" fuels required for certain cities and Kalifornia all again set in place by your elected representatives.
Like the Roman Empire, the armies of our empire are undefeatable, no force on earth can stand against them, we like the Romans will decline from the inside. I got better things to worry about than a few dollars. Oh, the British came here and instituted the tax on our soil without our vote. Last time I checked the Saudis--like them or not--have not invaded Texas.
Oh, one other thing, I don't drink /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif. J