Gas prices.

Somebody please give me some feedback on what they think should be done about gas prices!

What can our government do? What can WE do?

Whose fault is it REALLY?

The value of the dollar has dropped almost in half relative to other currencies since 2002, but by 2/3 relative to hard currencies such as gold and silver. In other words, the trippling of the cost of oil (and thus gas) is almost entirely due to the devaluing of the dollar.

The dollar has dropped in value so much as a direct result of Bush' fiscal irresponsibility. His administration never met a spending plan it didn't like, but rather than increasing taxes to pay for all his wars and handouts (or better yet, just stop spending like a sailor), they just print more money, knowing that most citizens are too stupid to understand macroeconomics and will blame 'greedy oil companies' instead.

What could possibly be more irresponsible than these rebate checks? They're trying to solve the problems they've created from printing money by printing yet more money and just handing it out by the bucketful. It's insane.

Its our fault.

We keep driving huge SUV's and lots of fuel inefficient cars. And what's more, we keep electing people who don't want to do anything about fuel efficiency.

Lemme ask you a question, how many miles per gallon does your car (or your parent's car -- if you're young) get?

... waiting while you look it up...

See? That was a conscious decision to buy that car, notwithstanding the mileage you (or your parents) would get.

Sure, America is a free country, and people can buy whatever they like. But don't expect the government to bail us out from our own mistakes! Because the mistakes are ours in the first place.

People in Europe pay on the order of $9 per gallon. You don't hear them b*tching and moaning about it as much as we do. Yet we laugh pretty hard at their small cars and diesel vehicles. Who's laughing now?

I would like to see esconsult1 get around with no car.

 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the Democrats control both the House and the Senate?

The president doesn't make laws, he only signs them AFTER being passed by the House and Senate.

So who's fault is the economy, etc.? Not the president's! But your Democratically controlled Congress.
 

Very good answer, toadaly. You're absolutely right.

In no way do I condone paying 4 dollars a gallon for gas, but I'm not a nazi ba stard like the oil companies, but I do work offshore, and it's suprizing the gas prices aren't much more then they are already. You've got hundreds of oil rigs in the gulf, costing billions a piece, and they are leasing out workover rigs, and support vessels at 100's of thousands of dollars a day, not to mention the 20 to 60 dollars an hour most people make offshore. They have to refine the oil down into gas and diesel, and other elements. But when you go to the supermarket and buy a 2 liter bottle of soda, your paying a $1.50 for water, a little food coloring, and sugar???

Toadaly, I think you are partially right. I think the devaluing of the dallar is a big part of the problem, but it is also true that the high price of oil is what is driving the dollar down. It is a vicious cycle. And it was planned this way. Oil is at all time highs, and oil companies making record profits, and now that all the debt reagan created is now becoming due, a devalued dollar makes it easier to pay back. It sucks for the average american though.

But you are absolutely correct these rebate checks are about the stupidest response there possibly could be to our economic woes.

But energy independence is really the only way in the long run to combat high gas prices. Because now that the genie is out of the bottle, gas prices are never going to drop significantly. Certainly nowhere near where they were pre-dubya.

I pay an unbelieveable low amount for my gas

Email me and I'll tell you How I do it

I don't think It would be allowed if I posted it here

I assure you I pay less than 1940's prices

or click on my ID then go to the URL I HAVE PLACED IN MY PROFILE

One of the best ideas that I have heard so far is that we should go back to using horses.