yes very true.. we should send Mr. Gore to China and India that would be funny..

 

We have that.. it's called nuclear power. But people seem freak out over that one too.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of green energy. Not glowing green energy.

 

For now yes, but if you are proposing that we abandon green vehicles altogether that could set us back years and the time is coming very soon where we will need alternatively powered vehicles from a renewable source. The time for developing and testing different means of power is now so that we have time to make errors and test theories that might not work. Time is quickly becoming a luxury that we do not have. You need to be more forward thinking, you are way too focused on the present rather than the future.

Dont forget, gas in Europe has been well over $5 for a long time now, they seem to be doing OK with it. The solution is alternative means of cross country transport, such as trains which for the amount of energy required to power can transport a whole hell of a lot more consumer goods than a truck can.

 

See, told ya people freak out

 

im for green vehicles sure im also for developing and testing new power sources lets do that behind the scenes and when its ready i think we can all agree less dependency on oil is good. no way am i suggesting lets not be prepared for the future im suggesting we take care of the current problem "and" prepare alternate energy sources for the near future.. unless we cant handle more than one problem at a time our people are very capable of tackling all of its problems

 

lol..

 

I wasn't freaking out, just suggesting alternative sources that might be better for the environment with less risk of a disaster.

 

We are taking care of the current problem by getting ready to lessen our dependency on oil. The only way the price comes down is by creating an elastic demand curve, that will only happen through adaptation of alternative energy sources on a world wide basis. Currently demand for oil in inelastic, meaning that regardless of the price, demand is constant. If the demand is going to be the same at $5 as it was at $2 why would an oil company charge $2 when they could be getting $5? If alternative energy sources are available the demand for oil will decrease creating an elastic demand curve where the market will adjust itself for oil to be at the optimum level of demand and supply where the market will dictate the price, not the holder of oil.

 

Dont forget, gas in Europe has been well over $5 for a long time now, they seem to be doing OK with it. The solution is alternative means of cross country transport, such as trains which for the amount of energy required to power can transport a whole hell of a lot more consumer goods than a truck can.[/QUOTE]


"The single most effective measure" that has brought down motorists' fuel use in Europe, however, is taxation, says Dings.

On average, 60 percent of the price European drivers pay at the pump goes to their governments in taxes.

In Britain, the government takes 75 percent, and raises taxes by 5 percent above inflation every year (though it has forgone this year's rise in view of rocketing oil prices, and the French government has promised tax rebates this year to taxi drivers, truckers, fishermen, and others who depend heavily on gasoline.) On August 8, for example, the price of gas in the US, without taxes, would be $2.17, instead of $2.56; in Britain, it would be $1.97, instead of $6.06.

"There is really good evidence that higher prices reduce traffic," says Stephen Glaister, a professor of transportation at London's Imperial College. "If fuel prices go up 10 percent ... fuel consumed goes down by about 7 percent, as people start to use fuel more efficiently, not accelerating so aggressively and switching to more fuel-efficient cars. It does change people's behavior."

The US authorities, however, "are unwilling to use resource price as part of their strategy" to conserve oil, says Lee Schipper, head of transportation research at the Washington-based World Resources Institute, an environmental think tank.

"The biggest hole in our policy today is fuel taxation," he adds. "Tax increases are something Americans should do but don't know how to do, and I wonder if they will ever be able to.

"Consumers want muscle cars, manufacturers say they make what the consumer wants, and the government panders to both constituencies," Mr. Schipper continues. "It's a vicious cycle."

 

The funny thing is that if we completely backed out of Saudi Arabia the royal family would be overthrown in a matter of months. They enforce Wahhabi Islamic rule over the nation yet they live in complete violation of almost every tenet of Sharia jurispendence. The problem is that we have no idea who would take over, likely a truly Islamic regime that would loath the U.S. and they wouldlikely kill (no pun intended) oil production completely. We really need to go back and thank T.E. Lawrence for his help back in the First World War.

 

Comparing our taxes to those of many countries oversees is foolish.

They're socialist economies. The taxes go toward education, health care, etc.

They pay ridiculous taxes on everything. When I don't get billed for a college education that's worth anything, don't have to pay for healthcare and then copays to use it, etc. then you can tax me $4 a gallon on gas.

 

QFT.

 

Ok well it wasn't George W who said, "raise gas prices" but he sure as hell has put our economy in the dumpster, making gas even harder to afford not to mention driving up the cost. He's done virtually nothing to help the US citizens............

he spends all of our money protecting oil for china.

Bush started out in oil, granted he sucked.....................if you think he didn't have any influence on oil prices you are a total fool. Wise up

Dude TSNWRX07, you must like getting scammed. Remember if anyone asks you to send money to Nigeria for a twin turbo supra.....don't do it.

 

I see your point.. and i wish the current energy market offered more options today. i see your scenario taking place in the long run but what about a scenario for now.