Does anyone else feel walked over...?

Question

there is no regulation on gas prices, the alaskan pipeline is barely being used, exxon reports 17 billion dollar profits in one quarter, we are offered c**p as alternative fuel vehicles, hybrids are c**p, considering we have been using internal combustion engines since the 1800s. every other technology has gone leaps and bounds but cars are sedated into an oil guzzling frenzy. the oil companies have congress in their pockets, and the men who should be standing up for the little guys are doing nothing to defend us from the gas pumps. if they are voted into power to "serve us", why are they the only ones being served?

Answer 1

Regulation leads to a shortage of gasoline and long lines. They tried it in the 1970's.

Exxon's 17 billion dollar profit was made on much larger revenues. It turns out they only make 8 cents on every dollar. Not impressive in the business world.

Alternative fuel vehicles are lacking simply because the technology isn't advanced far enought yet. If it were, I am sure a company would be exploiting it because at $4.50 a gallon in cali, we would all love a vehicle that ran on something else.

"The oil companies have congress in their pockets"? Where is the proof of that. I need some more clarification and sources on that one.

How are they being served? You are very vague on all the details. What is congress supposed to do? You don't have any ideas? What do you propose?

Answer 2

Heck ya, crazy8.  If things keep going as they are, there will no longer be a "middle class."

Answer 3

Never vote for the incumbent politician. Term limits for Senators and Congress Members. Ride a Moped and get a hundred miles per gallon. We do not have a shortage of cures for our problems. We have an absence of needed action to implement the cures.

Answer 4

Because of who has job titles and big money in politics.

If you are a politician and someone drops big bucks in your campaign coffers, you are going to treat that person well.

If you have a job title like CEO of Conoco Oil, the politician is going to give more attention to the concerns of the CEO than Joe Blow, Shop Foreman.

It would be too difficult to regulate the gas prices since we basically import oil from a cartel named OPEC and the oil is traded on the open market.  I never understood the rationale behind the Hybrid Tax Credit (i.e. the cutoff after x # of vehicles were produced). I would think that is a good tax credit and they would keep it in place permanently and without regard to the manufacturer.

Answer 5

Then act on what you feel.

Environmental legislation is the reason behind high gas prices. A few years ago, Congress passed a bill that required special additives to be placed into gasoline to lower US global emissions. The addition of those additives are creating the high gas prices we are paying for at the pump.

The link is to a government accountability office report titled :"Special Gasoline Blends Reduce Emissions and Improve Air Quality, but Complicate Supply and Contribute to Higher Prices".

Answer 6

Hmm well do what we euros do, and use cars with smaller engine capacities for a start.  More fuel efficient cars = less money going on fuel.  

Frankly I think cars with anything over a 2litre engine size is unnecessary (unless its for hauling, agriculture, etc).