What can we do about gas prices? Higher fuel standards on cars? Cost-efficient alternatives? Taxes?

Question

It seems we need to develop alternative fuels, but the research is not even close. In order to buy time for the research to work, we must impose much higher mileage standards on new cars. There is absolutely no reason for any new car, SUV or pick up truck to be manufactured or sold that does not get at least 30MPG. We should impose a 30MPG minimum on all cars manufactured or imported to the US starting immediately. Starting January 1, 2009, the minimum should be 35 and starting 2010 it should be 40MPG. This is a national emergency and should be treated as such. In a time of national emergency, free markets have to be suspended, and changes must take place much faster than free markets allow.

Answer 1

a minimum of 35-40 mpg??? what about semitrucks and guys hauling livestock trailers? those will get 35 mpg when me **** turns purple and smells of rainbow sherbet

Answer 2

Lower demand of through conservation.

Raise MPG standards through demand, and by stopping federal funding of auto industries to force them to not remain stagnant in their efficiency. The free market needs to be used, not suspended more.

Begin a shift towards alternative vehicles such as electrics.

Invest in our crumbling mass transit systems.

Answer 3

national emergency? not even close. we have plenty of oil on this continent, all we need do is go and get it. we need to drill where the oil is like continental shelfs, in the eastern gulf, in north dakota, and in the anwr. imposing fuel economy standards is a step in the right direction, but we must be responsible with the standards we set, and not set contradictory standards regarding emissions and safety. tighten emissions standards, and fuel economy suffers. we would have many cars with small diesel engines on the market today if congress had not tightened the emission standards. many of the new safety standards have increased the weight of vehicles, and that also has a detrimental effect on fuel economy.

get government off the backs of big business, and let them work, and you will see improvements in fuel economy, and oil production.

oh and we need new rerfineries, and to reduce the number of fuel blends required from 40+ to 2 or 3.

Answer 4

well, free markets do work.

however, it would be entirely appropriate to impose pretty large taxes on cars that are fall below some minimum efficiency.

you'll note that calif has already passed a law limiting CO2 emissions.

as soon as the oil lobby moves out of the white house in january, look for the country to follow.

there is a problem with trucks, but i'd think we can deal with that.

there are undoubtedly a number of folks who'll claim that their SUV with a baby seat in the back is used for business.

i suspect that fines in addition to the gas guzzler tax will eliminate most of that.

Answer 5

I bought a new Renault Dauphine in 1966 and it averaged 40 MPG. I have wondered why with today's technology why the auto makeres can't do better. I realize that there are poor people who working hard to keep up the rising gas prices, so raising taxes would really hurt them the most. My brother in law is really being hit and he says that raising taxes on gas wouldn't deter the rich who could care less about high gas prices. There has to be another way to do it.

Answer 6

How about drilling for more domestic oil, building refineries, standardizing fuel mixtures and lowering taxes(not just on the fuels but on the corporations). We let our politicians get use into this mess, now we are paying for it. Do nothing about these items and the cost will continue to rise. It was suspending the free markets by over taxing and regulating that caused the problem and you suggest the further tightening of them. How blind can anyone be. That would be like hitting a finger with a hammer to relieve the pain from a previous blow.

Answer 7

"There is absolutely no reason for any new car, SUV or pick up truck to be manufactured or sold that does not get at least 30MPG."

Yes, there is a very good reason:  I want to buy one and I don't want wimps like you telling me I can't.