So I was just sitting in my break room and the new McCain commercial comes on that flat out blames gas prices on Obama. I have to admit I was baffled and disappointed with McCain's camp on this one.
Obama has secretly been driving gas prices for the last 5-6 years?
__________________ Willing is not enough, we must do. Knowing is not enough, we must apply.
--Bruce Lee
Given that Obama and the rest of the democratic party have been voting against ANWR and off shore drilling since the Clinton era yeah he's partly responsible for the high costs. When Clinton was in office they were saying the same thing as now, that drilling won't provide any relief for 10 years. Guess what, it's over 10 years now and having that extra domestic production sure would be nice.
__________________
Everyone is finally equal. No one is smarter than anyone else. No one is stronger than anyone else. No one is better. Everyone is worse.
Considering the two choices I'm a McCain supporter (not necessarily a fan) but I think blaming Obamesiah directly for the current gas prices is off target. Blaming the democratic party policies, sure why not, but to single a person out ehhh... especially since he's only been in congress for what a couple years before running for pres.
Drilling locally, as I've said before and I'll say again, is painfully short sighted. And McCain has voted against offshore drilling if I remember correctly.
__________________ Willing is not enough, we must do. Knowing is not enough, we must apply.
--Bruce Lee
I dunno, this debate goes on and on and the prices go higher and higher. Seems like the law of supply and demand would have to kick in sooner or later.
Beside, the Chinese are going to drill right off our coast at 27 miles out and suck the oil right out from under us. They may be drilling right now as far as I know.
Is there a lack of supply? I don't see any gas rationing going on. I suspect that the traditional rules of supply and demand have been circumvented in the oil game.
__________________ Willing is not enough, we must do. Knowing is not enough, we must apply.
--Bruce Lee
Given that Obama and the rest of the democratic party have been voting against ANWR and off shore drilling since the Clinton era yeah he's partly responsible for the high costs. When Clinton was in office they were saying the same thing as now, that drilling won't provide any relief for 10 years. Guess what, it's over 10 years now and having that extra domestic production sure would be nice.
C'mon Phelan, stop being so blind and realize the issue. Even That Guy can see the forest for the trees. These claims are ludicrous.
By the way, Los Angeles and San Diego are both reporting that there is less traffic on the freeways, and more people are switching to public transportation, carpools, and more fuel efficient cars.
Is there a lack of supply? I don't see any gas rationing going on. I suspect that the traditional rules of supply and demand have been circumvented in the oil game.
There is not a lack of supply, it's about forecasting and predictions in the gas market. That is what has created the escalating gas prices.
C'mon Phelan, stop being so blind and realize the issue. Even That Guy can see the forest for the trees. These claims are ludicrous.
Which issue would that be? The one where humans are supposedly destroying the planet and we have to spend billions immediately to get away from oil without a really thought through plan? Or the one where we're sending billions overseas for oil that we could be getting domestically (and since drilling would be closer to refining resulting in less transport costs, and just possibly cheaper gas.)
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Originally Posted by gammawolf
By the way, Los Angeles and San Diego are both reporting that there is less traffic on the freeways, and more people are switching to public transportation, carpools, and more fuel efficient cars.
Public transportation is NOT a solution until such time that it can be self-sufficient.
__________________
Everyone is finally equal. No one is smarter than anyone else. No one is stronger than anyone else. No one is better. Everyone is worse.
Drilling locally, as I've said before and I'll say again, is painfully short sighted. And McCain has voted against offshore drilling if I remember correctly.
Think of domestic drilling like someone getting shot.
You have to stop the bleeding first! Is the problem solved, NO!
Yea, there are bigger problems that need to be addressed and soon but first you have to do what you can to stabilize the situation.
Then deal with the "long term" issues.
Domestic drilling will ease the price at the pump as soon as drilling starts, blame it on the speculators or OPEC, whatever. As soon as the "threat" of more oil on the market is real the prices will reduce. If it's the speculators that are driving the oil price up the the prospect of more oil will make the futures crap go down. If it's OPEC driving prices up, they would lower their price/increase production to try and protect their monopoly on the market. Reducing the price will reduce the feasibility of spending more money domestically to explore/drill for oil. Also, if they lower the price they could make these alternative energy methods even more cost inefficient then they will protect their monopoly also.
...Public transportation is NOT a solution until such time that it can be self-sufficient.
They keep bringing up a new tax around here to pay for "light rail" service, basically Amtrak service through the state. If it were a profitable venture someone would be pushing it as their idea and trying to make money from it, not pawn it off on the state (read: taxpayers) to pay for it.
Which issue would that be? The one where humans are supposedly destroying the planet and we have to spend billions immediately to get away from oil without a really thought through plan? Or the one where we're sending billions overseas for oil that we could be getting domestically (and since drilling would be closer to refining resulting in less transport costs, and just possibly cheaper gas.)
What I was critical about you is that you agree with McCain and his claim that Obama is responsible for the high gas prices. Now with regards to your questions, I have a suggestion. Why don't we buy from Venezuela? It doesn't make sense to me that we still get most of our oil from Saudi Arabi, where 11 of the hijackers came from and they are allies, while Venezuela, which has only barked a lot but did nothing, still has plenty of oil at less than a $1 a gallon.
Personally, I'm comfortable with the gas prices as they are now. You gotta pay to play. I will agree with you that it would be better to wean ourselves off of foreign oil, but I think alternative solutions are a much much better idea than just drilling in Alaska which will give you just a short-term answer.
Keep in mind that once Iraq becomes more stable (whenever that is), whoever controls the oil there - the 2nd largest producer of oil in the world - that will dictate many socio-political/socio-economic things as well.
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Public transportation is NOT a solution until such time that it can be self-sufficient.
fine. pay more for gas if that is what you wish. let's face it, the price of gas will never EVER reach $3 or less. Even if they started to drill in Alaska, you really think that it'll drop the pas of gas that much?
I like where we are headed currently. People are switching to more fuel efficient cars, public transportation, and carpools. That equates to less traffic (FACT, see the sources), less pollution (doesn't matter if you believe in global warming or not, less pollution is good for everybody), and less punishment to our roads.
What I was critical about you is that you agree with McCain and his claim that Obama is responsible for the high gas prices. Now with regards to your questions, I have a suggestion. Why don't we buy from Venezuela? It doesn't make sense to me that we still get most of our oil from Saudi Arabi, where 11 of the hijackers came from and they are allies, while Venezuela, which has only barked a lot but did nothing, still has plenty of oil at less than a $1 a gallon.
I said he was PARTLY responsible which he is due to having voted against domestic drilling (take note of how gas prices dropped this last week AFTER the US started getting serious about increasing domestic production).
How about you do some researching yourself? Our primary oil source is Canada, Saudi is #2, Mexico #3 and Venezuela #4.
Personally, I'm comfortable with the gas prices as they are now. You gotta pay to play. I will agree with you that it would be better to wean ourselves off of foreign oil, but I think alternative solutions are a much much better idea than just drilling in Alaska which will give you just a short-term answer.
Keep in mind that once Iraq becomes more stable (whenever that is), whoever controls the oil there - the 2nd largest producer of oil in the world - that will dictate many socio-political/socio-economic things as well.
Yes increased domestic production is a short term answer, I haven't seen anyone deny that. But the chances of viable alternatives appearing this year, next year or the year after that are slim so there is a need for a short term solution while the long term solution is worked out properly.
Iraq has the 3rd largest proven reserves, that does not make them the 2nd largest producer though. Historically Iraq has NEVER output more than 4 million barrels of crude a day, a level marginally lower than Iran's output and significantly lower than Russia's output even during the USSR/Russia transisiton. History and Analysis -Crude Oil Prices
Quote:
Originally Posted by gammawolf
fine. pay more for gas if that is what you wish. let's face it, the price of gas will never EVER reach $3 or less. Even if they started to drill in Alaska, you really think that it'll drop the pas of gas that much?
Do you honestly think a barrel of crude is really worth 3-4 times more now than 2-3 years ago? Demand hasn't increased that much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gammawolf
I like where we are headed currently. People are switching to more fuel efficient cars, public transportation, and carpools. That equates to less traffic (FACT, see the sources), less pollution (doesn't matter if you believe in global warming or not, less pollution is good for everybody), and less punishment to our roads.
People driving fuel efficient cars and carpooling is fine and is great if it works for the individuals involved. But public transport (be it light rail, buses, subways, what have you) is a money sink. Even in the tiny ass countries of Europe where public transportation has been established for decades it still relies upon monies from the governments to stay afloat.
__________________
Everyone is finally equal. No one is smarter than anyone else. No one is stronger than anyone else. No one is better. Everyone is worse.
McCain blames Obama for gas prices?
