Is There a Better Way????
Was wondering what everyone thought of the current situation with big oil and gas companies. I don't need to remind you that the price is going up every day. No stablization of price in sight. I LOVE the way everyone plays politics with the issue....gas tax caps, price caps...even Chrysler is willing to pay for the difference between the price of a gallon of gas and $2.99. That plan is flawed because it is based on a credit card offer and you bet Chrysler will make just as much off of charged interest to the consumer as they do in the discount...just another catch. Make hay when the sun shines and doesn't shine in this case......
It seems to me that the really simple way to deal with this is to allow discounts for new purchases and trades if a consumer goes to a higher gas mileage automobile. Energy savings in the form of tax breaks and incentives and grants have long been available for the home owner....why not the automobile owner. If you as a consumer trade in a vehicle that gets 15 miles per gallon for a vehicle that gets 30 miles per gallon you should get a tax break or something. Isn't that simple....with the reduction of demand you would find a stablization of prices.... I guess...or maybe I am just being political. Usage and demand are the biggest problems. I bought a 38 mile per gallon car..... My problem is much smaller than the BIG SUV owner....who has no kids, but needs a BIG vehicle for some reason.
Then there is the all familiar forgiving public..... Where is our outrage? We have a President and Vice President that rake in more and more cash for when they are out of office each and every time the price goes up..... I bet Cindy McCain has a ton of money in oil and gas as well...why not... THOSE companies are posting HUGE profits while we make our way to our local Big Box or Discount Grocery Store to purchase what we can with what is left of our money. IT used to be prescription drugs that I worried about eating up my money during my retirement...now I wonder if it will be the price of gas for my car or home.
In talking with a young man the other day I found out that he pays approximately $20 a day in gas to work at a job where he is making $75 a day. After taxes and a $5 lunch....if he is lucky...he ends up netting $36.50 a day....Yikes and with that he has to pay rent, buy food, pay off extortionate Student Loans and maybe...just maybe go to a movie once in a while. His love life must be wonderful....when a romantic dinner is 11PM at Wendy's from the $1 Menu.
It just goes to show. Americans will adapt to anything. What I would like to see at least is that government take some responsible position instead of a political one....Maybe encourage smaller vehicles, maybe push for sensible alternative fuels and maybe just maybe solve the Middle East Problem. Isn't it amazing that Venezuelans pay the least for gas because thier consumers use thier product? We have the brightest minds to figure this out.....Why can't we learn to use our own resources??? Do we have to continue to consume the world's costly energy? Is there a better way???
