Addicted To Oil: Too costly to drive - Democratic Underground

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

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Fri Apr-01-05 09:11 PM
Original message

Addicted To Oil: Too costly to drive

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD

What will it take to get Americans out of their cars?

It hasn't been the cost of gasoline. Not yet, at least.

"Consumption has been surprisingly strong despite the relatively high gasoline and diesel prices," portfolio manager Evan Smith told Bloomberg News. "It's just indicative of a strong economy."

But what happens if the price of oil, and then gasoline, climbs beyond an acceptable level?

A research note by the Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs predicted that oil prices could reach $105 a barrel -- up from its previous guess of $80

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/218333_oiled.asp

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SHRED

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Fri Apr-01-05 09:14 PM
Response to Original message

1. Change to biofuel

Edited on Fri Apr-01-05 09:15 PM by SHRED

Hemp.
A hemp fueled hybrid! Yes!!!
And also make the paint, body panels and interior from hemp.

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The Doctor.

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Fri Apr-01-05 09:14 PM
Response to Original message

2. Who else is in the market for a motorcycle?

Don't forget to brush up on your marksmanship - Motorcycles will become expensive as demand rises.

America... What a country!

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jedr

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Fri Apr-01-05 09:23 PM
Response to Reply #2

4. true, but 4x4's are for sale cheap!

never saw so damn many 8-10 yr old 4x4 trucks by the road with For Sale signs

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The Doctor.

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Fri Apr-01-05 10:06 PM
Response to Reply #4

7. not good enough on gas...

But easy to mount a rifle rack on.

:evilgrin:

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hadrons

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Fri Apr-01-05 09:20 PM
Response to Original message

3. cheap credit is helping ....

going into debt just to fill your tank

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firefox

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Fri Apr-01-05 09:24 PM
Response to Original message

5. Sounds like BS to me

There sure is no strong economy. If you are on the roads around here after dark, you can go a long way without seeing a car. And just wait for the higher prices of plastics and transportation to drain what little cushion some people have.

Strong economy my ass.

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teryang

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Fri Apr-01-05 10:29 PM
Response to Reply #5

10. You've got that right

I left work late the other night, about 9:15pm. The roads were virtually empty.

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chlamor

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Fri Apr-01-05 09:26 PM
Response to Original message

6. Yesterday Gas Prices

were at 2.24/gal at local pump. This morning they were 2.26/gal at same station. This eve on way home the price was 2.29/gal at same station. Maybe the pixies are changing the prices.

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Selatius

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Fri Apr-01-05 10:08 PM
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8. We have an extremely poor mass transit system

Edited on Fri Apr-01-05 10:10 PM by Selatius

There's no way many folks can get out of driving. The only alternative is carpooling, but no politician in Congress has been mentioning this. In addition, we have poor fuel efficiency standards compared to other industrialized nations in Europe.

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Lydia Leftcoast

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Fri Apr-01-05 10:16 PM
Response to Reply #8

9. And the saddest thing is that we had at least 20 years' warning

but the corporations wouldn't let the word get out to the general public. The Republicanites and the corporations ridiculed Carter for his advocacy of higher fuel standards, lowered thermostatus, and synfuels.

The info was there if you looked for it, but the Republicanites and the oil and auto companies were out there telling the public to drive, drive, drive, and to move ever farther out of the city. It was more fun than conservation, and shooting people in foreign countries was more fun than spending the money to put people to work building a transit infrastructure.

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tabasco

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Sat Apr-02-05 12:41 AM
Response to Reply #9

11. That's why I will never own another American car.

American car companies have done nothing for this country.

Like an overzealous virus, they have destroyed themselves with greed.

Even if the government was too corrupt to establish standards, the corporations should have done the right thing for this country.

Of course, it is naive to think that these multi-national corporations care about the fate of any nation. They care only about profits.

I will be happy if they all go under. Sorry for the workers but the US auto companies be damned !

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