But you CAN drive whatever you want, up to about 20,000 lbs GVW (IIRC), more if you’ve got a commercial licence. If you feel the extra fuel costs are a worthwhile tradeoff for drivng a behemoth vehicle, knock yourself out.
BTW, I’m still willing to have my ignorance eradicated on how the oil companies are gouging consumers on gasoline. You gonna explain how this is done, or what?
Again, not even close. There are plenty of state-owned oil companies that dwarf XOM - they’re not “counted”, however, because most lists of large businesses focus on private companies, not state-owned.
Sure you can. But if you’re driving a gas guzzler, don’t kvetch about the price being too high.
I’ve got three American made cars myself, by the way. But Detroit got their butts handed to them 30 years ago for this very reason. For my next car, if they haven’t wised up, I’m not going to sacrifice for idiocy in the executive suites of Ford and GM.
No, the really sad part is that Bush, knowing full well the record profits are a natural result of the business model of the oil companies, has come out for an investigation that is certain to yield nothing.
The thing that can help is to eliminate the tax breaks for these guys. With their profits, they’ve got plenty of money for exploration or anything else they want. It won’t help the price of gas, but can at least reduce the deficit.
I heard some interviews in the street on the local AM news network yesterday.
One idiot woman stated in a defiant tone, “We’re going to boycott those gas companies until they lower their prices. We’re going to carpool, take the train, take the bus, whatever we have to do!”
I couldn’t help but scream at the radio, “GOOD!!!”
I’ve heard some environmentalists say for years that the way to encourage conservation was simply to raise the cost of fuel. Apparently they were right.
They should all do what I am doing today. I am using my bike and our light-rail system to commute to and from work.
In the morning, I ride about 2 miles to the train station. Take MetroLink that stops 4 blocks from the office.
Now at the end of the day, i am riding my bike 14 miles home. I save money, get some much needed exercise and as an added bonus, get to enjoy today’s beautiful spring weather.
I can’t do it every day, but today will be the 5th time in April.
Historians might have some trouble with it, but economists will note that
The burgeoning populations of Wontonaland and Curria (along with the rest of the world) needed more and more wheat imports to satisfy the Snap Crackle and Pop lifestyle to which their citizens would like to become accustomed, while
CMLCP (the Conglomerate of Milk-Laden Carbohyrates Producers) declined to increase production (or was unable to), in spite of the increasing demand for breakfast foods.
So you take your bike on the train? I wonder how many people have that kind of great access to public transport? Seriously. I sure don’t.
Perhaps 10%? 5%?
People are not just going to up and abandon property in rural or suburban areas.
People that make the simplistic suggestion of “get a new job, move closer to work” really have know idea about how the world really works. (I’m not suggesting you said that 5 Time Champ).
Now, I’m not, and haven’t bitched about gas prices in this thread. It’ll hurt a bit, but for the lifestyle I want, and frankly not having any other realistic options anyway (it would end up costing me more to move closer to town, than I will spend on gas), I deal with it.