Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

This is something I am a strong believer of- we are making our own bed regarding high gas prices- it's all about supply and demand- and until we ween ourselves off these gas guzzling SUVs, gas will not come down.

There's no harm in having the government keep a closer watch on the energy industry, and Kohl's sympathy for consumers is commendable, but blaming Big Oil for high gas prices is a little like blaming McDonald's (Research) for obesity. (Yes, I know that also makes for effective politics.)

Because while those profits might seem outrageous - ExxonMobil (Research) earned over $36 billion last year - Big Oil makes its money by pumping oil out of the ground, not refining and selling it as gasoline. Of Exxon's mammoth haul, only a tiny fraction came from making and selling gas in the U.S.

The idea that prices are set by Big Oil, not the traders at the NYMEX and other global bourses, is a misconception that seems to come into vogue whenever energy prices start making new highs. And putting the blame on OPEC, let alone trying to subject a foreign cartel to U.S. laws, seems to be doing anything but dealing honestly with the problem of too much demand and too little supply here at home.

Kohl's bill, alas, won't do much to lower gas prices. The real problem here is the reluctance of Washington to make more than modest improvements in fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks. At the same time, politicians and other leaders seem unwilling to at least jawbone more Americans into giving up their SUVs and Hummers in favor of more fuel-efficient cars. Suing OPEC under U.S. anti-trust laws may be smart politics, but what about actually telling voters that they, too, have to take some responsibility for the problem?

Last month, I spent a day on Capitol Hill watching Kohl, Specter and other members of Congress grill the CEOs of Exxon, Chevron (Research), Conoco (Research) and several other giants. It made for great theater but I was amazed that the Senators, including liberal Democrats, barely mentioned fuel efficiency and conservation in their public remarks.

Perhaps haranguing CEOs makes for better soundbites back home. But when oil CEOs like Chevron's Dave O'Reilly spend more time talking about conservation than our elected officials, you know we've got a real problem on our hands - one that will last well beyond the summer driving season.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Notice the White House hasn't said anything nor have they cared. WHY? Because our current administration IS big oil. When the Saudi Arabian ruling family has a nick name for you because your families are suich good friends...ummmm... I think you are tied to big oil.

Yes, the article is very true about a lot of points. Only a very small percentage of those who own SUV's really need them. I at the ladies who NEED a Denali (I think that truck is bigger than my first apt.) in order to go to Starbuck's and yoga class.

I finally realized why other countries think of us as so selfish after I returned recently from overseas. I was in Rome and saw all of the Smart cars then I arrive back, am on the LIE and am sandwiched between four single passenger SUV's The foreigners are right we are gluttonous.

Oh, and please don't say they are necessary because everyone else has them on the road and you feel safer. If everyone was jumping off a bridge would you do it to? That's essentially what we are doing to our environment. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

There is no reason why auto manufacturers are making SUV's that get the milage they do. My Dad's old 1970's station wagon got better gas milage than some of these SUV's. For crying out loud, Brazil will be independent of foreign crude oil in a few years... Brazil... despite having problems with deforestation, overpopulation, etc. they figured it out!

Message edited 4/13/2006 12:03:19 PM.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Yeah it's sort of ridiculous.
My step mother has an SUV for two kids - one of which is 19 and has his own.. ehem- SUV. it's just idiotic.
we all survived in cars growing up and we did not have SUVs.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Posted by Tah-wee-ZAH

Yes, the article is very true about a lot of points. Only a very small percentage of those who own SUV's really need them. I at the ladies who NEED a Denali (I think that truck is bigger than my first apt.) in order to go to Starbuck's and yoga class.

I finally realized why other countries think of us as so selfish after I returned recently from overseas. I was in Rome and saw all of the Smart cars then I arrive back, am on the LIE and am sandwiched between four single passenger SUV's The foreigners are right we are gluttonous.

Oh, and please don't say they are necessary because everyone else has them on the road and you feel safer. If everyone was jumping off a bridge would you do it to? That's essentially what we are doing to our environment. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Message edited 4/13/2006 12:10:48 PM.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Europeans drive small cars because gas costs $7++ a gallon there. how long before it costs the same here?

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

Europeans drive small cars because gas costs $7++ a gallon there. how long before it costs the same here?

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Posted by MrsProfessor

Posted by Sassyz75

if that is what it takes to get people to conserve- then maybe it should cost that much.

Let's face it- this country is out of control with gas use- and it is not necessary.

I don't know if that's the solution either- there are people who have to commute long distances to jobs (like me) and even though I chose a fuel-efficient car, it's still outrageous. I could get a job closer to home, but it's not that easy.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

I just bought a huge gas guzzling SUV a few weeks ago. I get 14mpg.

The way I look at it... the higher the gas prices go up... the less people will be on the roads. The quicker I will get into work every day.


Traffic has DEFINITELY improved over the past year.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Posted by DjPiLL

I just bought a huge gas guzzling SUV a few weeks ago. I get 14mpg.

The way I look at it... the higher the gas prices go up... the less people will be on the roads. The quicker I will get into work every day.


Traffic has DEFINITELY improved over the past year.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

That's another thing too about SUVs...they're not necessarily that big...

Yes...we're a part of the problem...DH drives an Envoy and we have no kids...no "excuses" he drives it because he likes it and works there. (I love my Honda Prelude ) Anyway...point being is there are plenty of times we need his truck to move items, go somewhere with our families...and honestly those trucks do not hold much at all.
We've found when moving items upstate we need to use a van because the SUV is so small.

So the people that buy SUV's like the Envoy & Trailblazer, etc. and use the excuse that it's for the room...they're kidding their selves.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

We have an SUV (are we still friends ) - we have a Jeep Grand Cherokee...but Tom uses it for work and he is constantly driving around boxes of stuff, plants, electrical equipment...

I could care less if we have one or not, but in our case we use it a lot.

Oh, and another reason - Casey is afraid to ride in the car and the only way we can bring her anywhere is in a giant crate. So while I totally see why someone (like your stepmom) has no reason to have one, some people do....

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Posted by MrsTC

We have an SUV (are we still friends ) - we have a Jeep Grand Cherokee...but Tom uses it for work and he is constantly driving around boxes of stuff, plants, electrical equipment...

I could care less if we have one or not, but in our case we use it a lot.

Oh, and another reason - Casey is afraid to ride in the car and the only way we can bring her anywhere is in a giant crate. So while I totally see why someone (like your stepmom) has no reason to have one, some people do....

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

I agreee with the conservation issue...and I do have an SUV. I don't have a huge one (Santa Fe) and I get about 18mpg, but I also take the train to work most days. Especially now, with the gas prices...but like MrsTC, we use it for the dog and we drive on the beach alot. I don't think it's all about SUV's, I think it's about conservation in general. More people could use mass transit and/or carpool but choose not to.
We are going to be in big trouble gas-wise, but guess who is going to bear the brunt of it? The owners of gas guzzlers who like to drive their cars!!! Yup. they are the ones who will be paying $100 or more a week to gas up...
I think the current hybrid trend is great and I am guessing it's going to boom in the near future. A hybrid may just be our next car.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

There are many problems that contribute to this issue. One is the number of SUV's on the road.
Another is the fact that our governent is doing nothing to help along the research in alternative energy sources. Bush would rather dig up natural preserves in Alaska to look for more oil than to invest money in atlternate sources for fuel.
The fact is whether we drive SUV's or honda civics oil is still going to run out. How we use it will just determine how long it will be until that happens. What we need is some other source of fuel, we need to wean ourselves off our dependence of oil.

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Posted by Tah-wee-ZAH

Notice the White House hasn't said anything nor have they cared. WHY? Because our current administration IS big oil. When the Saudi Arabian ruling family has a nick name for you because your families are suich good friends...ummmm... I think you are tied to big oil.

Yes, the article is very true about a lot of points. Only a very small percentage of those who own SUV's really need them. I at the ladies who NEED a Denali (I think that truck is bigger than my first apt.) in order to go to Starbuck's and yoga class.

I finally realized why other countries think of us as so selfish after I returned recently from overseas. I was in Rome and saw all of the Smart cars then I arrive back, am on the LIE and am sandwiched between four single passenger SUV's The foreigners are right we are gluttonous.

Oh, and please don't say they are necessary because everyone else has them on the road and you feel safer. If everyone was jumping off a bridge would you do it to? That's essentially what we are doing to our environment. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

There is no reason why auto manufacturers are making SUV's that get the milage they do. My Dad's old 1970's station wagon got better gas milage than some of these SUV's. For crying out loud, Brazil will be independent of foreign crude oil in a few years... Brazil... despite having problems with deforestation, overpopulation, etc. they figured it out!

Re: Interesting snippet from article on cnn.com re: high gas prices

Posted by Sassyz75

Posted by MrsTC

We have an SUV (are we still friends ) - we have a Jeep Grand Cherokee...but Tom uses it for work and he is constantly driving around boxes of stuff, plants, electrical equipment...

I could care less if we have one or not, but in our case we use it a lot.

Oh, and another reason - Casey is afraid to ride in the car and the only way we can bring her anywhere is in a giant crate. So while I totally see why someone (like your stepmom) has no reason to have one, some people do....

Jen.
i have to break up with you.
you have an suv

Message edited 4/13/2006 4:34:36 PM.