I'm guessing that when you stage a protest you need protesters. and in order to get protesters to where your protesting you need to use oil. so yeah, that isn't helping, it's just making people feel better (it's fun to scream). it's slakativism, like signing an online petition. the only real way to drive prices down is to use less oil. it's that fucking simple.
Yea, well I don't know if you live in the US, but if you did you would not thats a far cry from the truth of the matter. You really think AMERICANS will do that? Sorry for being so realistic but even if somehow americans cut down on oil... it would also cut down our economy because it thrives on it. At a protest you can actually petition for legislation and have a massive number of people on your side. Also, whats the point in stopping the use of oil, so we can get it cheap is what your saying... And then what? Start using it again and start the whole process over again? What you're saying is THAT fucking simple, its just not realistic whatsoever. I would only see americans doing that when using oil would literally cause people to become flat-out broke.
Americans are already being priced out of oil. http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/hist/mttupus1m.htm our consumption is down for the first time in years. Our economy isn't thriving because of oil, it's being boondoggled by oil. except for oil producers, everyone else along the chain is hurting financially. from gas station retailers to car manufacturers, everyone's business is down. Also, the government doesn't set the price of oil, so petitioning them is useless (about 99% of peititions are useless anyways, they're slakativism). The only way the government could affect the prices is by setting policies that encourage less use of oil (which is what i'm advocating). you could petition the oil companies, but they couldn't care less as long as people are still buying their product. And my point on why we should use less oil isn't so the prices will go down. barring any worldwide collapse of developing countries, oil demand will continue to rise faster than production can keep up. The end game is not cheaper gas, but to liberate the individual from gasoline. If you want to actually protest gas prices, the only effective way is to use less, preferably no, gas! that's the only thing that will effect the corporate bottom line, and your bottom line as well.
I am going to address this post. The price of oil first of is not the issue, its the price of gas and diesel fuels that are creating an issue fo people. When the price of the barrel oil rises 6% the oil companies raised fuel prices by 30% (info based off of the new 35 gallon barrel measurement and pump prices) They allowed diesel (an oil to gas by product (waste) to cost more than gas) they did this for 2 reasons. (1) Diesel fuel is used for the major transportation of all goods. (why) So that the cost of transporting goods is forced to climb thus forcing the end product to cost more thus making more tax revenue since all taxes are done on a % base from the cost of the item. (3) The major population drive cars running on gas not diesel so people will complain less when they are paying less for thier fuel then a fuel they dont use. This was the second reason for the price flip. So now that they have you in balance paying less for your gas and they recieve less tax money they made up for it by forcing diesel to be higher and now they can collect it from all your food, medical goods, electronics, cleaners, ect. The economy is hurting not becuase of oil but rather from years of inflated prices, wages, poor judgement, spoiled views, not living within your means ect. Oil just funds the goverments tax flow through all goods. Contacting the goverment is useless becuase they do not want to slow down thier cash flow comming in. They dont se the prices for oil but they could cut tax breaks ect, they could seriously give the people tax breaks to use other forms of transportation, give business tax breaks for demanding carpool set ups, vanpools ect. They could stop states from trying to get permit money from people who use other sources of fuel like LP and alcohole like Missouri for instance wants a $75.00 per year fuel permit if you dont buy at the pump and use propane and biodiesel ect. Reduction will not work becuase they will simply increase the price to keep the level of income (10 barrels at $100 or 5 barrels at $200) They will make sure they maintain profits, they will get the goverment to again block source to get around fossil fuels (like the Shell's 300+ MPG car and the book that has disappeared but still has a congess library number). The goverment is far less likely to assist thanks to making tax money, lobbyists and ect making it too profitable for them.
The government doesn't set the oil prices, everyone knows this. But they also don't RESTRICT it which is what the petition would be for... It won't work someply because oil companies control what bills are passed toward them though. Also, an electric car full operational has been out by gm since 1990. The FIRST CAR was electric. Why don't we have new technologies aswell, oil companies are controlling the motor industry aswell. To be quite frank, we can't do shit about it unless we get a massive movement for reform. Certain things we do need would include a push for FULLY electric cars. Hybrids take 8 years to make their cost back from gas. By that time the car is fuckign shot. In the mean time we also need a huge hike in minimum MPG. CHINA has a minimum of 35!!! They are more wasteful and cause more polution that the US as well and we can't even increase our MPG standard because everyone needs to drive a SUV. On top of that, lobbyist truly are our government. The people in the chairs are just puppets. And a question: Our economy doesn't run on oil? How does the goods get to your local store, how is your electricity produced, how would people commute to work over long distances, how do we import/export? It is thriving on oil because we have no other option.
the government cannot restrict the price of oil other than providing subsidies or tax breaks, both of which are economically unsustainable (we are kindof in the red). The government cannot just tell oil companies to sell us gas for two dollars a gallon. The americans do not have the power in this relationship. If we were to try to tell oil companies, we'll only buy oil for say 80 dollars a barrell, they'd tell us to suck it, and we would. I agree with the electric car idea, it goes back to my OP, that the only way to reduce the cost of oil is to become less dependent on oil. And i never said that our economy doesn't run on oil, i said our dependence on oil is the problem. the more diviersified our energy supply becomes, the less we need to pay for oil. I don't think the price of oil will go down, barring any unforseen catastrophies like a collapse of several developing countries economy. the only way to insulate yourselves, and by process the american economy from these high prices is to not be dependent.
Actually they can and they have. The U.S. embraced price regulations following the 1972 Arab Oil Embargo. President Richard Nixon ordered the controls for and on oil and gasoline that remained in force until 1981. The price controls were blamed for volatile prices, shortages and long lines at gas pumps. But the prices didn't increase fifteen cents every other day.
Diesel isnt a by-product of "oil to gas" it may be simpler to refine from petro but not a waste, almost equal to heating oil as far as refining goes. In the US, refineries had to switch to a lower sulfur diesel fuel, raising the cost. Almost half of the EU uses diesel powered vehicles,China is not far behind. Increasing Global demand is a reason for high diesel prices. Don't count on seeing the price going down,ever. And it would also signal the world WE HAVE NO RESERVES. Not by much, or for very long.
supply and demand doesn't work right anymore, people are too ignorant of the actual situation, too ignorant of how much demand there is, we are told there is demand, and, whether there is or not, americans, and most the world, will believe their masters, so, though there may be demand today, what happens when it ceases? too man people are making too much money off this shit, the prices will till rise, to compensate for the customer base loss supply and demand hasn't worked right for some time, and to delude ourselves that a self organizing system such as it would be allowed to exist, in a world where people need their income to be predictable, it's insanity.
Don't worry,pretty soon many people will HAVE to protest gas prices,simply by not being able to afford it.If you cannot afford something you don't buy it,you don't buy it it's the same as boycotting.So look at it this way,there is a positive side to this.lol
