02-09-2005 13:38									#1
	So what should the Feds do about surging gas prices? Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

I know we already have a gas thread, but this one has a different focus.

I just saw a poll showing that Americans are listing rising gas prices as theri #2 priority for the federal governemnt (after Iraq). The question is, what do you think the Feds should do?

	02-09-2005 13:44									#2
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post ante deletia

to answer the question: nothing except provide the money to get the refineries up and running and release strategic reserves as needed (but refill the reserves as soon as the oil rigs are up and running)

	02-09-2005 13:50									#3
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nothing. if its so profitable to sell gas the companies can afford to build their refineries without help

fed price controls would just make the problem worse, causing ever more sever shortages.

	02-09-2005 13:51									#4
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This thread should not be deleted!

It's a thread about the scope of Federal powers, not a thread whining about prices.

	02-09-2005 16:53									#5
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They should largely let the markets do their job except where a viable market doesn't exist. In this case there aren't enough refineries to ensure competition and the Feds ought to intervene here. Bush's proposal to build a refinery complex on the Pacific coast on one of the retired military bases is a good one, though it was predictably shot down by California's delegation. We need more refinery capacity, as well as more geographic seperation between our facilities in order to avoid just this sort of situation.

	02-09-2005 17:09									#6
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Let prices rise.

	02-09-2005 17:14									#7
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Repair pipelines, unveil the banana combustion engine.

	02-09-2005 17:23									#8
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Banana engine, or cap the selling point and tax it even more.

	02-09-2005 17:26									#9
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I suppose that makes sense from a Luddite PoV ...

	02-09-2005 18:17									#10
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After all these years, I'm used to standing alone, which at this posting I do.

"Intervene in demand by regulating prices"


About half the states have price gouging laws on the books.
price gouging (pricing above the market when no alternative retailer is available)

	02-09-2005 18:36									#11
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Regulating prices does not increase the supply of gas. That people are able to gouge for gas shows that buyers would rather pay a lot for gas than not have gas.

Fixing pipelines is the only solution, provided that the refineries on the other end are working.

	02-09-2005 18:46									#12
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Enforce anti-gouging laws...

Maybe dip into strategic reserves if supply gets really low.

As for prices? Frankly, it might be a good thing if people are forced to pay high gas prices. Maybe they'll think twice about buying gas guzzling SUV's.

	02-09-2005 18:50									#13
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Yea, the market will sort it out. I agree with smiley and sava and the other leftists putting their faith in capitalism. Shame on sloww and the conservatives calling for socialist economics.

This is weird.

	02-09-2005 19:04									#14
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quote: Originally posted by OzzyKP sava and the other leftists

shows what you know about me

don't confused hatred for bush and republicans for "leftist"

	02-09-2005 19:30									#15
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So far so good, except tapping the SPR, it isn't for this. Now as for a long term remedy, that is sorely lacking.

	03-09-2005 08:40									#16
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Though as a good liberal I tend to support them, I've always been confused by anti-gouging laws. How is it possible to price something "above the market"? If people are paying the price you're charging, that is the market. Isn't it?

	03-09-2005 08:42									#17
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Put a price ceiling at $1.75 a gallon. The gas companies have made tens of billions of dollars this year. It's time for them to be "patriotic Americans" and sacrifice for the good of the country.

	03-09-2005 08:45									#18
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Ration it, and let the SUV drivers suffer!

	03-09-2005 08:53									#19
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They should let the prices go up to reduce demand, Because gasoline and diesal, regardless of oil prices, are going up bigtime in a year or so. Refineries were already at capacity before the hurrican, and gasoline invetories shrinking. All usa gaosline and diesel refining is going to be rotated off line for a few months each over the next two year to retool for new evironmental regulations and reformulation (diesel must reduce sulfur, gasoline must increase oxygenation, and most refiners will also be phasing out the current oxygenator and octance booster MBTE). Without a reduction in demand, there will be shortages, and the new and increase oxygenator ingrediant are going to be more expensive. The capital cost at the refineries are projected to be billions of dollars.

	03-09-2005 08:55									#20
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quote: Originally posted by chegitz guevara Ration it, and let the SUV drivers suffer!

I worry about the poor rural people, the people that have to drive 60 miles a day to go to their $8.00 an hour job. They are the least equipped to handle this problem.

	03-09-2005 09:08									#21
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quote: Originally posted by Wycoff I worry about the poor rural people, the people that have to drive 60 miles a day to go to their $8.00 an hour job. They are the least equipped to handle this problem.

They will still be fine if their cars can do 40 miles/gal. Too bad for the SUV owners.

	03-09-2005 09:19									#22
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quote: Originally posted by Urban Ranger They will still be fine if their cars can do 40 miles/gal. Too bad for the SUV owners.

Poor ppo tend to have older, less efficient cars that do 10-20 miles/gallon.

	03-09-2005 09:19									#23
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quote: Originally posted by Urban Ranger They will still be fine if their cars can do 40 miles/gal. Too bad for the SUV owners.

True. But one thing that is often overlooked is that people often need the gas guzzlers in the rural areas. A Lincoln Navigator in Washington D.C. is totally useless. A four wheel drive Ford F 250 on an Appalachian farm is part of every day working life, especially in the winter.

Besides, the 40 mpg cars don't often work in the Appalachians. I drive a Hyundai Accent, a car that gets 35+ MPG on flat land. When I visit my home in the Appalachians, it gets 22 or 23 at best, as it doesn't have the power to cope with the hills. I can't imagine what it must be like in the Rockies.

	03-09-2005 11:03									#24
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quote: Originally posted by Whoha So far so good, except tapping the SPR, it isn't for this. Now as for a long term remedy, that is sorely lacking.

The US is asking other nations to loosen the strings on oil supplies.

You would think the US would have to do something itself, wouldn't you?

	03-09-2005 11:09									#25
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They should get the lead out (hur, hur) to get refineries and piplines back on stream.

That isn't market interference, that is common sense.

	03-09-2005 11:11									#26
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What about invading some oil-rich country? *ducks*

	03-09-2005 11:13									#27
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Henry is out digging up the guns. We survived Trudeau. The Yanks are nothing.

	03-09-2005 11:19									#28
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Subsidise the oil companies

	03-09-2005 13:25									#29
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quote: Originally posted by Wycoff Put a price ceiling at $1.75 a gallon. The gas companies have made tens of billions of dollars this year. It's time for them to be "patriotic Americans" and sacrifice for the good of the country.

Quite simply that approach could kill any gas retailer not integrated back to an oil and gas production company if the price of oil continued to rise. How and where exactly is said retailer supposed to obtain gas at less than the fixed price in all circumstances. The US has no power to fix/lower unilaterally the price of a barrell of oil that it imports

	03-09-2005 13:46									#30
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That's why they should invade you and take your oil.

( Cue in boring 1812 discussion)