$140 Oil going to $170

[vwW12]

Originally Posted by WickedMessenger

Gas has been too cheap here for too long.

Yeah. Tell that to the single mother of two who makes minimum wage and who must drive 10 miles to her job in Jonesboro, Arkansas. How would that go?

Dear poor person: Other people think that your gas that you need to drive to your small-town job has been too cheap for too long. Kindly accept European-style gasoline government taxes and pay $10.50 a gallon like they do in Sweden. Best regards,

[dlomshek]

(Mr Chavez (Venezuela dictator) was not bluffing , he will do what he can to see that Mr Bush faces $8.00 per gallon pump prices by the end of his term...)

While is is commonly believed (because of our main-stream media) that Hugo Chavez is a dictator, this is not so! He was was popularly elected in a free election as the Venezuelan president with a huge percentage of the vote.

[Dunerunner]

Chavez is a powerless loudmouth, (does the term Dictator not register) raised under the misconception that acting like Fidel Castro is going to make him popular in Venezuela. He has no control or influence over OPEC and the oil Venezuela has is a fly speck on the world market. He won the vote because they didn't bother to count any of the opponents votes. Where do you get your news? I'd like to read some of the articles to perhaps get another perspective on the world.

[dennyrex]

y'all need to get out from behind your computer screens and go see WALL•E. There's your future ;-)

[xcrew229x]

I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that said "When W was elected, gas was $1.46 a gallon". And I said, when W was elected 7 years ago, oil (and thus gas) will skyrocket with Bush/Cheney in the White House. Prophecy fullfilled. Anyone who thinks Hugo Chavez isn't laughing his rear end off isn't paying attention. But he didn't cause this.

[theguywiththelongestname]

Originally Posted by WickedMessenger

I realize this is going to go over like a turd in the punchbowl, but gas SHOULD be $5 per gallon or even more. It's been that high in Europe for decades and that has led to mass transit that's faster than driving, high speed long distance trains, bike-only roads that go everywhere (even cross-country), and compact cities without suburban sprawl.

Gas has been too cheap here for too long. When more than half the vehicles sold in this country are SUVs that weigh 2-4 tons, commutes averaging over 45 minutes one-way, obesity rampant, and mass transit made impractical by disgusting sprawl, it's a sign to America to wake up and get with the program. That's without mentioning global warming. America leads the world in greenhouse gas production even though we have a small fraction of the world's population. Cheap gas was a temporary, unsustainable lifestyle that is the direct cause of many of this country's problems. The future will be different.

This isn't going to be a popular stance, so let your vitriolic replies fly! But you're not going to make me think I'm wrong.

i see nothing wrong with your analysis...actually, from where i sit, it seems you're spot-on! Funny you should mention "urban sprawl", in college i earned a BA in geography with an minor / certificate in Urban Planning...
our "artificially-cheap-gas-car-based-culture" has fed into many pressing social and environmental issues as you adeptly point out.

anyway, getting into a smart seems to be a step in the right direction: anything that helps diminish our gluttunous appetite for petroleum-based mobility is a positive thing in my book.

[theguywiththelongestname]

Originally Posted by dlomshek

(Mr Chavez (Venezuela dictator) was not bluffing , he will do what he can to see that Mr Bush faces $8.00 per gallon pump prices by the end of his term...)

While is is commonly believed (because of our main-stream media) that Hugo Chavez is a dictator, this is not so! He was was popularly elected in a free election as the Venezuelan president with a huge percentage of the vote.

yes, you are technically correct, Mr Chavez was popularly elected (as was Mr Hitler in 1930s Germany)...perhaps the term "totalitarian ruler" would have been a better choice...although recently thwarted in his bid to modify the Venezuelen Constitution, Mr Chavez' policies have tended to consolidate most political power into the Presidency...

yes, "totalitarian" is a better description...

[theguywiththelongestname]

Originally Posted by Dunerunner

Chavez is a powerless loudmouth, (does the term Dictator not register) raised under the misconception that acting like Fidel Castro is going to make him popular in Venezuela. He has no control or influence over OPEC and the oil Venezuela has is a fly speck on the world market. He won the vote because they didn't bother to count any of the opponents votes. Where do you get your news? I'd like to read some of the atrticles to perhaps get another perspective on the world.

I agree that Mr Chavez' bellicose Castro-isms do seem to be the rantings and ravings of an impotent leader...unfortunately, i do not believe that he can be so easily dismissed.

Venezuela is the fifth largest exporter of crude oil on the planet (al'Saud, Russia, Norway, Iran, Venezuela)...and Venezuela was the catalyst and founding member of OPEC...Mr Chavez' influence on the world scene is actually quite profound...

Remember, many in this world will heartily applaud anyone who stands up to "Big Bully Uncle Sam" and dare to give him a black eye...

[theguywiththelongestname]

Originally Posted by xcrew229x

... Anyone who thinks Hugo Chavez isn't laughing his rear end off isn't paying attention. But he didn't cause this.

perhaps you are correct...but, i am quite sure that Mr Chavez has done little to help prevent the current crisis, either...

in fact, i think that by signing exclusive delivery contracts with with the People's Republic of China, Mr Chavez' government did dramatically influence world oil pricing...

also, Mr Chavez is increasingly interested in cooperating with the Brazilian and Ecuadorian governments in helping to develop their newly-discovered massive offshore oil feilds...

of course, Mr Chavez has his fingers in Mexico's PEMEX corporation as well as close ties to Mexico's current government...

and, he ultimately plans to steer OPEC towards the Euro...

[Dunerunner]

Originally Posted by theguywiththelongestname

I agree that Mr Chavez' bellicose Castro-isms do seem to be the rantings and ravings of an impotent leader...unfortunately, i do not believe that he can be so easily dismissed.

Venezuela is the fifth largest exporter of crude oil on the planet (al'Saud, Russia, Norway, Iran, Venezuela)...and Venezuela was the catalyst and founding member of OPEC...Mr Chavez' influence on the world scene is actually quite profound...

Remember, many in this world will heartily applaud anyone who stands up to "Big Bully Uncle Sam" and dare to give him a black eye...

Fishing??? Since when is the US a bully. This country has defended freedom all over the world and has never sought one acre of additional territory other than space to bury our fallen. Would you live in Venezuela?
Chaves has only temporary autonomy in OPEC, a cooperative established long before he came to power.