So what should the Feds do about surging gas prices?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

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?

[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.

[chequita guevara]

Ration it, and let the SUV drivers suffer!

[Lefty Scaevola]

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.

[Wycoff]

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.

[Urban Ranger]

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.

[:) Smiley]

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.

[Wycoff]

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.

[notyoueither]

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?

[notyoueither]

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.

[BeBMan]

What about invading some oil-rich country? *ducks*

[notyoueither]

Henry is out digging up the guns. We survived Trudeau. The Yanks are nothing.

[Frozzy]

Subsidise the oil companies

[Flubber]

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

[Az]

That's why they should invade you and take your oil.

( Cue in boring 1812 discussion)