Opinion Talk

By bronco

May 5, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this

$4 dollars a gallon and there no excuse for it. The US owns the largest oil field in the world why don’t we use it. We are having congressional hearings to find out if a baseball player has used steriods, lets put some oil companies in those hearimgs and see what justifies a $44 billion dollar profit last year.

By PJ

May 5, 2008 8:18 AM | Link to this

Obviously, the way we invest in tranportation is built upon the premise of cheap energy. Policy makers haven’t quite caught on yet that betting on continued cheap energy is a long-shot at best. We have time to begin to creat alternatives that tend to consume less energy (connected and walkable street networks and transit in dense areas) and let the market respond to these public investments. I just don’t think we have leaders with the will to tell Joe Sixpack he has to change his unsustainable behavior.

By Charles

May 5, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this

I’m more concerned about a Democrap getting into office and raising taxes! That would raise the price of everything across the board. How do you think companies will address the added expense? Jobs, of course!

When you vote Democrap you’re shooting yourself in the foot (except for GaLiberal - I think he might have gone for his head).

By Guilty as Charged

May 5, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this

Guilty as charged here. I’m the described everyman, living in an outer ‘burb and communting 38 miles each way to a very large specialized medical facility, one that cannot be duplicated by finding employment closer to home. Relocating the home closer to work is not something we could afford to do with three school age kids.

Mass transit requires a bus, a train, and another bus, adding nearly one hour each way to a trip already 75 minutes long. One thing that helps is working twelve hour shifts, reducing the commute to three times per week. I think more industries should consider 12 hour workdays. Reducing commuting frequency by 40% would make a big difference. Besides, once you’ve been at work eight hours, the remaining four are a breeze. It’s just a matter of adjustment.

Now, if I could only sleep here overnight, I could do the three days in a row and make only one round trip drive!

By gman

May 5, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this

$4 a gallon gas is devastating to to most folks budgets. It’s not just gas for your car that is hurting our wallets but as the price of most other items go up, there just isn’t enough money to go around. My vacation plans are history, as well as most big purchases, ecxept at the pump and the Grocery store. The quick fix is for our nation TO GET BUSY DRILLING FOR NEW SOURCES OF OIL. Alternative fuels are fine, but they’re not going to get the price of gas down, and they are killing us in the grocery stores. Also alternative fuels can’t be produced cheaply and most investors won’t buy into it unless they can sell their product at $3 or more a gallon. The morons in Congress that are blocking us from SAFELY drilling in Alska and ELSEWHWERE are also part of the problem. Gas tax holidays are a scam, because the price of gas is going up so fast you won’t see a reduction or the gass stations won’t pass it own to us. By thge time a gas tax holiday is passed, gas prices will be anyway due to the fall/winter season, and you definitely won’t get ANY of the TAX relief!!! OPEC is no friend of the West, they see oil as a weapon and are using it. SO like it or nut DRILL FOR OIL< START TODAY< EVERYWHERE> That and more refining capacity are the only quick fixes for price reductions.

By Ralph

May 5, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this

The oil companies keep robbing the American consumers, one day not to far into the future, there will have to be a alternate lane, next to the highway, one for horses, even if the price of gain, that going up due to using food products to a non-solution to alternate fuel. Using food crops or produces for fuel is as stupid as saying that the oil companies care about people, job or inflation, and don’t care for money or profits in the billions of dollars profits. Oil company are power hungry, they know that as long as the government lets them do, whatever they want, they will do whatever they want, regardless of the harming consequences, that it does to this country

By David

May 5, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this

$4.00 (and right now at $3.60) definitely is influencing some of my decisions. I live near Decatur and have an easy 10 mile commute to work downtown. I’ve had notions of moving up near Discover Mills for a nicer home environment for my family, but no way. I mean, the ugly commute is bad enough, but with gas prices going up it doesn’t make much sense. Driving to work with the MARTA line parallel to the road is also giving me serious thought to ditching my car and taking it instead (with most of that being paid by my job). Just not sure I want to take MARTA at 7 or 8pm at night like I’d have to do sometimes.

By Rocket

May 5, 2008 8:41 AM | Link to this

Who cares, I am tired of hearing about it. Thw only thing I can control is how much I drive and that’s what I will do.

Forget crying over it, do something about it and park the car, esp. Memorial Day Weekend.

But I bet no one will do that, they will still take these unnecessary trips and then come back and start complaining again when they just fed into the problem.

Whatever!

By El Guapo

May 5, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this

bronco ,

Do you even read the news? The oil companies HAVE been in front of congress, many times. The result is always the same. They are not manipulating prices… we are simply running out of oil. It’s called supply and demand. It’s called peak oil.

This is the new reality, cheap gas is gone forever… you better start planning how are you going to deal with it.

By JJ

May 5, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this

Charles I think you ought be more concerned about how many more of our young men and women will be killed or maimed for life. Maybe you are too Republican rich and sophisticated to even know someone of the military class.

By El Guapo

May 5, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this

bronco ,

Do you even read the news? The oil companies HAVE been in front of congress, many times. The result is always the same. They are not manipulating prices… we are simply running out of oil. It’s called supply and demand. It’s called peak oil.

This is the new reality, cheap gas is gone forever… you better start planning how are you going to deal with it.

By El Guapo

May 5, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this

gman & Ralph,

It is pointless to blame the oil companies, or demand more drilling. WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF OIL. Do you understand that oil is not a renewable resources? Even if we drilled in anwar, that would buy us 2 years at most and we are right back in the same situation. Drilling is NOT the answer. We need alternate energy, mass transit, conservation, and even that will probably not be enough. Brace yourself.

By Cross-County

May 5, 2008 8:51 AM | Link to this

I would LOVE to find a “commute alternative” that would take me from Roswell to Marietta and back at night. Not everyone that commutes lives in Forsyth and works downtown!

By gman

May 5, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this

JJ, I am of the military class, retired from the US ARMY WITH 2 SONS BOTH HAVING 2 TOURS IN HARMS WAY. So don’t preach any of that liberal garbage to me. Higher taxes will devastate our economy and lead to an ever deepening recession. Only a bunch of idiots jacks taxes up on the very peole who run small businesses and who hire and fire people. Lets keep the focus on gas prices. They’re slowly but surely devastating our economy. Many people drive to work, get all their necessary purchases down while on the way home. Only more oil on the market and more refining capacity will lower gas prices.

By Copyleft

May 5, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this

I hope everyone remembers all the complaints about “affordable housing” a few years back. Remember when a McMansion and an SUV were the “right” of every hard-working American?

Guess what, folks; we’re gonna have to learn to live with less.

By Gerald

May 5, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this

What Bookman is forgetting is that most Americans will never be able to afford living in urban core areas, where the real estate and taxes are too high. A $250,000 3 bedroom two bath home with about 1800 square feet for a family of five in the suburbs translates to an apartment or townhome of about 750 square feet in Atlanta. Families with children are not going to give up living space and backyards. Also, there are the people whose jobs are outside of Fulton and DeKalb. For those people, there is no practical public transportation, which would require a city bus or subway to stop in your general geographical area once every hour at minimum, but preferably once every half hour in order to allow for planning around work schedules. And no, soccer moms are not going to be able to take the kids around in subcompacts.

As much as you liberals - excuse me, former moderate Republicans who suspiciously agree with the Democrats on every issue - would like to force all of us to live like they do in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, etc. the fact is that most of the nation lacks the resources to develop the urban housing and transportation necessary to support families, and that speaks nothing of the strain that it would put on public school systems. It would take 20 years of public transportation improvements alone before, say, Atlanta would be able to support 2 million people, and that speaks nothing of what it would take for places like Norcross to get to the point where most of the people that work there to live there also. And if it is that way for Atlanta, it would be even worse for most of the rest of the country, where you have far less people - to speak nothing of industry and tax revenue - spread over far wider areas. I guess it is easy to harbor delusions that the 4 million (5 million?) people in the Atlanta metro area will center their lives around MARTA, but what of the folks in some of these huge western states? People do live in Colorado you know, lots of them. Even California: sure, you have the people that live near San Diego, San Francisco - Oakland, and Los Angeles that could move intown (if they can afford it!) but that still leaves a MASSIVE population over a HUGE state.

Anger over the $4 gas prices probably will result in President Barack Hussein Obama and huge majorities in both houses of Congress. But by 2010 when voters see that getting rid of Bush and getting us out of Iraq does not magically fix the problem, they will start demanding more drilling for oil and more refining capacity (in other words, what energy experts started recommending 20 years ago) and will elect politicians that will give it to them.

By the way, this is from the point of view of a person that supports public transportation, especially light rail. Georgia Democrats had plenty of time to connect Columbus, Albany, Macon, Savannah, Atlanta, and Augusta to each other with light rail … had you guys started around the time of the Olympics, we wouldn’t have the sprawl problems that we have now because there would be more jobs and better schools all over the state. As a matter of fact, that portion of the project would probably be finished by now, and we could be working on extending the rail to places like Athens, Rome, and Valdosta by now. But when your Democrat friends ran the state, you only cared about building your liberal base in Atlanta, and economic development in the more conservative parts of the state wasn’t in your interests, was it? It was only after Republicans took over the state government and ruined your dreams of getting MARTA into Gwinnett that you began to seriously consider light rail. Here’s betting that when Georgia voters get tired of the GOP and vote the Democrats back into office, you will go back to your first loves, which is Atlanta, and ignoring anything that could possibly benefit the rest of the state.

By Jay Bookman

May 5, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this

Hi everyone:

I think it’s important that we all understand something. Say we do open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Any oil that comes out of that region will be the property of the company that pumped it out, and it will be sold at the current world price of oil, whether that’s $100 a barrel or $200 a barrel. The American people will not get a price break on that oil; it will not in any way lower the price that we pay at the pump. Oil is an international commodity sold on an international market. We Americans pay the same price for a barrel of oil pumped from U.S. waters in the Gulf of Mexico as we would for a barrel pumped from Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the amount of oil beneath ANWR won’t be enough to make the world price of oil budge. Any additional supply it might offer would be swamped by soaring demand, much of it from China. In other words, any idea that we can drop the price of gasoline in this country by drilling in more places is simply wrong.

By zeke

May 5, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this

Would you liberals get over it! We are not the soviet union or china! Any company that invests money in research, exploration, production and distribution, and, supports millions of jobs, deserves to make a fair profit! What is fair? Well 10% is fair to the companies and to the consumers, mainly to the consumers! That means $1 billion profit on $10 billion sales, but, also means $10 billion profit on $100 billion in sales! We need to remove all laws, rules, regulations and court orders to allow all of our resources to be recovered and used for the benefit of our citizens! This means new refineries, new production fields, use of our most prevelent energy resource, COAL!

By JJ

May 5, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

gman I too am a Vietnam war vet. Instead of attacking a political party based on what you think they “might” do, maybe you should concentrate your energy on why the multi billion dollar oil companies are making record profits. Or maybe on the automobile companies not concentrating on better fuel mileage. You can call me liberal if you want, but guess which party is in power and started this senseless war which is a lie. Face it, no matter how much more drilling and refining is done, oil is running out. Only an idiot cannot realize that. As a footnote, with the current party in power, the economy is in the worst shape it has been in for decades with a president who has the lowest rating of probably any others. Don’t forget he and his family’s wealth came from oil.

By RMJ

May 5, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this

Well, I saw the steady rise in gas and took action. I’m on the Marta and that’s just that!!! I position myself from the suburbs to the city and started taking Marta. It takes me longer to get to work, but the money saved and less stress is well worth it.

I hate to bring reality to some, but gas is not going down. We are running out of oil. We are competing with China and there is not enough. Don’t depend on the government to help you out. Start making adjustments on your own, or be prepared to pay the cost to drive.

By Nan

May 5, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this

Cheap gas is never coming back. Don’t know if we’ve hit “peak oil” yet, but it’s going to happen any time. The few unexplored and/or unexploited oil fields aren’t going to help much — fossil fuels are a finite resource and the world is running out. We blather on all we want about it being possible to turn back the clock by drilling more, increasing refining capacity, whatever, but it’s just blather. There hasn’t been a new refinery built in this country in over 30 years — there’s no incentive for oil companies to do so when they’re already making record profits.

Is the price of gas changing lifestyles? Of course it is. I hear people at work talking about taking MARTA or signing up for carpools when a few months ago they scoffed at those ideas. I’m sure people are thinking twice about how much they’re willing to spend on some groceries, and eating more chuck steak and fewer ribeyes. I just wonder how long it’ll take to translate into widespread structural changes, like extending light rail lines out to the exurbs and putting in actual continuous bike lanes in town so bike commuters aren’t risking life and limb daily. Right now most people still seem to be in denial — they think a miracle will happen and cheap gas will return.

By Bonde

May 5, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this

I drive 18 miles to work one way in a F-350 dually with a 7.3 liter turbo diesel that I paid cash for. It costs me $400 a month to operate it, including the small about of other driving I do.

I can buy a standard Yamaha 250 and even if I finance it can do all my commuting and other travel for half that. Until alternative fuel cars are perfected, you will see Americans converting to two wheels.

By gttim

May 5, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this

As a liberal Democrat, I have nor problem with $4 a gallon gas. I can afford it. Not that big of an issue for me. Also, the less cars on the road the more space for my long bike rides.

When the morons voting Republican see what the Republican politicians and huge corporations are doing to destroy America and the middle class, they change their ways. Until then, my life continues as normal. If the GOP idiots decide they want to actually fix America, we can do it. If they don’t, they can wallow in the crap while I enjoy driving around drinking my lattes.

By Free to be me

May 5, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this

All of you are idiots. See you in the soup line.

By Brother Dave

May 5, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

All you economic retards complaining about oil company gouging should take a look at their profit margin. It hasn’t risen. The reason profits are so high is because the price of oil has risen so much. if you pay 50 cents to sell for a dollar, then have to pay a dollar to sell two dollars, your profit goes up, but you’re still making the same amount on what you put into it. wise up fools, and quit listening to hussein obama and hitlary clinton’s demagoguery. start drilling! there hasn’t been a refinery built in our country since ‘73. how long are we going to allow the tree huggers to run our economy into the ground?

By arman d

May 5, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

I agree with the sentiments of a few of the people on this board. Simply put, shut up and make a change. I hate that gas is $4.00 a gallon, but it’s not like we don’t have alternatives. Get creative. I grew up in Loganville on six acres and loved having a cornfield to play in as a kid. My mom commuted to Atlanta. This was during the 80s and early 90s. As I finished college and grad school, I realized that it just wasn’t feasible to live in the burbs and commute to Atlanta. I had two options: 1) Settle for less money and live in the country 2) Work in Atlanta and live in Atlanta and adjust my lifestyle accordingly.

I chose #2. I’ve lived in little apartments, lofts, and studios and now I own a house 2 miles from my office downtown. I have a yard the size of my living room as a child, and I absolutely love it. I also miss the country, but it’s always an option to go back. I just can’t live there and work here. It doesn’t make sense anymore and we have to accept that.

As for living in town, it’s easy to make the changes necessary to afford the increased property and taxes etc. I drive a Vespa (70mpg) to work, which ran me $2,000 two years ago. I fill up once a week for $7. I also have a marta station one block away. I have every transportation option that I need. I don’t need to drive. I have a car if it is necessary, but don’t use it unless I want to show it off (69 Chevelle!)

And for all those who advocate drilling, ditto what Jay said. It’s just a political ad. As for building more refineries, guess who doesn’t want that to happen: The only people who can use and operate them - oil companies. Why would they want more refining capabilities? Again, for all you market advocates, this should make sense. You can blame environmentalists all you want, but if oil companies wanted more refineries, they could build them. They choose not too. Do you really believe that an oil company that has been making record profits for three years now cannot afford to build a new refinery? Yes, they are more regulated than they were in the 60s, but they certainly are not these mythical buildings being blocked by some eco-liberal democrat as some people want you to believe.

By arman d

May 5, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this

I agree with the sentiments of a few of the people on this board. Simply put, shut up and make a change. I hate that gas is $4.00 a gallon, but it’s not like we don’t have alternatives. Get creative. I grew up in Loganville on six acres and loved having a cornfield to play in as a kid. My mom commuted to Atlanta. This was during the 80s and early 90s. As I finished college and grad school, I realized that it just wasn’t feasible to live in the burbs and commute to Atlanta. I had two options: 1) Settle for less money and live in the country 2) Work in Atlanta and live in Atlanta and adjust my lifestyle accordingly.

I chose #2. I’ve lived in little apartments, lofts, and studios and now I own a house 2 miles from my office downtown. I have a yard the size of my living room as a child, and I absolutely love it. I also miss the country, but it’s always an option to go back. I just can’t live there and work here. It doesn’t make sense anymore and we have to accept that.

As for living in town, it’s easy to make the changes necessary to afford the increased property and taxes etc. I drive a Vespa (70mpg) to work, which ran me $2,000 two years ago. I fill up once a week for $7. I also have a marta station one block away. I have every transportation option that I need. I don’t need to drive. I have a car if it is necessary, but don’t use it unless I want to show it off (69 Chevelle!)

And for all those who advocate drilling, ditto what Jay said. It’s just a political ad. As for building more refineries, guess who doesn’t want that to happen: The only people who can use and operate them - oil companies. Why would they want more refining capabilities? Again, for all you market advocates, this should make sense. You can blame environmentalists all you want, but if oil companies wanted more refineries, they could build them. They choose not too. Do you really believe that an oil company that has been making record profits for three years now cannot afford to build a new refinery? Yes, they are more regulated than they were in the 60s, but they certainly are not these mythical buildings being blocked by some eco-liberal democrat as some people want you to believe.

By Van

May 5, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this

I want gas at $6.00 a gallon. I want to see all of the SUV’s on Barrett Parkway rot on the lot of the dealership. I want to see planned communities where people no longer have to drive long distances to get to work. This has been a long time coming. The party is over as we know it. The correction is here and our lives are going to continue to adapt to this new reality. In the long run, it is good for us.

By gttim

May 5, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this

“Well 10% is fair to the companies and to the consumers, mainly to the consumers!”

Yeah, but Exxon is returning 32% profit on capital. Now, in a true free market 32% return is not possible. Other investors would enter the market. However, the US is not a true free market- especially in the oil industry. It is a market where huge corporations are given huge advantages, huge tax breaks and royalty free American oil that smaller companies do not get. But hey, as the oil companies get rich as you get poor, keep voting for the GOP so the oil companies get even more of your money!

By JD

May 5, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this

Its the stupid environmetalist that are causing prices to be high in the US. We have huge resources in the US, enought here to be energy independent. But nobody wants a drilling rigs in the national forest, deserts, or mountains, or in the oceans.

We are the problem, not the oil & gas industry. All of their profits will be needed to be put back into exploration, just to keep the current levels of production flat.

Quit lieing to yourselves, and blaming the oil & gas industry. Global demand is huge, and the environmentalist is major reasons oil/gas prices are high.

By Jim's a Cherry Picker

May 5, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this

Hi Jay,

I take marta…to and fro every day. Seems to be working pretty good for me.

The fun part is hearing all the suburbanites who were so scared of marta in the 80’s that they banned it crying about the lack of transit now.

That’s some free-market capitalism there folks. In the words of a certain minister (who used the words of a US ambassador): your chickens are coming home to roost!

By duckman

May 5, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this

JJ, you can’t pin all of the economy woes on W, nice try. But, what the hell, lets blame him for everything. He’s a drug dealer, was responsible for Janet Jacksons wardrobe failure, he personally injected Roger Clemens with HGH and totally planned 911.

but thanks for serving your country.

By Scholar

May 5, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this

JD,

“Quit lieing to yourselves, and blaming the oil & gas industry. Global demand is huge, and the environmentalist is major reasons oil/gas prices are high.”

You should work on basic grammar before you comment on a topic as complex as energy policy.

By inga

May 5, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this

El Guapo, the “running out of oil” bit that the oil companies have spouted in front of Congress doesn’t explain their record profits. Their profits get higher when they raise prices or lower costs. I doubt they’ve been lowering their costs…

By red

May 5, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

yeah, i’m changin’ my life. i’ve decided to shoot whatever wonders in my yard instead of going to the grocery store. I had rabbit on friday, got lucky on saturday when a Tom walked almost to my back door before i blew his little head off - he was big enough that i had leftovers yesterday of him. I don’t know what i’ll do tonight - but my neighbors dog is lookin’ a little gimpy - he may taste good with a side of fried rice and a spring roll… At least i ain’t drivin nowhere.

By Charles

May 5, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this

I hope that’s not the REAL Jay Bookman @ 9:15 AM - if it is he needs to consider taking an economics course to educate himself. This is simple supply/demand issues. If more oil is available in the market (be it offshore or ANWAR) the price WILL drop. I think my niece in the 4th grade even understands this. The same thing applies to having more refineries. They’re all running at full capacity in this country because the environmentalist-wackos have helped block the construction of any new refineries in this country for over THIRTY YEARS! Again, supply and demand!

When we stop having OPEC determining our country’s fiscal fate we’ll not get a handle on a steady US economy.

By arman d

May 5, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

JD, bro, stop listening to talk radio. Grab a book, do some independant research, and take a crash course in writing. Please, please, please, tell me where you got the info that convinced you that we have enough resources to be energy independant. Also, tell me how long it takes the oil to get back into the market. Oh, and how long would those fabled oil reserves be viable? In any event, I’m sure you are doing your part to keep prices low, eh? After all, like you said, we are the problem. You really should stop “lieing” to yourself, pal.

By El Guapo

May 5, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

Charles,

And what happens when ANWR runs dry after 2 years of drilling?

Think about it

By gttim

May 5, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this

Moronic Republicans, you can build a thousand refineries, but it will not drop oil prices if there is nothing to refine- ANWAR can supply less than 2% of our daily oil use at its peak. Oil supplies are finite. We will run out. China wants even more! The price will keep going up. Oil companies will keep taking your kids inheritance from you. (They don’t care about you, why do you care about them?) Until the US embarks on a massive effort to change our transportation and energy systems, nothing is going to change.

By globallymindedrichwhiteguy

May 5, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this

THis is exactly what the democrats have been pushing for 20years!

Can’t wait for $5 a gallon.., hey J!!

By MamaS

May 5, 2008 10:59 AM | Link to this

When my parents retired (with Social Security and Georgia Teacher Retirement) they could not afford a house in the suburbs, so they bought a retirement cottage about 15 miles out of town. They saved money by having a garden and a well and planned their “trips to town” about three times a week. NOW, like a see-saw, the cost of gas is so high they cannot afford to drive to town for groceries, doctor’s appointments, etc. but the housing costs are down so they CAN afford a house in town. Their wonderful retirement cottage is up for sale and they will be spending their last years in a house with a bus stop directly in front.

By goballymindedrichwhiteguy

May 5, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this

OIL EMBARGO! OIL EMBARGO!!

LET’S TEACH THOSE POOR DIRTY AMERICANS A LESSON IN CONSERVATION!!!

By Jay Bookman

May 5, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this

To Charles:

Yes, that was me who posted earlier. Here’s why your supply-and-demand argument is false: By my rough calculations, at peak production and using the most optimistic estimates of ANWR capacity, drilling in the wildlife refuge would increase world oil production by around 1 percent. On the other hand, between now and 2020, global oil consumption is estimated to increase by 60 percent. So a temporary increase of supply of 1 percent will in no way counter a 60 percent permanent increase of demand.

By RealityKing

May 5, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this

Exxon Mobil had a smaller profit margin than both Apple and Google last year.

So why aren’t liberals calling for windfall taxes on Apple and Google too? Is there a profit limit to that windfall tax??

Hmmmmmm…, what’s the word I’m looking for again JMAN?

By The Truth

May 5, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

This article is the fourth in a week for oil and gas topics. Can anyone at the AJC come up with a new conversation? Sell your SUV’s and get a smaller car if you want to save on gas. I’m not anti-SUV but I’ve seen too many people buy them and then complain about gas prices. I’ve heard that they are safer yet growing up most of us rode in small cars without seat belts and we turned out fine. Overprotection is harmful. Drill here in the States and put the middle eastern countries out of business.

By greenelectra

May 5, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

Interesting how oil industry profits increase parallel to prices rises . Just saying.

By Ben

May 5, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this

It’s always funny to me and irritating that Atlanta is not the entire state of Georgia. The rising gas prices are effecting everyone in the state of Georgia not just Atlanta and its Suburbs. I have to drive 20 minutes to work and like most we don’t have the luxury of Marta. This is a serious problem and it needs to be fixed soon. Everything is going up but the amount of money we make in our jobs. It’s extremely unfair.

By factjack

May 5, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this

A 1998 United States Geological Survey (USGS) study indicated at least 4.3 billion and possibly as much as 11.8 billion of technically recoverable oil exists in the Arctic National Wildlife Economically recoverable oil within the Federal lands is assuming a market price of $40/barrel, as of today’s $115/barrel, an even higher output possibly should be calculated.

Now the U.S. consumes about 20 million barrels daily. If the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil reserves were used to supply 5% of the U.S. daily consumption(4 mill per/day) the reserves would last approximately 12 years to 32 years. Most likely, the higher end of that calculation if historical recovery rates are also concidered.

By hrw

May 5, 2008 11:50 AM | Link to this

When we go to the voting polls in November, lease we forget those we appointed to the office to represent its people to ensure that our laws and rights are afforded. Gas prices has no business of reaching $4 and those who sit there and watch this big oil companies robb america customers and businesses should be ashame of themselveso. Changing of habits is not the questions, they have already changed once gas prices reach $2 and with this going on, no funds is left to for food or anyother thing that is normal purchased. Those who sit and watch all of the profit be put in oil companies and in their pockets might not know that perhaps this is all stealing and robbing America consumer for the mere $1 bill.

By Soothsayer

May 5, 2008 11:58 AM | Link to this

First of all ribeyes are not $10/lb because of ethanol. It’s because beef will fetch $25/lb+ in Japan.

Making ethanol from corn DOES NOT ruin, use up, or otherwise reduce its ability to be used as cattle feed. It simply converts the sugars to alcohol. In fact the by-product is called brewer’s grain and is much sought after as a cattle feed. If anything ethanol production should reduce beef prices.

Mexico’s Cantarell field (the second largest in the world) is in serious decline (as are all fields in the world). Output from Cantarell has allowed the Mexicans to export oil to us (our 3rd largest supplier). Mexico has spent virtually all oil revenues on corruption and social programs (welfare) and none on technology. Now they do not have the capability to explore offshore where any future oil lies. As Mexico’s oil revenue dwindles expect illegal immigration to the US to soar.

Consider that the energy striking the Earth in just 40 minutes of sunlight is equal to ALL of the energy used on the ENTIRE PLANET for an ENTIRE YEAR.

What if you didn’t have to BURN anything in your car? It’s coming—we don’t have any choice.

We will NEVER run out of oil—it will just become too expensive to use.

By Jay Bookman

May 5, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

To Factjack:

Those are the numbers I’ve seen as well. But the problem is that there is no “U.S. price” for oil. There is only a global price and a global market. Oil pumped from ANWR would be sold at the world price, and the quantity pumped from ANWR would be too small to affect that world price.

By sunshine and thunder

May 5, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this

Who cares about the price of oil when taxes take over 30% of most peoples’ income before they even pay to fill up the tank?

By Jason

May 5, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this

Whine, whine, whine! Stop guzzling a resource that isn’t renewable folks! Get rid of your gas-guzzling SUVs/tanks and buy a sedan. My family (parents, two siblings and myself) drove around in a sedan all during my childhood. We didn’t need a SUV. God forbid families today have a vehicle where the kids’ arms touch each other or doesn’t have room to lay around and watch the DVD player that is located in row 2 of 3!!!! When you drive around in a vehichle that has rows, you deserve to spend $100+ on a fillup. Stop your whining and do something about it.

You conservatives need to stop blaming the liberals for all of your ills. You guys have been in charge for 7+ years and you have no one to blame but your own leaders and yourselves.

By goober

May 5, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this

First, I’m so proud to read that Jay Bookman was able to juxtapose the words “misbegotten” and “government”. That must have been anguishing for him.

Second, here’s the solution … take all those government workers sitting around in their office playing cards and looking at porn on their computers, and let them work from home, where they can sit around playing cards and looking at porn on their computers. It’ll save a lot of gas, literally and figuratively.

By TPA

May 5, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this

Just to add some more facts:

Since it’s inevitably going to be added to the conversation anyway, let’s preempt the “environmentalists are killing America” crowd by talking about the oil shale from Colorado, Utah, etc. (oil shale is organic material that hasn’t been pressed into oil yet).

It is estimated that the US alone has the equivalent of several trillion barrels of recoverable oil lodged in a couple of reserves in the Mountain West - enough to supply oil to the entire world for centuries. Shell has been doing testing there for decades (the environmentalists have had little success in preventing that) and forecasts that they will have developed a commercially viable way of recovering oil from these rocks by sometime around 2022-25. That’s the good news, and this is what the tone deaf supply-side parrots primarily on the right (although I think this is really a non-partisan issue) are trumpeting as the way to achieve true energy independence.

Here are the snags, folks:

Unfortunately, the price of recovery mandates that oil prices be kept above $90/barrel, meaning $3,50 gas is here to stay.

Also, the technology requires VAST amounts of water to work, which is in short supply out there in the West.

ALSO, the projected commercially viable output per day is 2 million barrels, equal to 10% of current US consumption.

Finally, the oil shale rock turns carcinogenic after they heat it (that’s how you get the oil out), so we might have immense swathes of wasteland, unfit for any use, created by this endeavor.

And don’t even get me started on what would happen to the planet in terms of global warming if we torched 3 trillion additional barrels of oil… (yes, global warming’s real. It’s not a conspiracy by 1 billion Europeans and liberals against 100 million American conservatives)

In short, it would probably be great to start work on the technology, but let’s use the oil for plastics and fertilizer instead, because those are areas where we currently have no real substitutes for oil.

By gttim

May 5, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

“Exxon Mobil had a smaller profit margin than both Apple and Google last year.”

Bzzzzzt!

Exxon actually had a return on assets of over 34% last year- well above Apple and Google. I will say that Apple and Google’s were fairly high, but you do not have to buy an Ipod or click on a Google ad every week. Apple and Google are not getting oil from US owned oil fields with little or no royalty payment to the government/people that they can sell for over $100 a barrel. Apple has almost cornered the market on MP3 players by developing and marketing a good product. Google pretty much the same with internet goodies.

By gttim

May 5, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

Oil shale… High costs, carcinogenic byproducts, uses huge amount of water that is in short supply, leaves vast wasteland like mountain top removal in WV… That is all secondary. Who really cares about the planet? Can the oil companies keep making outrageous profits?

By kitty

May 5, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

Democraps? Republibrats are it! Duh, G. W. is in the oil business — and Cheney has ties to Haliburton — which is all over the middle east. They are getting richer — as is Exxon and the others. The price of gas has curbed my driving. I wish we could find ways to hurt the oil companies — but this demand business is always going to be there. How else are we going to get ourselves, as well as our goods, to where they need to go?

By Eric

May 5, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this

Jay……$3.50 a gallon has changed mine already. I leave the car at the train station and get to work faster, I’m not stressed, and the same amount of gas in the tank when I return.

By Farmer

May 5, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this

I’m lovin’ it. I live in a rural area that was just beginning to see farms fall to developers who want to build cookie-cutter subdivisions way out here. I’ve said for years that if the U.S. only had to pay what everyone else has to pay for gas, then all these subdivisions taking away our farmland (and less farmland or higher assessments = more expensive groceries) would disappear. Looks like it is happening! Yay! I hope it hits $5-8 / gallon and stays there. Bye bye subdivisions! Bye bye big SUV’s! Bye bye people driving everywhere! Bye bye wasteful American lifestyle and good riddance!

By rojer

May 5, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this

I say we implement an onerous (maybe $5/gal) tax on gas to be implemented in increments over the next several years. One way or another our way of life and our technology is going to have to change. Might as well get on with it and create a revenue source that can help business and individuals deal with the change.

Our way of life is not sustainable. Status quo is not an option, either we take proactive steps to demand change on our own terms or we wait for foreigners to dictate the timeline.

By Reality

May 5, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

It’s good to see some understand the profit margin part of this as most of the public and democrats try to blame the oil companies.

Solution — offshore drilling, new refineries, and nuclear energy (and a bit of green for those bunny and tree huggers).

And, BTW, $4.00 a gallon — ‘bout time we pay the real price for a gallon…

By Steve

May 5, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

I wonder how much the Bush family is making off oil? Seems to me George is more interested in having the price go up yet say he cannot do anything about it. And we will never know since he claims it is in a trust. I think this might be a problem.

By Trains

May 5, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

When will our governor, state senators and state representative pull their heads out of the sand and realize we need rail and mass transit??!! This is on our elected officials, from both political parties.

By Darrel

May 5, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this

When was the last time ANY oil company sought permits/permission to build another refinery? What? When was it? RIGHT! They don’t even want to build anymore refining capacity and use up any of their meager profits! Hell, let the numb-nuts pay all that they can make us pay seems to be the new motto of the oil companies. How about getting the “green people” to build a new refinery? Remember, people, gasoline and diesel fuel aren’t the only things we get from a barrel of oil. Ethanol will NOT provide any kind of lubricants for machinery and industry: period! Nor will it provide the dozens, may hundreds, of other things that we get from oil. BUT, ethanol can raise the prices on our food supplies! Yippee!

By Public transportation - HA!

May 5, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

We all just need to bite the bullet until Atlanta develops a public transporation system, i.e., MARTA, which is reliable, SAFE (to include nights), and actually goes where people need to go to!!

For example, anyone tried recently to use public transportation to a Braves game or to the CDC/Emory campus area — No Thanks. I’m more comfortable leaving as large of a carbon footprint as I can until a valid alternative is available!!!

By Ghost

May 5, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this

Sunshine and Thunder makes more sense than all of you so-called energy experts.

If you know so much, then why aren’t YOU working for the government, oil companies or whoever to either reduce oil consumption and prices or create better energy resources.

I’m changing my driving habits to reduce fuel consumption, but I’m not proclaiming to have the answer either like many here!

By bob from canton

May 5, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this

I have changed my commute by arriving at work at 7:00am instead of 8:00am. Traffic is much better then. Also, I use my 28mpg ford focus as little as possible and opt for my 50-52 mpg motorcycle. This gives me a more reasonable cost for cummuting 30 miles each way per day. I actually enjoy riding into work now. I spent $18.00 last week for my total commute.

By No End In Sight

May 5, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this

I live in Stockbridge, take care of my mom in Atlanta and commute to Macon everyday. You tell me if gas prices are going to alter my life. My paycheck goes to mortgage, food and gas. Getting my meds is like a luxury. The cost of living is skyrocketing but employers aren’t increasing pay accordingly. In fact, they are reducing workforce. Getting a commuting buddy only works if 1) you find someone with the same schedule, 2) everyone has the same work ethic for getting to work on time, 3) you haven’t experienced getting stranded twice because your riding partner has to leave all of a sudden. It’s come down to these options, in this order: mortgage/rent, gas to get to work to pay the mortgage/rent and buy food, food, meds (if there is anything left over), entertainment/miscellaneous (what’s that; almost never).

The government & big oil company’s don’t really care. Why? Because they reap the benefits of making us suffer.

By arman d

May 5, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this

Good for you Bob. That’s all it takes. A little adjustment.

By jason smith

May 5, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this

Why aren’t people pressing Hillary when she totally dismisses all economists, who say that the hrc/mccain summer gas tax rebate is a hoax on american people and only benefits Big Oil??

Why is conservative media so desperately clinging to a prolonged dem nomination and why are people falling for old dirty clinton politics???

If people want change, demand it, vote for Obama, and stop falling for childish tricks when ALL Americans’ future depends on choices we make now, such as real long term energy independence, smart growth, bipartisanship which Obama promotes…..

HRC is NOT a choice, when she is so divisive and will not accomplish a single thing…she will lie to get ahead just like Bush…she is a RETURN to clintonism…times are different now….there was budget surplus then and her exact same health care proposal she touts now was not affordable!!!!

DOES ANY SINGLE AMERICAN THINK THAT TIMES ARE BETTER NOW???

VOTE FOR REAL CHANGE AND NOT BUSH III!!!!

By s densmore

May 5, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this

Lord yes it will change. I can not believe gas is moving on up to the cost of::by the summer of $4.00. Bush should be so shame. I drive a Chevy Tahoe that although good on gas it is pushing the limits right about now. But just to be clear, I would not trade it in for anything. The saying put GOD in to everything you do comes into mind when driving up to the pump. There is nothing like kicking it at home with the kids and a game of Monopoly.

By Skeptic Tank

May 5, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this

I’m still thinking that we ought to have our eye on that good old Mexican crude oil. Seems those folks may owe us one.

By jason smith

May 5, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this

Don’t even get me started on HRC running for cover under sniper fire or promising to “obliterate” Iran…or McCain already mispronouncing Al Qaeda five times in a row before the general election, admitting he knows nothing about the economy…oh, and HRC saying to O’Reilly, “rich people like us”…..yet she pretends to drink a beer and *poof” she has some middle class creds…she just recently opened some of her tax records, clintons are richer than mccain or obamas combined, before taking into account mccain’s wife’s fortune….so exactly what creds does she have when universal health care would just automatically take more money from paychecks like FICA??? she promised $5000 to every child born in US, google it….she was never asked how she would pay for this??? boohoo media is SO HARD on Hillary…what a shameful excuse for president and for feminism…..the only thing worse is a third bush term of insane mccain….at least hrc says she will obliterate iran so presumably there won’t be a draft, like under mccain??? why aren’t mccain voters already in iraq??? they are not real patriots!!!!

By Urban Core

May 5, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this

Let’s clarify something about the price of “urban core” housing. There is a misperception that it is not affordable. This is a myth. I bought a four bedroom home in a desirable neighborhood in East Atlanta. I payed around 200K and have spent about 50k on the house. We in walking distance to wonderful restaurants, bars, parks, the gym, salons, dry cleaning, you name it! I ride my bike to work (5 miles) and my wife is going to start riding a scooter to work (5 miles). There are still houses available all around the city for around $250-300k. Sure if you only look in Morningside, Buckhead, Druid Hills you can’t afford it. But don’t tell me that you can’t find a great home in the city. Sure you can’t get a sprawling 6 bedroom home on 2 acres like you have in the burbs but we have a nice front and back yard on our city lot. We even have great charter schools for all age levels now. Saying that you can’t find suitable family housing in the city is an weak excuse.

By arman d

May 5, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this

Jason, shut up man. You are making Obama supporters look like finatic morons. You responded to your own post. Take a deep breath, bro.

By demwit

May 5, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this

I’m moving to Montana, by push chart.

By Michael

May 5, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this

The billionaires pulled their money out of mortgage securities and put it into commodities futures such as oil, corn, soybeans, wheat. That’s why the prices are up, they are bidded up. There is no shortage.

By E-Man

May 5, 2008 3:55 PM | Link to this

why aren’t more people mad as hell at this gas situation and what and who has really caused it? why are so many people who say they are patriots and care so much about this country more mad about something that has actually hurt our country more than 9/11? this evil gas situation caused by people who call themselves christians has hurt more families directly and deeply than 9/11 actually did, not saying 9/11 wasn’t horrible and the twisted people that carried it out weren’t even worse, but i am saying that if something really hurts our country and the people responsible who are making a huge profit knowing they are hurting every day Americans as they do it, isn’t that the worst kind of terrorism? isn’t the act of a Benedict Arnold worse than the act of a misguided Muslim? I think it is, when it’s one of your own hurting you, it’s worse. and to watch bush and cheney do what they have done to this country, and still people support them as they wave the American flag and chant Jesus, Jesus, that’s as low as you can get. and then to blame other Americans that bow and follow along mindlessly as damned liberals. just plain sorry. I know so many of you have bought into their cath phrases and slogans, but I’ve got some news for ya, the children are not our future, we are our children’s future, and if you truly care, you start doing things more for what will help them and the future of our country and stop hiding behind religion and political parties to hide your own inevitable human flaws.

By yankee

May 5, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

I’m surprised how many of you seem to hate people with a different life style. Not disagree with, outright hate.

By wildbill

May 5, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this

Jay, For once I agree with you. My wife and I are retired. We own our car and truck. We have cut back a lot on our driving. We consolidate trips, even though it irritates my wife, as she is used to going when and where she pleases. She will get over it!!!!! Also, I have observed folks driving slower, except on higher speed limit roads where folks still drive like their hair is on fire. Steady, but slower, is our motto. We will NOT be rushing out and buying a YUGO/like car. Now, if something really interesting like “Carrier” would come on tv every week, I would have it made.

By Popsickle

May 5, 2008 5:00 PM | Link to this

I have had it with big city smog strangling traffic. I am moving to Ty Ty, buying me a jenny (jackass), and riding it to the store from the shack I have just bought. Have a wonderful life.

By Don't Wait

May 5, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this

$3.60 a gallon is cheaper than it will be next year so start changing your lifestyle now.

If you think gas is expensive, take a look at steel and construction costs. New rail systems and refineries are not going to be built anytime soon.

Cheap housing exists intown just not in the neighborhood you want to live in. Prices are ridicously low on the southside.

Diesel minivans will be here soon, don’t worry, stop buying trucks and mansions and please stop whining, ya’ll knew it was coming!

By D

May 5, 2008 5:25 PM | Link to this

Diesel is more expensive than gas, moron!

By The good side

May 5, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this

This is funny!

Let’s face it Americans we are going to have to change our habits!

Renewable energy is needed but it will not be here for at least 5 yrs.

Save your pennies!

To Charles you are worried about Democrats increasing taxes and the prices of commodities will increase!

Can you please tell me what is going on with the prices of everything right now!

Is their something wrong with you?