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RE: Solve the energy crisis - 5/2/2006 12:59:31 AM

ArtCatDom

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quote:

ORIGINAL: subtoFemDommes

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lordandmaster
I actually agree with a lot of what you're saying, but come on--when REPUBLICAN lawmakers ask for an audit of oil companies' tax records, I'll take that as a sign that there might be more than just supply and demand behind the recent price spikes.
You almost had me there--I was ALMOST feeling sorry for oil companies. Then I regained my senses.

I'm not asking you to be sorry for anybody, unless you want to be sorry for the irrational behavior and inability to logically and unemotionally think through a problem, of the whole human race. And by the way, in a capitalist society, "the oil companies" are the stock holders. In a socialist society, "the oil companies" are just people who have no choice in whether they want to own part of one or not. So the answer for some people is, let government, which they think is corrupt and ineffective, nationalize the oil companies. Of course they'll operate them better than they do everything else.

Ineptitude and corruption can infect any system of economic management. (Our "free" capalitist markets for example.)

PDVSA (a nationalized oil company) owns Citgo and it seems to be doing just fine. Dubai Ports World is another national company that runs just fine. There are plenty of examples of such healthy government owned enterprises. How things are run makes all the differance, rather the system of ownership.

*meow*

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RE: Solve the energy crisis - 5/2/2006 1:05:03 AM

ArtCatDom

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth
To your specific question regarding the 18 year old driving age - Yes, it would greatly curtail drivers and use of vehicles. Coming from a state where you didn't drive until 17 it wasn't so much a stretch. It must be done in conjunction with an aggressive ramping up of public transit. In Europe you don't need a car because intra and inner city transportation is cheap and reliable. Compare that to LA, where if I wanted to commute from LA to SF. The journey requires transferring from a bus to a train and you end up in Oakland. It also takes more time than driving. Coming from the east coast corridor I find it incredible that there is no direct train service between LA and Las Vegas! Conspiracy theorist would have a heyday looking into the deals cut between the 1950's city planners of LA and the oil/car companies. Care to guess the political party in charge at the time?) (Note to self - The party is IMMATERIAL! - see how hard it is not to blame?)

You don't have that "common sense" train service because Amtrak is a crippled pathetic shell of a transit agency. (Which goes back to trains losing their subsidies while airlines were greatly coddled, leading to the collapse of the rail industry and the subsequent nationalization.) They are even consistantly underfunded for basic track maintenance! (Which is a large part of why trains have to move so slowly trough certain corridors and there are so many delays.)

Just thought I'd throw that into the mix.

*meow*

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Post #: 82

RE: Solve the energy crisis - 5/2/2006 1:14:55 AM

ArtCatDom

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quote:

ORIGINAL: WeeIttyBitty

The point was, that gas is more expensive in most other countries, and it hasnt changed anything.. A gas tax wont help.

A gas tax would drive down demand and fund transit systems, just as it has in most such countries.

*meow*

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Post #: 83

RE: Solve the energy crisis - 5/2/2006 7:21:54 AM

WeeIttyBitty

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1) A tax has never ever solved any problem. (ok, except putting a man on the moon, and building atomic and hydrogen bombs) The problem I have with fuel taxes, is that adds to the cost of fuel, and because transportation is such a key point in our supply chain, any extra inflation along the line adds to the cost of everything. So unless we plan to rebate this tax back to commercial fleet users, (which is a paper nightmare) the extra tax could spark higher inflation. I live in a country with high gas taxes (Canada) and I can tell you, public transit gets none of these revenues. It goes into general revenue where it is wasted like all our other tax dollars.

2) If train service is ignored while Airlines are coddled, why are 1/2 the major airlines bankrupt, and all have gone thru some brankruptcy in the past decade? Surely they all can't be badly managed?

3) I used to work 45 KM from home. it would take about 45 mins to drive in rush hour traffic, but transit would take 2 1/2 hours + to get me to work. Thus to use transit to get to work I would have to get up at 5am... ya, thats going to happen... Transit gets poeple into the downtown core, work anywhere else, and it doesnt work..

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RE: Solve the energy crisis - 5/12/2006 9:03:16 PM

Tantalus42

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1) Taxes build bridges, schools, firehouses, policestations, etc. Thus reducing the problems of crossing rivers, educating the public, fires and crime. Sure... taxes don't solve any problems completely. But think how many problems would be out of control if there were no taxes.

2) Actually yes, they are poorly mismanaged. And not all have gone through a bankruptcy. Southwest, for example, has not and has managed to continue to thrive because of their GOOD management strategies.

3) Pointing out that your transit system was seriously broken does not prove that putting money into public transit is a waste. But your point is true... if you live in a rural location then of course transit - with its frequent stops - will be slower then driving. Urban locations with their massive traffic jams will have equal or possibly even lower transit times then driving.

However, transit is still cheaper for the environment and uses less energy then all those cars do. Add some hefty tolls to that roadway of yours and I bet more people would take the longer transit ride (and maybe they'd add some express vehicles once folks do). Thus... a tax moves people to transit, reducing a problem.

I missed alot of this thread, but to jump back to solar panels again: yes, there is some heavy metals generated during their production. But it is NOT signficantly more pollution then is created during the mining for coal or drilling for oil/gas, nor is it remotely as harmful to the environment since those metals are created in controlled environments and must be disposed of safely, while mining takes place outside and they can't control for all the run off and other potential problems.

Solar panels are our best bet for reducing energy costs quickly, cleanly and relatively cheaply. Subsidizing their purchase would be money well spent by the government instead of subsidizing more coal and oil explorations.

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RE: Solve the energy crisis - 11/30/2008 1:00:01 PM

TexasMaam

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subtoFemDommes,

The problem with biofuels is that plants are built on business models based on cheap produce prices, whether corn, rapeseed or other.

As we recently witnessed when corn skyrocketed from $12 bushel to $244 bushel, the ethanol plants closed as their business models failed. Similarly, once the biodeisel plants were up and running, rapeseed futures would soar out of sight, blowing their conversion facility business model and causing the facility to ultimately close up shop.

Even though oil prices recently plummeted I still keep seeing the same ad on television demanding that the nation switch to natural gas powered vehicles.

What, exactly, does anyone think will happen to the price of Natural Gas as soon as we gear up our vehicles to run on it as an alternative fuel? It will skyrocket, with the futures market being manipulated out of any range of affordability just as oil prices are being manipulated today.

Next suggestion?

TM

< Message edited by TexasMaam -- 11/30/2008 1:03:10 PM >

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