Fuel prices....thank a Republican.

[Adam9315]

You all need to learn how to quote properly. It is annoying.

[Useless]

You all need to learn how to quote properly. It is annoying.

On that last one, Adam, I really wasn't too concerned with who was quoting whom!! The argument itself is so fallacious that it should implode due to it's inadequacy!! Pointing fingers isn't going to solve anything... there is more than enough dirt on the hands of leaders from both political parties!!

[KRWOOD]

I edited my post. I had to more better clarify.

By the way...I don't like the Democrats. I don't think they would be as effecient of raising fuel prices as the Republicans have.

I don't get it. The same people who blame environmental policy for high fuel prices support the republicans. The republicans are in power and control the environmental policy that is supposable causing high fuel prices.

[GMAN]

KRWOOD, from what I have seen, to put government and leadership in the same sentence is a contradiction in terms. :P

We do not have an oil shortage. A couple of year ago I heard an interview with the CEO of BP (I believe) and he stated that the largest oil reserves on earth were thought to be off the Gulf of Mexico. It isn't a problem of shortage. It is a matter of governmental interference. Environmental regulations and requirements have virtually crippled a number of industries. There comes a time when the cost of doing business in the U.S. is simply not worth it. It becomes less costly and much less of a hassle to import oil than drill more wells. Of course, companies are drilling new wells as quickly as they can in parts of Oklahoma and Texas. Government just needs to get out of the way.

There has never been innovation in our government. Innovation comes from industry. Government doesn't produce anything but more regulations. One man cannot control every event that happens in the world. George Bush has done some things in which I disagree, but he is not responsible for the global rise in fuel prices. And since he is also not omnipotent, he didn't cause Katrina, either. :P You have a number of elected officials in both parties who don't want to deal with reality and put a comprehensive energy policy into effect. There is a lot of rhetoric by those in government, but I have yet to see any leadership. A leader doesn't need to take a poll to see what he should do. He already knows and leads by example. He knows what is right and follows through on what he knows he should do regardless of polls or critics. 8)

I think that there is collusion and price fixing going on. The primary reason for the existance for OPEC is to manipulate world oil prices.

[KRWOOD]

It isn't a problem of shortage. It is a matter of governmental interference. Environmental regulations and requirements have virtually crippled a number of industries. There comes a time when the cost of doing business in the U.S. is simply not worth it. It becomes less costly and much less of a hassle to import oil than drill more wells.

Environmental regulations=republicans. The republicans have majority in government.

Duh! Thats why I thanked them!

[One]

A report in the news said oil companies were asking gas stations to sell as cheap as they could to keep the volume up :!: :!: :!:

[Useless]

We do not have an oil shortage. A couple of year ago I heard an interview with the CEO of BP (I believe) and he stated that the largest oil reserves on earth were thought to be off the Gulf of Mexico.

There really is no "Thought to be" about it!! Satellite imagery and technology indicates that It IS the largest known reserve. The problem is the depth that we will have to drill to get to it; it isn't that we lack the technology, it is a matter of economic viability due to the depth that it would have to be drilled, and our lack of refinery capacity. Crude oil supply is only half the equation, Refining it is quite another.

It isn't a problem of shortage.

I think that there is collusion and price fixing going on. The primary reason for the existence for OPEC is to manipulate world oil prices.

Agree 100% here!!

[ben45750]

I think that there is collusion and price fixing going on. The primary reason for the existance for OPEC is to manipulate world oil prices.

100% accurate, hit it right on the nose!!!!!

[ben45750]

Environmental regulations=republicans. The republicans have majority in government.

Duh! Thats why I thanked them!

Name some republican besides Jeb Bush that is opposed to drilling new wells in the United States?

(Jeb Bush is opposed to drilling new well off the Flordia gulf becasue he thinks it will hurt the tourism in Flordia, has nothing to do with enviromental concerns)

[GMAN]

It isn't a problem of shortage. It is a matter of governmental interference. Environmental regulations and requirements have virtually crippled a number of industries. There comes a time when the cost of doing business in the U.S. is simply not worth it. It becomes less costly and much less of a hassle to import oil than drill more wells.

Environmental regulations=republicans. The republicans have majority in government.

Duh! Thats why I thanked them!

You seem confused, KRWOOD. Most of the environmental regulations we have in place today have been with us for decades. These started under Democratic rule with a Democratic majority. They have used environmental policy to have their way for many years. However, I will agree with you to some extent. There are some so called Republicans who are more liberal than the most liberal Democrats. The Republicans didn't put most of the environmental regulations on the books, but the fact that they have done little, if anything to ease or eliminate some of the inane regulations does make them culpable. Having a majority has done conservatives little good. To be effective, you have to use power. They haven't done a very effective job of using power since they have been in office. Of course, the Democrats only want to rant, rave and blame. They seem to be the party of nothingness. They stand for nothing while opposing everything. :shock:

[One]

How about instaead of ranting, blaming and raving, how about putting our heads together and having a smrt discussion on how to break our dependence on oil? No?....figures

[yoopr]

They seem to be the party of nothingness. They stand for nothing while opposing everything.

Bravo GMAN(That is until I go down to the Next thread on Fuel Costs) :P

[One]

How about insteaad of ranting, blaming and raving, how about putting our heads together and having a smart discussion on how to break our dependence on oil? No?....figures

[Useless]

How about instaead of ranting, blaming and raving, how about putting our heads together and having a smrt discussion on how to break our dependence on oil? No?....figures

I already suggested developing alternative fuel sources; that seemed to go over like a smelly fart in a crowded church !! :P

[One]

YUP, its the american way, blame everyone else for your problems, throw some bombs at 'em and never do anything to actually help your situation in the long run...A lot of bitching and moaning and not doing anything about it... Blame yourself for your own screwups!

[GMAN]

How about instead of ranting, blaming and raving, how about putting our heads together and having a smart discussion on how to break our dependence on oil? No?....figures

Well, lets discuss things that could be done. If I previously mentioned this just consider this a senior moment but may move things in a more positive direction.

A few months ago I stopped at a Love's in Midlothian, TX. I have been wanting to talk to some drivers who have been running bio-diesel. I got to talking to this driver who told me that his company has a small fleet and are refining their own fuel. According to him, it wasn't that difficult or expensive to do. A couple of years ago I read about a guy in Atlanta who had some trucks. No, they weren't class 8 but were 1/2 ton trucks with utility beds. I don't recall the business he was in or number of trucks. He is apparently refining his own fuel for his trucks in his kitchen.

Now, if these people can do this in a cost effective manner, why can't others. Imagine if some of the major trucking companies would start refining their own fuel. They might save millions. :shock: If they could just cut their fuel costs by $1/gallon they would greatly improve their bottom line and help the environment at the same time. If fuel could be refined more locally, it would not be necessary to have a huge distribution network or pipeline established. Distribution costs would be virtually eliminated. :wink: If these refineries could use corn and other renewable sources we would no longer need to worry about foreign oil supplies. If we could use some of the things we normally throw into landfills, that would solve another problem.

I read the other day that there were approximately 5MM trucks across the nation. If we could only supply 10% of these with an alternate fuel source that would save approximately 5MM gallons of fuel a day. (5MM x 10% = 500M trucks.) 500,000 trucks x 100 gallons per day = 50,000,000 gallons of fuel. At $3/gallon that is $150MM (That's million) If you could save $1/gallon on 50MM gallons of diesel you would save $50 million per day.

I could like that.......A LOT!!!

[rjt030]

Land+Seed+Good Growing Conditions+Fertilizer+herbicide+pesticide= Corn


large amount of energy must be spent in the process of getting seeds turned into more seeds. Then more energy must be spent getting these seeds to a facility that can turn them into biodiesel

I would like to know if biodiesel is really as efficient as diesel

[One]

Biodiesel has been used in Europe successfully for a lot of years. The research has been done long ago. Biodiesel can be made out of all kinds of stuff...Think of it like 'Back to the future III' where they throw a beercan and banana-peel into a 'Mr.Fusion'
At a trucking show, I saw a Biodiesel refinery!! A functional refinery that fits into my little office- maybe 12 ft. tall and 6 ft. wide.

Why the US is the only Industrialized nation that resists alternate fuels is suspect...But things can be done. It wont be cheap, but if we spent what we spend to kidnapp suspected terrorists in Europe, we could surely build a small Bio-refinery.

[GMAN]

Land+Seed+Good Growing Conditions+Fertilizer+herbicide+pesticide= Corn


large amount of energy must be spent in the process of getting seeds turned into more seeds. Then more energy must be spent getting these seeds to a facility that can turn them into biodiesel

I would like to know if biodiesel is really as efficient as diesel

From what I understand in reading and talking to some who have used biodiesel is that it burns much more efficiently and cleaner than regular diesel. I have been cautioned a couple of times to keep a couple of extra fuel filters, because biodiesel will clean everything out of your tanks and fuel lines. I have also be told that fuel mileage is somewhat better running biodiesel. I would like to try it myself. I prefer first hand knowledge concerning this type of thing. Even if mileage is the same as we now get, it would be better to use because of the reduction in use of standard fossil fuels. The only negative I have read or heard is the fuel filter thing.

[ben45750]

I had read an article about that, the amount of energy it takes to make bio-diesel. To grow and plant the seeds, harvest the product, create more seeds, then refine the product to make bio-diesel.

The article said it takes more energy to make bio-diesel than what energy can be created from the bio-diesel its self. If that is the case and demand is high on bio-diesel would'nt we see the prices just as high as standard diesel? And then what affect will that have on the price of gasoline?