Posted on 08/24/2005 9:54:20 AM PDT by Gunner9mm
Government knows best, consumers are stupid.
Are we consumers too stupid to take intelligent action? Are we too ignorant to make wise decisions? Are we so helpless that we need the government to make decisions for us? Can the government make decisions that are more efficient than the free market? Is the government smarter than car manufacturers? Will the loss of even more freedom of choice make us feel more secure?
With gas prices approaching $3.00 a gallon, a hue and cry has been raised for the government to do something. In the wake of a new federal “energy policy” bill filled with government meddling and regulations that will have no impact on gas prices, and a massive pork-laden transportation bill that does little to improve transportation, a hysterical demand for the same inefficient government to take even more inefficient actions is drowning out any semblance of sanity.
It is interesting that in the world’s greatest economy, touted as a “free-market” based economy, we demand more and more socialist actions by the government. The latest is the move afoot by the government to forcibly make automobile manufacturers lower the gas mileage on sport utility vehicles – SUVs. The proposal is to force by regulation the increase in mileage of SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks by 6% by 2011. SUVs and light trucks account for over half the vehicles in America today.
(Excerpt) Read more at libertycall.us ...
Mobil and Exxon station driveways should be allowed to gather dust until gas came back down to $1.30 or so. It wouldn't take long if this idea (which I got in an email today) caught on.
FWIW, prices have started dropping in the Chicagoland region.
Both of which would not work.
No, I got the 'don't buy gas from Exxon or Mobil forever or until their price is down to $ 1.30 or so.' Buy anywhere except from those two giants.
The email didn't explain that, but it seems to me that if nobody buys from them, they'll have to close their stations and service centers. The loss of a lot of alternate sources of revenues, not just gas revenues.
Of course, the answer is it wouldn't.
Well, it's true - SOME consumers are REALLY stupid. But if left to their own devices, they will cleanse themselves from the gene pool.
Loss of competition would only drive prices up.
If it's volume they want, they'll get it with the lower prices. I don't know what the figures are over-all, but most people in my neighborhood are staying home more and driving less.
Gasoline is a necessary commodity and people will continue to buy it regardless of cost. BUT -- you can bet they will be cutting down on all their non-essential driving, and no doubt many will be changing their vacation plans.
I think it will also be found that the high cost of gas is also going to have an effect on government services and it will necessiate a huge tax increae to pay for services heretofore performed by volunteers who will be bowing out of the volunteer programs.
The flapping of a butterfly's wings in Japan surely does have an effect on the price of cheese in Wisconsin.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.