Partially correct, Parliment was also in need of someone else to pay the tab for the French and Indian War which preceded the Revolutionary War. Parilment didn't want to pay for the British Regular Soldiers (about 6000 of them) garrisoned in the colonies to provide security (a job mostly done by militias). So Parliment began taxing the colonies. The East India Trade Company was tied into it in a sort of Haliburton role.

On the real topic at hand. I would much rather see the Gov't invest in more public trans than add more taxes onto gas.

 

That is one way gov't subsidizing and low gas prices have hurt this country. We went from efficient cities and mass transit to suburbia and gas hungry SUVs/Cars. Peak oil isn't too far away and people may have too change change there living style a little. No one says you can't move closer to work or bus train lines.

America is very much behind in mass transit (other than NYC and a few other big cities)

 

One point lost in this debate is that energy independence is a national security issue. We must find a way to bankrupt the middle east - destroy their gravy train and you crush their ability to make trouble.

Time to get real about alternative fuels, and I don't mean pie-in-the-sky dreams of a fuel cell future. I am talking about fuels that existing automotive engines can be readily adapted to. We should have done it over 30 years ago.

 

Maybe someone who was laid off on Dec 22, again, for an industry wide slow down...
Not different than my point of view, just wish others felt that need for personal responsibility. I've always refused to file bankruptcy, (how many corp's have?)or sign up for Gov't assisstance, I always take reposibility for my actions.(Howmany Corp's have?)
Call me what you will, if it makes you feel better...I guess that is towing a left line.

Again, I agree, what should that mean? Stopping Corporations from Lobbying(puppeteering) gov't into passing favorable laws, ignoring the concerns of the people??
Oh, and my SUV get over 24mph! Buick Rendezvous full time AWD...My IROC hits 21mpg...when driving sanely.

 

I'm sorry you are laid off. For you and the roughly 4.5% of the work force that is unemployed, I suppose it is crappy. From a big picture (which is what I was referring to), I disagree. [/quote]

Is that what makes the corporations "evil"? Regardless, I see a lot of jealousy of rich people.

I am happy that you feel a need for personal responsibility. I wish a lot more folks did.

"Evil Corporations" is leftists 101, IMHO. Doesn't make me feel better, but that's the way I see it.

Favorable for whom? When corporations prosper, guess who else does? The work force. Sure the gov't should be there to try and stop corruption (be nice if they started with themselves). But high gas prices at our pumps doesn't equal corporate corruption or "evil" corporations. Rather, it means we like to burn a lot of gas. We. Us.

I sold my SUV that only got ~17 mpg highway. And people used to call me all kinds of names because I was always looking for ways to get better mileage in my "muscle" cars. No big deal to me though...I was proud of my 4.56 geared Cobra that could run mid 11s at the track and cruise down the highway at ~70 mph and get 26+ mpg.



One final word....please take no personal offense to any of my comments. If I came off as such, I apologize.

 

E85!

 

Will never haqppen. It may help but it will not solve anything.

 

My industry is Auto Working...I build trucks, for the present anyways. And there are a miriad of infastructures that are feeling it too.
The problem with the "Trckle Down" economics is the flow has been slowed more and more year after year, until it simply doesn't work anymore.
Just b/c the stats say only 4.5% are unemployed, isn't cause to celebrate. With people needing 2 or 3 of these new world jobs, usually half their previous salary. I could lower that stat tomorrow by taking a job at half my normal rate...see what I'm saying.
Just tell me corporations don't manipulate the masses at every turn.
Supply and demand, the foundation, relies on slowing demand by raising prices...forcing people to stop buying...
One corp making food full of fatning fillers, another selling diet products or meds for side effects of the food(High blood pressure etc)...one selling cigarettes another selling breathing aids.
To be able to stop the madness, but refuse to b/c you're profitting, to me, is Evil with a capital "E"...my opinion. To catagorize that, discredit it, still won't change the truth.
I'm not the enemy, sure not trying to be, but I can see beyond the surface...

 

We'll just agree to disagree then, and leave it at that.

And believe it or not, I think I can see beyond the surface too. We obviously come to different conclusions.

Bob

 

While not the final solution, ever mile driven on E85 is a mile not driven of foreign oil.

I totally agree. Maybe some of that war of terror money should go into building new nuclear power plants and more windmills. The best way to fight the war on terror is to derail that middle east gravy train.

 

Not really true with corn based E85.



The tree hugging, anti-nuclear left, would fight against nuclear power plants tooth and nail. We haven't built one here in 30 years.

 

Actually a lot of those groups have now changed there opinion on nuclear power for two reason. 1) since it has been 20+ year since a plant was built, the newer technology is much much safer. 2) nuclear is the lesser of two evils when compared to oil and coal from a pollution stand point.

The best choice is wind power. Current costs are 6¢ per KWH

 

Oil is a finite resource that every nation in the world uses. If we don't buy their oil, there's plenty of others that will. The middle east won't be bankrupted (in fact, they'll continue to grow richer) until the oil wells start to dry up.

Besides, they don't need oil money to cause trouble. Terrorism can be done remarkably cheaply. The fact is, their hatred of the west is bred into their culture (or more specifically, their religion) and they'll continue to try to destroy us no matter what their cashflow situation.

 

They will just keep raising the price as the wells slow down. If production drops in half they will just double the profit margins and since we need it we will pay for it. They will never run out of money until the world find another fuel source that makes oil worthless. When we once again become an oil exporter then we will have won.

 

Exactly -- even if the US became energy independent, we aren't about to give up military/political control of the Persian Gulf region. It keeps the leash on China and everyone else.