More than just free market prices choosing what to set them at. There will always be some political reasoning behind increasing the price. (speaking directly to UAE and friends) If an enemy in war has the ability to double or triple the price of a required commodity,t hey will, they might even stop supplying.

Maybe the market price is undervalued with it being so required in America, how far can you go affordably go on rail or plane, can you really take Mass Transit to work everyday when your work is 20 miles away?

If everyone lived closer to work, we might not WANT so much oil for fuel, and the price would settle itself lower for those that use more than average.

With prices going to go up, I predict $5/gal before we wont need it anymore, due to increased cost and complexity of getting the oil, the value that we hold it to and the price we pay are directly linked.

What company wastes the effort if there isn't enough demand to make a decent profit?
And when there is decent profit to be made, who is going to pay for the required upgrade in cost to equipment?

If we find ways to live without it, the demand will drop, the price will drop, drilling and excavating for it will decrease, further serving to help prevent any blemishes Earth doesn't need., and then those that do require its use for what odd reason it is(where MAss Transit won't work) will have it at a fair and decent price.

[opinion]
The opinion is, America is effed when it comes to gasoline usage. Don't get off foreign oil, get off all oil and find a way to make solar farms that can generate as much power as a similar sized coal plant. Better in the end as it's 'free' energy we could use to power, well all of our electornic devices. Possibly less pollutants, I won't deny I am not sure what is required to make the panels or how much pollution is made building a vehicle the size of the Volt, but its damn well better than a normal vehicle that does emit hydrocarbons and junk. You can put a filter ont he coal plant but you cant put a filter on every 1980s Buick.[/opinion]

TL;DR wasteful americans.

 

Yep we need less government, not more. Government is the most ineffective, least efficient mechanisms, with no limit cost structure. And ohhh yea you tax payers get to fund all of this mess.

Government is not the solution. We the people are the solution. A truly free economy, free of government influence is the solution.

 

Wow, so it is OK for government to mess with the supply side, but when Ackerson suggests the government mess with the demand, then all of a sudden intervention is a bad thing? Hypocrite much?

Obviously, CAFE doesn't drive people to stop buying trucks and SUV's. Ackerson is offering an alternative that is proven to work (in Europe). What is wrong with that?

-Geoff

 

I didn't see STOCK1SC say that CAFE was OK.

 

Then pack your **** and move to Europe. We are a free nation with free markets, not some quasi socialist bs like some countries in Europe. Dont you think you can spend your own money better than our gov? I am guessing the answer is yes. Then whybthrow your money away to these idiots in Washington.

 

Well thats the plan; emissions, strategic problems and infrastructure costs have created a movement to get people back into cities.

Its a good idea, especially if you dont have a problem packed into a micro community.

I'll pass though.

To the tune of 540k per household I believe. That wouldn't be so hard to swallow if you didn't continually read about govrnment fraud and waste with hundred dollar hammers and roads and bridges to nowhere or you knew guys at the local shipyard doing government contract work and half the guys are getting paid to literally sleep on the job.

 

 

I assume you think CAFE should be abolished as well, right?

 

Yep, in the age of high gas prices its not needed. The market will do it on its own as prooven time and time again. The very first gas crisis bs that happened in the 70's was the best thing that happened for the consumer in the long run. Ever since then gas mileage has been on the consumers mind.

 

Anyone that says we should copy anythign Europe does, I immediately dismiss their entire argument. Europe is basically the bizarro world of America on just about everything possible. Anyone that has seen that episode of Seinfeld knows what I'm saying. Govt shouldn't be in the bussiness of telling us what kind of mpg our cars get nor taxing me in order to get the desireable behavior they deem appropriate. When gas gets scarce the price will go up and people will acclimate and adapt and so will the auto makers. GM and Dodge failed to do this a few years ago with a viable small car segment people wanted to purchase and paid for it.... well, we paid for it dearly. They were too busy making Trucks and SUV's with huge profits to put any money into small car development. If you like the govt taxing you to encourage a certain behavior then good luck too you, to me they already interfer too much in my life as it is. I can't believe how many people on here want them more involved in our day to day life and actually want them to tax us more, incredible!

 

one more reason why my next car will not likely be a gm

 

Well done
More government = less liberty

 

I hate to break the news to you, but the USA has had taxes ever since it existed. If we go back to the American economic system then we would put huge tariffs on imported oil. That would also lead to a price rise at the pump.

Everyone wants a free lunch, but guess what, things have to be paid for.

We want better roads and safe bridges, we want less of our money going over seas to OPEC and unfriendly nations, we want better national security, and we don't want foreigners to have the keys to the US economy.

 

Agreed, while we're on the govt soapbox, let me also add how much I hate the AFM and cylinder shut off technology which is basically mandated to get around the govt mandate of CAFE. I hate the sound of it, I hate the extra weight and baffles and other BS that has to be added in order to make it not sound like a helicopter when it goes into 4 cylinder mode. I dislike you have to give up 26 hp because of it. Now the only muscle car of the big 3 with an auto not to have it is the Mustang, which is looking better and better with it's factory aftermarket support.

 

well then I guess your next cars might not be cars at all then since all automotive companies feel this way. The GM CEO just had the ***** to say it in public.