Bike to work if you don’t find pretty much average gas prices typical.
Call It A Comeback
Bike to work if you don’t find pretty much average gas prices typical.
I bike to work, but…
Look at that graph again. Our prices look like the highest since late 1985 when they were coming down from the spike. And don’t you just know they’re going higher.
We’ll all adjust in the long run, but it could be a damn bumpy 5-10 years while we deal with crazy prices.
I see your point, but I still find it hard to get worked up over prices that are just barely above average for the country. I guess the Saudi’s can’t easily increase production now…..
And I need to bike to work more often–damn asthma.
I’m with archpundit. Gas has gone up a little bit, but not much, all in all. I can’t see the big deal. If you don’t like the price being as high as it was in 1985, trade in your SUV for the same size car you had in 1985 and you’ll feel much better.
Gas prices impact more than just filling up an SUV gas tank. (Disclaimer: I drive an SUV that gets better mileage than many, many cars just to point out ripping on all SUVs isn’t entirely accurate. Subaru Forester.) Gas prices are basically double what they were a short time ago to paraphrase John Kerry. Driving less will help you reduce fill-ups, but will do nothing to decrease transportation costs associated with products, especially food. The higher gas prices will soon hit the grocery store shelves and will disproportionately impact lower income people.
When the product price is higher the sales tax will be higher since it’s based on the product price. The is happening with the gas taxes right now. The amount of tax per gallon has also increased because it is a set percentage.
We’ll soon start to see about 15% higher prices on produce (lettuce, tomatoes, milk, eggs, and many foods. There should be a cap on gas taxes so the taxes don’t contribute even more the higher per gallon price. For example, only the first $1.50 per gallon should be taxed.
While I agree complaining about gas prices may seem selfish, but in the bigger picture, it isn’t selfish to think of the lower income families who will feel these higher prices the most.
Jeff,
The problem is that shouldn’t prices reflect the cost of the products? While I’m sympathetic to the poor on the issue, the market should do as Chapman points out and create more incentives to conserve. Many of our current choices could balance out with better conservation.
Sorry I been gone, but I like this thread.
Imagine if Bush had seized the moment in late 2001 to funnel all that patriotic energy into reducing our dependence on imported oil in more meaningful ways than ANWR drilling. Thomas Friedman suggested this very thing at the time, so this is neither terribly liberal nor unlikely to shock the conventional wisdom.
Think of all the progress that could have been made already. Think how much less exposed we would be to the energy economy and China’s hyper expansion gobbling up inputs that we’re used to claiming for our own. (On this note, I just heard about a construction bid that came in $600,000 over budget simply because steel prices are through the roof due to international demand, that is China).
What a sad lost opportunity. And one that means a lot more pain in the next 5 years.