rodmiser
Champion Author
Missouri
Posts:8,148
Points:2,024,235
Joined:Aug 2005
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Message Posted: May 11, 2008 10:57:26 AM
top speed 55mph
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lyndee
Champion Author
Milwaukee
Posts:20,568
Points:2,145,990
Joined:Apr 2002
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Message Posted: May 2, 2008 9:10:20 PM
If no one bought any gas for only one week, the oil companies would
lose millions! This would cause their stock prices to fall! To avoid
a panic situation, they would have to lower gas prices! The stockholders
never like it when their stock prices drop! And the oil companies have
to answer to their stockholders, just like any other company does!
I say- no one buy any gas at all for one full week! This would cause
the oil companies to panic! No one likes to lose millions- even if its
only for one week!
[Edited by: lyndee at 5/2/2008 9:11:09 PM EST]
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Jogo1
All-Star Author
Hartford
Posts:853
Points:288,470
Joined:Apr 2006
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Message Posted: May 2, 2008 11:35:21 AM
United we stand - divides we fall, goes for a lot in America.
I have been saying we need a good old fashion Boston Tea Party!
I do not want us to dump this out - but not use them!
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kwilson08
Rookie Author
Indianapolis
Posts:47
Points:3,855
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: May 2, 2008 10:13:58 AM
they wouldnt flood the floor of congress in panic...they would just laugh, because if we dont buy it today, we'll just have to buy it tomorrow...
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houstondr2001
Rookie Author
Arkansas
Posts:2
Points:990
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 28, 2008 12:51:15 PM
Im with you Chopper. Theres a message floating around Arkansas that on May 2 do not buy any gas.
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saveahorse
Rookie Author
Indianapolis
Posts:3
Points:70,475
Joined:Oct 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 28, 2008 10:51:16 AM
We should all start riding horses...but then the price of feed would go up!HMMM I just we are all just SOL!
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Sealer
Champion Author
Charleston
Posts:5,653
Points:838,850
Joined:Jan 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 28, 2008 9:39:17 AM
chopper1, of course it would be a gimmick even if everyone joined in. It's a gimmick by design. If you want to make a permanent change in the price of something in the market place, you have to make a permanent change in either supply or demand. This silly "strike" doesn't even attempt to create a permanent change in anything. It is a gimmick to help crybabies feel like they're doing something even as they do nothing.
As I asked before, are people in India and China going to stop buying cars because of your "strike?" Is someone going to invent an economically viable alternative fuel because of your "strike?" If you can point to any permanent change which could possibly be effected by your "strike," I will agree that it's not just a gimmick. I don't see you calling for any permanment change - just a 1-day stop in purchasing which as you say would have no net effect on the economy since people would buy either the day before or the day after.
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calypso93
Champion Author
Scranton
Posts:11,203
Points:1,292,385
Joined:Mar 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 28, 2008 9:13:09 AM
It's already started. Think of the things you don't buy because of having to shift your financial priorities. I know I stopped about 20 bucks per week worth of "on the road" coffee buying. Also don't go to movies anymore, nor out to dinner as much. Still using my 8 year old lawn mower. These changes are there, but very subtle.
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chopper1
All-Star Author
West Virginia
Posts:649
Points:67,650
Joined:Jul 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 26, 2008 8:32:59 AM
Sealer,the message is that we're not going to run around with our head in our hands any longer.The message to be sent to anyone who thinks the American people will continue to just act like "crybabies"!
My wife and all our families refuse to buy foreign made products unless there is no substitute and the product is urgently needed.Yes,we are ALL members of various unions!(hence the solidarity lean in my posts)
No one knows what reaction a "silly" strike like the one I've proposed would have since it's never been done before.
It wouldn't be a "gimmick" if everyone joined in,now would it? People feel totally helpless against rising prices and maybe just feeling like they can do "something useful" would lift the consumer spirit.
I already carpool and limit trips to conserve the fuel I already have on hand.I've also looked at my fuel supply and thought twice about taking my airplane out just to charge the battery.I also ride one of my Harleys, when the weather permits,to save gas.Gasoline and food prices have little effect on my paycheck anyway since my line of work thrives on high fuel prices.
I'm going to listen to Brapb1211 and quit this shouting match since my point has been made.Anyone who feels like continuing can have at it.
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lyndee
Champion Author
Milwaukee
Posts:20,568
Points:2,145,990
Joined:Apr 2002
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Message Posted: Apr 25, 2008 4:59:15 PM
Saudi Arabia is nothing but a desert. No Water, but lots of oil.
The US has lots of water, but won't let anyone drill new oil wells
within it's boundaries! Why not trade oil for water? And include food
also- as there is no farm land in Saudi Arabia! Would this actually
work? Trade food and water for oil! Abd forget about all that money!
Of course, the government (meaning the taxpayer) would have to pay the
farmers off, otherwise this would not work.
[Edited by: lyndee at 4/25/2008 5:01:34 PM EST]
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cjmiller00
Rookie Author
Jacksonville
Posts:3
Points:3,260
Joined:Sep 2006
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Message Posted: Apr 25, 2008 3:29:34 PM
Has anyone been watching the news lately and have been hearing about "Food riots". There gos the poo and its headed straight for the fan. I believe food and fuel are sybiotic of each other.
Here comes the obvious. But when is enough enough and when will the US become nothing more than a state of emergency. Nation wide riots and random terrorist attacks are coming people.
I am no Osama obama but yet it doesnt really take a genius to figure out that people will do WHATEVER it takes to make their family survive. And if that mean violently protesting v.s. peaceful protests than so be it.
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carebear08
Rookie Author
Phoenix
Posts:62
Points:5,815
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 25, 2008 12:45:00 PM
Boycott E-85 gas, Also no one votes at all for any one on nov 08. Then lets all go on a voting strike. How will they get in office, If know one votes for them.
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Brapb1211
Rookie Author
Texas
Posts:1
Points:570
Joined:Apr 2007
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Message Posted: Apr 25, 2008 10:30:25 AM
This sound dumb but I don't pretend to know everything...Seems to me that while it's true of our dependence on foreign oil...It's also true of foreign's dependence on our goods such as food. Maybe someone should renegotiate these issues...Instead of all this tearing down each other we should try to lift each other up...When the most wisest person is in a shouting match with the most dumbest person it's hard for bystanders to tell who's who
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Sealer
Champion Author
Charleston
Posts:5,653
Points:838,850
Joined:Jan 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 25, 2008 9:32:52 AM
Chopper1, I was giving you the benefit of the doubt by ignoring your last paragraph, but since you brin it up again, here goes. Who are you sending a message to and what is the message. Since price is determined by global supply and demand and the world is producing nearly full out, the only lever for reducing price is reducing global demand. Most of the demand growth now is coming from India and China. How will your silly "strike" convince anyone in India or China not to buy a car or to use less gas? You seem to think that getting U.S. TV coverage will tell someone something they don't already know, but everyone here already knows that high fuel prices are making it difficult for people. Almost everyone knows that from personal experience. Seeing a bunch of crybabies on TV complaining about it won't change a thing.
Perhaps you can't change the world by yourself, but you can work to reduce your own fuel costs by using less gasoline. Gimmicks like your "strike" are simply feel good measures designed to make people feel like they are doing something useful even though they are not. If you really want to "band together," find some partners for a car pool to work, shopping, etc. and save money for yourself and others at the same time.
[Edited by: Sealer at 4/25/2008 9:34:12 AM EST]
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petej0
All-Star Author
Allentown
Posts:692
Points:20,395
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 25, 2008 8:49:17 AM
chopper
I like your attitude but there is nothing the politicians can do. NOTHING. They cant set the price of oil. Bush asked for Saudi Arabia to lower their price and they came back with "Its your problem, you ruined your economy you fix it."
Part of the reason for rising prices is the weakening dollar. The dollar has weakened because the fed lower interest rates. They lowered interest rates to spur some type of economic activity that dried up because of the credit crunch. The credit crunch happened because we buy everything on credit and pay the bills with home equity loans. and on and on. We demand too much oil as a nation, and until Americans grow a set and due without driving or buying gas guzzlers, then prices will not come down. We consume too much as a nation, we are a bunch of fat Americans and need bigger and bigger to fit our fat butts and families.
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chopper1
All-Star Author
West Virginia
Posts:649
Points:67,650
Joined:Jul 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 25, 2008 7:50:51 AM
Well Sealer why didn't you comment on my last paragraph also?
"What is going to happen is some consumers are going to get squeezed until they just can't afford to buy anything extra.I'm sure it's already happened to a lot of families.Lower income groups will be the first to be hit and the effect will spread upward.
It would send a powerfull message to everyone if the American people would stand up one day and show that they've had enough instead of just rollin' with the punches!"
Staging a consumer's strike only shows that people are tired of prices escalating from day to day.It ain't going to cause mayhem in the streets anymore than the truckers strike did.The truckers strike WAS reported coast to coast and DID get some attention.Setting back and "taking it" will get you nothing.We WON'T see a decline in store prices or a fall of the American government.We WOULD see TV cameras showing shots of empty parking lots and all kinds of commentary on the situation.It WOULD plant seeds in the minds of corporations and politicians alike.
If anyone thinks that they can make a difference by themselves they are sadly mistaken.This website exists to that end.West Virginians have a long history of banding together in times of stress and this is no different.The only problem now is there is no empathy for our fellow's plight as there was in past times."Every man for himself" is the battle cry nowadays.
Mother Jones would turn in her hallowed grave if she found out about our sad condition!
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Sneakers55
Champion Author
Houston
Posts:51,300
Points:2,143,925
Joined:Nov 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 24, 2008 10:40:09 PM
If you got 50% of people to cocoon in their house for one day, they'd just use more electricity than normal.
Big Oil is only your friend if you're a stockholder. The electric company is not your friend either.
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bauerboy
Sophomore Author
Seattle
Posts:158
Points:301,860
Joined:Apr 2003
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Message Posted: Apr 24, 2008 11:20:24 AM
The only way you can truly make a difference is to stop using gas. There are many alternatives in most areas to do this. There are also alternatives to decrease dependency on gas by buying more fuel efficient cars. A big problem now is that China is becoming such a bigger user of fossil fuels and we are up against them for supply. We are also facing an issue with the cost of the US dollar against other currencies. I can't see this ever changing much. I also noticed thru this site is that prices tend to peak in May each year which also seems to be the case this year. Part of this is the change in how fuel is produced depending on the time of the year. Oil companies also have a need to perform for shareholder value. I've been using the fuel logbook on this site to monitor my usage and have tried to cutback on necessary trips. I think you need to pressure auto companies to make more fuel efficient alternatives or to break out the bike . . .
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petej0
All-Star Author
Allentown
Posts:692
Points:20,395
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 24, 2008 10:11:15 AM
The only way prices will go down is for Americans to drive more fuel efficient cars and drive less. Anything short of that is a waste of everyones time. You cant get Washington to do anything about it because they dont set the price. Americans have to lower their demand. Thats the bottom line. If you are out there driving a car that gets under 30pmg YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM. If you are driving a car to go to work, where mass transportation exists, YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM. If you are hauling your kids around from Soccer practice to baseball practice to piano recitals to day care, YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.
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Sealer
Champion Author
Charleston
Posts:5,653
Points:838,850
Joined:Jan 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 24, 2008 9:56:50 AM
So your purpose isn't even to do something useful, but to "cause a major panic across the country?" I can see why no more than 1% of people would sign on to a project with that as its purpose. Here I thought you were harmless and just didn't know what you're talking about. As it turns out, you're actually trying to cause trouble just for the heck of it.
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chopper1
All-Star Author
West Virginia
Posts:649
Points:67,650
Joined:Jul 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2008 10:07:38 PM
Look,I'm not saying we would all bring down the cost of anything by having a consumers strike! I'm saying that the fact that no one shows up in any store for one day would cause a major panic across the country.
I also realize it would be impossible for this to work simply because we could never get even 1% of the people to cooperate.There have only been twenty five replies to my original post so what percentage of the members on this site are even interested enough to write in and dissagree?
What is going to happen is some consumers are going to get squeezed until they just can't afford to buy anything extra.I'm sure it's already happened to a lot of families.Lower income groups will be the first to be hit and the effect will spread upward.
It would send a powerfull message to everyone if the American people would stand up one day and show that they've had enough instead of just rollin' with the punches!
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mguyre
Rookie Author
New Hampshire
Posts:3
Points:9,430
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2008 2:51:26 PM
The problem with that is we still need to make the purchase. So if we could all ban together for just one day sales would make it up the next day. Unless we all stayed home for a week without driving. There is no way that would ever work. Car pooling, cutting down on travel, and not buying from Exxon/Mobil is the only way we as consumers are going to fight these prices.
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juicey0313
Rookie Author
Lexington
Posts:8
Points:1,260
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2008 2:08:49 PM
i truely think that if we could ban together as a nation and go one day and not buy a drop of gas that it would send a HUGE message think of the money these places would be loosing...
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jpookie96
Rookie Author
Ohio
Posts:1
Points:270
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2008 5:22:00 AM
It's great to think that by not buying gas or food or anything else for a day will make a difference, but lets be serious about this, it's not gonna do anything. You are always going to have those people that can't not buy gas, or food, and that's going to cause the whole thing not to work. I live in a very rual area, you know one of those, that if you want to go to WalMart, you have to drive for 20 min to a half hour, so in order for my husband to get to work, he's got to drive, which means he can't not buy gas. The gas stations around here, know this, so therefore they can charge WHATEVER they want, and people will pay it, we have no choice. The average gas price around here is usually 5 to 15 cents higher then what it is, in say..... Cincinnati or Dayton. The truly bad thing about this, is that not only is this area rual, it's very poor, and the unemployment rate in the county I live in is one of the highest in the state. There aren't any real jobs around here, so if you want to support your family without help from the state, you gotta drive. It's a loose-loose situation.
I think our best bet for something to be done, is to contact our state reps, and have them do thier jobs, and work for US, like they are supposed to, to have a cap put on the ever increasing cost of living. It wouldn't be so bad, IF salarys were going up as fast as everything else. But, with the cost of transporting goods, that's not happening, if nothing else, they are going down, at least there are more lay-offs, and outsourcing. Not to mention illeagal aliens, coming in and undercutting wages, everywhere. We the "little people" are getting screwed from every angle.
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yota
Champion Author
Baltimore
Posts:6,260
Points:1,435,290
Joined:May 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2008 12:25:00 PM
Something has to be done, the price of gas is ridiculous. It keeps going up everyday.
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Sealer
Champion Author
Charleston
Posts:5,653
Points:838,850
Joined:Jan 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2008 10:58:53 AM
disabledVET, thanks for your service. Your efforts defended our country's existence as a representative democracy with capitalism. Under that system, congress does not set the price of gasoline (or anything else for that matter). The price of goods (including gasoline) is determined in the marketplace by supply and demand. As a consumer, our participation allows us to buy less if the price is too high. I'm hopeful that someone will develop a good alternative fuel which can compete with gasoline economically before long. Capitalism helps that process along as well.
[Edited by: Sealer at 4/22/2008 10:59:20 AM EST]
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MagnoDaSoulja
Rookie Author
Milwaukee
Posts:4
Points:330
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2008 10:57:46 AM
First off let me say this: Thank you disabledVET for everything youve done for the country, even if vietnam was a waste of soldiers.
Now i know im new to the whole forum thing but this is what it all comes down to ORGANIZATION!!!! The only time the USA has ever been close to being organized in something together was (im sorry to say) 9/11 and any other National disaster. So how i ask can our nation organize to topple this monopoly we call oil companies. It would take someone bigger than god in my opinion and i dont see it happening im sorry i dont. I would think 1 day a week might make a bit of difference. Maybe not big enough to do anything right away but yes over time. But even after 9/11 we werent organized all that long either. So if someone has an idea of who or what can bring us together i would love to hear that.
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disabledVET
Rookie Author
Ohio
Posts:13
Points:360
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2008 10:36:00 AM
Tower- I dont like being referred to as sheep either. I fought in Vietnam and I'm hardly a sheep. Sorry for that.
I'm REAL unhappy about the new today APRIL 22, that gas has now hit $4.00 a gallon in Cali. It'll be here soon.
WE NEED TO REVOLT. NOW! ALL OF US. This is a country of innovators why can't we find someone with a workable idea how to bring Congress to its knees?
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Sealer
Champion Author
Charleston
Posts:5,653
Points:838,850
Joined:Jan 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2008 10:18:29 AM
Thanks, GCL. You're right. You found the flaw in that whole capitalism concept. Global demand can't increase faster than global demand! What was I thinking?
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GCL
Champion Author
San Jose
Posts:14,182
Points:1,751,655
Joined:Aug 2003
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2008 9:34:35 AM
Sealer - how can global demand be rising faster than global demand? lol
Nice new car by the way...
[Edited by: GCL at 4/22/2008 9:35:03 AM EST]
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Sealer
Champion Author
Charleston
Posts:5,653
Points:838,850
Joined:Jan 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2008 8:16:48 AM
chopper1, the "powers that be" regarding the price of fuel are world consumers. Global demand is rising faster than global demand and that's causing higher prices. Do you really think people in India and China are going to ereduce their demand for us if we go on "strike" to protest high prices?
I agree that sitting back and crying is going nowhere. Do what you can to reduce your personal demand and save money by using this site to find the cheapest gas aling your route. Everything I've heard suggested which goes beyond that is either useless or counter-productive. This suggestion is counterproductive, since it could actually hurt our economy if enough people took it seriously and there's no possible positive outcome.
[Edited by: Sealer at 4/22/2008 8:17:09 AM EST]
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chopper1
All-Star Author
West Virginia
Posts:649
Points:67,650
Joined:Jul 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2008 7:57:48 AM
Sealer:
I'm not trying to put a company out of buisness,I'm just going to show that there are ways to cause the "powers that be" to take notice.
Sittin' back and cryuing about high prices is going nowhere!
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FreeskierInVT
Champion Author
Vermont
Posts:1,952
Points:725,925
Joined:May 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2008 1:25:30 AM
I think this is a good idea
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POdAmerican
Rookie Author
West Virginia
Posts:37
Points:920
Joined:Mar 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2008 7:47:18 PM
a boycott of anyone company would do nothing since all fuel is piped around the country to holding tanks at which point the take what they need then add there additives so no one oil company can say they are selling there own fuel for the most part
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Sealer
Champion Author
Charleston
Posts:5,653
Points:838,850
Joined:Jan 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2008 5:20:54 PM
Chopper1, I suggest an economics course at a local community college.
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njm58
Rookie Author
Texas
Posts:1
Points:1,970
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2008 3:56:23 PM
What would the results be if everyone boycotted just one major gas chain like Exxon? Would Exxon eventually lower the price of their gasoline until consumers were willing to buy from them again?
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lyndee
Champion Author
Milwaukee
Posts:20,568
Points:2,145,990
Joined:Apr 2002
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2008 3:38:13 PM
Sounds like the Boston Tea Party, when the colonists got fed up with being
taxed by England! Sounds like a good idea! Go for it! Boycott OPEC!
I bet OPEC would drop prices in a hurry, if no body bought their oil-
even if was for only one day! This is real power! It's about time the chickens were in charge of the hen house! If the baseball players and their union can be in charge of baseball, then why can't the American
consumer be in charge of big oil?
[Edited by: lyndee at 4/21/2008 3:41:26 PM EST]
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theTower
Champion Author
Indiana
Posts:13,257
Points:478,320
Joined:Jun 2007
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Message Posted: Apr 20, 2008 7:22:19 AM
tower-
Explain "contemptible statement" and who you're directing it at please
Well disabledVET I posted what I felt was the contemptible statement right before I said it was contemptible.
Did you miss that part of my post?
I don't know about you, but I don't like being referred too as sheep.
Since I read posts here, chopper1 is talking too everyone who reads the post.
[Edited by: theTower at 4/20/2008 7:22:59 AM EST]
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chopper1
All-Star Author
West Virginia
Posts:649
Points:67,650
Joined:Jul 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 19, 2008 9:41:27 PM
lyslider:
Thats the kind of thinkin' I'm looking for!
The rest of these,,,people,,,,are waiting around for "someone to just do something"!!!!!!!
Well ,,people,,,waiting around for the government to do something is going to cost you.If you owned a store and after many years of successful dealings with the public,they didn't come in for one day.You'd wonder what was wrong.If it happened to a national chain,what do you think they'd do????
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disabledVET
Rookie Author
Ohio
Posts:13
Points:360
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 19, 2008 8:15:17 PM
To Chopper 1
I'll report my thought on what YOU posted:
Theres only one day a year I'd choose for this idea- THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING.
And HERES who I'd have organize it for us:
http://adbusters.org/home/
[L=http://adbusters.org/home/][/L]
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disabledVET
Rookie Author
Ohio
Posts:13
Points:360
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 19, 2008 7:53:22 PM
tower-
Explain "contemptible statement" and who you're directing it at please.
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theTower
Champion Author
Indiana
Posts:13,257
Points:478,320
Joined:Jun 2007
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Message Posted: Apr 19, 2008 7:47:41 PM
"Now sheep,tell me what's not going to work about my idea."
To make a contemptible statement like that implies you have read through some of the topics here and you probably know already why your idea won't work.
Yet you posted it any way.
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disabledVET
Rookie Author
Ohio
Posts:13
Points:360
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 19, 2008 7:41:25 PM
Theres only one day a year I'd choose for this idea- THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING.
And HERES who I'd have organize it for us:
http://adbusters.org/home/
[L=http://adbusters.org/home/][/L]
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lyslider
Rookie Author
Maryland
Posts:23
Points:6,480
Joined:Apr 2008
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Message Posted: Apr 19, 2008 11:29:39 AM
Even a one-day strike is something we as Americans can do. If one day messes up the economy that much, what about a one day a week strike until things change. I wrote about this on another forum. I am 51 and I can remember when as a teenager, we called attention to the Vietnam War until they got sick of us and realized we weren't going away. There are many ways to boycott and fight back. I'm tired of wasting my money and getting angry but feeling unable to do anything. This is terrorism people!!! Don't you see the big picture. Were are being controlled and terrorized in our everyday lives. We are being controlled because "What will Americans do? Not go to work, not buy food, not enjoy life, sit home and----WHAT?" I don't know about the rest of you but NO ONE TELLS ME WHAT TO DO!!!!! I don't kiss a-- well at all!!!!! Suggestions as to how to fight back and make this whole explosion of recession and depression are needed. We have to stick together. That's what we do best in our country. Stick like glue to each other no matter what. It's the American way.
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91Firebird
Champion Author
Oklahoma City
Posts:4,586
Points:178,470
Joined:Sep 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 19, 2008 10:39:53 AM
Just like not buying gas for a day, not buying anything for a day doesn't accomplish anything, as the weekly sales will stay the same. What you aren't buying today, you will buy tomorrow. All you are doing is shifting the sales time, not the amount.
One day and back to usual doesn't do anything. Ask the truckers about their April 1st. Diesel was $0.25 cheaper then before their "strike". I guess they really got their message out, eh?
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