Time to Raise the Price of Gas

[KingM34]

The problem with gas prices in America is not that they are too high, it's that they are too low. With taxes on gasoline so much lower in the United States over the past several decades, the result has been that American towns are more spread out than their European or Japanese counterparts, mass transport is underdeveloped outside of certain major cities, and we are more at risk to any supply disruptions or price spikes. Many Americans are simply not on any transportation lines and do not have the option of leaving the car parked when gas prices spike.

In short, we have built our entire civilization around the premise of cheap gasoline.

Most oil experts believe that gas prices are unlikely to come down as oil supplies will remain tight for years. Indeed, with peak oil on the horizon, there is a very real risk that $3.00 will come to represent the new floor for gas prices, and not the ceiling. If so, our task becomes all the more urgent. We must keep a lid on gasoline demand and build an infrastructure that will allow us to survive should petroleum continue to grow more expensive.

Read the rest: http://theopinionator.com/energy/gas_price1.html

[Deja Q]

1. Prices may go up, but only the oil businesses would benefit from it.

As of 2 days ago, oil is just below/at $70/bl again. So why are prices back up to $2.79? G-O-U-G-I-N-G. Period.

[Wickerman]

2. all the "opinionator" says has a ring of truth

but the sprawl of America didn't happen overnight and it didn't occur just because folks liked living on dots on a map that were 10 miles away from other dots. They settled for commerce reasons. Most of those reasons continue today.

Should all those in rural communities move to the big city in hopes someone builds public transport stuff for us when we get there? Or, should we build light rail at a million dollars a yard to take us into the City? :crazy:

[rfkrfk]

3. an issue for the states .n/t

[KingM34]

4. I respectfully disagree

Maybe the big states like California and New York could do it, but it would be excessively challenging for the smaller states.

That also doesn't help with the larger goal of electrifying transportation (http://theopinionator.com/energy/electrify_transportation1.html) and rebuilding our rail corridors. Those sysems cross state lines.

[rfkrfk]

5. one size does not fit all

do people in Democratic majority states,
want bushies from other states to have undue influence?

NOT

also, states vn use the revenue for any use

[KingM34]

6. well...

One size may not fit all, but some solutions are interstate in nature. Solving the system's transportation failures is one of them.