What, if anything, can the average citizen do to combat high gas prices?

[CatWoman]

In 2005, Exxon CEO Raked in 190K a Day

Average Americans are struggling to keep up with persistently high gas prices, now approaching $3 a gallon. Testifying before Congress last November, Exxon CEO Lee Raymond blamed the problem on “global supply and demand” and assured the public that “we’re all in this together.”

Last year, Raymond made due with “a total compensation package” of just $69.7 million or $190,915 a day, including weekends.

After his haul in 2005, Raymond has decided to retire. It’s seems that, for Raymond, not working is even more lucrative than working:

Exxon is giving Lee Raymond one of the most generous retirement packages in history, nearly $400 million, including pension, stock options and other perks, such as a $1 million consulting deal, two years of home security, personal security, a car and driver, and use of a corporate jet for professional purposes.

Exxon is now facing several “shareholder resolutions this year that criticize the company’s level of executive pay and seek to rein it in.”


http://thinkprogress.org/2006/04/14/exxon-ceo-190k-day/

[SmokingJacket]

1. Those of us who CAN use less MUST use less.

As long as we keep buying the shit, there's no motivation to lower the prices. Of course, many people are over a barrel and really can't use less -- but those of us who can carpool or ride a bike (now that the weather is better) really SHOULD.

For sixty years they've been getting us dependent on cheap oil, and now they're pulling out the rug. THey have us where they want us.

[Broken_Hero]

2. I dont know...but.

I write letters/emails to K. Wilson, and Roy Blunt, the idiots in my district...We cut down on trips, and try to make one trip to take care of everything...like pay bills, grocery shop in the same trip, instead of making two....other than that, personally, I don't know what else i can do...

[Mr.Green93]

3. Vote Democratic

Bill Clinton gave us eight years of dollar gas.

[CatWoman]

8. I remember, during Campaign 2000, when Bill released some reserve

oil in order to lower gas prices.

Bush and Cheney criticized him to high heaven.

Bastards.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. In order to drive less, I'm doing more weekly planning.

For shopping, I get all the circulars together and get organized. I put them in the car with the coupons. That way, if I pass a particular supermarket, I can just pull in versus making a special trip later in the week. I bought a secondhand bike from the Salvation Army for quick trips to the local market, etc. As far as errands, I'm trying to schedule only one day a week with a list which is geographically planned. That way, it's either a straight line, or a circle, etc. with no doubling back. It's worked pretty well for two weeks. I've gone from 300 to 175 miles per week.

[catmandu57]

5. The same stuff we did back in the seventies

drive less, plan your trips, carpool, slow down just because you can drive 70 mph doesn't mean you have too. Walk, ride a bike, use public transit if it's available.

[thethinker]

6. Write everyone in congress,

and DEMAND a Windfall Profit Tax be put on the oil companies and the money be used to reduce the price at the pump. If there was a Windfall Profit tax, the price of gas would suddenly drop back down.

The price of oil went up after Katrina. Congress called in the heads of the oil companies and it immediately went back down.

The price of oil is about greed and it will continue until congress puts an end to it.

[BeHereNow]

7. The people who have bought houses in bum fuck have assured us, nothing.

Unfortunately, my sister is one of those people.
She bought a house in the middle of nowhere
in one of the many communities outside of Dallas
a few years back, when the shrub was first 'selected' by the
SCOTUS and pump prices were low, low, low.
Remember those days?
I drove to Dallas from LA back then and filling my
tank amounted to no more than 20 dollars as I
drove there.
How things have changed since 2000, eh?
My poor sister travels in her job.
Needless to say, she and all of her neighbors
who bought the McMansions are SCREWED
and assure high prices at the pump for the rest of us.
BHN

[hlthe2b]

9. These thugs really should consider the impact on the masses...

who have been screwed by this Fascist Corporate Culture left and right. They rightfully should be concerned that one or more desperate individuals might go "postal."


Ok, the obligatory disclaimer: Agent Mike should recognize this post as my concerns--not a depiction of what I would like to see happen in any way....

[Neil Lisst]

10. Park your gas hogs and keep your driving at a minimum.

That is what I've done. If you have more than one vehicle, drive the best mileage one and park the others.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. And if you have occasion to move (say as a job transfer)

don't reflexively choose a house just like the one you most likely had (in an isolated housing development next to a former corn field, close to nothing but the freeway on-ramp).

Consider convenience when you relocate: As you look at potential dwelling places, think about whether you can you walk, bike, or take transit to your typical destinations. How many stores can you get to without a car? Your children's school? Your workplace? Other places you go regularly?

If the answer is "none of the above," don't buy that house.

(I live in a neighborhood that contains a food coop, a bakery, an organic butcher shop, four restaurants, a coffee shop, an old-fashioned hardware store that seems to have one of everything, an ice cream shop, a garden shop, a dentists' office, a chiropractor, a hair salon, a public library, and a Catholic school within three blocks. Within a twenty-minute walk, there's a full-service supermarket, a liquor store, more restaurants, a veterinarian, a dry cleaner, a public elementary school, and another bakery. Add another ten or so minutes of walking, and I'm in the "downtown" of an inner suburb. I'm on the busline that runs between a major shopping mall and the University of Minnesota via downtown Minneapolis.)

If you say, "But houses are too expensive in more convenient neighborhoods," consider how much additional disposable income you will have (tax-free) if you give up a car or two. Certainly enough to allow an additional couple of hundred dollars a month on your mortgage.

I wish I could give up my car completely, but unfortunately, the transit system in the Twin Cities has too many gaps. Still, I fill the gas tank no more than once a month, sometimes less often.

[Nicole]

11. I walk or ride the bus

whenever I can. Luckily I don't work or go to school so I can plan my errands around the bus schedules.

[AFFIRM]

13. On Boycotting Gas Companies

This is great ... I buy almost all my gas from BP so count me in on the boycott. However, there is an issue that can potentially cause this plan to be ineffective. There are a large number of "gas station companies" that buy their gas from Exxon/Mobil or whomever has the cheapest rate of the week. These "gas station companies" include: Speedway, Marathon, Phillips 66, Circle K, Clark, Starfire, Sheetz, Giant Eagle's Get Go and BJ's Clubs. I am sure this is only a partial listing. A good rule of thumb is that when you are pulling into a station, if you don't currently see their name on the sides of a tanker trucks on the highway, they bought their gas wholesale. You can not find out who they bought it from as they will not tell you and it often differs from week to week.

This boycott idea is excellent. It does need some tweaking though. Some stations that do not wholesale their gas from other companies are: Exxon/Mobil, BP/Amoco, Shell and possibly Citgo and Sunoco. I am not certain of the last two and there may well be others. Ultimately, we must first put these wholesalers out of business if we wish to start a true price war. The main reason the major oil companies allow them to exist is that their existence hinders a true price war from ever occurring. For example, If there is a backlash against Exxon/Mobil, they would simply begin promoting their product heavily through Speedway, Sheetz or another.

The emergence of a wholesale gas market is a pretty smart idea for the major oil companies. After all, who wants to promote a boycott against wholesalers? It almost sounds UN-American doesn't it? However, a national boycott of all wholesale gas operations will force a more direct competition within the marketplace. For example, Exxon/Mobil would then have to compete head to head against BP/Amoco. If at that time we are still unhappy with the price of gas, then we could mount a targeted strike against one of the major players, thus forcing the price back to near $1.50.

The ultimate solution therefore, is to boycott all gasoline wholesalers.

[RebelOne]

14. Stop buying gas? But unfortunately that is not an option

for most of us. I have no public transportation within my area. My job is 15 miles from my home, and there is no way I could walk or bicycle there. So what is the average commuter to do?