Apr 24, 2006 3:25:07 AM
- SoCal Alan
- Rennteam VIP
- Loc: Orange County , United States
- Posts: 7268, Gallery
- Registered on: Mar 6, 2004
- Reply to: Hurst
Re: Heard a energy analyst just now
Quote:
Hurst said:Quote:
SoCal Alan said:Quote:
The Groom said:
Now, if you're talking about GAS prices (not car prices), I agree with you 100%. However, I think the high gas taxes in Europe are beneficial, and I believe the US would be greatly inspired to raise its gas taxes. We as citizens and as business people need to get prepared for a world where energy is expensive. In a free market, I see no better way to steer energy users towards energy efficiency than to hit hard with the tax hammer.
When cheap energy is over, millions of American citizens and businesses will be struggling to reinvent themselves. Cities will be a mess, as people abandon suburbs and rush downtown where the infrastructure is unable to support them.
Meanwhile, European cities, citizens and businesses will shrug it off. Business as usual.
I know people will dismiss these dire predictions: "But the American public will never accept it!" Unfortunately, this is not a matter of choice. It will happen whether we like it or not. What we can choose is merely to be prepared, or to ignore it until it is too late.
Let the market decide how expensive energy is. The goverment will only be making matters worse by making energy even more expensive. You want the economy to collapse, just tax the hell out of gas and you'll get it. And remember, as energy prices rise for us, they rise for Europeans also, at the same time. But they will hurt your pocketbook more then they would for us. If you like paying $6 per gallon for gas, then that's your decision. If the politicians in the US decide to place that tax on us, there will be a revolt like you won't believe.
I dont think the market is a sufficient guide for the situation at the moment.
We need to be cognizant of the ephemeral nature of crude oil (in the long run) as well as the environmental effects (blasphemy on a sports car board )...
Hi Hurst, can you please elaborate? Why can't the market guide us in terms of crude oil / gas? Even at $3 a gallon, it is (in my opinion), still cheap.
Also, regarding environmental effects, are you suggesting that the world give up using crude oil as an energy source, because of pollution?