What Should be Done about Gas Prices after Katrina?

[SuzQ]

Rule #1 of this thread - keep IRAQ & Bush-bashing out of it, period.

I'm just curious about your opinions on how to handle the aftermath of such a huge, natural disaster in the U.S. The President is suggesting that we temporarily use our emergency oil reserves to stop the gouging of gas stations. I think this is the best bet, as it's just until the oil rigs damaged by Katrina are up and running again. It will help the prices from killing the transportation industry altogether, and will hopefully continue to hold off drilling near Alaska wildlife.

What are your thoughts on how it should be handled?

 

[KenH]

With about 26,000,000 gallons of gasoline not being produced due to refineries that are shut down, this is a problem that will with us for a while.

We, as a nation, had a party during the 1990s with cheap gasoline and buying gas guzzlers without building any new refineries now for 30 years due to environmental regulations and a NIMBY attitude. The chickens have come home to roost.

 

[Redneck]

Put the refineries somewhere like Alaska where there aren't hurricanes.

We could try eastern Washington too.

 

[billwald]

Price freeze and/or rationing will only produce shortages. Gas prices are still less than people are willing to pay.

 

[MichaelFJF]

We should have drilled Alaska and more off-shore sites a long time ago. We're paying for it now. I just watch the local C-store go from 2.65 to 2.85.

 

[Sketcher]

Cut into the emergency reserve, time it well. Accellerate the development of GOOD hybrid cars and an alternative, domestic source of fuel.

 

[McCracAttack]

Put the refineries somewhere like Alaska where there aren't hurricanes.

We could try eastern Washington too.

New Orleans was a major port for foreign oil on the east coast. That and the drilling operations in the Gulf are why New Orleans had such a massive refinery operation. We already have a similar port in California on the west coast, but it’s important to have one on the east coast as well.

 

[AngryNotice]

ride the problem out, if that fails..then drill alaska

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

We should use some of the reserves because the reserves are located near the refineries that would otherwise soon exerpience supply issues. If we use the some of the reserves, we can ensure that they don't stop refining because they can't get oil from farther away.

 

[Douger]

I say the government should allot tens of billions of dollars for subsidizing gas and new fuel efficient engines. What better way to spend the peoples tax money? Sure beats throwing away hundreds of billions on foreign wars.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

I say the government should allot tens of billions of dollars for subsidizing gas and new fuel efficient engines. What better way to spend the peoples tax money? Sure beats throwing away hundreds of billions on foreign wars.

Bad idea. Subsidies hide the true costs of a product, causing people to do things that are not to their economic benefit.

 

[growingupinhim]

good time for people who snub thier noses at public transportation..to use public transport!

 

[Douger]

Subsidies hide the true costs of a product, causing people to do things that are not to their economic benefit.

my same reservation exactly which is why I think the money should be used as well on fuel efficient engines. I'm thinking of massive scale replacement like over a period of a few months. Economy simply cannot be based on one single fallible commodity.

 

[mutantleader]

Invade Saudi Arabia and Iran. Tap Iraq for the spoils of war. Institute the name of all world oil as U.S. property.

 

[Douger]

Invade Saudi Arabia and Iran. Tap Iraq for the spoils of war. Institute the name of all world oil as U.S. property.

throw in something about serving the Lord, repost it in the military forum and you'll have instant celebrity status.

 

[Cerberus~]

We should start drilling in Alaska now to help kick our foreign oil habit, build more refineries, nuclear plants and other sources of alternative energy including biodiesel.

 

[shezshy]

this is a major emergency,use the reserves and then begin to plan for better placement of the refineries

 

[Ave Maria]

I don't know but I definitely support putting a cap on gas prices and providing serious fines to those who engage in price gouging.

 

[Ampoliros]

Bad idea. Subsidies hide the true costs of a product, causing people to do things that are not to their economic benefit.

Because it would be economically (or otherwise - 'reduce dependence on foreign oil?) unbeneficial if we used half the gas we do currently.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

I don't know but I definitely support putting a cap on gas prices and providing serious fines to those who engage in price gouging.

Prohibitions of price gouging, yes; actual caps, no. Price restrictions tend to harm those they are designed to protect.

Didn't a lot of stations get in trouble (at least in some states) for hiking their prices immediately after 9/11? I think the Attourney General of Illinois went after them for violating some law.