With gas prices the way they are, do you think we should...?
551374
no but i think we should NUKE the middle east and then go in and take oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
85461
I think we will eventually.  For a few reasons:\n1) There finally seems to be enough momentum and interest on the part of consumers for vehicles that consume less gas.  Its no longer a "fringe thing" or a hobby or a "tree hugger" thing.  Every day people are fed up with high gas prices and our dependence on less friendly nations.  The more demand there is from consumers, the more incentive manufacturers will have to make such vehicles.\n2) Gas prices are not coming down significantly anytime soon.  There was a bit on 60 Minutes a few weeks ago where Texas Billionaire investor T. Boone Pickens was discussing investments he was making in Canadian Oil Sands.  He said "We'll never see $1.50 gas again."  I agree.  With the surging demand from countries that are just starting out in their economic growth cycles (India and China), the demand for all petroleum based products is only going to get worse.  This will further push up world oil prices and further infuriate already frustrated consumers of gas.\n3) On the innovation front, Venture Capital firms and others with money to invest are looking for the "next big thing".  The Internet was the fad of the 90's.  Now, looking for a new wave to catch, I'd say a significant amount of money is going into startups looking at ways to reduce our dependence on petroleum.  This could include investments in Fuel Cells, Hydrogen Technologies, Solar Technologies, BioDiesel, etc.  Innovations that come out of these investment efforts should, hopefully, yield some technologies that help the US (and world) consumers break their addiction to oil.
363434
Nationally, the average per gallon price for regular gasoline is $2.50.\n\nAre gasoline prices high? That's not the best way to ask that question. It's akin to asking, "Is Williams tall?" The average height of U.S. women is 5'4", and for men, it's 5'10". Being 6'4", I'd be tall relative to the general U.S. population. But put me on a basketball court, next to the average NBA basketball player, and I wouldn't be tall; I'd be short. So when we ask whether a price is high or low, we have to ask relative to what.\n\nIn 1950, a gallon of regular gasoline sold for about 30 cents; today, it's $2.50. Are today's gasoline prices high compared to 1950? Before answering that question, we have to take into account inflation that has occurred since 1950. Using my trusty inflation calculator (www.westegg.com/inflation), what cost 30 cents in 1950 costs $2.33 in 2005. \n\nIn real terms, that means gasoline prices today are only slightly higher, about 8 percent, than they were in 1950. Up until the recent spike, gasoline prices have been considerably lower than 1950 prices.\n\nSome Americans are demanding that the government do something about gasoline prices. Let's think back to 1979 when the government did do something. The Carter administration instituted price controls. What did we see? We saw long gasoline lines, and that's if the gas station hadn't run out of gas. It's estimated that Americans used about 150,000 barrels of oil per day idling their cars while waiting in line. In an effort to deal with long lines, the Carter administration introduced the harebrained scheme of odd and even days, whereby a motorist whose license tag started with an odd number could fill up on odd-numbered days, and those with an even number on even-numbered days.\n\nWith the recent spike in gas prices, the government has chosen not to pursue stupid policies of the past. As a result, we haven't seen shortages. We haven't seen long lines. We haven't seen gasoline station fights and riots. Why? Because price has been allowed to perform its valuable function -- that of equating demand with supply.\n\nOur true supply problem is of our own doing. Large quantities of oil lie below the 20 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). \n\nThe amount of land proposed for oil drilling is less than 2,000 acres, less than one-half of one percent of ANWR. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates there are about 10 billion barrels of recoverable oil in ANWR. But environmentalists' hold on Congress has prevented us from drilling for it. \n\nThey've also had success in restricting drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and off the shore of California. Another part of our energy problem has to do with refining capacity. Again, because of environmentalists' successful efforts, it's been 30 years since we've built a new oil refinery.\n\nFew people realize that the U.S. is also a major oil-producing country. After Saudi Arabia, producing 10.4 million barrels a day, then Russia with 9.4 million barrels, the U.S. with 8.7 million barrels a day is the third-largest producer of oil. But we could produce more. Why aren't we? \n\nProducers have a variety of techniques to win monopoly power and higher profits that come with that power. What's a way for OPEC to gain more power? \n\nI have a hypothesis, for which I have no evidence, but it ought to be tested. If I were an OPEC big cheese, I'd easily conclude that I could restrict output and charge higher oil prices if somehow U.S. oil drilling were restricted. I'd see U.S. environmental groups as allies, and I would make "charitable" contributions to assist their efforts to reduce U.S. output. Again, I have no evidence, but it's a hypothesis worth examination.
351134
Gas prices, when will they ever go down.
1024217
Yeppers .... and boy would that be fun !! \nLook at all the money the state could make if it exported oil and gas back to the US !!
873620
If they release oil reserves every time the price rises a little it will go down, but we will pay for it dearly when the oil producing countries see that our reserves are getting low. Six years ago our reserves were at an all time low. We held our own for a while but eventually the suppliers realized we didn't have backup and that's how we reached the all time high prices. Several months ago the reserves were in the ninety percent range and that is when it finally started dropping. If they do use the reserves properly gas prices will remain stable. If it does drop dramatically look out we will pay for it later.
1111083
THE GAS PRICES! AHHHH lol
595004
can you lower the gas prices then please?!?!?! lol
380440
There really isn't much. All gasoline has to meet federal standards. Go for price.
922359
Quite possibly.  Because when Clinton was in office gas prices rose before the elections and dropped right after.... talk about a conspiracy :P
384530
Yes we should. Unfortunately our government makes it's money off thing such as oil, cars, and other things not good for this planet or it's inhabitants.
202996
I have! Oil prices go down and gas goes up. Supplies increase the price at the pump goes up. The 2nd biggest oil deposit in the world comes under U.S. control.... You get the idea. Enough is enough. His friends have all made a buck on this insanity, let's go back to $1.00 a gallon.
189663
I'd expect them to go grocery shopping, drop off and pick up drycleaning, run to the post office,and some other odds and ends.  The price I'd be willing to pay them would depend on how much they were doing for me and the driving they'd be doing.  You'd want to make sure to compensate them for their gas.
18599
I don't think we will see gas at that level ever again. I'd expect that alternative energy sources could be developed but by the time they are, inflation will have raised prices too.\n\nWired currently has a story on why high gas prices may be better for the United States. It may be worth reading.
924007
I am niether republican nor democrat. I am for best choice. But I am not surprised that the gas prices are on the rise again now that the elections are over. Republicans will be out of a job soon and need the profits to sustain their lifestyle.
683374
Yes we should. It would take a lot less space than the liberals would have you believe that it would. And, it would be nice not to be so dependent on foreign oil.
1167446
Until we change our habits. If people started car pooling and bought what they needed in one trip instead of 20 and they didn't jump in a car to drive to blocks. When people stop buying so much gas the prices will come down. I know not everyone can carpool but they can do other things like pick up groceries on \nthe way home. Plus we can push for alternative fuels there is progress being made in that field.