Quote:
Originally Posted by jimw144
Now for your question was it worth it? To soon to know for sure early signs point to yes. Auto sales are up in the month of August inventory is at a 6 month low. The Ford Ranger plant here in Mn. that was to close next year is now staying open. Ford Ranger seems to be one of the winners.
When gas hit 4 dollars a gallon Americans cut their consumption by 3%. This dropped the price of gas by 60% to 1.50. If 3% does that what happens if we cut consumption by 5% or 10%. What if 10 years from now we use 20% less than we do now, this can be achieved. Not by the all or nothing mentality of conservatives, rather by incremental changes in the things we do. Cash for clunkers was just one small change.
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I will peer into the "crystal ball" and foretell that sales will not recover, without c4c goading people on... And that as inventory builds up, factories will close... And as oil refineries readjust to the demand, prices will again rise... And that the only beneficiaries are the politicians who gained more tax money and power at our expense - and that cutting 10% of a 74% oil import bill is a whopping 'duh'.
The "leadership" of government is like a blind bull being chased by hornets - unsafe to be in front of it, and grateful when it has passed you by without incident.
If you want to formulate a long term solution, run the numbers in the scenario that all oil imports are stopped (for whatever reason).
Based on government projections, current proven oil reserves are consumed in 3 years, at current consumption rates.
Then what?
"Back to the Future" -
Electric rail - in all its forms - heavy mainline, passenger, light rail, interurban, streetcar, subway, funicular, cogwheel, etc, etc.
And do we see any massive, national initiative to electrify mainline railroads? (Oil rich Russia electrified its TransSiberian RR)
Do we see multitudes of comprehensive streetcar and light rail projects to ease the gridlock that plagues so many cities?
Instead, we see "shovel ready" projects that subsidize the dying automobile paradigm - more highways, roads, bridges, and so on. Wasting more tax money on "life support" of the doomed is irresponsible and in time, suicidal.
You can't violate the Laws of Physics and win. And you can't waste scarce and finite resources on inefficient transportation and prevail.
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