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How United States can lower oil prices, promote policies to strengthen dollar, drill in off-shore areas, create large tax incentives, seeking other ideas
I truely believe that if they really wanted to the US Congress along with The Federal Reserve and the President could lower the cost of oil significantly, here is how:
Promote policies for a stronger dollar
Control Speculators and market manipulation of oil through working with the British and other countries that have a market for energy trading. Indict someone who is actively manipulating the cost of oil. Create new laws that eliminate the Enron loophole and make the process more transparent.
Show the world that we are serious about energy conservation by requiring even higher MPG requirements in cars closer to Japan (50 MPG)
Require Oil Companies to have a certain number of their stations to have Natural Gas, Flex Fuel and hookups for Electric Cars.
Drill in Alaska and off shore
Stop the Oil Companies from Exporting American Oil Products.
Give larger tax incentives to people who purchase high MPG Cars.
Good ideas total genius! I tend to like the ideas that involve government backing off on rules and instead providing incentives, rather than drafting new laws and rules, but in general I agree with you.
Though I hear a bunch of enviro-nazis and Bush-Cheney-conspiracy theorists coming.......we'll see them posting soon.
A huge law was already passed in reponse to the Enron scandal and others like it. Check out the Sarbannes-Oxley Act. It requires transparency in all sorts of corporate functions. It's even trickling down to non-profits.
"Promote policies for a stronger dollar" If they can do this the oil/energy situation would be resolved by the market. But all the FED can do is create inflation, they have no will to restore the value of money. It is hyperinflation they want!
Close the tax loophole that allows people to write off their Hummers on their taxes. Instead of adding a "carbon tax" onto a gallon of gasoline as Obama wants to do, they should add a carbon tax on any vehicle that gets less than 20 miles per gallon, and increase that as the miles per gallon increases on peoples' vehicles of choice.
Sure. But it does not even take the Federal Reserve. Just the Congress and a competent President (opps, missing that part ) --
One sentence -- Take US off oil.
Could start on that tomorrow morning all by themselves. The largest oil hog on the planet is US. And among US hoggiest of oil hogs in the US military and government. COMPLETELY under the control of the US Congress.
And whilst heading there, start taking the US highways and traffic off oil, as well. Grid power the highways so that oil (nor batteries) is required to drive coast-to-coast. Congress controls the highway funds and could do that tomorrow, as well.
Mandate that any train carrying under Federal contracts use electric drive, and dump the diesel.
Stop sinking tax money into airports, as the commercial airlines have no future, and put the money into decent rails to run dedicated high-speed electric passenger trains.
Since the US sucks down 20 to 25% of the oil produced here on Planet Dumb, the oil market would sink like a rock, and as the rest of the world fell in line with our leadership and methods-with-a-future [tm], the world demand for oil would be dropping faster the production. Oil would become again viewed as garbage to be left in the ground.
Sure. But it does not even take the Federal Reserve. Just the Congress and a competent President (opps, missing that part ) --
One sentence -- Take US off oil.
Could start on that tomorrow morning all by themselves. The largest oil hog on the planet is US. And among US hoggiest of oil hogs in the US military and government. COMPLETELY under the control of the US Congress.
And whilst heading there, start taking the US highways and traffic off oil, as well. Grid power the highways so that oil (nor batteries) is required to drive coast-to-coast. Congress controls the highway funds and could do that tomorrow, as well.
Mandate that any train carrying under Federal contracts use electric drive, and dump the diesel.
Stop sinking tax money into airports, as the commercial airlines have no future, and put the money into decent rails to run dedicated high-speed electric passenger trains.
Since the US sucks down 20 to 25% of the oil produced here on Planet Dumb, the oil market would sink like a rock, and as the rest of the world fell in line with our leadership and methods-with-a-future [tm], the world demand for oil would be dropping faster the production. Oil would become again viewed as garbage to be left in the ground.
That is a little idealistic. Taking this country off oil is a given long term, whether by our choice or by force. Those who think it is something we can just do in a snap are living on another planet. None of the alternative technologies we currently have are ready for prime time. Electric cars are close, but not there yet. We will be somewhat dependent on oil for decades to come.
That is a little idealistic. Taking this country off oil is a given long term, whether by our choice or by force. Those who think it is something we can just do in a snap are living on another planet. None of the alternative technologies we currently have are ready for prime time. Electric cars are close, but not there yet. We will be somewhat dependent on oil for decades to come.
Hold on a second . . . have you or anyone actually seen an electric (non-battery) car?
I mean other than slot cars, bumper cars, and street cars. I would say it is not an issue of not-there-yet, only because the DOT will not build the electric grid highways.
This is over 100 year-old "technology" and no development or improvement needed.
I would also take exception to the decades-to-ciome part. There are not decades of recoverable oil left. We are in the position of a street junkie -- Get off the stuff or die.
On a bright note we *only* have to drop 10 to 20% consumption per year to stay ahead of the collapse.
Close the tax loophole that allows people to write off their Hummers on their taxes. Instead of adding a "carbon tax" onto a gallon of gasoline as ABM wants to do, they should add a carbon tax on any vehicle that gets less than 20 miles per gallon, and increase that as the miles per gallon increases on peoples' vehicles of choice.
What schedule is that Hummer write off on?? On a schedule C I could write off the depreciation. And the gas, if it were for business. Now, if I leased the Hummer I could write off the lease price.
And whilst heading there, start taking the US highways and traffic off oil, as well. Grid power the highways so that oil (nor batteries) is required to drive coast-to-coast. Congress controls the highway funds and could do that tomorrow, as well.
Mandate that any train carrying under Federal contracts use electric drive, and dump the diesel.
Stop sinking tax money into airports, as the commercial airlines have no future, and put the money into decent rails to run dedicated high-speed electric passenger trains.
Since the US sucks down 20 to 25% of the oil produced here on Planet Dumb, the oil market would sink like a rock, and as the rest of the world fell in line with our leadership and methods-with-a-future [tm], the world demand for oil would be dropping faster the production. Oil would become again viewed as garbage to be left in the ground.
Come on! Those things cannot happen for decades, ignores todays problems, and 90% of the US population.
The OP has a good handle on possible steps.
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