Blast from the past: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/....bush.gas.prices.cnn

Jon Stewarts take on it:

http://www.comedycentral.co...jhtml?videoId=163572

LOL! Yes, there are so many things you could apply "no plan" to and have it bite you in the a$$...

This proves it! G.B. Jr. is a RETARD! hehe. Not that there has not been proof in the past. And oh yes, I remember the oil crisis of the 90s... it was nice and cheap, I looked in my pocket and went "humm, a $10 bill... I can fill my car up" Ahh those were the days, were they not? now I go to the pump and go "gotta put it under credit again"

You can't even fill up without paying for it first. Back in the day, I remember filling up the car and paying for it after! Back then, gas was a buck a gallon! I think the year was twenty ought zero. Memorieeeeees

Two months ago I was able to. Now it's a double walk and stand in line twice for the 4 gallons I need for the bike.

edit
they're saying $4.30 average for the summer.

[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 06-11-2008).]

I've always paid with a credit card at the pump so the pre-pay only rules have never affected me.

The president of the U.S. is not the primary political determiner of gas prices, nor ever has been nor ever will be.

The CONGRESS is the body the INITIATES and passes policies that would have an impact on gas prices. The president's only role in that would be if he/she VETOED bills that would have created an environment of lower gas prices.

Policies that have kept gas prices (and over-all energy prices from other sources) higher are policies that have been ANTI-U.S. drilling, and environmental regulations.

I'm in no way saying all environmental policies are bad. They are very necessary. But the hyper-environmental restrictive policies that don't really protect the environment to any significant degree, but make energy production expensive ARE bad.

While it is a lot of fun and comedy to make fun of George Bush, that is all it is. It isn't reality.

Now if you want to have a serious discussion and REALLY assign responsibility, just ask yourself who IN CONGRESS has made policies that have made gas and energy more expensive. THOSE people are your REAL culprit. I'll let you decide who those people are.


BTW, they are the SAME people who made policies that allowed gasoline prices to rise SO QUICKLY, that SUV sales have plummeted. (and I personally hate SUV'S for people that drive them and don't really utilize them, but this is the U.S., so people should be free to make their own choices.). That has caused the Janesville, Wisconsin GM plant to have to close, as they produce SUV's. No time to make changes or shift to a different production line, because gas prices rose so quickly. Well, isn't it ironic that the union members of that plant helped the 2 Wisconsin senators get elected, who consistently voted for policies that allowed for a meteoric rise in gas prices, and cause their own plant to be shut down.


Let's make some jokes about THAT, Jon Stewart. That's a knee slapper.

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: The president of the U.S. is not the primary political determiner of gas prices, nor ever has been nor ever will be. Let's make some jokes about THAT, Jon Stewart. That's a knee slapper.

I think the American Public just wants their President to make informed statements. He may not dictate the world's economy, but he shouldn't make statements that make him seem unaware of world events.

quote Originally posted by USFiero: I think the American Public just wants their President to make informed statements. He may not dictate the world's economy, but he shouldn't make statements that make him seem unaware of world events.

I think he just thought that he was going to be able to continue to work with Congress to make things better for the American people like he did for his first 6 years in office. When the Dems took over, the sad reality is that they stopped working. Hence, their abyssmal approval rating, their lack of production, their wasted time on congressional hearings, their sitting back and watching gas prices DOUBLE in 2 years without opening ONE new oil field for exploration and all the while throwing tons of our tax dollars at corn growers to make ethanol (which can't ever be used commercially) instead of food so now Corn is twice as expensive as it use to be...and oh by the way, corn is in nearly EVERYTHING YOU EAT OR DRINK.

No one argues the problem isn't real. But let's keep our eye on the "guilt" ball. How else are we going to be able to fix this if we are focused on the wrong people.

If anyone thinks that any politician has any control over gas prices besides making gas illegal or subsidized, they're only fooling themselves.

Our proven oil reserves will last us 3 years of continuous use. Our unproven oil reserves I've heard everywhere between 3-6 years, including ANWR and drilling off shore.

That's with no outside oil imports. That's such a miniscule portion of our oil consumption that I say we pump it clean in 6 years and have at it. But wait - consider this - world oil consumption is 82 million bbl/day. Ours is 21 million bbl/day: http://www.nationmaster.com...ergy-oil-consumption

So even if we become self sufficient during those 6 years, at BEST, oil prices would fall about 25%. Of course, consider that oil will be sold to the highest bidder, so our domestic oil may end up going overseas anyways.

quote Originally posted by USFiero: I think the American Public just wants their President to make informed statements. He may not dictate the world's economy, but he shouldn't make statements that make him seem unaware of world events.

I agree. On the other hand, I don't expect him to follow what every so called expert is predicting. He has a lot to do besides read what everyone is predicting. I don't believe that qualifies as a "world event".

.

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 12-05-2008).]

I hate using a credit card to buy perishables like gasoline. When I want to buy gas, I have the money. I dont know how much a car will take at a given fillup time, so if its a pay first place, I just start back up and go on to the next station. I dont have the time or patience to stand in line, give the guy say $100 bill, go fill my car, then come back in line again to get my change. Maybe if they brought my change out to me after I filled it. I will use a card if Im forced too by all the stations going to pay first. I still dont have a problem finding a normal one. I dont go to the grocery store and leave a deposit, then shop, pick up the change left over.

Can't you just pay using a debit card? That way, you don't have to put it on yer credit card...?

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: I hate using a credit card to buy perishables like gasoline.

What the heck's the difference?

I refuse to go to a gas station that doesn't take credit cards at the pump. Greatest thing since sliced bread!

Regular gas here is now about $5.80 a gallon, and rising...

everyone recommends NOT using a debit card for some reason, some way they can get into your account, so I dont take a chance. I never use a debit card. I use a card to buy hard items that I dont carry enough cash on me for. Something simple like fast food or gas seems stupid to me to charge. If you dont pay a lot of attention, you could run a gasoline bill up to $400-$500 with no trouble. By spending whats in your pocket, your never left hanging out to dry. I always have a few hundred on me to pay for gas so Im never in debt for it.

It's weird, this one time I used my debit card (entered the PIN at the pump), they charged me $75. The authorization didn't clear until a week later.

When I use my debit card as a credit card, the authorization is always what the gas costs, not a penny more.

Won't make that mistake again.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: Something simple like fast food or gas seems stupid to me to charge.

Well, it seems "stupid" to me to have to carry around a wad of cash just to put gas in the car. Different strokes for different folks.

quote Originally posted by ryan.hess: It's weird, this one time I used my debit card (entered the PIN at the pump), they charged me $75. The authorization didn't clear until a week later. When I use my debit card as a credit card, the authorization is always what the gas costs, not a penny more. Won't make that mistake again.

Yes, the debit card takes a sum out and then "refunds" what isn't used. It sounds like that station had some issues. I'll be using the "credit" option on my card from now on too. Thanks.

Roger, you would be lost in California. We went all prepay back in the 80's. I was shocked when I moved to Oklahoma that people would still be trusting enough to let you pump first. I really can't think of any personal hardship from prepaying, and I agree with Patrick. Paying at the pump is the greatest invention since flush toilets.

This time next year gas prices will be around $2.30 a gallon

quote Originally posted by JazzMan: Lack of a coherent energy policy aimed at energy security, combined with a president and vice-president who are linked inextricably with the energy industry, got us to where we are now. .

Come on, Jazz, at least be honest about this, will you? We had the first gasoline price rises in the mid 70s, which, if my fingers still work correctly , is 33 years ago. Were Gerald Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Clinton connected to oil companies, or at least as much as you claim George Bush is? The lack of a coherent energy policy can be laid directly at the feet of a Congress that has been primarily in the hands of democrats for that period. We didn't get into this mess in the last eight years.

quote We as citizens need to start thinking long-term now, and electing leaders who reflect our long-term goals and desires, because if we don't we as a nation and a civilization will cease to exist. There is absolutely nothing inherent in this nation that can protect us from the consequences of failing to plan and act now for our long term future. JazzMan

Absolutely true. I still believe the United States is the most capable country in the world when it comes to solving problems. We still have enough of that " we can do anything spirit." However, the farther we go done the road to direct government control of energy, and the farther we get from self-accomplishment to dependence on government and a collective sense of entitlement to education , housing, health care, and retirement provided by government, the closer we come to that day when America becomes a forgotten player on the world stage, a has-been like Rome and the British Empire.