Why Hasn't Bush Done Anything to Encourage Gas Conservation?

Less air pollution? Less reliance on foreign oil? A reduction in prices when people learn to use less oil?

Just a few other potential consequences.

And I may have overstated my case re Americans hating conservation. What a lot of people hate, apparently, are politicians who suggest it. Take Carter...

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How do higher gas prices lower air polution? People still need to get to work and get around.

Less foriegn reliance on oil? How do high gas prices effect our source of oil?

I think government subsidies of programs like Hydrogen cells would be much more beneficial...

kind of like this...

Quote:

President George Bush's and the U.S. Energy Department's hydrogen research initiative took a huge step forward late last month with the announcement of $350 million in r&d spending for dozens of projects.

Or lowering taxes on alternative fuel programs or offering credits towards purchasing alternative fuel vehiles.

granted Bush could do more, but in the end, it is the consumer that decides to purchase the gas and to keep people in government. Rest assured, there is not one person in congress that worries about spending $5 more to fill their tanks up.

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OK, I guess I need to explain why higher gas prices might have those effects: People might drive less. We don't all live in the woods; most Americans live in urban or suburban areas, and many of these have mass transit systems.

But I do agree with you on other options, such as lowering taxes on alternative fuels and credits for purchasing certain vehicles. There is a credit for buying a hybrid car, but it's being phased out. Makes no sense at all...

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The last politician that suggested a really steep gas tax be implemented was Ross Perot. It was the deal breaker for a lot of the people I know who were on the fence, but ultimately didn't vote for him. Pity too; had he been elected and passed his Gas-Tax; every federal tax dollar raised west of the Mississippi River today, would be a surplus dollar. I think its fair to say the general population of the US is pretty shortsighted when it comes to economics. Sad

At the end of the day, however, McG's early statement is correct. It is up to the people to conserve gas. There must be 75,000,000 cars on the road in this country. That's 75,000,000 people who could make a difference. Idea

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I couldn't agree more. But will people conserve if gas is cheap? The evidence suggests otherwise. And a high federal gas tax will never fly, as Occom Bill suggests. Therefore, it would seem that the only way for the drivers of those 75,000,000 vehicles to make a difference will be if they don't want to pay so much for gas. And drive less as a result.

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Grand Duke, There's approximately 3.846 liters to one gallon.

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CI - Just realised that a US gallon is only 83% of a British gallon. Problem solved!

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Re: Why Hasn't Bush Done Anything to Encourage Gas Conservat

Harper wrote:

Less demand, prices fall, you would think with gasoline now over $2.00 (where I live) this sorry excuse for a President would do something to encourage conservation! Of course, we all know why Bush doesn't discourage gas consumption!

That's not true. He invaded Iraq and destabilized the Middle East, thereby driving up gas prices. Nothing encourages conservation more than high prices.

PS: Gas prices in Germany are around five dollars per gallon. Stop being such crybabies, Americans!

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Re: Why Hasn't Bush Done Anything to Encourage Gas Conservat

Thomas wrote:

PS: Gas prices in Germany are around five dollars per gallon. Stop being such crybabies, Americans!

That is a good point but only to a degree. The US is a much larger geographic space than much of Europe. The distances people are expected to travel in much of the country are much larger. In the northeast, particularly southern New England the distances people have to travel to reach major cities are much smaller and more European like. For example I am only 100 miles (62 Km) from Boston and less than 200 miles (124 Km) from New York. But when you get beyond the northeast the population is much more dispersed and cities are much farther apart. In this situation the price of gasoline is much more significant.

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Maybe Bush is just too fond of chili and baked beans. Seriously though, why hasn't hydrogen-based energy research been funded properly? While it is up to the individual to 'conserve gas', some cities, like L.A., make it impossible. Using L.A. as an example: You need a car. You need gas. Bush is tied up with the oil industry. Well, you do the math.

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Cav, read the link I posted above.

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GM has a hydrogen vehicle that could be put on the road now. They keep tinkering with it to "make it better" and claim thy will have it in production by 2010. I'm doubtful of the date. The large car manufactures are fixated on gas engines and have too much invested in them to change quickly. There is also the issue of supply and delivery. It take energy to make hydrogen and that has to come from somewhere. Also hydrogen has to be available at your local gas station, and it is not. There are a lot of infrastructure problems to be solved before hydrogen is in wide use.

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Acquiunk wrote:

GM has a hydrogen vehicle that could be put on the road now. They keep tinkering with it to "make it better" and claim thy will have it in production by 2010. I'm doubtful of the date. The large car manufactures are fixated on gas engines and have too much invested in them to change quickly. There is also the issue of supply and delivery. It take energy to make hydrogen and that has to come from somewhere. Also hydrogen has to be available at your local gas station, and it is not. There are a lot of infrastructure problems to be solved before hydrogen is in wide use.

Which could be well on the way to being finished and paid for with the money we've pissed away on george's excellent Iraq adventure.......

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Bi-Polar Bear wrote:

[Which could be well on the way to being finished and paid for with the money we've pissed away on george's excellent Iraq adventure.......

True. Such are the demise of empires and republics.

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McGentrix wrote:

Cav, read the link I posted above.

Sorry there McG, missed that one. Just read it.

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Why Hasn't Bush Done Anything to Encourage Gas Conservation?

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