drkelly
Dipstick who put two vehicles on jack stands
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2005
- Location
- Oak Ridge/Stokesdale, NC
Maybe I'll take up frisbee golf.
$4.15 for B5 biodiesel in Hickory this morning.
I've had similar thoughts. Like most Americans I'm cautious about doing anything outside of pure capitalism, government control makes me nervous.Dang, someone is making a killing since it generally cost less than $1.00 per gallon to make.
My gripe is that a few years ago it was less than $1.00 per gallon. That included about 40 cents in tax, so the cost of refining it, markup, and delivery was less than 60 cents per gallon. Now crude oil costs about $2.00 per gallon, add the 60 cents for refining, etc and 40 cents in tax and it should be $3.00 per gallon, but no it doesn't work that way. They all go by a percentage markup. The higher the cost goes the more money one percent means and the better for all the refineries and middle men. The government should step in a regulate markup like they do for utilities.
I've had similar thoughts. Like most Americans I'm cautious about doing anything outside of pure capitalism, government control makes me nervous.
Having said that, there are some areas where pure capitalism doesn't work. If you get syphilis over time it will attack your brain and kill you. The cure is a $.50 dose of penicillin but if you're about to die you'll sell your house for it. You'll go into debt for it. You'll do anything to avoid death. This is an area where government control is required.
If the government didn't regulate the cost of electricity it would be just as insane. The nature of electricity is such that you're not going to get mom and pop shops springing up and competing to keep the costs low. Instead you'll have one or two providers controlling costs and financially killing you while their profits skyrocket. That's what's happening with gas/diesel right now.
Is it time for government control? I'm not sure. I'd start by threatening them with it first and see if they'll lower costs. Maybe I'd break up exxon/mobile like they did AT&T? They need to do something to either restore competition or regulate the industry. You can't just raise the cost of transportation and shift all the nation's money to XOM.
My $0.02 isn't worth what it used to be because energy has caused inflation for every good and service.
How come we cant get a few people in Congress who think rationally...You think those a**holes would understand that if they regulate oil, consumers will have more money to spend on others things, which in turn will stimulate new business growth and the rest of the economy...