[Dialogue] gas prices - we can do

Tue Mar 18 08:49:13 EDT 2008

Adam makes a good point whether or not the gas boycott is an urban 
legend.  It is unfortunate that the oil companies make such outrageous 
profits while we have to foot the bill.  I would not hesitate to pay the 
higher prices if those profits were turned into adequate public 
transportation and development of alternative energy.  Unfortunately, in 
a capitalistic system, such changes only occur when the profit and 
demand are met.  Many Americans are not about to give up the luxury of 
independent private transportation no matter how adequate the public 
methods work.  In the major crowded cities such as Chicago and New York, 
public transportation does work effectively.  But once we hit the "open 
road" with the "wind in our hair" and having taken "one for the road," 
ohmygod how can any red blooded American consumer give that up???

Adam Thomson wrote:
> From Adam Thomson, Dover UK
>
> Concerning the price of gas (petrol) and fossil fuels in general, I am 
> sorry but from a across-the-pond perspective I have to stick my oar in 
> here.
>
> Consumer campaigns to reduce the price of particular products are all 
> well and good. However this particular case of fossil fuel consumption 
> and the resulting endangerment of the planet (pointed out by Al Gore 
> no less, and others) is something special. Surely, don't we have to 
> direct our efforts - globally - to looking for _alternatives_ to 
> consuming fossil fuels? Don't we have to get to the point of _being 
> less dependent) on (fossil fuel) automobiles_ and planes?
>
> In the UK Gayle and I count ourselves lucky that we cannot afford a 
> car, and of course we have much enjoyed using the public transport 
> systems that are available here. And as it happens, _at this moment_ 
> the price of fuel is in the order of _one GBP per litre_. That is one 
> British pound per litre. And at roughly 3.8 litres to a US gallon that 
> means 3.8 GBP to a US gallon, or nearly 8 USD (_Eight dollars a gallon_).
>
> On a slightly broader point, in her posting Kay asserts that "the 
> buyer controls the market". Well, that has been OK but it is a 
> reflection of the "Economic" dominance of the Social Process Triangle 
> - and we surely have to go back to our roots and recall what we said 
> we had to do to change things: push on the Cultural and the Social.
>
> We all on this planet must look for ALTERNATIVES, not try and resist 
> change, especially exclusively by using the obsolete tools of market 
> pressure.
>
> Yes, I know that in the US there's a problem of a virtually 
> non-existent public transport system outside the big cities. But 
> that's one area where we (you all) need to push (develop public 
> transport).
>
> Sure we can do - but we must _do something else_.
>
> From Adam & Gayle Thomson
>
> END OF MESSAGE
>
> At 05:36 18/03/2008, you wrote:
>> This will work---we must stick to it.  The one thing thatt will make 
>> it fail is when they drop prices 25 cents, everyone may go to them 
>> because it is cheaper.  Please Don't!  Hold your ground and force it 
>> down more.  You will pay more this month, but the long term benefit 
>> will drive it down permanently.  The long term goal will outweigh the 
>> short term pain.  LETâEUR^(TM)S STICK WITH IT! This was sent by a 
>> retired Coca Cola executive. It came from an engineer buddy---retired 
>> from Halliburton. I f you are tired of tthe gas prices going up AND 
>> they will continue to, read this please. This makes MUCH MORE SENSE 
>> than the "don't buy gas on a certain day" campaign!  Join the 
>> resistance!!!!  I hear we will hit close to $ 4.00 a gallon by next 
>> summer---or higher!! We need to take intelligent, united acction.  
>> The oil companies and OPEC nations conditioned us to think the cost 
>> of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at $1.50 - $1.75.  We need to take 
>> aggressive action and teach them BUYERS control the marketplace---not 
>> sellers. The way too see the price come down is to hit the pocketbook 
>> by not purchasing their gas! And, we can do that WITHOUT hurting 
>> ourselves.  Since we all rely on our cars, we can't stop buying.  We 
>> CAN have an impact on prices with a price war. For the rest of this 
>> year, DON'T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies, 
>> EXXON and MOBIL.  If they are not selling gas, they will be inclined 
>> to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other 
>> companies will follow suit. We need to reach millions of Exxon and 
>> Mobil buyers---it's simple to do! IâEUR^(TM)m sending thiis to 30 
>> people. If each of us send to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) ... 
>> and the 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000), by the 
>> time the message reaches the sixth group of people, we have reached 
>> over THREE MILLION consumers. If those three million pass it on to 
>> ten friends, then 30 million people will be contacted! If it goes one 
>> level further---THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!   Please send to 10 
>> people.  The math when you simply repeat the 
>> process.                                          acumulative 
>> number     total I sent it to 30 people                        
>> 30                   30 They all send it to 10 people           
>> 300                 330 They all send it to 10 people         
>> 3000               3330 They all send it to 10 people       
>> 30000             33330 They all send it to 10 people      
>> 300000          333330 They all send it to 10 people    
>> 3000000        3333330 If we all send to ten more people within one 
>> day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be contacted 
>> within the next 8 days!!!   I'll bet you didn't think we had such 
>> potential!  Let us make a difference. If this makes sense to you, 
>> please pass this on.  Suggest not to buy from EXXON/MOBIL UNTIL THEY 
>> LOWER THEIR PRICES TO THE $2.00 RANGE AND KEEP THEM DOWN.   Keeping 
>> in mind, they will lower the prices if NO ONE BUYS, BUT we must 
>> continue not to buy.  Don't give in when it falls lower than $3, or 
>> $2.50, hold steady until it falls below $2.00 LetâEUR^(TM)s really 
>> unite and serve each other and ourselves! 
>> _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list 
>> Dialogue at wedgeblade.net 
>> http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/dialogue_wedgeblade.net 
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